Prayer of Praise: –   

Almighty God, you bring into being all that we see around us through your breath of life. 

We see the way that you sustain all things and hold all things together.  There is a mystery about Creation that we cannot comprehend, and we gaze around us in wonder.  We praise You.

Loving God, you give us new life through the breath of your Holy Spirit.  Your gift of the Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for you to the ends of the Earth. 

Our lives are enriched, and our spirits are released from the bondage to darkness and liberated to shine in your glory and honour.  We praise You.

Wondrous God, we proclaim how great you are in raising Jesus on the third day so that our sins can be forgiven.  We proclaim how great you are in raising Jesus to your right-hand side, to live and reign with You. 

We proclaim how great you are by sending your Holy Spirit upon us so that we are not left alone in a World that turns its back upon you.  We praise You.

We rejoice in your mercy, O God, in the way that You have welcomed us into your family, in the way that you have blessed us by being here amongst us.  We rejoice in the wonder of your love and kindness.

We celebrate your goodness to us and that we are no longer alienated from you but are united with you.  We praise You and proclaim your goodness and grace.  To your glory we pray, amen.

(from World Environment Day worship material & Uniting in Worship Red Book p567 &Prayers for god’s People Year A p114 & 115 & Invocations p163 & Opening Prayers p50 & 51 & The Book of Worship p184)

Prayer of Confession   

Merciful God, we find ourselves so set in our ways that we have stopped dreaming of what could be.  We find ourselves never expecting anything new to happen in our lives nor in the life of the Church.  We find ourselves feeling powerless and overwhelmed by an increasingly oppressive World. 

Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, O God, to the vacuum in our lives, and to the hope of blessings and enriching that are ours through Your Holy Spirit.

Merciful God, you left your mark of perfection upon the Heavens and the Earth, but the marks we leave are ones of destruction and death.  You created an environment that was self-sustaining and full of life and renewal.  We use the same environment in wasteful and wanton ways, consuming life as if it is limitless, and interfering in natural processes in ways that spoil and poison the very things that are needed to sustain your Creation. 

Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, O God, to the pain experienced by your Creation for which we are responsible, and to the hope for change in our actions and behaviours that can bring healing.

Merciful God, we complain about the traffic and of not finding a handy car park at the shopping centre, yet spare little thought for those who cannot afford a car.  We complain about the lack of choices on the supermarket shelves and of having to queue at the registers, yet spare little thought for those who cannot afford the cost of a meal.  We dream of the next digital TV we desire or of faster internet access, yet spare little thought for the communities who have nothing. 

Open our eyes, our ears and our hearts, O God, to the pain experienced by so many others, near and far away, and to the possibilities that are available for us to alleviate their suffering. 

  Merciful God, we bring all things before You that grieves you, our sins that have hurt you, our sins against others that do not reflect the love that You have for them, and our sins that have resulted in a degradation of the beautiful World around us. 

Gracious and merciful God, grant us your forgiveness, and refresh and renew us with the Holy Spirit so that we become eager, strong, and vital Disciples of Jesus Christ.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

(from World Environment Day worship material & Uniting in Worship Red Book p567 &Prayers for god’s People Year A p114 & 115 & Invocations p163 & Opening Prayers p50 & 51 & The Book of Worship p184)

Assurance of Forgiveness  

(from 1 Thessalonians 3: 13 to 16)  

The Apostle Paul explained to the Church in Thessalonica that God is at work in the hearts of those who believe the message that brings salvation to people.  We, too, have responded to this message; we, too, have the confidence that, because of our belief in the saving work of God through His Son, that God has listened to our prayers, that God has forgiven our sins, and that God has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Loving Jesus, you were born in a stable but worshipped by the angels.  Be with all who are lonely, and with all who feel distant from celebrations.  Be for us a living hope that lightens their hearts.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Jesus, as you healed the sick, bring healing to those in families who are ill today.  Guide and direct the doctors, nurses and medical staff who have accepted the responsibility to tend to the sick and injured, to find cures for illness and diseases, and to bring wholeness back into people’s lives.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Christ, for whom there was no room in the inn, give courage to all who are homeless, to  those desperate for a means to provide a livelihood for their family.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Christ, who fled into Egypt, give comfort to all refugees; that they will find acceptance in a new land and a means to provide for themselves and their family.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Christ, who fasted in the desert, give relief to all who are starving, to those affected by financial distress, to those affected by famine, to those affected by natural disasters.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Christ, who hung in agony on the cross, give strength to all who suffer oppression and discrimination, who are abused or disregarded by others.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

  (https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/topical-prayers/prayers-christmas) 

Loving God, seed in your World and in us your vision for shalom and refuge with you.  Heal those who are weary of body, mind and soul.  Heal the loss of identity that accompanies homelessness and statelessness.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Reveal the hope of change into the hearts and minds of warmongers and peacemakers, restoring innocence and blessing them with the capacity to love their enemies.  Reconcile relationships between peoples and your created order.  May hostilities cease in places of conflict and war and in homes where safety has been unknown.

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

Enter into the World with prophetic expectation, so that those who are lost to themselves and others might find their way into your light.  May the mistreatment of the vulnerable be replaced by a yearning to show respect and dignity for all.  

Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.

May people’s hearts be stirred daily so that they will strive to be a blessing and source of hope for others in the world.

  (National Council of Churches in Australia Liturgy for Advent One – 2022) 

Lord of the Church, make us one in heart and mind to serve others with joy, help us to know you, to worship and to serve you.

Loving God, who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light, source of our hope for our present and our future, bless us and fill us with peace.  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.