Saying grace / Table Grace

Subject: BS: Saying grace
From: Cllr
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 10:41 AM

I have got to say grace tonight at a civic reception usually they would provide it and I would just read it out, I have just been informed that they want me to provide it! any body got a grace/prayer that they recommend Cllr

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Beccy
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 10:55 AM

What's the occasion? Do you want an oldie but goodie or a custom grace?
Beccy

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Troll
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 10:58 AM

Try the Book of Common Prayer. (Episcopal)

troll

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Cllr
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 11:12 AM

My Mother is a mayor of a London borough and it is her Civiv reception being held at RAF Uxbridge so nothing to outrageous at the moment Im going with a Burns grace. Cllr

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Beccy
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 11:20 AM

Nice choice!!!! When in doubt, call on Burns!

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: running.hare
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 11:48 AM

Of course you could of been realy outragouse and SUNG a Grace!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Dani
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 11:57 AM

Here is a website with lovely graces used in Waldorf schools. Some mainly for children, but also some simple, beautiful verses:

http://www.waldorfhomeschoolers.com/blessings.htm

Dani

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 02:29 PM

Hi, Cllr - please post the grace you've chosen. I'm curious. Giving a prayer before a nonsectarian group is a real trick. I've been at gatherings where somebody ends a group prayer with "in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen" - while standing next to somebody who's Jewish. Than I've heard other prayes that are so sanitized that they say nothing, and others that serve to glorify nobody but the person with his mouth open.
Most memebers of the clergy seem to know how to do it quite well. It demands some sensitivity and intelligence.
Good luck.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: artbrooks
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 02:31 PM

Rub-a-dub-dub...thanks for the grub...Yeah, God!

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: rangeroger
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 03:17 PM

Over the teeth and across the gums,look out stomach here it comes. Yay, God.

rr

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: harvey andrews
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 03:48 PM

I find the American way of saying grace before meals, thereby taking it for granted that you are a person of faith, very difficult. I solved it once when asked to join hands with my fellow diners for grace.I said very politely;
"I'm terribly sorry,.... but I'm English.... I can't do that."
"Oh, no, of course not." my host said. "I understand completely".
So much better for them I felt than my pleading atheism!

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Bobert
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 06:48 PM

Lord Jesus be our Holy Guest
Our morning joy, our evening rest
And with this daily food impart
The love and peace to every heart...
Amen

I'm not sure where this came from but I have heard my father say it a thousand times and it never missed!

Bobert

Subject: ADD: World Hunger Grace
From: Mooh
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 08:01 PM

Likely too late for you now, but here goes...

The World Hunger Grace

For food in a world where many walk in hunger,
For faith in a world where many walk in fear,
For friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give You humble thanks oh Lord.

Peace, Mooh.

---

Click to play

---

Click to play

Melody by Reverend Robert J. Crocker, 1969. Found in Girl Guide and Girl Scout songbooks, and in the United Church of Canada hymn book.
I transcribed the tune from scans Mooh sent me.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 08:53 PM

I like that one a lot, Mooh. Now, if you do it the following way, I think it might be satisfactory to everyone except the most hard-hearted of capitalists:

For food in a world where many walk in hunger,
For faith in a world where many walk in fear,
For friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give humble thanks.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Mar 03 - 10:33 PM

Here's your bread and here's your meat
Now, you sonsabitches, eat!

That's an old one from my great-great granddad!

Harvey, I don't know of too many Americans who do that anymore, but I feel just as uncomfortable when they do. Maybe I'll tune up my accent and claim to be English next time!**bg**

I like the way you tweaked that one, Joe.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: JennyO
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 12:47 AM

My grandfather had a great sense of humour. One day when saying grace, instead of saying amen, he said a-lot-of-men. We all cracked up of course.

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: mack/misophist
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 12:55 AM

WC Fields wrote the finest grace of all time:

"They say there's two ounces of alcohol in a bullet.
In that case, Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition".

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 02:14 AM

My old boy-scout camp favourite--"Hae ye a' got a spuin..? Stick in!!!---Attaboy-----amen!"

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: JennyO
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 08:18 AM

And of course "Two four six eight, bog in don't wait!"

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Schantieman
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 08:43 AM

Bless this bunch
Before they munch.

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 08:56 AM

I understand totally, Harvey.

Do you know how cats instinctively zero in on folks who are either allergic to them, or just hate them for other reasons?

I see 'Grace' in sort of the same way.

Now, cuz I've travelled for so many years and have stayed in private homes a lot of the time, I think I may have some credibility here. The number of times I've been asked to "Say the grace" really amazes me.

Now I should make it clear....this is ALWAYS in the States......I think I participated in a pre-meal grace ONCE in Canada or Britain, over all those years.

You'd think folks would ask first whether you were a "prayin' person", but I think they simply don't give it a second thought.

