Prayer of Praise: –

God, whose word spoke life and creativity into a formless universe, and order to a nation of escaped slaves, whose strong and compassionate voice challenged injustice through frail prophets.
Jesus, whose touch smoothed the broken skin of lepers, and brought a bleeding woman back to health and belonging, whose hand raised dead girls, and refused to throw stones at prostitutes.
Spirit, whose breath restores souls and bodies, and whose presence comforts the grieving, whose fire ignites compassion within us for the healing of the nations.

God of wholeness, we celebrate the healing you bring to us and our world, and we celebrate the promised wholeness that awaits all of creation in your eternal reign. 

 Amen

Prayer of Confession 

(Responsive)

When we play God, pretending we know best for ourselves  and those around us, and seeking to control what is uncontrollable, We reveal our idolatry.
Forgive us and help us, O God.

When we act like martyrs, hiding our selfishness and brokenness behind a mask of self-sacrifice and self-righteousness, We reveal our lovelessness.
Forgive us and help us, O Christ.

When we fail to be the people we long to be, repeating the same mistakes, forgetting the same lessons, losing heart and running out of energy and inspiration We reveal our weakness.
Forgive us and help us, O Spirit.

Triune God, we need you to come to us again as God, as Saviour, as Counsellor. Thank you that our forgiveness, healing and growth lies not in how hard we work, but in how gracious you are. And so we pray, with all that we are:
Forgive us and help us. For the sake of your Kingdom. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

Friends, receive God’s forgiveness.  May God’s love set you free this day and always.

Our sins are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

(Responsive)

We are a world that is desperate for you, God.  When powers struggle for dominance, and war, oppression and abuse result;

When groups of people oppose one another because of ideology, religion or culture;

We need a God who is bigger than ourselves, and our personal interests.
When people are disregarded and devalued because of poverty, geography or disease;

When compassion and justice is withheld to some because of sexuality, race or gender;
We need a Saviour who is more compassionate than we are who includes even those we would exclude.

When resources are mismanaged and abused, and the world and its creatures are destroyed;
When motivation is scarce and creativity is in short supply to address the challenges that we face;

We need a Spirit who is more powerful and more creative than we could ever be..
Lord God, Loving Saviour, Empowering Spirit, we offer you these prayers because we need you so desperately.

Captivate us, call us and fill us, that we may be carriers of your eternal life to this world that you love so dearly. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

Now and forever.  Amen.