Prayer of Praise: –  

God of power and might, of love and grace and mercy; by whose spoken Word the World came into being. and without whose guidance we are lost;

we stand in awe of you, and in adoration lift our voices to you.

We believe that You are our strength; You are our shield.  In our helplessness, we trust that You are our refuge.  In our vulnerability, you are our shelter.

In the midst of darkness, you give us light and rays of hope.  In our pain and suffering, you give us the ability to live in hope with courage; and the wisdom to overcome all difficulties.

Generous God, giver of all good things, with humility and thankfulness we recognise that all we have comes from you.  

You are the one who looks after us and provides for our needs.

We give you our heartfelt and everlasting praise for your gracious gift of forgiveness of our sins, of the cleansing of our souls, and of a restored relationship with you. 

We give you thanks for the many people who have gone before us as witnesses to your great love through serving those in need.  We give you thanks for present witnesses who continue to join in your mission of compassionate care and loving service. 

Be near to us in this time of worship.  Open our ears to hear your voice, our eyes to behold your glory, our hearts to receive your grace, and our mouths to declare your praise.

To your glory we pray.  Amen.

A Prayer for Fathers

We pray for our fathers who have loved and supported us.

We praise you O Lord and give you thanks today.

For our mothers who have cherished and nurtured us.

We praise you O Lord and give you thanks today.

For the children entrusted to our care as parents.

We praise you Lord and give you thanks today.

For our godfathers and mothers and for all who first spoke to us of Jesus, and who have drawn us into the family of our heavenly Father.

We praise you Lord and give you thanks today.

Lord God, it’s not easy being a father today, and so we pray for fathers in a society that is constantly redefining their role;

for fathers who stay at home and look after children;

for fathers who have been forced out of their families or away from their children;

for fathers with adult children who must relearn what it means to be a parent.

We pray also for families with fathers who are inadequate, violent, lazy or unkind;

for families where there is no father present at home;

for families in which there seems to be a succession of different ‘fathers’,

making it hard for the children to build lasting relationships or know their true identities.

Whatever their circumstances, may every family find wholeness and help as they look to you God, the loving Father of us all.

Help us to live as those who belong to one another and to you, now and always.  Amen.

(https://www.rootsontheweb.com/i-am-looking-for/public-copies/fathers-day-ideas-and-prayers)

Prayer of Confession 

We come to You, O God, and confess our weakness and vulnerability.

We confess that we have persevered in our sinfulness and negligence.

We confess that we have neglected Your commandments, that we have offended Your love, that we did not show mercy to each other, that we were not able to curb our greed. 

In the midst of the busyness of our daily life, we forget the distinction between good and evil, between truth and falsehood; we neglect the poor, the marginalised and those who we define as different from “us”.

God of mercy, forgive us and remove the taint of sin from our lives. 

God of hope, heal us, restore us, and sustain us by Your divine grace.

We come into the light of your Presence, and open ourselves to the healing power of your Spirit, laying bare our brokenness, our deficiencies, and our pain. 

Almighty God, trusting in your mercy and grace, we humbly and reverently bring this prayer to you.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from James 1: 1 & 2: 1) 

In his Letter, James states that if we are believers in “our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory”, then we are “God’s people”, that God seeks a close relationship with us when we have placed our trust and faith in Jesus to be our redeemer, to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.  Let us rest assured on this promise and know that God has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Praise Those Fathers

Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice.

Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a worthy and virtuous father.

Let us praise those fathers who, by their own account, were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. As well, let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by words and actions of their children.

Let us praise those fathers who, despite marital discord, have remained in their children’s lives.

Let us praise those fathers whose children are adopted, and whose love and support has nurtured a thriving life.

Let us praise those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and earned their step children’s love and respect.

Let us praise those fathers who have lost a child to death, and continue to hold the child in their heart.

Let us praise those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own.

Let us praise those men who have “fathered” us in their role as mentors and guides.

Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children.

And let us praise those fathers who have died, but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us.

