Prayer of Praise: –   

  Almighty God, Creator of the visible and the invisible, all of Heaven and Earth depends upon you and is sustained by you.  Your glory is plainly seen and made known to all.  Your wisdom and foresight are obvious in the rhythms of life, in the regularity of the tides and the seasons, and the rotation of the planets and the stars we see in the night sky.

  Redeemer God, you release us from the burden of our guilt, you save us from all that isolates us from yourself and others, you show mercy to those who are oppressed by cares and worries, and bring back to you those who have lost their way and purpose in life.

  Renewing God, you bring freshness back into lives that have become withered and lacking in spirit, you bring clarity to those who have become distracted by false desires and dreams.  We rejoice in the reassuring voice of the Holy Spirit, calling us into a loving relationship with you, inspiring our prayers and our praise, and promoting our growth as your children.

  Set before our hearts and our minds each day, O God, the example of Jesus Christ, so that we may love you unconditionally, as he loved, and so that we walk by the light of your Word, as he walked.  To your honour and glory we pray.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession 

Merciful God, you continually challenge us to become the people you seek for us to be, through the life of your Spirit within us.  You continually challenge us to look at ourselves in the light of your instructions and guidelines, yet often we do not listen to you and choose to look the other way.  Merciful God, forgive our incomplete obedience to your commandments, our half-hearted love of your counsel, and our resistance to your instruction. 

Merciful God, restore and renew our willingness to follow your will with the Spirit of truth.

Merciful God, forgive those times when our conduct does not live up to your standards for us, forgive those habits of ours that are destructive of our relationship with you and of our relationships with others. 

Merciful God, bless and renew our lives with the Spirit of truth. 

Merciful God, forgive us when we worship idols of our own making; gods fashioned for our own selfish ends. 

Merciful God, inspire and renew our worship with the Spirit of truth. 

Merciful God, forgive us when we do not speak loudly enough against the gods of sport and shopping, that attract people away from gathering on one day of the week for a time of worship of you.

Merciful God, awaken and renew our desire for change through the Spirt of truth.

Merciful God, forgive us when we ignore the pain and the hopelessness of so many people, both in our community and in our World, and so deny Christ’s commandment to us to love one another in suffering, self-giving ways. 

Merciful God, inflame and renew our love with the Spirit of truth. 

Merciful God, forgive us when our desire to maintain our standard of living contributes to the poverty of life experienced by others and to the growing environmental problems throughout this World that you have bestowed to us. 

Merciful God, encourage and renew our sense of justice with the Spirit of truth. 

God of mercy and grace, we confess our sins and our shortcomings.

We confess our wanting to follow our will and not to seek for your Will to be done, in our lives and in the life of the Church.

God of mercy and grace, cleanse our lives from sin,

Restore us to a right relationship with you.  Strengthen us to be your People and to be a light for the World.  To your glory we pray, amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Ephesian 1: 7) 

The Apostle Paul reminded the Church in Ephesus that “by the sacrificial death of Christ we are set free, our sins are forgiven”.  Having confessed our sins before God and expressing our faith in the saving grace of God achieved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us be assured that God has heard our prayers, that God has forgiven our sins, and that God has reconciled us to Himself.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer, Lord of Time and Space and of History, you taught us to pray and promised that whatever we ask for in your name will be provided.

We pray for order over unruly powers, for justice where injustice reigns, for peace where hatred and violence run rampant.

We remember those who are in need because they have no work.

Please guide them to where they will find fulfilling employment and a just payment for their labour.

We remember those who are troubled, who are sorrowful, or who are grieving.

Please heal them in body, mind and spirit, so that they can face the present and the future with confidence and enthusiasm.

Turn the hearts of those who misuse their power and authority over others.

Please bring hope and freedom to those places where people live in fear and under tyranny.

We pray for those who suffer for the purpose of revealing lies and for promoting the truth.

Please comfort those who are unjustly and falsely imprisoned.

Keep your Church single-minded and faithful in its service for you.

Encourage your people when there are discouraged; keep them humble when they are enticed into proud boasting of their successes.

O God Eternal, good beyond all that is good, fair beyond all that is fair, in whom is calmness and peace: reconcile the differences in the Church which divide us from one another and bring us back into the unity of love which may bear some likeness to your divine nature.

Grant that we may be spiritually one, both within ourselves and with one another, through the grace, mercy and tenderness of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may find our identity in our relationship with you instead of in the allurements of possessions, accomplishments, or power.

We pray for a strengthening of our discipleship, that we may hear your invitation to bring forth your reign in our lives, our work, and our relationships.

We pray for all who sick, that your healing love will restore the sick, strengthen those recovering from surgery, and stop the spread of diseases.

We pray for a spirit of hospitality, that your generosity to us may be extended as we welcome the stranger and reach out to those who are in need.

We pray for wisdom, that you will guide us as we oppose injustices and encounter opposition or rejection for living the Gospel.

We pray for a deepening of gratitude, that we may recognize and appreciate all the gifts that you have given us and honour you by utilizing them fully for your glory.

We pray for greater trust, that we may rely upon your providence and care for us as we

journey through life and recognize that with Christ, we lack for nothing.

We pray for our companions on the faith journey, that we may be faithful witnesses with our family, friends, co-workers, and fellow parishioners to your work in one another’s lives.

