Prayer of Praise  (from Psalm 1: 2a & 6a, 2: 7b and 4: 6b) 

Almighty God we come together here today as your children, your precious possession.  You have called us to be in close fellowship with yourself, to show your love for us, to bless us with your kindness. 

In you we depend for our daily sustenance and provision for our needs.

By you we receive guidance for right living and protection from the attacks against us from Satan and his demons.

Through you we have received forgiveness of our sins and our mistakes, a forgiveness that is complete and which lasts forever.

Ever-loving God, we gather before you today to express our thanks for your work of regeneration in our lives, to express our thanks for your care and concern for us as individuals and for us as your Church, to praise you above all your Creation in Heaven and on Earth because you are majestic above all else, because your works are marvellous in our eyes, because you are magnanimous in revealing your grace and mercy to us.

O Lord, our God, we offer our worship of you in humbleness and gratitude, to your glory and honour.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession  (from Psalm 5: 4, 5, 11b & 12, 7: 3 & n9a, 9: 4, 12, 13a & 18, 10: 7, and 15: 2b & 3b) 

O Lord, you are not a God who is pleased with wrongdoing,

You allow no evil in your presence.

O Lord, you are a righteous God,

You correctly judge our thoughts and our desires.

O Lord, if I have wronged anyone, or have offended a friend,

Have mercy, O God, and forgive my sin.

O Lord, if I have been unfair or dishonest in my judgements,

Have mercy, O God, and forgive my sin.

O Lord, if I have neglected the cry of those who suffer, or if I have neglected the plight of the needy,

Have mercy, O God, and forgive my sin.

O Lord, if I have boasted of what I have done by my own abilities, but have not given you any thanks for your providence for me,

Have mercy, O God, and forgive my sin.

O Lord, if my speech is filled with lies and hurtful words,

Have mercy, O God, and forgive my sin.

O Lord, if my speech is filled with insincere words or is used to spread rumours among my neighbours,

Have mercy, O God, and forgive my sin.

O Lord, You protect those who love you,

They are truly happy because of you.

You bless those who obey you,

They are joyful because of your love for them.

O Lord, we put our hope in your unending grace towards all people, everywhere.

In your mercy, forgive our sins and no longer remember our wrongdoings.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

The Apostle John assures us that if we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise, He will forgive us our sins and purify us from our wrongdoings.  (1 John 1: 9)  Having confessed our sins to God, let us hold onto that promise and know that God has indeed forgiven us and cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that through the gift of the Spirit, we recognize may your presence with us and profess, with Thomas, “My Lord and My God”.

We pray for all who are newly baptized, that their faith may, in time, continue to grow and that they may learn to generously offer loving service to those in need.

We pray for your gift of peace, which may abide with us and sustain us through all the challenges of life.

We pray for a spirit of openness, that we may be open to your love and forgiveness, which you abundantly pour out for us.

We pray for our growth as your children, that you will give us the grace and strength to love you with all our hearts and keep the commandments you have given us.

We pray for the grace of reconciliation, that you will help us to turn from selfishness, forgive those who have injured us and be instruments of reconciliation in our society.

We pray for all who are questioning their faith, that the Holy Spirit will guide them to new insights and help them recognize your presence through the witness of Christian love and service.

We pray for a renewal of our faith communities, that, like the early Church, we may see the needs of others as our needs and open our hearts and resources to assist them.

We pray for a blossoming of faith, that you will enrich our faith so that we may be victors over the lies, illusions, and false promises that our secular Culture promotes.

We pray for all who are in need, particularly those who suffer violence, those who are recovering from natural disasters or those who lack resources for daily living, that you will give them strength, help them to trust, and to move the hearts of many to assist them.

We pray for healing, that the Spirit will renew the gift of life in all who are sick, discouraged, struggling with addictions or weakness that comes with aging.

We pray for an end to violence, that Christ’s victory over death will turn hearts from violence and revenge and help us to respect the value and dignity of each human life.

We pray for peace, that the Spirit will open dialogue and new understanding amongst nations, communities, and families who are in conflict.

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Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

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,