– Prayer of Kirk Loadman adapted by Debra Mooney, PhD

Bless Our Fathers

Heavenly Father,

Today we ask You to bless our Earthly fathers, for the many times they reflected the love, strength, generosity, wisdom and mercy that You exemplify in Your relationship with us, Your children.

We honour our fathers for putting our needs above their own convenience and comfort;
for teaching us to show courage and determination in the face of adversity;
for challenging us to move beyond self-limiting boundaries;
for modelling the qualities that would turn us into responsible, principled, caring adults.

Not all our fathers lived up to these ideals.
Give them the grace to acknowledge and learn from their mistakes.
Give us the grace to extend to them the same forgiveness that you offer us all.
Help us to resist the urge to stay stuck in past bitterness,
instead, moving forward with humility and peace of heart.

We ask your blessing on those men who served as father figures in our lives when our biological fathers weren’t able to do so.
May the love and selflessness they showed us be returned to them in all their relationships,
and help them to know that their influence has changed us for the better.

Give new and future fathers the guidance they need to raise happy and holy children,
grounded in a love for God and other people –
and remind these fathers that treating their wives with dignity, compassion and respect is
one of the greatest gifts they can give their children.

Tony Rossi

(https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/fathers-day-prayers)

Blue Care

Almighty God, we pray for the work of Blue Care throughout Queensland:

that you will oversee the welfare of the residents in their Residential Aged Care Facilities,

that you will oversee the safe operating of their Retirement Living Facilities,

that you will bless the operating of their Community Care Centres,

that you will guide and support those in leadership positions as they manage staff, finances, procurement and the oversight of programs,

that you will encourage and protect the many volunteers who give of their time and energy to the provision of care and support to those using Blue Care programs and facilities,

that you will encourage and support staff of Blue Care as they provide compassion and care to those in need,

that you will guide those who train and support the staff and volunteers so as to meet their individual context and circumstances,

that you will support Blue Care chaplains as they seek to guide and care for residents of facilities and program users,

that you will guide and bless the work of the Grief and Loss Programs in the various centres and facilities,

that you will guide and bless the work of the Dementia Programs in the various centres and facilities,

that you will guide and bless the Respite Programs in the various centres and facilities,

that you will oversee the commencement of the provision of the Home Care Package Program, that it will meet the care needs and support the wellbeing of people in their homes.

We thank you for the dedication and enthusiasm of the staff, volunteers, and supports of Blue Care and their family members.  Protect and bless them in their involvement in the programs and services of Blue Care.  Direct the delivery of these services so that they provide the very best of care and support for those in need.  Please encourage the Church to do all that is required to continue the work of Blue Care in our communities.

God of all healing, who called the light to shine in the darkness at Creation, and in whose eternal light there is no darkness at all, be a light of hope to those who live in darkness.  Be a support to the fearful, a listener to the lonely, a purpose to those in despair, that amongst the struggles and confusions of the World, they will find the path that leads to the fulness of life, and joy and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.

(https://www.ncca.org.au/ncca-newsletter/august-2021-1/item/2535-president-s-reflection-2021081)

General Intercessions

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may experience an ever deeper conversion of mind and heart as we allow your Word to instruct and free us.

We pray for a deepening of gratitude, that we may be grateful to you for every blessing and gift, and develop them fully for your glory.

We pray you will liberate us from the defences of legalism and rationalism so that we may serve you wherever you calls us.

We pray for wisdom, that you will teach us how to live the virtues of the Christian life and manifest them in new ways in our contemporary society.

We pray for a greater knowledge of ourselves, that you will help us discern our motivations and make life-giving choices each day.

We pray for all who hand on the faith, particularly preachers, teachers, and parents: that they may share the faith clearly and convincingly, and lead others into an experience of your great love.

We pray for conversion from our hypocrisies, that we may recognize where we say one thing and live by another so that we may come to greater integrity and wholeness.

