Prayer of Praise: –

 (from Psalm 65: 1 to 8, 118: 29, and 119: 2, 3, 105, 106, 111 & 112) 

Almighty God, you are the one who keeps His promises to us and answers our prayers,

So it is right for us to offer our praise to you in our worship and to offer our service to you in our daily lives.

People everywhere come to you defeated by their faults and despairing of their sins,

But you offer forgiveness of sins and the healing of our hearts and minds and spirits.

Happy are those who seek to be in a close relationship with you,

For they receive the blessings of your peace and love being lavished upon them.

You set the mountains in place by your strength,

Showing your mighty power.

You calm the roar of the seas and the noise of the waves,

And the History of Nations too testifies to your power to limit their times of tumult.

The whole World stands in awe of the great things that you have done,

Your deeds for Humanity elicit from people their shouts of joy, from one end of the Earth to the other.

You do wonderful things to save us and to deliver us from trouble and strife,

In response, people all over the World and from across the distant seas place their trust in you.

Your Word is a lamp to guide us and a light for our path,

We will keep our promise to you to obey your just instructions.

Your Commandments are our eternal possession; they are the joy of our hearts,

We have decided to obey your Laws until the day we die.

Happy are those who follow your commands, and who obey you with all their heart,

For they are the ones who never do wrong, who always walk in your ways.

We give you thanks, O God, because you are good,

And your love is eternal.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession   

Merciful God we acknowledge the burden of our guilt, of all that isolates us from yourself and others,

We are oppressed by our cares and worries, and at times have lost our way and purpose in life.

Merciful God, our lives have become withered and lacking in spirit, we have become distracted by our desires and dreams,

We acknowledge that we do not measure up to your standards and hopes for us.  In many ways we do not reflect your ideals in our actions and words, nor by our inactions and lack of words. 

Merciful God, when we fail to reach out to those whose lives are lived on arid landscapes, devoid of hope,

Please forgive us.

When we fail to recognise the pain of people of all ages whose lives are rooted in bitter and destructive memories, and do not seek to reassure them of your love,

Please forgive us.

When we are eager to judge and condemn those whose appearance and actions disturb our sensibilities, rather than accept them as loved by you,

Please forgive us.

Set before our hearts and our minds each day, O God, the example of Jesus Christ, so that we may love unconditionally, as he loved, so that we may touch the lives of those who believe they are untouchable, as he did, and so that we may endeavour to seek out and save the lost, even as he did.

May we who follow you reject what is contrary to the Gospel, and, instead, walk by the light of your Word.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(Romans 8: 1) 

The Apostle Paul reminds us that there is no condemnation from God for those who live their lives in communion with Christ Jesus.  Therefore, having confessed our sins in earnestness and honesty, we can be confident that God has heard us, that God has forgiven our sins, and that God has cleansed us.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Almighty God, knowing of your love for all of Humanity, especially of your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

We bring to you our prayers for the World around us and for people individually.

We pray for the Church, that we may spread the hopeful and exciting message of the Gospel through both our words and deeds,

so that others may encounter you, the God who loves them.

We pray for a greater love for your written Word,

that we may make reading it a priority in our lives to allow your Word to challenge and prune us so that we may bear abundant fruit.

We pray for the courage to share our faith through our life stories,

that we may offer others the joy of coming to know your love through sharing the story of our journey with you.

We pray for freedom from all that enslaves our hearts,

that we may allow your Word to free us from fear, anxiety, and financial worries, enabling us to live as your children, and empowering us to be disciples of Jesus in word and deed.

We pray for the created World,

that we may promote respect for it, and work to protect and preserve it for future

generations.

We pray for all who have closed their hearts to your Word,

that you will break through their barriers, move their hearts and spirits, and open them to the Holy Spirit’s presence, to empower them to become active followers of Christ.

We pray for all who care for the sick,

that you will give them strength, to help them to radiate God’s compassion, and to show deep respect for each person for whom they assist.

We pray for a conversion of our attitudes,

that you will free us from prejudice and unfair judgments so that we may treat each person with dignity and respect.

We pray for a renewed time of Justice,

that your Justice and Peace may develop in all the structures of our society, and in all the ways Nations relate to those with whom they share their borders.

Copyright © 2023. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/15OrdA071623/ideas_other.html

We pray for the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

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 the 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.

Prayers

Prayer of St Dionysius (818)

O God Eternal, good beyond all that is good, fair beyond all that is fair, in
whom is calmness and peace: reconcile the differences 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.

 (A Chain of Prayer across the Ages, comp. Selina Fitzherbert Fox, John Murray, London, UK, 6th ed., 1941.)

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)

We pray for the widows, families and communities of two literacy facilitators of Bible Society Cameroon who were murdered by Islamic militant group, that the project planned will enable the two widows and their 15 children to be housed, fed, clothed, and educated.

(https://www.biblesociety.org.au/projects/solidarity-for-martyr-families/)

We pray for the project being undertaken by the Bible Society Cameroon to teach non-literate Podoka and Mafa people in Cameroon to read, write and engage in Scriptures through Bible-based literacy classes.  Through these classes, it is hoped many will be spiritually fed and equipped to improve their family and community life.

We pray for the work of translating of the Bible for the Podoko and Mafa people in Cameroon which is underway.  Most of the people cannot read or write, and while literacy rates in Cameroon are estimated at 77% in the official languages, the literacy rate of the Podokos and Mafas is far lower, at 30.7%.  This percentage is even lower in their native languages.

The proximity of the Podoko and Mafa communities to the Nigerian border exposes them to attacks by terrorist group Boko Haram.  Estimates suggest Boko Haram has victimized over 600,000 people in Cameroon, looting villages, abducting villagers or killing at random.  Many have left their villages to find refuge in camps away from the borders.

We pray for the church in Cameroon as it encourages the Podoko and Mafa people to stand firm in God despite these challenges and to reach out to them with the word of God. Therefore, the church has identified improving literacy rates as an important step in helping the communities deepen their relationship with God.

(https://www.biblesociety.org.au/projects/literacy-for-a-transformed-life/)

We pray for Yangbala Kemp currently happening in Katherine, NT, for the Indigenous youth who will be attending this and for Team Leader, Rachel, as she organises and facilitates this space.

We pray for our Scripture Union Central Coast NSW chaplains who are providing food hampers to families in crisis, giving thanks that the door has opened for these 20 opportunities to be possible.

We pray for our Camp Leader Training Day happening in Cairns later in the week that the

attendees would be encouraged and equipped to serve the youth in their local communities.

We pray for those who will recommence Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School this year.  Guide them in the words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes.  May the Holy Spirit challenge the children in the RI classes to come to a closer relationship with you.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School while she is on leave, that she is refreshed and rested.  Please guide and equip her as she starts a new term later in the year, and as she seeks to address the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the school.

We pray for those who we have not seen for some time and who are unable to attend worship.  Please guide and comfort them in their particular circumstances.  May they be aware of your care for them as they meet what each new day brings.

Lord God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your lovingkindness.  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.