Many Gifts

ARTIST: Julie Lonneman

ARTWORK NARRATIVE:

Lord Christ, we ask you to spread our tables with your mercy. And may you bless with your gentle hands the good thing you have given us. We know that whatever we have comes from you. Thus whatever we eat, we should give thanks to you. And having received from your hands, let us give with equally generous hands to those who are poor, breaking bread and sharing our bread with them. For you have told us that whatever we give to the poor we give to you.
—Alcuin of York

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Grace and Prayers and Blessings Before Meals:

 

Bless us, O Lord,
and these your gifts,
which we are about to receive
from your bounty.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

 

Giver to all things, as we gather for this banquet, we give thanks that we are again permitted to gather in this fellowship. May our friendships be strengthened and our lives be broadened. We give thanks for this food. Please bless it to our use and guide us so that we may help others be the best they can be. Amen.

 

May this food restore our strength, giving new energy to tired limbs, new thoughts to weary minds. May this drink restore our souls, giving new vision to dry spirits, new warmth to cold hearts. And once refreshed, may we give new pleasure to You, who gives us all. Amen.

 

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
For faith in a world where many walk in fear;
For friends in a world where many walk alone;
We give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.

 

Some have hunger, but no meat;
Some have meat, but no hunger;
I have both.
God be praised!
A table grace attributed to Oliver Cromwell.

 

For all the fine food and Thy gifts of love,
We give Thee thanks and praise.
Look down upon us from above,
And bless us all our days. Amen.

Come Lord Jesus, be our guest,
May this food by thee be blest,
May our souls by thee be fed,
Ever on the living Bread. Amen.

 

Loving Father, we thank you for this food,
And for all your blessings to us.
Lord Jesus, come and be our guest,
And take your place at this table.
Holy Spirit, as this food feeds our bodies,
So we pray you would nourish our souls. Amen.

 

Bless, O Lord, us and your gifts,
which from your bounty we are about to receive,
and grant that, healthily nourished by them,
we may render you due obedience,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

O Lord, we thank Thee for our daily bread. May it strengthen and refresh our
bodies! And we pray Thee, nourish our souls with Thy heavenly grace, through
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

Thank you, Lord. These are simple words but they come from simple hearts that overflow with the realization of your goodness. We ask you to bless us as we eat, bless this food and bless the hands that prepared it. May the words of our lips spring forth from hearts of gratitude and may we bless others as we fellowship today. Amen.

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