Prayer of Praise    

  Almighty God, all-powerful, true and incomparable.

You are present in all things, yet limited by none;

Untouched by place, unaged by time;

Unhurried by years, undeceived by words;

Not subject to Earthly powers, nor in need of any sort of protection.

You are above corruption, beyond all change;

Invisible, yet you make yourself known to us.

You are found by all who seek you with their whole heart.

You are the God of all who put their hope in Jesus Christ.

You alone are God; we adore you.

(Uniting in Worship  Leader’s Book  Book 1  number 17 p569)

We thank you God, through our Lord Jesus Christ,

For the assurance of forgiveness of sins and the promise of renewal.

Your nature is to show mercy and love, morning, noon, and night.

You are compassion, you are our inspiration,

In you we find true liberty, joy, and peace.

Holy is your nature, holy is your will and holy is your purpose for Humanity.

In gratitude for your mercy and love we offer our praise and thanksgiving,

Our worship and our adoration, morning, noon and night.  Amen.

(based on Endless Love in Bruce Prewer Australian Prayers p102)

Prayer of Confession   

Merciful God, we have sinned against you and against one another, in thought, word and deed,

In the wrong we have done, and the good that we have not done,

Through ignorance, through weakness,

Through our own deliberate fault.

We repent of all of our sins, forgive us all that is past.

Cleanse us from all that hinders our communion with you and with each other.

Grant that we may serve you in newness of life,

Make us attentive to your voice, and alert to your presence,

And may we treasure your Word above all else.

To your honour and glory we pray.  Amen.

(Uniting in Worship  Leader’s Book  Book 1  number 12 p584, Norman Wallwork in Companion to the Revised Common Lectionary Volume 5 p62 &64)

Assurance of Forgiveness

 (from Philippians 2: 7 & 8) 

The Apostle Paul writes of the humbleness of Christ Jesus, walking the path of obedience all the way to his death on the cross, his death by which our sins are forgiven and our lives redeemed by God.  Having put our trust in this saving work of Jesus, let us be assured that, having confessed our sins before God, He has heard our prayers and has forgiven 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 World leaders and for their representatives who meet at the United Nations,

that you will help them listen to the needs of Humanity and give them wisdom in making decisions and developing policies so that all may have sufficient food, safety, and the opportunity to live in peace.

We pray for all who are ill, particularly those with covid-19 and influenza,

that you will ease their pain, help them to receive life-preserving treatment, and restore them to health and wholeness.

We pray for social enhancement in our cities and neighbourhoods:

that you will help us recognize the inequity and injustices that exists within our communities and give us the courage to work for change and reconciliation.

We pray for all who are suffering from the aftermath of hurricanes and storms, of wildfires and droughts,

that you will protect them from further harm, help them to connect with those who can help them to rebuild lives and livelihoods, and fill their hearts with courage.

We pray for migrants and refugees,

that all who have fled violence, starvation, or persecution may find welcome and places of safety to live.

We pray for all who serve in difficult and distant places, particularly relief workers and members of the military forces on peace-keeping duties,

that you will guide their service so as to bring about justice and peace, and that they will come home safely to their families.

We pray for healing of the Earth,

that you will inspire us to act boldly in addressing abuses of the land and sea and air, so that those who come after us will inherit improved conditions and resources.

We pray for all who are being persecuted,

that you will strengthen them, help them to embrace their difficulties and be instruments of your love, mercy, and compassion.

We pray for integrity,

that we may not merely speak of your ways but sincerely commit to living them as faithful disciples.

We pray for healing of our attitudes,

that you will free us from the desires to control or be selfish, and help us to strive to serve others with love, patience, and humility.

We pray for the unity of Christians,

that all believers may be of one mind and heart, and work together in serving you and in confronting evil.

Copyright © 2023. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/26OrdA100123/ideas_other.html

Lord God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your lovingkindness.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.