Chaplain Prayers

BUILD A PRAYER:

NOTE: Use the blank space above to enter notes from your visit.

Before you pray for a person, remember to ask them if you can pray for them now or when you get home. This gives them a no pressure chance to say yes or no.

Remember to Listen to find out the person's Name, or family Names if relevant. What are they concerned about? (Surgery, sickness, family pet..)

MEETING PRAYERS (Open, National Home, Closing)

OPENING PRAYER
Chaplain: Let us bow our heads. O, Sovereign Ruler of the Universe who art the Lord of Hosts and God of Peace, without Thee our efforts are vain. Continue Thy blessings upon us and our families, we pray Thee, and guide us during our deliberations. We beseech Thee, O God, to bless the dependents of our departed comrades, and to comfort all who gave their loved ones to our nation's cause. Bless and strengthen the sick, the needy and the afflicted. Bless, we ask Thee, the children, families and staff of our National Home and help us to fulfill our duty toward them. Continue Thy favor upon our order, and help us to practice the spirit of true comradeship, both in our councils and with the world at large. Enable us to better the community in which we live through our devotion to duty as citizens. We now have a moment of silent prayer for our departed comrades and for those missing in action and those held as prisoners of war. (Short pause.) 16 These and all other necessary blessings we ask of Thee, Mighty Ruler of the Universe. Amen.
(All respond—Amen. Chaplain takes their regular station.)

NATIONAL HOME PRAYER
Chaplain: Almighty God, we ask for your divine blessing on the children, families and staff of our National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. May Your Spirit dwell with them forever, giving them health and guiding their lives. Help us to always be faithful to our fallen comrades by providing (shelter and guidance) support for their families. We ask in Your Holy Name. Amen.
(All respond—Amen. Chaplain takes their regular station.)

CLOSING PRAYER
Chaplain: Almighty God, the hour has come when we must part. We commit ourselves to Thy care. Thou, who art our strong tower of defense and our protection, grant that in life's battles we may be strong and brave, living such lives of stainless integrity as shall reflect honor upon our country and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and glorify Thy great and Holy Name. May Thy good providence shield us from all harm, watch over those who even now guard the gates of freedom, and bring us together again in true comradeship and peace. Amen.
(All respond—Amen. Chaplain takes their regular station.)

Taken from the 2023 Ritual Manual

DRAPING OF VFW CHARTER

After motion from floor, or Commander requests ceremony:

Commander: Officer of the Day, you will obtain drape in preparation for draping charter.

(Officer of Day obtains drape, proceeds to the altar, and salutes Commander.)

Commander: (Raps gavel twice) Members rise and face charter at attention.

Commander: Officer of the Day, you will now drape our charter in memory of our beloved Comrade (name of deceased) who has passed on.

(Officer of Day proceeds to charter and drapes charter.)

Commander: (While Officer of Day is draping charter) By so doing, we as members of (name of Post) VFW Post # offer solemn tribute to our departed comrade.

(Officer of Day returns to the altar. Salutes Commander, retires to station.)

Commander: Comrades, Salute - Two. (Comrades, parade rest.)

Commander: Comrade Chaplain

Chaplain: (Proceeds to altar. Gives this prayer):

Eternal God, let Your grace and mercy rest upon us as we, with grateful affection, remember Comrade___________ , who has departed this life. We thank You for his/her days upon earth and the joy that he/she brought. May our remembrance of (name of deceased) live long among us and be to us a source of guidance and strength. Give to those who miss him/her deeply, wells of consolation from which to draw comfort, and enable us to be Your ministers of grace and mercy to them in their time of need. Amen.