We pray for all who have experienced the evil of human hearts, that you will heal the pain of those who have experienced abuse, discrimination, or Human trafficking and fill them with hope for the future.

We pray for all who have suffered from cover-ups or neglect by Church leaders, that you will comfort and guide them, help their truth to be heard, and guide us in supporting them.

We pray for all who are suffering from natural disasters and for those assisting them, that you will calm the wildfires, help the people to recover from the efforts of flooding, and sustain all who are helping them.

We pray for refugees and displaced persons, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan, the Middle East: that you will guide them to safety, protect them on their journeys, and help them find welcome in new communities.

We pray for greater respect for and stewardship of Earth’s resources: that we may treasure the natural resources that you have given us and wisely use them for the good of the Human family.

We pray for an end to the renewal of the covid pandemic, the influenza epidemic, the threat of the spread of mpox; that you will curtail the surge of such viruses, send healing to all who are ill, and give strength and insight to all medical personnel who are caring for the ill or who are searching for cures.

We pray for safety in schools: that you will watch over all schools, protect students from violence, and bullying, and help all to grow in knowledge and self-awareness.

We pray for peace, that the Spirit will renew the dedication of those working for peace and help all to work together to defeat the common enemies of disease, ignorance, and poverty.

(Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/22OrdB090124/ideas_other.html)

World Council of Churches

Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and of Senegal.

Intercessions

We are thankful for the many ways in which these countries have moved beyond their colonial histories, especially the scars related to slave trade, for this area’s distinctive music and cultural practices of storytelling (griots), for economic and educational advances that have lifted some out of poverty,  for promising transitions into democracy and changes in government leaders, and for the persistent, faithful witness of churches in the midst of other faiths.

We pray for those people in these societies who continue to live in abject poverty, for an end to policies, systems, and cultural practices that continue to exploit and marginalize some groups, for the fair election of more just government leaders who respect the rights of all people, and for faith communities witnessing and working together for the common good.

Prayer to the Holy Child

Holy child of Bethlehem, born in a stable:
help us to remember all those children living in poverty or even abandoned by their parents.

Holy child of Bethlehem, whom Herod sought to kill:
help us to remember all those holy innocents of our own time who suffer abuse or neglect in so many different ways.

Holy child of Bethlehem, a refugee in Egypt:help us to care for all those children who are forced to live far away from their homes.

May the God of love bless all of you,
your families and our nation with his gift of peace and happiness.
Amen.

(From the Christmas message of the Most Rev. Robert P. Ellison CSSp, Bishop of Banjul.)

Prayers for Cape Verde

We pray the political, social and cultural leaders will provide wise and just decisions to address the issues of ecological and economic problems confronting the Nation.

We pray for greater efforts by the Churches to provide Scripture in the indigenous languages that are spoken by the people.

Prayers for The Gambia

Lord, grant our leaders the qualities of leadership they need to stride securely through our times,

and on the hard-fought path of life give them a generous portion of the grace they need to lead us with a sincere heart and with wisdom.

May the difficult sacrifices we joyfully make for the development of our country reach up to you as a living plea to lavish kindness, faithfulness and power and keep watch over our land.

Lord, let us believe in your power to bring all people together and let no one deprive us of this song of unity.

Let us form the great image of the human person and community among us which fulfils your will.

We pray for peace and unity in our homeland, that we may be able to live as one family working for the betterment of our nation and her people.

We pray for all those who have to witness to their faith in situations where they are ridiculed, threatened and persecuted: that they may find in you, Lord, the courage they need.

(Prayer submitted by the Most Rev. Michael J. Cleary CSSp, Bishop of Banjul.)

We pray for the continued freedom for the Church to witness to their Muslim neighbours, and for an openness of heart for Muslims to receive the Gospel.  We pray for sensitivity and wisdom for Christian missions and ministries as they work among the Muslim majority, for new visas for missionaries seeking to enter the country.

We pray for increased momentum and a zeal for growth within the existing Churches.