We pray for all missionaries, that you will inspire the message that they offer, help them to recognize how they can best serve their communities, and sustain them in times of loneliness.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will assist those recovering from storms, protect

those who live amidst violence, guide those who are seeking employment, and comfort all who are grieving.

We pray for a deeper appreciation of the Earth, that we may protect the topsoil and

preserve it for the common good of feeding all the Human family.

We pray for all political leaders, that you will help them to understand the greatest needs of those whom they serve and work to promote the common good.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/15OrdB071424/ideas_other.html

We pray for the people of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

We are thankful for the long centuries of Christian history in Ethiopia and Eritrea, for the current witness and work of Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical churches amid difficult circumstances, for those who have provided humanitarian aid, especially during times of drought and hunger, and for those who have worked for peaceful relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

We pray for victims of human rights abuses, for greater understanding and respect among the many ethnic groups for lasting peace and reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and for the emergence of more democratic governance that respects human rights and furthers justice for all ethnic groups and minorities.

Prayer from Eritrea

Thank you, dear Jesus,
for being a good shepherd to all believers.
When we are lost from your flock,
you never sleep until you bring us back,
and there is rejoicing in heaven and on earth.
Our daily shepherd, our defender, our protector,
thank you for keeping us from all evil,
from fearful, harmful things
and for preserving us from all unbelief.
In your name we pray.

(© 2005 Ghirmaleoul Nemariam.)

https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/eritrea-ethiopia

Almighty God, we pray for the Bible Society operated YouthQ event, to be held on the Gold Coast on 26th July, and for the Bible Society Masterclass, to be held on the Gold Coast on 25th July and at Perth on 30th July, that they will inspire, equip and connect with Youth Groups and High School students. Pray that this event would help young people understand the gospel message and pursue God.

We pray for those in the Middle East Region who are persecuted and a minority in their communities, for strength and guidance as they live out their Christian faith amidst conflict. We pray that you will be with Bible Society partners in the war-torn countries, as they work at their Bible mission with grace, under devastating circumstances.  We pray that the teams will be empowered by your presence and that all financial needs will be met.  We pray for protection as they serve their communities.  We pray for salvation, peace and an end to war.

We pray that the new books released by Acorn Press would be a blessing to Christians, through the writing of Simon Smart, Naomi Reed and Tony Rinaudo, bringing hope and encouragement.  We pray for Koorong stores and all Christian booksellers, that they may help share these Australian faith voices.

We pray for the children from disadvantaged and refugee families in the Middle East Region who are enrolled in Bible Society Lebanon’s Bible-based literacy project, that these children and more will know God’s love in the midst of desperate situations, and be able to integrate back into the formal education system.

We pray for Bible Society’s new literacy project in Mongolia helping people with visual disabilities to read Braille.  We pray that, as they plan, the team would build a strong and sustainable working relationship with their partners, Mongolian National Blind Federation and Mongolian Campus Crusade for Christ, as well as local churches and governments.

We pray with Dina, Director of The Arab Israeli Bible Society who shared, “We live in an unsafe place where things might escalate suddenly … The land of Christ is screaming from pain.  There is a great need to build a culture of peacemakers and a community of forgivers.”  We pray that you would sustain and strengthen your people amidst the Middle East conflict, as they seek to be his peacemakers and to live out the forgiveness his word teaches.

Bible%20Society%20July%202024%20Prayer%20Letter.pdf

Almighty God, we pray for the staff, Board members, and volunteers of The Leprosy Mission France as they visit churches to present the work of TLM.  We pray that these visits are successful and attract new support.  We pray for the fruitful participation of TLM France in various events and that they lead to interesting connections.

  We pray that younger generations take an interest in the work of TLM France and are willing to help them spread the message on behalf of those affected by leprosy.

The%20Leprosy%20Mission%20Prayer%20Guide%202024.pdf

We thank you God for raising up new Special Religious Education (SRE) teachers and chaplains across the New England region.  We are also thankful for understanding and supportive schools willing to wait to find the right person.

We praise you God for Randall, who has faithfully persisted to get a new camp for young

men off the ground.  We pray that the camp, Grounded, will be able to go ahead this year and will be used by you to grow the participants into good, godly men.

We pray that at the Performing Arts Camp in Northern Victoria young people will encounter

Jesus and enjoy the arts, music and drama.

We pray for the chaplaincy students studying with SU Institute of Training (SUIT), that they would continue to study with diligence to be effective in their ministries.

We pray for the young adults Games Camp at Coolamatong happening over this weekend, incorporating board games, card games, computer games and even a couple of outdoor games!  We pray it will be a fruitful time of connection and faith.

We pray for SU Internships as they enter the second half of the year and for guidance for Julie Calvert and Hamilton McNicol as they continue to establish a great spiritual trajectory for the interns.

We pray, God, that you would provide the right people to fulfil the ongoing chaplaincy vacancies so more children and young people can receive the support they require.

We praise you God for the partnership with a local ACT church to run SUPA Holiday program.  We pray that the partnership with be strengthened and the kids will have life-changing encounters with Jesus.

We pray for the Year 9 and 10 students taking part in the Emerge program for young Christian leaders, which kicks off at Freemantle Christian College in Term 3.

We pray for the recovery and refreshment of our NT camp teams that have run three weeks of back-to[1]back programs over the school holiday period.

Scripture Union Prayer-Guide July to September 2024.pdf

Prayers of the Congregation

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.