Prayer of Confession   

Almighty God, we come to confess our lack of trust in you.  While we sing of your Lordship over all your Creation, we too often act as though you are powerless in the face of today’s events and the actions and intents of people and Nations.

Have mercy on us God.

Almighty God, we come to confess our short-sightedness.  While we sing of treasuring your love for us above everything else, we are drawn to worldly comforts and attractions.

Have mercy on us God.

Almighty God, we come to confess our lack of love.  While we talk and pray of the need to care for widows and orphans, we don’t do anything to help those who are left out of Society and are marginalised.

Have mercy on us God.

Almighty God, we come to confess our coldness towards others.  While we sing of your love for all people, we don’t do anything to break down the ‘walls’ that separate us from our neighbours.

Have mercy on us God.

Almighty God, we come to confess that we do not live our lives as Kingdom People.  We are ruled by our schedules and our urge to be in control.  We make kings of the things that we can acquire, and queens of our immediate desires.  Have mercy on us O God.

Forgive us we pray, amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from 1 Corinthians 1: 23 & 2: 5) 

Paul explained to the believers in Corinth, that we, as the Church, proclaim the crucified and risen Christ, that our salvation does not rest on our abilities but solely on the power of God.  Let us be assured that God has heard our prayers and our acclamation of our faith in His work of salvation for Humanity in and

through Jesus Christ.  Let us be assured that God has forgiven us and has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

As we wait and watch for the coming of the Lord once again we turn to God in prayer:

We pray for the Church, that the Lord will grant wisdom and insight to all who lead and guide us in our faith.

We pray for our world, that those in authority may work to create a just and fairer society for all.

We pray for our country and for the family of nations, that God may reign in the hearts of all and so bring peace, justice and truth to the ends of the earth.

We pray for all who are sick, suffering, housebound, elderly or infirm: that they will be comforted by the healing touch of Christ.

We pray for all those who have died, that the Lord will raise them up and grant them everlasting joy.

God our Father, we ask you to hear and answer our prayers so that in the time between Jesus’ ascension and his return in majesty, we may bear witness to your great love for us.

You are free, Lord,

your Ascension has set you free:

free from the constraints of human existence,

outside the limitations of time and space;

free to be here with us now,

in our worship and fellowship;

and free to be with us always;

for in your freedom

you have bound yourself to us with a promise:

“Lo! I am with you always

even to the very end of time.”

We pray, Lord, for those

who need to feel you close,

who need the assurance of your love,

the encouragement of your Spirit.

We pray for those who are persecuted,

who are discriminated against,

who are mocked because of their faith or race or colour.

We pray for those who are imprisoned,

who are tortured,

who are exiled,

because they have fought, struggled and spoken out

for the rights of their people.

We pray for those who are destitute,

who are hungry,

who are refugees,

because of the selfishness and apathy of the world.

We pray for those who are filled with guilt,

who are broken-hearted,

who are perplexed,

because a relationship has gone wrong.

We pray for those who are feeling fed up,

who are in discomfort,

who are afraid, 

because they are ill in body, mind or spirit.

We pray for those who are numbed,

who are angry,

who are desolate,

because they have been bereaved.

We pray for those caught up in war,

and violence,

and hatred;

especially the innocent victims of these evils.

We pray at this time of financial turmoil,

for those who have lost jobs,

those who struggle to pay bills,

and those who have the power to affect positive change.

Be with us all, Lord:

in all our daily struggles as we seek to follow you.

Be with us all, Lord:

in our periods of doubt and despair;

and in our times of happiness, health and loving.

Be with us all, Lord:

until that time

when in your in your Kingdom of Love

our joy will know no end.

—printed on Starters for Sunday, on the Church of Scotland website. 

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, you have exalted your Son Christ Jesus to your right hand, and made him the head over all things for his body the Church: hear us as we pray for the Church throughout the world.

Make us and all your people receptive to the gifts he pours upon us, that we may use them to your glory, and the building up of the body of Christ. Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer.

Lord God Almighty, you have given your Son all authority in Heaven and on Earth, hear us as we pray for the World he came to redeem.  Grant that we may know even in this time the things that make for peace, and may strive for the reconciliation of all people in his Kingdom of justice and love.

Father of all, whose Son has promised to be with us always, to the end of the age, hear us as we pray for those among whom we live and work . Grant that we may be so aware of his presence with us, that people may take note of us, that we have been with Jesus.

O God our Redeemer, whose Son ever lives to make intercession for us: hear us as we pray for those in any kind of need.  May he who has borne our infirmities strengthen and heal them, that they may find grace to help in time of need, and rejoice in his salvation.

Heavenly Father, whose Son has borne our humanity into the heavenly realms, and gone before us to prepare a place for us, make us joyful and expectant, that at his coming with all his own we too may go forth to meet him, and share in his eternal joy.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may continue the mission of Jesus and bring forth your reign of God through our worship, our work, and our relationships each day.

We pray for a renewed spirit of evangelization, that the Holy Spirit will guide us in witnessing to Jesus and all that you have done in showing compassion and forgiveness to all the World.