(Commander raps gavel once to seat members)

UNDRAPING OF VFW CHARTER

Although not part of the undraping ceremony, the following prayer may be given by the Chaplain:

Chaplain: Heavenly Father, as we remember (name of deceased) and honor the memory of our departed comrade, we are indeed grateful for his/her service and sacrifice. May we continue his/her efforts as courageous protectors and true guardians of freedom. Instill within us a flame of selfless, unwavering devotion to duty that we may never be found wanting in those qualities of spirit and mind which alone are able to preserve our homes, the peace of our Nation, and the tranquility of the world. Remember our departed comrade, O Lord, in Your mercy, and have compassion on us. Amen

After motion from floor, or Commander requests ceremony:

Commander: Officer of the Day, you will prepare to undrape the charter.

(Officer of Day proceeds to the altar and salutes Commander.)

Commander: (Raps gavel twice) Members rise and face charter at attention.

Commander: Officer of the Day, you will now undrape our charter which was draped last month for Comrade (name of deceased)

. (Officer of Day proceeds to undrape charter.)

Commander: Comrades, Salute - Two. (Officer of Day returns to his/her station.)

Commander: This concludes our undraping ceremony. (Raps gavel once to seat members).

HOSPITAL PRAYERS

Upon Entering a Hospital: Lord, I ask you to take (my name or name of individual) hand in yours and walk with (me or him/her) to healing through these doors. Make calm (my or his/ her) heart and keep (me or him/her) without fear. Impart your strength that (I or name of individual), may be secure that You are watching from above. May (I or he/she) trust in You and Your unfailing love. Amen

For the Sick, Wounded, and Dying (Catholic) O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You. I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the occasions of sin. Amen

For the Sick, Wounded, and Dying (Protestant) Almighty and most Merciful God and Savior, extend to Your servant comfort of Your gracious care. Help (him/her) to see this sickness as a time for strengthening both (his/her) spiritual and physical well-being. If it be Your will to restore (him/her) to health, assist (him/her) by Your Holy Spirit to lead the rest of (his/her) life in godly respect and for Your glory. Amen.

For the Sick, Wounded, and Dying (Jewish) O Lord, my God and God of my fathers, my destiny is in Your hands. If it be Your will, grant me speedy healing of my wounds (illness). But if not, then grant me complete trust in Your wisdom and love, that I may accept whatever may be in store for me. Give me the power to understand that only with You is perfect knowledge and only through You can one find boundless happiness and eternal peace. Most sincerely and humbly I acknowledge my faith and trust in you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One!

For the Sick, Wounded, and Dying (Orthodox) O Master and Almighty Lord, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You have told us You desire all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, and that You desire not the death of sinner but that (he/she) turn and live. We therefore implore You to absolve Your servant from all sins from (his/her) youth until now. You alone can release the bonds and restore the contrite. You alone are the hope of the despairing and can remit the sins of everyone who trusts in You. Receive now in peace the soul of Your servant and give it rest in that place where all Your saints dwell; through the grace of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ, with whom You are blest. Amen.

FOR THE SICK

Almighty God, we pray Your healing grace on behalf of (name). May (name) know the blessing of good health in the coming hours and throughout life. Bless all who minister to (name) in body, mind and spirit and grant that we may always give praise to you, our Heavenly Farther. Amen

FOR DEPARTED COMRADE

Heavenly Father, as we remember and honor the memory of our departed comrade, we are indeed grateful for his/her service and sacrifice. May we continue his/her efforts as courageous protectors and true guardians of freedom. Let us be masters of brotherly and sisterly love. O Lord, guide us in the way of moral responsibility and enlighten us and make us true believers in justice and peace. Enkindle within us a flame of selfless, unwavering devotion to duty that we may never be found wanting in those qualities of spirit and mind which alone are able to preserve our homes, the peace of our Nation, and the tranquility of the world. Remember our departed comrade, O Lord, in Your mercy, and have compassion on us. Amen

