Prayer of Praise

 (from Invocations and Benedictions p 141, opening Prayers p 103, Uniting in Worship Red Book p335, Moira Laidlaw, Leading Intercessions p 116, Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People p168 and 169) 

  Almighty God, you do not change, for you are the same, yesterday, today and forever.  You do not change, for you continue to love the lost and the wandering.  You come to us with your mercy and care.  You touch our hearts with your tenderness and forbearance.  Gracious God, you come to us in Jesus Christ, granting us forgiveness, not because we have earned it or merit it, but solely because that is your will and that is your plea for Humanity.

  Almighty God, we give you thanks for the many blessings that you have given to us; the freedom to meet for worship, the freedom from want and neglect, for stable Government, for an uncompromised justice system, for safety when we walk the street or go to the local park.  We give you thanks for the way you have enriched and enhanced our lives, through accessible education, through participation in sport, through friendship and family, through work or through opportunities for volunteering our time and energy.

  Almighty God, we praise you for your comfort in our times of stress, for your peace in our times of trouble, for your restoration when we lose hope, for your company when we are lonely or in grief.  You discern our needs and provide for us so richly.  You guide our lives and direct us on the path that is in tune with your will and purpose for us.

  Almighty God, we are in awe of your power and authority over what you have created and set in place, in Heaven and upon Earth.  We are in awe of your majesty as the LORD, our God, who rules over Time and Space, who has directed History from the beginning in the Garden of Eden.  We are in awe of your incomparable grace and mercy for a fallen Humanity.  We are in awe of your eternal and everlasting love for each individual who has ever lived, who is living and who is yet to live.

  Almighty God, we worship you and give you our unending praise, now and always. 

Amen.

Prayer of Confession

(from Invocations and Benedictions p 141, opening Prayers p 103, Uniting in Worship Red Book p335, Moira Laidlaw, Leading Intercessions p 116, Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People p168 and 169)  

  Merciful God, we bow before you in humility and penitence, for we know that we have behaved in ways that are shameful in your sight and have made decisions that disappoint you

  We neglect the contemplation of the infinite for the pursuit of the finite.  We worship things of less value than ourselves, much less than you.  Merciful God, forgive us.

  Merciful God, we bow before you knowing that we have contributed to the despair in the lives of others by our unwillingness to reach out and touch those who are hurting or have lost hope.

  We hold judgemental attitudes towards people who we consider do not measure up to our standards.  Our apathy allows people to remain in the clutches of evil.  Merciful God, forgive us.

  Merciful God, we bow before you, knowing that we falter in our support those who are weakened by poverty or illness.

  We fail to welcome the stranger or the refugee, the homeless or the friendless.  Merciful God, forgive us.

  Merciful God, redeem us from our lostness, rescue us from our wandering, restore us from our brokenness.

  Forgive our sins.  Remove our stubbornness and intractability.  Fill our minds with your wisdom and our hearts with sincerity so that our lives and our worship are acceptable to you.

  Strengthen us with your Spirit to reflect the same mercy that you show to all who are lost.

  Fill us with the same unconditional love that Jesus showed, so that we too can bring healing and wholeness to the lives of others.  For this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

  The Apostle Paul writes that God’s eternal purpose, the restoration of His relationship with Humanity, was achieved through Christ Jesus, by his death and resurrection.  Having confessed our sins before God, we can trust these words of Paul and have the assurance that God has listened, that God has forgiven us, and that God has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may be open to your generous love and be filled with gratitude for all the ways you have provided for us.

We pray for the grace to rely upon your providence, that we may entrust to you all our needs, large and small, and rely upon your abundant loving care for us.

We pray for the grace to bear with one another, that you will give us patience and gentleness to bear with one another through our differences and limits so that we can help one another follow your call.  May we be grounded in your love and be instruments through which your love is revealed to the World.

We pray for unity amongst all believers, that the Holy Spirit who has brought us into the one body through baptism will draw us into common prayer and service.

We pray for the courage to serve others, that we may be open to opportunities to meet the needs of others and to generously respond to them even if our gifts or time seem too limited.

We pray for all who hunger for freedom, that you will free those imprisoned unjustly, caught in human trafficking, or who live under oppression, that you will heal their pain, and give them hope for a new life.

We pray for all who endure hunger each day, particularly orphans, refugees, and the marginalized, that you will open avenues for food to reach them and help our hearts to be more sensitive to their needs and more aware of our abundance.

We pray that you will bless those who work to bring food and comfort to the infirm and to those in need.

We pray for an end to the Covid-19 pandemic, that you will curtail the virus, heal those with it, and give strength and courage to all who care for those who are sick with this virus.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will send rain to end droughts, guide those fighting wildfires, and give strength to those recovering from floods and other natural disasters.

We pray for all who are entrapped by poverty, that you will open abundant opportunities for them to use their gifts and skills to provide for their families.

We pray for those who have lost a sense of purpose in life or who are bound by stress and worry.  Please grant them peace of mind and spirit, give them purpose and direction in life, and motivate them to live life to its fullest.

We pray that leaders of Nations and within Nations will recognise your sovereignty over all levels of Government, may they recognise that they are accountable to you for their decisions, their actions and their conduct.  May they use their position and power to bring just and equitable means for alleviating need and promoting justice and development.

We pray that you will lead medical researchers in their search for cures to our illnesses and diseases, and remedies to heal our infirmities.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

(also from Leading Intercessions by Raymond Chapman p72 and Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B by David Hostetter p157)

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

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.