“May the God who bestows great gifts on us continue to bless us and nourish us in the days ahead. May our work always reflect God’s mercy. May our lives always reflect God’s glory. May our hearts always reflect God’s love. Bless us, Lord, as we gather, as we share, and as we work for your kingdom.”

 “So many meetings, so little time to prepare for them—especially the prayer dimension!” How many times have you had this thought? As a pastoral associate, Deborah McCann knows firsthand how important that prayer dimension is. “I have seen how prayer can make or break the focus and effectiveness of a meeting. For that reason, it’s important to tailor prayers to the needs of your group and to the purpose of the gathering.” 

The 50 blessings and services in Lift Up Your Hearts! include opening and closing prayers, a Scripture reading, time for reflection on the Word, and intercessions. There are blessings for committees, catechumens, planning teams, eucharistic ministers, lectors, choir members, altar servers, for stewardship and evangelization, and for multicultural parishes. There are church year services for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time, and ten prayers for overall parish meetings and gatherings. 

Excellent for all parish leaders, ministries, and groups, especially those who want to pray deeply in a limited amount of time.  Perfect for virtual or “in-person” gatherings.

Deborah McCann was a Pastoral Associate at St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in New London, Connecticut. She is author of several books of prayers and reflections, all published by Twenty-Third Publications. 

Click here to read sample pages