We believe that farming is a noble profession.
The farm home is a most suitable place for a Christian family. The good earth is the greatest material gift of God to man. We believe that in this vocation, country people work closely with God in producing the essential elements of life for all on earth. We believe and hold fast to the spiritual values of the farming vocation and resist the materialism of this age from blinding us to them. Let us pray that through God’s grace we may have wisdom and strength to grow constantly in the virtues necessary for holy rural living:
- Faith and Hope firmly founded in knowledge of God’s wisdom;
- Love and Patience with the slow deliberate cycle of seasons and years;
- Fortitude and Temperance to give us the strength and balance;
- Compassion and Mercy with all who we meet and all that we do.
In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer for a Rural Family
Bless us, O God, we who live close to the land. Bless us as you blessed Jesus, Mary and Joseph. They, like we, our models in family life knew the struggles, the fears, the joys and the rewards of life in a rural area.
Help us to be aware of the quiet beauty of the night, the fresh green growth on trees and all plants and the songs of birds. We give thanks for all of these.
May we always show respect for all of creation. Bless each of us and help us grow in love and unity with you and with each other. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Evening Prayer of a Rural Family
Wise and compassionate God, accept this our prayer; sheltered from storm and darkness, under this roof, this family kneels to adore you.
For the day just past, for keeping us safely, body and soul,
Now we most humbly thank you. For hilltops and verdure, for sunlight and wind and boundless space, for rain and the sky’s rich color, for boughs and blossoms and cold clean snow, we are eternally grateful. For birds and beasts, for the good black earth and the seeds producing the plenteous harvest; for times without number when we have eaten of that same harvest, we thank you and bless you forever.
Deliver us safely, if such be your will, from deluge and drought, from famine and war and disaster. Give us tomorrow, as yesterday and today, all things most needed for rightful living; and move our hearts that we may have sorrow for sinning against you. God of the hearth and the harvest, your children, here kneeling, adore you. Bless now our rest and cherish us safe till the morrow. Amen.
Prayer for Farm Families in Crisis
O God, our costs are up and prices for our produce down. The loan is due and there’s no money to buy this year’s seed. We feel alone, embarrassed in our need, like failures in our efforts to farm.
The harder we work, the worse it seems to get. There’s no laughter or joy anymore, just a constant struggle to believe, to hope and to keep trying. Strengthen us, God.
Keep us gentle and yet firm, generous yet open to receive. Let us see your face in those who want to help and don’t know how. Grant us perseverance and openness to your will.
Hold our family close as we do our best to know and act according to your will in the days head. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer When a Farm is Passed on to the Next Generation
Praise and honor to you Creator, God. For many years our family has lived on this land. We now come to know and accept your great love in the changing of seasons and the cycles of life. We give thanks for the memories, the good times and the hard, the times of birth, growth, and harvest, the times of death, worry, and fear.
Bless our children now as they take ownership and responsibility for the future of this land. May they have peace and prosperity. May they pass on to others a love of the land and the values of justice, respect and stewardship. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer As a Child Drives a Tractor for the First Time
God, our Father, we ask your special care and blessing on our child today. For this child now becomes more responsible in helping with our work. Protect and guide him/her as he/she drives the tractor and works with farm machinery.
Jesus, just as you grew in wisdom and age, we pray that our child will grow in understanding and will love and respect all of creation. May he/she always value life and appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your continued creation on the land.
Spirit of Wisdom, be with our child as he/she makes decisions that will affect others, decisions upon which others depend. Bless this child today and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer When Moving Off the Farm
The time has come, God. Moving day is near. We give thanks for the blessing of being part of your creation by our life on this land.
May our love of nature, the sacredness and beauty we see in all life and growth, and the ability to place our trust in you go with us as we move. Help us to let go of our life here, with sadness and thanksgiving.
Help us to look forward to the new experiences to come. Grant that our memories may sustain us through the changes. We as this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
