Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 12th December 2021

Prayer of Praise and Confession

(from Uniting in Worship Red Book p281, An Aust Prayer Book p261, Intercessions p96, A Year of Prayer p201, Prayers for God’s People Year B p200 and 201 Opening Prayers p114, Leading Intercessions pp81 &82, A Year of Prayer pp200 & 201, Amish Prayers p95, Prayers for the Seasons Year B p200, The Book of Worship p88 )

Almighty God, like Job we look around us and see what you have created, and marvel at your foresight and your intellect. We are yet to comprehend all that we can see that takes place around us. We are yet to comprehend all that we cannot see with our eyes that takes place within us. We are awed by your power in shaping the vast mountain ranges that you have put in place. We are awed by the majestic storm clouds and the mighty power of the ocean’s waves. We are awed by the magnitude of the vast oceans that you have formed around our shores. We are awed by the way that you keep our small planet in its place within the vastness of the Universe.

Almighty God, we give to you our praise for you are just and compassionate. You are the God who cares for those who groan under oppression and sorrow. You are the God who listens to those who cry out for help and does not pass them by. It is your tender love that gives comfort to the outcast and to the powerless. You step beyond social norms and cultural boundaries and religious bigotries, to embrace those whom society neglects, and to call to you those whom society rejects.

Almighty god, we give to you our praise, for you are the one who gives light to a World that lives in the darkness of sin and despair, you reveal yourself to a World that is blind to your free gift of grace and reconciliation. You are the one who has done great things for us, not that we deserve your attention, but solely because you are a God of love and grace. We come together as your people with assurance and hope in your promise to save, for all time, all those who come to you through Jesus Christ. We are awed by your power in raising Jesus Christ from death to dwell with you. We come together to thank you for Christ’s intercession on our behalf. We are honoured to be called your children and to be called to be in your presence.

Yet, have pity on us, God our Saviour, for we also come before you contrite and repentant for our failings and for our disobedience. We come before you knowing that our best is still far from the way of the Gospel to which you have called us to follow.

Merciful God, we stumble in the darkness of suspicion and prejudice about others. Our minds are often closed to the way of truth that we profess, but fail to follow. We are slow to discern the needs of those in our community who are handicapped by ill-health, by despair, by the burdens of trying to make ends meet. We avert our eyes from those who are not socially acceptable or are not clean looking. We demean people who are equally made in your image. We are too quick to judge them because of their failings, and, instead, fail ourselves to look upon them as people worthy of love and concern as you are so quick to show to them.

Merciful God, we fail to control our tongue from speaking evil and our lips from speaking deceit. We pray empty words of praise while at the same time speak words that are thoughtless and unkind. We profess to be disciplined and Christ-like, yet, are wilful in our thoughts and our words and our actions. We profess to be moved by the sight of the hungry and needy, yet, are wasteful of our own resources. We condemn the neglect shown by others, yet, fail to work towards reconciliation and harmony in even our own small corner of the World. We too often remember the smallest of hurts that we experience and fail to follow your example of being willing to forgive and forget.

Merciful God, we come humbly before you, seeking your forgiveness. Holy God, remove all the sin in our lives that binds and oppresses us. Give us the courage to cast off our sinful habits and to turn to you for healing. Strengthen us to follow gladly the sure path of salvation and to walk humbly in your footsteps. May we then walk in the way of grace and truth all the days of our life. For this we pray, to your glory and honour. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness (from Philippians 3: 9)

Paul reminds the Church in Philippi that we are put right with God not through any act or achievement of our own, but only through our faith in Christ Jesus. We have confessed our sins before God and have professed our trust in the saving grace of God. Let us be assured that God has heard our prayers, has forgiven our sin, and has made us righteous.

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 we may experience joy through recognizing that you are with us each day and that we may be instruments in helping others become aware of your work in their lives.

We pray for a deepening of hope, that we may surrender our anxieties to you and trust in your providence for all our needs and challenges.

We pray for a renewal of our hearts, that you will stir up the Spirit who lives within us so that our faith increases, our spirits grow in courage, and our hearts overflow with love.

We pray for a conversion of our hearts, that the fire of the Spirit will cleanse us of greed, selfishness, narrowness of mind, and hardness of heart so that we may be people of the light.

We pray for the grace to accompany one another, that you will free us from judging others and help us to see each person as a sister or brother with fears and wounds like ourselves.

We pray for a flowering of justice, that we may strive to fulfill our duties to others and use our gifts to ease the suffering and promote the wellbeing of all our brothers and sisters.

We pray for all who feel overwhelmed by life: that your message of “have no fear” may renew their hearts and fill their spirits with hope.

We pray for the healing from violence, that you will comfort all who have experienced violence, free their hearts from fear, and help us to comfort and support them.

We pray for protection and healing, that you will protect the Human family from the pandemic virus, heal all who are ill, and give strength to all who care for the sick.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will heal the wounds of discrimination, guide all young people who are confused or misdirected, and help all who are struggling with addictions to have a new beginning.

We pray for students as they finish their school year, that you will give them strength to move into the new year and help them to express all that they have learned over these months clearly.

We pray for all pregnant women, that you will keep them healthy, help their babies to grow strong, and give them safe deliveries.

We pray for all who are experiencing drought, that you will send gentle rains to refresh the earth and to refill reservoirs.

We pray for the protection of the Earth’s resources, that you will give wisdom and understanding to all who are developing policies that affect the Earth’s air, water, and natural resources.

We pray for the advent of peace and justice, that you will give insight, vision, and courage to all who are striving to turn swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks.

We pray for the staff at the Stanley Browne Laboratory in India as they work to test new ways to manage leprosy. We pray for the Leprosy Mission Nepal staff as they undertake ongoing clinical trials of drugs to treat leprosy reactions. We pray for the mid-term evaluation of the Improved Leprosy Services Project so as to reduce transmission rates.

We pray for the church in Myanmar and Thailand, thanking you for their faithful witness in lands of political unrest and religious persecution. We pray for minority ethnic and religious groups who continue to experience discrimination, persecution or even genocide. We pray for greater interfaith understanding and tolerance for ethnic and religious diversity. We pray for those victimized by economic and social exploitation, that they will be given a way out of their situations and a means to move towards improved lives and livelihoods. We pray for political stability and progress toward democratic rule. We pray for economic justice for all people, and environmental protection, as these countries undergo development.

We pray for Sri Lankan refugees in India as they seek to return to their homes having been displaced because of violence and civil war. We pray for their safety and security as they return to an uncertain future. We pray that when they return, they will find homes and the means to provide for themselves and their families.

We pray for Scripture Union Beach Mission teams as they plan, prepare and promote their outreach programs at seaside locations throughout Australia. We pray for the team members that they will be enthused and equipped to share their faith with families and youth. We pray for their wellbeing and safety as they participate in their planned activities.

We pray for guidance as we as a congregation work with Presbytery to identify someone who can lead us in ministry and mission in the coming year.

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,

Now and forever. Amen.