Gathering Prayer 

Eternal God,
your love draws us in and your promises fill us with hope;
your covenant secures our future and undergirds our faith;
your grace enriches and colours our relationships and our lives.
And so, on this new day, we join our voices to sing your praises.
We open our hearts to hear your word
and celebrate all that you have done for us and for all creation.

God of truth,
we praise you for your covenant with us and all creation and
for all the colours of your blessings:
for the reds and yellows of your unconditional and costly love;
for the pinks and greens of your creativity and compassion;
for the oranges and purples of your grace and understanding;
and for the blue of your faithfulness.
In wonder and joy we praise you. 

Prayer of Confession

God of all,
when we abuse your covenant with us and are complacent:

Forgive us and help us to make a fresh start.

when we trash your creation ruthlessly and selfishly:

Forgive us and help us to make a fresh start.

when we reject your call to live well and generously:

Forgive us and help us to make a fresh start.

when we take your love for granted:

Forgive us and help us to make a fresh start.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

Faithful God, you raise us up from the ashes of sin and repentance to the joy of forgiveness and acceptance; you flood our hearts with your love, your grace and your beauty; you give us the opportunity to make a fresh start and to seek out that which is lifegiving and creative and fulfilling; you journey with us through the storms and the failures and equip us to stand firm and to flourish.

Just as Jesus said to the woman who anointed His feet with oil, “Your sins are forgiven…. Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Jesus likewise says to us “Your sins are forgiven…your faith has saved you: go in peace.” 

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

We pray for those exploring faith,
for those preparing for baptism,
and for those around the world
who are persecuted for their religion:
may they know the good news of the kingdom.

We pray for the world that God loves so much,
and for those who have the power
to bring peace to the nations:
may they work with truth and integrity.

We pray for our community and those who are in need,
for the fragile and the vulnerable,
and for those who support and care for them:
may they feel the presence of Jesus walking with them.

We pray for those who are homeless,
for those who are unemployed,
and for those who will go hungry and thirsty today:
may we, in Christ, draw near to bring comfort and support.

We pray for ourselves,
for strength to commit ourselves to follow in your way, Lord,  
and the grace to withstand temptation:
may we grow closer to you as we journey through Lent
and prepare to meet Jesus at the cross.
Amen.

We pray for the peoples of Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland.

We give thanks for the quality of life that many in these countries enjoy and their commitment to provide for those in the world who are in need, for the organizations located here that seek to increase ecumenical and interfaith understanding and work together for the common good of all people and creation, for political and economic transparency in these countries, and for those who reach out to migrants and counter attitudes and practices that oppose them.

We pray for environmental practices that preserve the natural environment, especially the Alps’ melting glaciers, for the work for justice, reconciliation and peace pursued by the people and organizations here, seeking to shape globalization so that it benefits all, for religious freedom, also for those from non-Christian traditions, and for overcoming the fear of, and welcoming the embrace of, those who are outsiders to the countries’ historic, ethnic traditions.

Prayers

Praising the Lord (after Psalm 103:1)

‘Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name!’

Longing and curiosity, passion and love,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

Power and strength boldness and excitement,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

Freedom and desire, joy and happiness,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

Disappointment and anger, annoyance and resentment,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

Sorrow and anxiety, doubt and worry,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

Stress and resilience, failure and shame,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

Carefulness and patience, hope and trustfulness,
all my inmost being, praise the Lord.

(Karl Veitschegger (Austria))

We pray for the Scripture Union run WA Young Adult Ministry as programs are being planned and placed throughout the year, praying for creativity and flexibility in organising this program.

We pray for support and guidance for Paul Edwards while he completes his Community Missions responsibility in the West, thanking you for his input as he served the volunteers and the community.

We pray for Family Campout on the banks of the Hawkesbury River NSW (Feb 23-25), that families will enjoy the positive Christian community & be drawn closer to Jesus.

(2024/SU%20SEQ-Prayer-Guide-DEC23-FEB24.pdf)

We thank you God for answering prayers for unity and collaboration in Bible Society South Pacific (BSSP) initiatives and capacity building efforts, through the Oceania Alliance.  We pray for the success of the ongoing efforts to decentralise BSSP work from Fiji, as the team focus on improving regional cooperation and strengthening National Collaboration Groups.

We pray for the Life & Faith podcast from the Centre for Public Christianity, that it will grow both in its audience, for the positive contribution it makes to CPX’s capacity for meaningful, constructive conversations about Christian things across lines of difference. 

We pray for the Samoa translation team working on the contemporary Old Testament, for committed individuals to join the team, and for more support in this Bible mission work from church leaders and communities as they aim for the completion of the books of the 12 Minor prophets in 2024.

We pray for the National Australian Bible Collaboration who are meeting on Monday (19th February) for several days at the Perth YWAM base, for harmony and success as this collaboration group plan and strategize for the future, paying particular attention to key areas like distribution, recruitment and training of translators, and the importance of literacy and Scripture Engagement.

We thank you God for the work done in 2023 to support Bible translation efforts in the South Pacific.  Geoffry, BSSP General Secretary reports that, “We had to work with infrastructure; there are a lot of needs around the Pacific, and they had to be taken care of.  One was the computers.  We are so blessed through the Bible Society Oceania Alliance.  Through it, computers were delivered to translators in the South Pacific.”

(biblesociety/ /Prayer_Letter_-_Feb_2024_-_Standard.pdf)

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.