We pray for the continued freedom for the Church to provide ministry in prisons, to operate Christian radio, and to produce to promote Christian television.

Prayer for Guinea

We pray for political stability, for political leaders who place national interests above their own, and for wisdom regarding International Monetary Fund development projects.

We pray for the liberty of Christian Churches and ministries to work among Muslim communities.

We pray for the effective training for pastors and lay leaders.

We pray for the effectiveness of ministries working in colleges and universities and youth centres.

We pray for continued support and funding for translation work among the Fulbe, susu, Kissi, Kpelle and Toma peoples.

We pray that you will strengthen those who have responded to the multi-lingual cassette ministry undertaken by Global Records Network in 21 languages.

Prayer for Guinea-Bissau

We pray for the continued freedom for Churches to worship and to minister to the Muslim communities.

We pray for the training and maturing of pastors to lead Churches and to plant new Churches.

We pray for the success of the translating of the whole Bible into Portuguese Creole, and of the New Testament into the Papel, Bijago, Fulbe, and Mandingo languages.

We pray for the effectiveness of Christian radio programs, and of a cassette ministry run by the local Bible Society.

Prayer from Senegal

Lord, hear my prayer of peace and forgiveness!

Lord God, forgive the white slave-traders of Europe and over the seas!They hunted our children like wild elephants. They caught them, tiedthem up, whipped them and soiled their hands with their blood.

Bless my people, Lord, those who seek their own faces under the threatof being recognized. May they continue to seek you in spite of the coldand famine that eats at their very bones, at their very insides. Thewoman who laments her absent husband, the fiancée her lost love, themother her dead son, bless those who have lost loved ones, may we allunite under your love.

With your help, may all the people of Europe, Asia, Africa, and all whohave sweated blood and suffering look beyond and see the haloed headsof my people. Extend a warm handshake to them so that we may allinterlace our fingers to belt the earth in fraternal love.

(Excerpted from “Prayer for Peace and Brotherhood”, Sedar Senghor, president of Senegal, 1960-81. Hallelujah for the Day, ed. Anthony Gittins, Liguori/Triumph, Ligouri MO, USA, 2002, p.103.)

We pray that you would hinder the work of the Muslim Sufi brotherhoods so as to open opportunities for the Gospel to be preached among the Wolof, Fulbe and Mande peoples.

We pray for a strengthening of the Churches among the Serer, Jola and Cape Verdian peoples, so that their witness as Christians is made more real to their Muslim neighbours.

We thank you for the success of the translation projects among the Wolof, Serer, Mandinka. Tukulor, Fulancunda and Bassari peoples, and pray that the holy spirit will work in the hearts of those who are exposed to  your Word in their indigenous language.

We pray for your continued support for the Cassette Tape ministries and for Christian radio programs.

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/cape-verde-the-gambia-guinea-guinea-bissau-senegal)

(also from Operation World  When we pray God works by Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk p147 & 148, 266, 291 & 292, 294 & 295, and 259 to 261)

Bible Society Australia

Almighty God, we thank you for the successful launch of the new edition of the Christian Surfers Bible, designed to encourage surfers to connect with you and other Christian Surfers.  We pray for the success of the efforts to distribute this new edition, that it will reach more surfing communities around the World, and touch lives with your Word.

We praise you God for the progress of Bible Society South Pacific’s translation work in New Caledonia.  We pray for the successful completion of the Old Testament in Ajië and the New Testament in Nelemwa as well as for people’s meaningful engagement with the Scriptures in New Caledonia.

We pray for all the staff from Bible Societies who participated in last month’s Asia Pacific Literacy Training, that they will be able to implement what they learnt about literary practice principles, program planning, research and implementation in an ongoing way. We pray that the Bible-based literacy projects in these regions would be improved as a result.

We pray for the success of the ‘Rebuilding of the Bible Society’ project in Papua New Guinea, and for the team as they seek to establish sustainable and impactful Bible-based mission work.  We pray that you will open doors, for generous hearts to fund the rebuilding, and for committed, resourceful workers to come forward to join the team.

