Gracious God,
As a new year begins, we place our trust in you. May the time to come, bring us closer to recognising our need to love and cherish one another. May those in power understand the importance of cultivating peace and bringing an end to war. May those who struggle with disease, loss, poverty, and despair find light in the midst of their struggles and suffering. And may we grow stronger in our desire to imitate the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, your Son, in whom our hope abides. Amen