Opening Prayer of the Day (Collect)

A collect is a prayer that "collects" the prayers of the people in summary fashion, places them in a context appropriate to the seasonal or thematic focus of the day, and offers them to God. The function of the collect (pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable) is to bring together the prayers of the people, to bring to a close the Entrance to worship, and to proclaim the theme of the day. The worship leader may face the people with outstretched arms, bid them to pray, wait until their prayers surface or allow a time for silent prayer, then pray, bringing the congregation and their prayers before God. The congregation assents with an Amen. Traditional Examples of the Opening Prayer General Prayers O holy God You who rest in the holy place, You who are hymned by the seraphim, You who are glorified by the cherubim and worshiped by all the heavenly powers; You brought all things into being out of nothing. You created us out of your image and likeness and adorne…