Prayer of Praise

Holy God, whose grace and mercy

transforms your wrath into actions

of reconciliation and renewal,

we come into your presence

acknowledging you as the true

creating, redeeming and sustaining God!

Our land is alive with your glory:[1]

desert sands hum and gum trees dance;

Brown grasses sing

and mountains breathe their stillness;

All created things add their rhythms of delight

and even stones rap out their praise.

Our voices mingle with those of the earth;

our hearts join the beat of her joy,

for our triune God is with us:

our Creator surrounds and upholds us.

Christ Jesus walks beside and before us.

The Spirit moves within and between us.

Blessed be God, our wonder and delight,

we worship in awe and with joy!

therefore we pray as 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

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[1] what follows in this prayer is taken from Uniting in Worship

Prayer of Confession

Jesus calls us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts

We confess how hard this is at times, O Lord…

Lord have mercy…LORD HAVE MERCY.

Jesus calls us to love the Lord our God with all our soul

We confess succumbing at times

to some of our modern idols, O Lord.  

Christ have mercy…CHRIST HAVE MERCY.

Jesus calls us to love the Lord our God with all our mind

We confess to being pre-occupied

with ungodly matters at times, O Lord.  

Lord have mercy…LORD HAVE MERCY.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbour as ourselves

We confess to merely loving only ourselves at times, O Lord.

Christ have mercy…CHRIST HAVE MERCY.

AMEN

Prayers of the People

Eternal God,

we praise you for all that is good in our lives,

family and friends, our local community,

our congregation.

Grant all your Spirit of unity in these difficult times

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We praise you for the wonder of your creation,

so many programs on TV now show us

how wonderfully made your creation is,

how delicately balanced all of life is,

including human life…

Grant all your Spirit of humility in these difficult times.

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We praise you for the courage and strength

shown by so many people

including people near and dear to us

who struggle with day to day debilitating ill health.

Grant all your Spirit of compassion in these difficult times.

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We praise you for the selfless giving of time and resources

by so many in our communities

to affirm and assist in practical ways people isolated in their home,

and fearful of going out.

Grant all your Spirit of community in these difficult times.

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ

AMEN