Opening Prayer Of The Day (Collect)

A collect is a prayer that "collects" the prayers of the people in summary fashion, places them in a context appropriate to the seasonal or thematic focus of the day, and offers them to God.

The function of the collect (pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable) is to bring together the prayers of the people, to bring to a close the Entrance to worship, and to proclaim the theme of the day. The worship leader may face the people with outstretched arms, bid them to pray, wait until their prayers surface or allow a time for silent prayer, then pray, bringing the congregation and their prayers before God. The congregation assents with an Amen. Traditional Examples of the Opening Prayer General Prayers O holy God You who rest in the holy place, You who are hymned by the seraphim, You who are glorified by the cherubim and worshiped by all the heavenly powers; You brought all things into being out of nothing. You created us out of your image and likeness and adorned us with many gifts; You give to those who ask wisdom and understanding; You do not despise the sinner, but call them to repentance; You have given to us, your humble and unworthy servants, To stand before you and offer you the praise and worship due your name; Accept our praise O God and give us your goodness, Forgive us our sins known and unknown, Sanctify our souls and bodies, and Grant us the power to serve you in holiness All the days of our life. For you only are Holy, O Lord And unto you alone do we ascribe glory: To the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Now and forever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from the Prayer of the Trisagion, St. John Chrysostom Liturgy) or O Lord You who are bountiful and compassionate, You who are longsuffering and plenteous in mercy, Open your ears to our prayer and listen to our pleading voice; Work within us your good work and Lead us in your way so that We may walk in your truth. Make our hearts glad That we may fear your holy name. For O Lord you are great and you do great things You save all who trust in your Holy Name. For unto you is due all glory, honor and worship: To the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Now and forever until ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or O Lord Do not rebuke us in your displeasure Nor chasten us in your wrath: but deal with us according to your mercy, O physician and healer of our souls. Guide us into the haven of your will. Open the eyes of our hearts to the knowledge of your truth, keep us from sin and give us peace throughout our life. For yours is the majesty and yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer 2 of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or O Lord our God Remember us sinners and servants When we call upon your name And do not disappoint us in the expectation of your mercy: But give us, O Lord, all our petitions Which lead to salvation and cause us to love and fear you with all our hearts and To do your will in all things. For you are a good God and you love all people and unto you We ascribe all glory: To the Father, and to the Son, And to the Holy Spirit: Now and forever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer 3 of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or O Lord God You are hymned by the holy powers With never-ceasing hymns and songs of praise Grant us a participation in the inheritance of all those who fear you and keep your commandments For to you is all glory, honor and worship: To the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Now and ever and to ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer 4 of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or O Lord our God You uphold all things in the hollow of your pure hand; You show longsuffering to all people and sorrow over the calamities we endure: Remember the fullness of your mercy. Visit us with your lovingkindness: And grant us this day to avoid the snares of evil; Through the grace of your Holy Spirit. We ask this through the mercy and love of your Son With whom you are blessed, together with your all holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit: Now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer 5 of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or O God you are great and wonderful With your own inscrutable wisdom and With the great riches of providence you order all things and give us the good things of earth; You have given us a pledge of the coming kingdom through the good things you have already given us, And you make us shun evil: Grant us the power to live this day and throughout our lives Without reproach before you, and Cause us to hymn and glorify you, The only good one, our God, who loves all people; For you are our God and Unto you we ascribe all glory: To the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: Now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer 6 of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or O great and most high God You alone are eternal and you alone dwell in unapproachable light; You made all creation out of your wisdom; You divided the light from the darkness, You appointed the sun to rule the day, The moon and stars to rule the night; You also cause us sinners to come before your presence with confession and to offer you sacrifices of praise: O Lord, you who love all people, direct our worship to come before you and accept it as sweet incense; Empower us with your light, Move us to remember your Holy Name, cause us to be filled with joy and to glorify your goodness. For you are a good God and you love all people; We ascribe glory to your Holy Name: To the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: Now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. (Adapted from Vespers, Prayer 7 of the Eastern Orthodox Church) or You are holy, O Lord, our Creator and Father, giving us mercies beyond number. You are holy, O Savior Jesus Christ, loving and setting us free. You are holy, O Spirit of truth and peace, leading us in ways that are right. O holy, eternal Trinity, we praise you forever and ever. Amen. (The Service for the Lord's Day [Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1984], 57) or You do hear the prayers of your people, O God, and give heed to their supplications. Your faithfulness spans generations and nations, as a cloak of protection sewn with benevolent care. You promise your presence as your Spirit abides in our midst. We bow down before you, as our mothers and fathers have done before us, in praise and adoration of your gracious name. (James G. Kirk, When We Gather: Year A [Philadelphia: Geneva Press, 1983], 104) Opening Prayers for the Seasons of the Christian Year (For opening prayers appropriate to the seasons, Sundays, and feast days of the Christian year, see Volume 5: The Services of the Christian Year; The Book of Common Prayer; The Roman Missal; or other liturgical books.) Preparing an Opening Prayer. For those who prepare a creative Opening Prayer the following form may be used as a guide: Direction Example 1. An address to God O God, 2. A reference to some divine attribute You have prepared for those who love you or act as the ground of prayer such good things as surpass our understanding: 3. (a) A petition related to the day's Pour into our hearts such love towards theme or the position in the church's you, that we, loving you in all things and above year, (b) often with a clause describing all things, may obtain your promises, the end or purpose of the petition which exceed all that we can desire; 4. A concluding doxology through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. This format is a generalization, and not every classic or modern collect fits it. Many variations exist, and a look at them will reveal the appropriate bounds of the form. For example, the collect for the First Sunday of Advent does not have a section devoted to an attribute of God, but rather implies attributes in the petition itself: [1] Almighty God [3a] give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; [3b] that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; [4] through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. The petition here not only asks for something; it tells part of the story of salvation with its characteristic Advent references to the Incarnation and to the return of Christ, and in so doing reveals the character of God in sending his Son. Another example, from the Third Sunday of Advent (often called the "Stirrup Prayer" because of its opening words), begins with the petition immediately, which also suggests an attribute of God and then interjects the address to God. The prayer then proceeds to a second, closely related petition: [3, 2 implicit] Stir up your power, [1] O Lord, [2] and with great might come among us; [3] and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; [4] through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.