We pray for the coming of Christ’s reign, that we may strive with great dedication to bring hatred, injustice, and all the evils of our society under the saving and redeeming love of Christ.

We pray for the Christian community, that through our celebration of worship and participating in fellowship at this Easter season, we may be renewed in spirit to live for you each day and place our talents and energies in your service.

We pray for wisdom, that you will inspire us in recognizing and using our gifts to enrich the faith community and cooperate with you in bringing forth the your reign in our time and place.

We pray for all who spread the Good News, particularly missionaries, preachers, and writers, that you will inspire them to announce your saving love and healing presence boldly and dynamically.

We pray for the healing of racism, that all nations and peoples may recognize the value and dignity that you have given each person and work together to bring forth your reign in the World.

We pray for Government leaders, that you will inspire them with courage and new understanding as they work to develop new policies.

We pray for all victims of violence, that you will heal their pain, ease their fear, and give them the courage to engage with life fully.

We pray for an end to drug trafficking, that you will turn the hearts of those involved with illegal drugs and empower those with addictions to seek help.

We pray for all youth, that you will guide their path, help them to recognize the blessings which they have received, and inspire them with new solutions for the challenges of society.

We pray for peace in our cities and neighbourhoods, that you will break the patterns of violence, open new ways to resolve disputes, and give courage to all working to be peacemakers.

We pray for peace, that you will bring an end to armed conflicts, protect the vulnerable for

harm, and open new pathways to peace and understanding.

Copyright © 2022. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/

God of all creation, as we journey together with others in this Great Southern Land, we pray for healing, forgiveness and unity, a creating of a path of good will, with a focus on justice and compassion for all.

Jesus, through the power of your love, give us the courage, wisdom and strength to share our gifts and talents in working to alleviate the suffering of those in need.  In peace and understanding we seek to be reconciled with each other, especially those whom we have hurt in the past.

Creator Spirit, we come together in prayer and thanksgiving for the many blessings we have received.  Wash over us and give us strength to walk together into the future as one.

(written by a small group of Aboriginal Elder women and Reconciliation Church staff members in 2014)

Journeying together – a Prayer for Reconciliation — Catholic Religious Australia

  Lord God, bring us together as one, reconciled with you and reconciled with each other.  You made us in your likeness, you gave us your Son, Jesus Christ, who has given us forgiveness from sin.  Lord God, bring us together as one.

  Throughout Australia, we are different in lifestyle and culture, but we are given new life in Jesus Christ, together as your body, your Church, your people.  Lord God, bring us together as one, reconciled of our differences, healed of our hurts, forgiven for our wrongs, sharing you with others as you have called us to do.  In Jesus Christ, let us be together as one. 
(By Bishop Arthur Malcolm in A Prayer Book for Australia p.203)

Week of Prayer for Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week (anglicanfocus.org.au)

  As we gather, Loving God, as your people in this Nation, we reflect upon our History.  We celebrate the good of our Past, of those who sought to work together to make things better, of those who were striving for a better Australia for all peoples.

  We lament the bad of our past, the policies and practices towards groups of people that produced suffering, oppression, trauma, hatred, and discrimination.  We confess the lack of compassion and the prejudices still prevalent in many people’s actions and reactions towards peoples of a different colour, race, culture or creed.

  We ask that you Spirit will inspire us to work together for reconciliation between peoples.  We ask that your Spirt will inspire all people to work together for the common good and to participate in your work of love.  May we walk together as your Church and follow you as Lord and Saviour, so that all may see the works of our hands and therefore seek to know of your grace and peace. 

(adapted from a prayer by Rev Jon Humphris)

Uniting Church Synod of South Australia (kinstacdn.com)

    We pray for Kylie Conomos and her work as Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, that she is receiving the necessary support from the School and the volunteers helping her, that she is finding that what she is doing is making a difference in the lives of children and families with whom she is coming into contact.  We pray for continued financial and prayer support for her from local Churches.

  We pray for the family of the young man who was recently died from cancer.  We pray that in this time of loss and sorrow that his wife, his children, and the wider family are receiving the love and consolation that they need.  We pray for the financial security of the family in the years ahead.

  We thank you for those who have dedicated their time to the leading of RI classes at Bald Hills State School.  We thank you for their answering the call to share the Gospel in this way, and pray that you will bless their efforts and that the Holy Spirit will reach out and touch the hearts of the children who attend the classes.

We thank you for the success of the recent afternoon tea between members of our congregation and of the Deception Bay Congregation.  We ask for your guidance and insight into our continuing deliberation concerning submitting a joint call for a fulltime Minister of the Word who will serve both congregations.

We pray for encouragement for Jillian as she continues her work with the Church Council and the people of the Congregation to clarify our vision and mission goals as your people in the Bald Hills area.

  We pray for those whom we have not seen for some time.  We pray for your continuing care for them, and thank you that we can still maintain contact via email or telephone call.  May they be assured of our continuing concern for their well-being.

We ask this in the name of him who has ascended to your right hand, there to celebrate life with you and