I think they feel that they're honouring you by asking. A few times I said, "oh, I don't DO that, mumble mumble...." and I could see the diappointment on their faces. Things were never exactly the same while I was there. Much easier to take it as a compliment, and have something prepared.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 02:19 PM

We join hands in silence at supper every day, then close the silence with "Blessings on the meal." When we have guests I preface it with a short, easygoing explanation and invite them to join us. Silence makes some people as uncomfortable as words, but at least they can fill in the blanks with whatever they wish (including giggling at my teenagers who sometimes choose the occasion to make faces at each other across the tble!)

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Cllr
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 02:21 PM

Robert Burns 1791




O thou who kindly dost provide
    For every creature's want!
          We bless Thee, God of Nature wide,
    For all Thy goodness lent:
          And if it please Thee, Heavenly Guide,
    May never worse be sent;
   But, whether granted, or denied,
       Lord, bless us with content. Amen!

I said the grace after we entered the officers mess being Piped by Bagpipes sounded wonderful) Thanks for all the advice
I go to a lot of civic dinners and there is nearly always grace. Also I have been to a lot of different religious ceremonies and while not usually my particular brand, when asked, I join in out of respect of the people who hold those views. I will learn a sung grace for the future.Cllr

Robert Burns 1791

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 02:51 PM

Good friends;
Good meat;
Good God;
Let's eat

Amen

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 30 Mar 03 - 02:53 PM

"Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
"The one that eats the fastest gets the most!"

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 04:04 AM

Good choice, cllr, glad it went well.

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 08:08 AM

The Royal Navy one is my favourite: For what we are about to receive, May the Lord make us truly thankfull, Amen"
PS: before being bombed and shot at it is a good prayer too. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: GUEST,upset non Christian
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 10:05 PM

I somehow missed this when it was posted.

"Lord Jesus be our Holy Guest"

Bobert- please note that this will be done at a civic reception, and there may be many who are not Christians there. I do not understand why many Christians are so blind to the awkwardness of the practice of inserting Jesus into every ceremony, no matter who is present or made uncomfortable. It is actually even unreasonable to have ANY grace said at a public ceremony. If a moment of silence is called for so that everyone may meditate, pray or think, you may recite anything you want in your head, but invoking the name of one religious figure to the exclusion of all others is simply wrong.

Let me make it clear: Jesus is NOT my Lord, no matter how strongly you may think he should be, or how moved you are by your father's reciting that homily. Be anything you like at home, but do NOT expect others to suffer in silence when you constantly wave your religious preference in their face.

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Mar 03 - 11:31 PM

Well, non-Christian, I think the thread had drifted a bit by the time Bobert had posted, and he was thinking of table grace in general and not the specific situation (which wasn't really specified as to the type of people attending). Whatever the case, it has been acknowledged here that people who lead public prayer need to have a great deal of sensitivity to the nature of their audience.
And while Bobert's grace is certainly Christian, it's certainly not as denominationally inclusive as many of the public invocations I've heard. It's hard to argue with Bobert's request for love and peace.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: open mike
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 01:39 AM

MY favorite sung pre-meal invocation is
Johnny Appleseed's:

Back of the bread is the flour
and back of the flour is the mill
and back of the mill is the sun and the rain
and the good lord's will.

Subject: RE: BS: Saying grace
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 02:58 AM

"Some hae meat, and cannae eat,
Some could eat, but want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit."

Burns ,again.[Selkirk grace].

Subject: RE: Saying grace
From: Cllr
Date: 01 Apr 03 - 10:06 AM

GuestBoab I wanted to use that one but my mother didn't want me to
8-)!
As far as non christian guest, as I mentioned earlier, I have been involved in other religious events and I do not feel it compromises my beliefs by showing respect to others who have different beliefs and I'm am not claiming any moral high ground as I have Jewish, Pagan non believer friends etc who treat ceremonies/Prayers of whatever sort the same way. (Some of whom were at the Civic Dinner)Cllr

Subject: RE: Saying grace
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 04:31 AM

"Upset non-Christian", you're your own worst enemy. A bit of tolerance goes a long way, so show some. I have no problem hearing someone saying grace, of whatever denomination. Or seeing a muslim or one of jewish faith withdraw in a corner of the room at the proper time to say their prayers. It's their religion, and they are entitled to it; only a bigot would deny his fellow humans their right of belief.

What I do not want to see, of course, is proselytising - trying to "sell" their belief to me. I react strongly to that, much stronger than you did above. But the flip side of the coin is the necessary tolerance.

Otherwise we would be at each other's throats all the time.

Subject: RE: Saying grace
From: IanC
Date: 02 Apr 03 - 04:49 AM

"The Grace" which is in the prayer books of most of the mainstream Christian Churches might be suitable but, not being trinitarian (I'm a Quaker), I prefer the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24) which should suit anyone who believes in a God.

The LORD bless you and keep you:
The LORD make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you:
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you,
and grant you peace.

If that's not suitable, I like the little hymn "Glad That I Live"

Glad that I live am I,
That the sky is blue.
Glad for the country lanes,
And the fall of dew

All that we have to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky

I've used both for "table graces". A more standard, and simple, "Thank you for the food" grace is:

For what we are about to receive
May The Lord make us truly grateful

Which, at school, we turned into

For what we are about to leave
May the pigs be truly grateful

;-)