A slightly shorter prayer this week to pray about our value of diversity

We come from many backgrounds
We come from many generations
We come from many spiritual walks
We come from many ethnicities
We come from many experiences

Let us
Celebrate our unity in Christ

Let us
Celebrate our diversity in Christ.

As Christ welcomed all who came to him,
Regardless of social status, wealth, family,
Ethnicity, race, gender,
Holiness, righteousness, purity,
Illness, disabilities, limitations,
Intelligence, mental health, abilities,
Religion, faith, or commitment,
So do we welcome all who come, all who are sent, all who join us. 
For God has called us all to be one family in Christ. Amen.

For an extended prayer time here's a prayer we prayed last year on our first anniversary as a church in Brooklyn:

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.
Let us give thanks to God for ballot boxes, newspaper editorials, and open borders,
for all the freedoms we enjoy.

Let us give thanks to God for diplomats, treaties, and compromise,
for peace in a world of war.

Let us give thanks to God
for police officers, streetlights, and concerned neighbors, for safety from fear and harm.

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.

Let us give thanks to God for St. Paul and St. Priscilla, St. Francis and St. Claire,
Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, and Mother Teresa,
for all Christians who ran the race before us.

Let us give thanks to God for the Scriptures, for creeds and confessions,
for the songs and hymns of God’s people,
for all good things in our heritage of faith.

Let us give thanks to God for a good creation,
a redeeming Son, and a transforming Spirit,
for all the benefits of our salvation.

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.

Let us give thanks to God for purple and orange sunsets,
bright red flowers, great gray elephants, and the vast blackness of space,
for all the wonders, God, of your creative mind.
Let us give thanks to God for Mozart, Michelangelo, and Milton,
for pianos, paintbrushes, and pencils,
for all the wonders of our creative minds, made in your image, O Lord.

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.

Let us give thanks to God for Thanksgiving turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, for the abundance of food that sustains our bodies.
Let us give thanks to God for soft beds, warm fires, familiar chairs, and open windows,
for the abundant comfort of our homes.

Let us give thanks to God for cars that run,
brand-new sneakers, and long, hot showers,
for God’s goodness that flows above and beyond our needs.

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.

Let us give thanks to God for aggressive immune systems,
for running cross-country, and for sound sleep,
for the strength and health of our bodies.
Let us give thanks to God for crossword puzzles,
learning foreign languages, and plane geometry,
for healthy, strong minds.

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.

Let us give thanks to God for pesky little brothers,
wise grandmothers, favorite uncles, and loving parents,
for the families that shaped our lives.
Let us give thanks to God for surprise phone calls,
funny birthday gifts, and long talks late at night,
for friends who stick with us as the years go by.

Let us give thanks to God for men and women
with dark skin and light skin, freckles and curls,
pug noses and beards, graceful limbs and ample laps,
for all the beautiful diversity of people, all over the world,
who make up one family of God, bound together in Christ.

Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name.
Give thanks to God, all the earth; praise God’s holy name. Amen.