Prayer of Praise: – 

(from Uniting in Worship Vol 1 p570 – 572) 

  God the Father, God over us, we adore you.  You are the depth of all there is.  You are the ground of our being.  We can never grasp you, yet you grasp us.  The Universe speaks of you and your incomparable majesty and wisdom.

  God the Son, God beside us, we adore you.  You are the perfection of Humanity.  You have shown us what Human life should be like.  In you we see divine love and human greatness combined.  Through you we experience God’s grace and mercy.

  God the Spirit, God around us, we adore you.  You are the power within us.  You give us abundant life and make us the people we are meant to be.  You give us the divine gift to forgive and to forget the wrongs that are done to us.

  Eternal God, we remember your goodness to us and to those who have gone before us, and we live with the confidence that you will reveal your goodness to those who will come after us.  You are not our captive, God, nor are you a god of our own making.  You are not bound by us nor controlled by us.  You are ahead of us, leading us, guiding us and calling us.  You are the Lord God, all-wise and all-compassionate.  We lift up our hearts and worship you, one God and Lord, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession 

(from Ephesians 4: 17 to 5: 17) 

Merciful God, we come humbly before you, acknowledging that we have been foolish and careless in our thoughts and actions.

Merciful God, we confess to things we should not have done, and confess of being neglectful of things we should have done.

We confess to using language that is not fitting for people who seek to follow you, of using language that is intended to hurt others and not to help them.

Forgive our sins.

We confess to becoming angry at small hurts and unfairness, causing us to be unloving in our reactions to others.

Forgive our sins.

We confess to a desire for things that have no worth or lasting goodness or benefit for us.

Forgive our sins.

We confess to a stubbornness of holding on to prejudices and an unwillingness to face new truths that challenge our long-held attitudes.

Forgive our sins.

We confess to lying and misleading others so as to hide our guilt or responsibility.

Forgive our sins.

We confess to a laxity in praying for the needs of others.

Forgive our sins.

We confess to habits and a seeking of comfort to leads us away from fellowship with you and obedience to your will for our lives.

Forgive our sins.

Merciful God, lead us out of the darkness of impure and unlovely thoughts and actions.

Holy God, lead us into a life that is controlled by your love for us and that is inspired by your Spirit of truth and grace.  To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Ephesians 5: 2) 

The Apostle Paul reminds us that “Jesus Christ loved us and gave His life for us”.  Having confessed our sins before God we hold onto this promise that, through the redeeming work of God achieved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins have been forgiven and we have been reconciled to God.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, for a renewal of your Spirit in our hearts: that you will pour out the Spirit upon us in new ways so that we may make the most of every opportunity given us by you.

We pray for the gift of Wisdom, that we may grasp the meaning and purpose of the life that you offer us.

We pray for unity amongst Christians, that all who bear the name Christian will work toward healing the wounds of the Body of Christ and sharing common worship

We pray for our Nation, that leaders of government and business will be led by your wisdom to choose good rather than evil, honesty rather than deceit, and service rather than greed.

We pray for all who hunger for freedom, for respect, and for meaning in life, that through the words of Christ and the witness of Christians, they may find fulfillment for the longings of their hearts.

We pray for greater patience with ourselves and our loved ones, that we may slow down enough to appreciate all the gifts with which we have been blessed and to nurture those relationships that bring us life

We pray for all who are recovering from the natural disasters and for those who are assisting them, that you will give them strength, ease their suffering and fill their hearts with hope.

We pray for greater care and respect for your Creation, that the Holy Spirit will guide our choices in the use and protection of Earth’s resources.

We pray for the growth of peace, particularly in the Middle East, that leaders of Nations may have wisdom and courage to find new paths to promote the good of the Human family.

Copyright © 2018. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/20OrdB081824/ideas_other.html

Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.

We are thankful for the heritage of ancient trade routes, rich oral traditions and nomadic practices of people in the lands these countries now occupy, for humanitarian work to improve food security and livelihoods, especially for women, for pro-active efforts to preserve the environment in these desert lands, and for welcome and provision for those who often must flee across borders.

We pray for those impoverished who lack basic needs and rights, that these will be met, for desperate children and others who turn to crime or begging or become enslaved, for effective response to the frequent droughts and hunger in this area, and for more stable political rule in these countries to stem violence and provide for all.

PRAYERS

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Eternal God, we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, for Mali, Chad, Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso.

We know that in our part of the world some people are getting carried away by hatred – people who are unable to think clearly, and turn furiously on the people whom you have placed in this part of the world to enjoy your creation and witness to you. We pray for girls and boys, women and men, children and adults, and the elderly, for you to grant them peace, your peace. In the name of Jesus Christ, Lord, change the hearts of all those who are carried away by hatred, that they may find in you the Hope of Salvation, and that they may become messengers of peace for ever.    

We thank you, Lord, for you are faithful to your promise.
Glory and praise be given to you for ever and ever. Amen
(Pastor Kinda Tegwende Leonard/Sore Mahamoudou, Burkina Faso.)

Prayer for Mauritania

Your land, O Lord, is divided and suffers from fighting between your children.

Injustices of all kinds, hatred and bitterness are part of the daily life of the people.

Families seek reconciliation.  Tribes and ethnic groups need reconciliation and peace.

The country needs to be restored and reconciled with itself in order to deal with its past.

The downtrodden still struggle to live a decent life.

The powerful continue to exploit the powerless and the voiceless.

Send your Holy Spirit to reveal your presence and might to all.

