PRAYER OF APPROACH:

O God of creation,

all its creatures

and all peoples of all the nations,

and all those without nationality…

we come in your presence

having stumbled from the darkness of our self-focused ignorance

into the revealed light of Jesus

who directs our attention beyond ourselves to you,

humanity and all of creation and its creatures…

Grant us courage to remain in the light

not only for the sake of our own salvation

but for the sake of your creation

and all who live within it…

To this end we offer our focus and this time,

that we might learn from him

of whom it is written:

he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him…

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

PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

God of our salvation

we come confessing that we so easily take so much for granted

when it comes to a deep awareness of what we are saved from,

and what we are saved towards…

Grant us never to be found without the garment of salvation.

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

Jesus, light of the nations,

we come confessing that we so easily take so much for granted

when it comes to a true understanding of your redemption

which from the beginning includes your people Israel

and all the nations…

Grant us never to ignore the light of your revelation.

Christ have mercy CHRIST HAVE MERCY

Spirit of adoption,

we come confessing that we so easily take so much for granted

when it comes to a deep appreciation of our adoption as God’s children,

welcomed into the household of God as family, not servants…

Grant us never to think it is not possible to call out, Abba , Father…

Spirit hear us   SPIRIT HEAR OUR PRAYER

DECLARATION OF RECONCILIATION:

we read of God’s promise of salvation given through John the Baptist,

when Zechariah said of him:

you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
⁷⁷ to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
⁷⁹ to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.’

the promise is for the mercy of God to be offered through Jesus the Messiah, in him all sin is forgiven us,

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

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE:

Gracious God,

Lord of space and time,

being both within and beyond them…

We approach you at the close of another year

according to how we measure our life within time;

a year which will be remembered as the Corona virus year!

Lord we pray for all the millions of people

impacted by this pandemic directly

in ways beyond our imagining…

gift them courage and hope wrapped up in your grace.

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We pray for those thrust into the role of caring for,

nursing even, those who become ill,

in most of the world, their family and friends

offering little more than comfort

due to a lack of medicinal supplies and resources.

Stir, through your Spirit, a generosity within the wealthier nations

to provide for the well being of all,

not just the privileged G8 or G20 groups!

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We pray for the health professionals

who provide not just care but intervention;

guide the researchers, strengthen the medical teams;

grace all involved in hospital care,

from Doctors to cleaners, CEOs to junior admin clerks,

paramedical to tea trolley pushers,

with strength and compassion…

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We pray for the leaders of our communities,

and their advisers,

who constantly have to make tough decisions

with economic and social consequences,

affecting the well being of people, young and old…

Grant them wisdom,

and an openness to new ways of societal well-being…

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

We pray for those dear to us as family and friends,

many of those we know continue

with their ill-health struggles day after day;

We pause a moment to name these…

not to bring them to your attention,

for you already know their deepest needs,

but to our own…

• people named aloud or in silence – 

Grant them your peace and remind them with us

that we will be welcomed home…

Lord hear us LORD HEAR OUR PRAYER

we pray in the name of Jesus Christ

AMEN