PRAYERS FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE

"Heavenly Father, daily Caretaker of the souls of all people, put protecting arms around me as I enter this new year of grace. Guide me safely through harm & danger that may come my way, protect me from accident & sickness, & preserve me in that saving faith which will make me more than victor over all temptations, doubts, & unbelief.

"Tonight I am mindful of my many sins & transgressions & ask You to erase them, every one, by Your love & mercy through the precious blood of my redeeming Savior. In Your loving-kindness draw me closer to You that I may walk with renewed determination & strength in Your paths of righteousness, where peace of mind & the hope of heaven are my treasures & my joy. 

"Preserve in our community Your saving Gospel & prosper the work of the church established by Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Savior, that the community & the ends of the earth may know that there is no other name which saves but that of Your Son, our crucified Savior & Lord.

"You, O God, have been good to me through the years, & in Your mercy You have forgiven me my sins day after day. Grant me the grace to continue steadfast in this saving faith & to walk as a child of Your family, through Jesus Christ, my eternal Redeemer. Amen.  My Prayer Book

"Lord, make me to know my end & the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Another year of my pilgrimage has passed. I am a year nearer to my death, nearer to judgment, nearer to eternal life with Christ, my Lord. Where shall I run as the sins of the past year & the transgressions of all my years rise to condemn me? Lord, to You alone I flee for refuge in these last hours of the waning year. For the sake of Your own Son, whom You sent to be the Savior of all men, be gracious to me, & pardon my iniquity. Trusting in the merits of my Savior, I come boldly to Your throne of grace, in full confidence that there I shall obtain mercy & find grace to help in time of need. Oh, satisfy me early with Your mercy that I may rejoice & be glad all my days. Let me, in a manner befitting a child of God, conclude the old year & begin the new, a year in which You would be pleased to dwell among us continually, in Your goodness & means of grace; for the sake of You dear Son, Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.  Lutheran Prayer Book

A HYMN FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE *

* "Across the Sky the Shades of Night," Sts. 1 & 4, LW #181

"Across the sky the shades of night This New Year's Eve are fleeting. We deck Your altar, Lord, with light, In solemn worship meeting; And as the year's last hours go by, We raise to You our earnest cry, Once more Your love entreating.

"Then, gracious God, in years to come, We pray Your hand may guide us. And, onward through our journey home, Your mercy walk beside us Until at least our ransomed life Is safe from peril, toil, & cry, When heav'n itself shall hide us."