MEMORIAL DAY INVOCATIONS

Almighty God our Heavenly Father, in Your hands are the living and the dead; we give You thanks for all those, our comrades, who have laid down their lives in the service of our Country. May they rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon them. As we come together this day, we also pay tribute to those who have served and those who are serving in our Armed Forces. We are grateful for their dedication and commitment and the countless selfless acts they perform so that we might continue to enjoy freedom. We thank you for our great land, and the wisdom of our founding fathers, and for those who down through the ages fought the forces of evil and gave their lives to preserve the freedoms we enjoy. We are grateful for life, for liberty, and for the freedom to pursue happiness. As we begin this day, we will now have a moment of silence to remember those who gave their lives . . ., those missing in action . . ., those held as prisoner of war. We invoke Your blessings O God, upon the program and events that have been planned, and may each of us as individuals and as a Nation continue to acknowledge You. Amen

O Lord Almighty, remember those who lived and died fighting to protect the dignity and the freedom of mankind. Let our spirits be proud of them. Let our hearts be compassionate, and our minds clear and determined in giving them honor and respect. And let us be dependent on the loving kindness of the Lord our God. As we remember the departed, let us be true soldiers in war and in peace. Let us be courageous protectors and true guardians of freedom. Let us be the true masters of brotherly love. O Lord, guide us in the way of moral responsibility. Let this day be a day of commemoration and honor to those who sacrificed their lives to preserve liberty. Remember them, O Lord, in Your mercy we pray in Your Holy Name. Amen.

O Lord God of Hosts, as we gather to honor and pay respects to our comrades who have departed this life, it is fitting that we remember first our great Nation. You have given us a rich and beautiful land for our heritage. We humbly pray that we may always prove ourselves a people constantly aware of Your favor, and therefore anxious to demonstrate our gratitude in seeking to know and to do Your will. May our land be blessed with honest and productive industry, and a people of integrity who are anxious to learn and willing to respect one another. All this we ask of You, Almighty God, in Your Holy Name. Amen.

MEMORIAL DAY BENEDICTIONS

O Sovereign Ruler, we have honored those who now enjoy Your eternal embrace. May God’s good favor and blessing be with their loved ones and with each of us. Especially do we seek Your consolation for those recently bereaved. May Your grace be with them. We once again realize the value of being a part of this great Nation. Today we are especially thankful for all the work that has gone in to making this Memorial Day Program possible. Reward those involved, and especially those who worked behind the scenes, with a sense of how valuable they are. Help us as we seek to live as good citizens and carry out our responsibilities to always honor you. Amen

On this Memorial Day weekend, we are reminded that You O Lord, our God and Creator, have blessed us richly. We have memorialized those who have died in the service of our nation. They served to preserve liberty and freedom both in our own land and in the world. As we conclude this service, we remember again all those whose ultimate sacrifice helped to preserve our freedom. May our memory of them be an honorable one, with grateful hearts, full of thanksgiving to You for Your grace & mercy. The fallen, whether in the air, or on land, or in the sea, have provided for that which we appreciate today. Let us never forget. And now Lord, be gracious & merciful to us, and let Your light shine upon us, for You are our God & Savior, King of kings & Lord of lords, and onto You we ascribe glory now and forevermore. Amen.

Eternal and ever-loving God, we thank You for the privilege of meeting on this hallowed day in this free nation to honor our noble dead and to re-dedicate our lives to You and our Country. We thank You that we are permitted to live through days of challenge, for the hours of the testing of our loyalty to our national heritage, and for our devotion to the high ideals for which others have lived and died. Bless, O God, the thousands of disabled veterans in our hospitals today and also the homeless veterans in our land. Ease their suffering and bring them in contact with those who will cheer them and give them hope. Help us to respond gladly and generously to their needs of body and spirit. On this day of sacred memory, we ask for grace and power to live truer lives, to be better servants of the living God, finer fathers and mothers, nobler sons and daughters, and loyal citizens of this great Country and of Your world. Lord, grant that we may yet see the day when war and fear of war shall no longer be; the day when peace shall become our common possession; the day when Your will shall be done on earth as it is in Heaven. O Lord, hear our prayer for our sakes. Amen.

