All Age Harvest Prayers #church #prayer

These prayers were written by my friend Sarah for her church's harvest festival.   I gave her a tiny gem of an idea of prayers with different breads but she took it to a deeper place.   She has  generously agreed that I can share the prayers here. Thank You Sarah.

Notes: A Child holds up correct bread during each section.

We have some visual aids for our prayers today so you may want to keep your eyes open!

Let us pray:
Father God, we come to you this morning to give thanks for your world, to pray for those in need and to ask that your kingdom will come.

See this farmhouse loaf.
It is a large loaf, enough to feed many.  It  reminds us of God’s bounty and provision.

We give thanks for the earth, it’s beauty and abundance and ask forgiveness for the times we have wasted it’s resources and not cared for the environment as we should.

May we always remember to be thankful for all that we have been given and for those who produce our food.

See this wrap.
It has been rolled and stretched thin.
It reminds us of those occasions when we feel stretched and stressed and feel we cannot take or do any more without breaking.

We pray for all who feel they are at breaking point because they have too much to do or because they are in pain.

Help us to recognise our limits, to rest and seek your peace.

See this bagel.
It has a hole.
It reminds us of those holes in our lives where we feel something or someone is missing.

We pray for all who feel lost or lonely, for those who slip through the holes in society.  Help us to be aware of your love and to share that love with others.

See this bread roll.
It is a smaller version of a loaf, similar and yet different.
It reminds us of children.

We pray for all children everywhere, especially those who struggle to be children because poverty or lack of family forces them to be like adults.

Help us to support the children and families in this area.

See this pitta bread.
It is plain and dry.
It reminds us of the places in our world which are dry, where crops do not grow easily, and where just having enough to eat, however plain, is a luxury.

We pray for people everywhere who are hungry and give thanks for aid workers and foodbanks.

Help us to support them however we can, through our prayers and our giving.

See this “best of both” bread.
It uses a mixture of white and wholemeal flour.
It reminds us that difference does not always need to lead to conflict.

We pray for the parts of our world where there is fighting.
Give wisdom and courage to all those with influence and bring your peace.


The earth is fruitful
     may we be generous.
The earth is fragile
     may we be gentle.
The earth is fractured
     may we be just.
Creating God,
     harvest in us joy and generosity          as we together share in thanks            and giving
Amen