Welcome to the Pilgrimage of Prayer  ~
Day 29 of a 40-day journey of prayer leading us to General Council 42.

As the commissioners to GC42 prepare to make a physical pilgrimage to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, we invite the entire United Church of Canada into a prayer pilgrimage.

This is the twenty-nineth day of 40 days we will pray together. The following prayers have been prayed, written, and shared with us as a daily prayer practice. As you pray each day, please hold in your heart our whole United Church. Think of the power of all of us praying together. So “May it be so.” Amen.
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You are invited to say the following prayer out loud each day in the 40 days of the Prayer Pilgrimage leading up to General Council 42, along with the specific prayer for the day. We also invite you to pray this prayer during each day of General Council.

Pilgrim Prayer

May I love this day and all that it brings
The dust, stones or mud beneath my feet
The air I breathe, food I eat, water I drink

May I open my heart to mysteries along the way
Greet fellow pilgrims with welcome and grace
Move lightly and simply through the day

May I give thanks for the Earth, our fragile home
For all my relations who have gone before me
And for all who will follow… I am not alone

May the spirit and blessing of the One who is love
– Holy One among us, all around us, and within us –
Be with me today, and surround me with love

Allison Rennie and Diane Ransom, Naramata, B.C. Created in 2010 by Allison Rennie and Diane Ransom and said aloud each day while walking the Camino de Santiago.

Week Five
Prayer for Day 29 – Monday, July 27

Creator, Spirit, Wellspring of Life –
when the path is hard, we lean on you.
When the path is lonely, we reach for you.
When the path is uncertain, we turn to you.
You ground our feet and cushion our heels.
You are the spring in each step.
You are the breeze that refreshes,
the darkness and dawn that form the day.
You are the life in all fullness,
only you have the perspective
to see the whole, big picture,
to know what is crucial,
to see through the distractions
and to lead us on our way home.
Grant us doubts, clearing space for surprise.
Grant us guideposts to turn us to question.
Bless us with companions in our seeking
and much grace,
as our grasp on life opens
and we are received.

Sheryl Johnson, Fairlawn Avenue United Church, Toronto, Ont.
Photo: Cowboy Dave, Flickr (CC BY 2.0)