We thank you God for the report from Papua New Guinea, where, in the aftermath of natural disaster, the team at Living Child said: “Villagers remain keen to have access to the health messages and the Bible in their heart language.  The scale of the disaster and the community needs is overwhelming, but we are trusting the Lord.”  We pray that you will enable resources and people to be available so that the ‘Bibles and Maternal Health’ project can resume.  We pray for the successful rebuilding of the livelihoods of people who have lost their homes and face diseases, and especially children and the elderly.  We pray for your protection for the team as they focus on disaster recovery.

(2024/BibleSocietyAugust2024PrayerLetter.pdf)

Scripture Union Australia

Almighty God, we pray that the final preparations for our Spring Camps will go smoothly and smooth and willing response for registrations.

We pray for the students and teachers from Swan Christian College who will be on school camp in Busselton (WA), led by SU staff & volunteers, that your love and grace will cover them as they experience temporary community and hear of your love.

We pray that the filming of Chaplaincy Core Training Modules for online delivery would go smoothly and that the modules will be a blessing to the students.

We pray for the health of all chaplains, especially for you to heal those who aren’t well, and bring your peace and joy to all as they carry your presence into schools.

We pray for a sense of fun, exciting games and faith exploration on the Epic Beach Break Camp later in September.

We pray for Jesus to be known and faith to grow on SUPA camp.  We pray for your guidance and protection of the team leading and for the young people participating.

We pray for the SUFM teams training and preparing for a summer of beach and river missions, that the team leaders will be seeking God earnestly, that His will would be done.  We pray for innovation and the leading of the Spirit.

(2024/ScriptureUnionPrayer-GuideJulytoSeptember2024.pdf)

Leprosy Mission International

Almighty God, we thank you for the support offered by the American Leprosy Missions and their dedication to breaking down barriers to health and restoring hope for people suffering from the pain and stigma of NTDs like leprosy.  We thank you that, since its founding in 1906, American Leprosy Missions has provided holistic healing to more than four million people around the world, including through medical treatment, health worker training, disease mapping, community development, health system strengthening and research.

We pray for strength and hope for church leaders in Democratic Republic of Congo, who are training to find and support people affected by diseases like leprosy.  Please guide them as they are seeking ways to provide critical emotional and spiritual care, as well as connecting people to medical help.

We pray for your support and guidance for the women leaders of our community projects in India and Nepal, who seek to educate their neighbours about diseases like leprosy, refer them for care, and help communities advocate for government resources to improve water quality, sanitation and hygiene conditions.

We pray for the success for the Phase 1b/2a trial of the first leprosy-specific vaccine, LepVax; especially the clinical trial is beginning in Brazil.  We pray that, for the next two years, our partner, Fiocruz, will successfully implement the trial to determine the vaccine’s effectiveness.

We pray your guidance for the Leprosy Research Initiative’s teams as they review the applications for the 2025 funding call for leprosy research and decide which ones to fund.  We ask for wisdom because they usually receive 70+ applications each year and can fund fewer than 10

We lift in prayer the work of EU-CORD a European network of Christian relief and development organisations.  Grant them the courage and wisdom to fulfil their shared vision as Christian organisations united in the dream of a transformed, just, and equal world. Guide them to be beacons of hope.  

We pray for the place of leprosy within this much wider world of Neglected Tropical Diseases (a group of diseases that affect 1.7bn people globally).  We pray for increasing global and political prominence for these neglected diseases.  Also we seek your guidance for the NTD NGO Network (NNN), which is a network for NGOs that focus on Neglected Tropical Diseases.

We pray for TLM Southern Africa, giving thanks for the progress the team made in 2023 to integrate leprosy work into the National Health system in South Africa, in their effort to defeat leprosy in South Africa.

(2024/TheLeprosyMissionPrayerGuide2024.pdf)

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.  Amen.