Prayer of Approach

Holy and Merciful Lord

who is both beyond us and amongst us,

especially with those struggling to find food,

clothing and shelter for themselves and their families…

As we focus on you

may our eyes and hearts remain open

to the needs around us,

perhaps even amongst our own…

We ask that as we seek to see Jesus,

you would direct our gaze to where we can effect most good,

that we might be agents through whom

the prayer for daily bread is answered,

and your will in everything is done on earth,

even as we pray those words our Lord taught us to pray:

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

Prayer of Confession

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil. 

Time is irredeemable once wasted,

we confess to spending rather much of our time

checking on what is evil,

rather than acquainting ourselves with the good.

following: Lord have mercy   LORD HAVE MERCY

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil. 

We too easily think of what we have as our own,

we confess to spending a fair amount of what we have

without thought to what impact for good or ill

our spending might have…

Christ have mercy CHRIST HAVE MERCY

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil. 

We have neighbours who remain virtual strangers to us

we confess to ignoring or shutting out so often

the people who live around us and their circumstances,

failing to notice any struggle to meet life’s necessities…

Spirit have mercy SPIRIT HAVE MERCY

Declaration of Reconciliation (Romans 5)

⁶For while we were still weak,

at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 

⁸ But God proves his love for us

in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 

¹¹ But more than that,

we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now received reconciliation.

so we say with joy in our hearts THANKS BE TO GOD

Prayers of the People[1]

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil. 

We bring our prayers to you for those who are hungry and thirsty;

guide those who govern

to that measures may be in place that none need be so;

strengthen those aid agencies, both Christian and secular,

who seek to relieve the suffering now,

and who implement preventive programs

to ensure food and water security.

Lord hear us  LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil

We bring our prayers to you for those who are strangers and outsiders;

new people in town, new students in school,

new employees in the workplace, newcomers to any church.

May they find the nurturing power of respect and acceptance.

Lord hear us  LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil… 

We bring our prayers to you

for the homeless and ill clad people of the world;

refugees, street kids, dispirited aboriginal communities,

and the deprived children of alcoholics, other drug and gambling addicts. May we find the most ennobling way to assist them to a better life.

Lord hear us  LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil… 

We bring our prayers to you for all who are sick and suffering,

and for the care being given at home or in our hospitals,

or in the makeshift medical facilities dealing with the Corona virus,

the field hospitals in situations of warfare,

or in extremely poor countries.

Help us to share surgical skills and medications

across all countries and communities.

We think of our own ill and debilitated folk,

—  silence —

grant us the grace to reach out and offer care and comfort…

Lord hear us  LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil…

We bring to you our prayers for those in prison.

We think of the murderers and the embezzlers,

the rapists and the drug pushers,

the thieves and the con-men;

But also those mistakenly convicted

and those thousands who are prisoners of conscience.

We pray too for the prison officers, social workers, chaplains,

and for the work of Amnesty International.

Lord hear us  LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

Holy GOD, help us to be wise in what is good,

and guileless in what is evil… 

without you we can do nothing.

With you we can achieve much more

than we can ever see or measure.

So give us the love to thoughtfully and compassionately play

our small part in relieving the sufferings of the world.

Through Christ Jesus our Saviour.

Lord hear us  LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

AMEN

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[1] The foundation of this is a prayer by the late Rev. Bruce D Prewer, though much has been added and adjusted.