May your name be feared and judgment brought upon those who continue to oppress the little ones.

Enter into hearts and lives and change them to become havens of love.

(© Dr Colette Bouka Coula, Cameroon, former staff member of the Lutheran World Federation in Mauritania)

Prayer for Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania

God, our Father, we bless you for the gift of life that you grant us,
that strength of faith, so fragile and so powerful,
which is nourished by the assurance of your love.
We pray to you, Lord,
for the sustenance of life for the people of these five countries,
Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.
Stir up the strength and courage of all those who are engaged
in lifting these countries out of poverty.

(Prières pour le monde 2004 © Fédération protestante de France, Paris, France. English transl. Terry MacArthur, © 2005 WCC)

The prayers on these pages can be printed for individual church services as long as they are not used for commercial purposes.  – https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/burkina-faso-chad-mali-mauritania-niger

Almighty god, we pray for the Noongar Bible Translation team that will be visiting Figtree Anglican Church’s World Missions Conference this month in NSW.  We pray for engaging and fruitful discussions, united around the mission of Bible translation in Australian Indigenous languages.  We thank you for Figtree Anglican church’s partnership with Bible Society Australia in supporting Nungalinya College (a combined churches training College for Indigenous Australians) this year.

We pray for the Samoan Bible translation team as they aim to complete translation of the Minor Prophets books this year for the Samoan Contemporary Old Testament project.  We thank you for the team’s newly appointed Administrator, Elizabeth, who will help coordinate the work in Samoa.  As there are more team members needed to complete this project, we pray for your provision of committed members to join the team.

We thank you God for the successful filming that was able to take place for the Auslan Bible project.  We pray that the next session of filming will go smoothly and that the team will be in good health before and during filming.  We pray for more deaf translators to join the team and for your continued guidance and wisdom as the committee makes decisions about the project and on what Bible translations to work.

We praise you God for the progress of the Tongan Contemporary Bible project, which aims to make a contemporary translation of the Bible in Tongan.  We pray for your guidance over the team as the project undergoes stages of review and consultant checking, and feedback from the public.  We pray also for the health of the team members working on this project.

We pray for the Asia-Pacific Bible Translation Meeting which will be held in Fiji on the 20-22^th of August.  We pray for your blessing on this meeting as it will convene Bible Society translation consultants and coordinators in Asia and the Pacific to discuss and plan the Bible Translation Roadmap in these regions.  We pray for your wisdom and guidance over all involved in this important work to build a legacy around your word for future generations.

We pray that the Samoan Old Testament in contemporary language will have an impact in people’s lives once this translation work is completed.  Translation Consultant, Sam Freney, says, “Our hope is that it will become widely accepted in Samoa.  Not only amongst the younger generations for whom it is aimed, but also amongst older people who may use it alongside their beloved older version.”

(Bible%20Society%20August%202024%20PrayerLetter.pdf)

We thank you God for our full team of Scripture Union Field Development Managers across Southern QLD and Northern Rivers.  We pray that you will uplift them and give them wisdom as they communicate with a range of stakeholders and communities.

We pray for good networking and ministry opportunities to come from the Cairns Church Leaders Mayoral lunch event this coming Monday.

We pray for the SU Australia National Leadership Team as they meet and discuss ministry around the country together.  May it be a time of strong fellowship and growth in Christ.

We praise you God for the way that many churches in Canberra work together.  We pray for strengthened partnerships with churches who do not yet know much about SU Australia.

We pray for chaplains who are working hard in Term 3, for their energy and endurance as the 2024 school year continues and for encouragement in the work to which you have called them.

We pray for your support and guidance for the Camps and Missions Support Hub team as they prepare for the busy spring and summer seasons ahead.

We pray that the vacant chaplain and SRE/RI teacher positions would be filled by faithful and qualified people.

(Scripture%20Union%20Prayer-Guide%20July%20to%20September%202024.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for wisdom and guidance for the Advocacy & Communications team of The Leprosy Mission India as it works on repealing discriminatory laws.  Help them to know the right words to say, the right people to talk to, and the right strategies to use.  May you bless the team as it works closely with the Government of India to create enabling policies.  We pray that you will give an ear to those in power and help them build relationships that will be mutually beneficial.

We pray that you will bless our efforts of The Leprosy Mission India in connecting with the President and the Prime Minister on The Leprosy Mission’s 150th celebration event in New Delhi.  We pray that you will open their hearts to hear the message of The Leprosy Mission and use this opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people affected by leprosy.

Lord, we pray that you will bless the Advocacy & Communications team as they work to find strategic partners across all our programmes.  We pray that you will bring people together who share their vision and who are willing to collaborate with them to bring change in the lives of people affected by leprosy and other disabilities.  We pray for blessings on the team as they work to build the capacity of champions and staff.  We pray that you would give them the skills and knowledge they need to be effective advocates and communicators.

We pray that you will open doors for them to receive the financial and other resources they need to make a difference in the lives of people affected by leprosy.  Lord, we pray that you will bless the TLM team as it works to create visibility for the organisation at a much bigger level.  We pray that you will open doors for them to share their message with a wider audience so that they join them in the fight against leprosy.

We pray for the health and well-being of Nikita Sarah – Head of Advocacy & Communications.

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

We pray for those who undertake Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School in the coming weeks.  Guide them in their preparation for the words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes. 

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, as she addresses 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 regularly.  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.

Merciful God, hear our prayers this day and answer them so that your greatness may be known by all.  This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

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.