Gracious God, grant that we may appreciate and treasure the freedom that is our gift and our heritage, and that we may never forget the great price at which it was purchased. We remember this day before You all who serve in the Armed Forces of our nation. Protect and defend them in the day of battle, and in the time of peace. Grant that they may serve with honor and dignity both to Your great glory and to the credit of this Nation. We ask also that You will watch over the veterans of this land, inspiring them to serve You and this Country in ever new and creative ways. Comfort our ill and wounded comrades who languish in hospitals or homes. Lighten their burdens, relieve their suffering and pain, and restore to them the blessings of good health. For those who have given their lives in the service of our Country (moment of silence), and for those, our fellow veterans who have served this Nation both in time of battle and in time of peace. May light perpetual shine upon them. Amen.

MEMBER OF ARMED FORCES

Eternal Lord God, who alone governs the heavens and rules the raging seas, mercifully take under Your Almighty and most precious protection our Country’s Armed Forces members. Preserve them from danger upon the sea, on the land, and in the air, and from the violence of the enemy, that they may be a safeguard for our Country and a security for its people; that we may in peace and quietness serve You, our God, to the glory of Your name. Amen O God Almighty, the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, we ask that You strengthen and protect the members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America. In the day of battle, may they be courageous and strong, resourceful and capable, resolute and victorious. In the time of peace, may they serve with dignity and honor, as effective emissaries of good will for this Nation. May their devotion and loyalty to You and to their homeland inspire them in moments of challenge, and comfort them in tribulation and long separation from loves ones. And finally, we ask that they may return safely to serve You and our Country in the days and years to come. Amen

BANQUET INVOCATIONS

Dear Lord, may this meal that we share be seasoned from above with Your blessing, and Your grace. and Your love. Amen.

Heavenly Father: we thank You for this special occasion which brings us together. We are grateful for joyful moments we share as a Veterans of Foreign Wars family. We invoke your blessing on our gathering this evening as we come together to pay tribute and honor __________. We ask Your blessings on__________, his/her wife/husband, __________, and their family. As we enjoy this meal together, nourish our bodies and uplift our spirits, as we interact and fellowship together. Amen.

Blessed are You, O Lord, King of the Universe: You bring forth food from the earth, and sustain all Your creation with goodness, mercy, and grace. We cherish the memories of the past and with fondness and gratitude we gather with our friends and associates You have blessed us with. We are grateful for all who share our heritage and our patriotism. Nourish our bodies with the food we will enjoy and uplift our spirits by the fellowship and interaction with one another. Amen.

Eternal Father, bless now this food prepared for us that it may nourish and strengthen us for our duties and responsibilities. Amen.

Our Father, how great You are! You have blessed us in so many ways and we thank You. We ask Your blessing on this food. May our fellowship as we partake be an added blessing. Amen.

John Wesley’s prayer: Be present at our table, Lord; Be here and everywhere adored. These creatures bless, and grant that we may feast in Paradise with Thee. Amen.

Protestant: Bless, O Lord, this food to our use, and us to Your service. And keep us ever mindful of the needs of others. Amen.

Catholic: Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BANQUET BENEDICTIONS

Almighty God, we thank You for those who have led us so well in this (dinner/banquet). As we invoke Your blessing upon us, give us a still and quiet heart and mind. We thank You, O God, for the food and the fellowship we enjoyed. Dismiss us with your journeying mercies. Amen.

Almighty God, as we come to the close of wonderful evening, we are thankful for all the individuals that made this evening such a grand experience. We once again realize the value of being a part of this great organization, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and its Auxiliary. We are blessed to have __________ as our __________. We ask that you continue to bless him/her with good health and strength in his/her endeavors.
As we separate for a time, we are grateful to you for life, liberty, and the freedoms we enjoy because of those who served and those presently serving. Amen.

Following Volunteer luncheon or dinner: God Our Father, we give thanks for the success this year has been for __________. Please continue your blessings on__________ and especially on each volunteer. We ask for your protection upon all who have participated and made this (luncheon/dinner) possible. May the God of our Fathers, bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He look upon you with kindness and give you, His peace. Amen.