One: We gather in the name of God, who loves us and who is in our midst.
All: We gather in the name of the One who proclaims justice and mercy.
One: We gather to name our sorrow and share new visions.
All: We gather to heal our pain and rekindle our hope.
One: We gather because the journey is long.
All: We gather because we hunger and thirst for a new heaven and a new earth.
One: The spirit of life has called us to be together.
All: The spirit of compassion has called all of creation to be transformed by love.
One: May this gathering serve to strengthen, encourage, and renew us.
All: Thanks be to God.
Adapted from Fire in the Rose: Churches Exploring Abuse and Healing by Louise Briscoe, The Church Council on Justice and Corrections, Ottawa, 1998.
