Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 29th November 2020

Prayer of Praise and Confession (from Uniting in Worship Red Book p281, An Aust Prayer Book p261, Opening Prayers p114, Leading Intercessions p81, 82 & 96, A Year of Prayer p200 & 201, Prayers for God’s People Year B p200 and 201, Amish Prayers p95, Prayers for the Seasons Year B p200, The Book of Worship p88 )

Almighty God, we give to you our praise for you are just and compassionate. You are a God who cares for those who groan under oppression and sorrow. You are a God who listens to those who cry out for help and does not pass them by. You are a God whose tender love gives comfort to the outcast and to the powerless. You step beyond social norms and cultural boundaries and religious bigotries, to embrace those whom society neglects, and to call to you those whom society rejects.

Almighty God, we give to you our praise, for you are the one who gives light to a World that lives in the darkness of sin and despair, you reveal yourself to a World that is blind to your free gift of grace and reconciliation. You are the one who has done great things for us, not that we deserve your compassion, but solely because you are a God of love and grace. We come together as your People with assurance and hope in your promise to save, for all of time and beyond Time, all those who come to you through Jesus Christ. We are awed by your power in raising Jesus Christ from death. We come together to thank you for Christ’s intercession on our behalf. We are honoured to be called your children and to be called to be in your presence.

Yet, Lord, we come before you contrite and repentant for our failings and for our disobedience. We come before you knowing that our best is still far from the way of the Gospel to which you have called us to follow.

Merciful God, we fail to control our tongue from speaking evil and our lips from speaking deceit. We pray empty words of praise while at the same time speak words that are thoughtless and unkind. We profess to be disciplined and Christ-like, yet are wilful in our thoughts and our words and our actions. We profess to be moved by the sight of the hungry and needy, yet are wasteful of our own resources. We condemn the neglect shown by others, yet fail to work towards reconciliation and harmony in even our own small corner of the World. We too often remember the smallest of hurts that we experience and fail to follow your example of being willing to forgive and to forget. Forgive us.

Merciful God, we are indifferent to the treasures of your wisdom, and fail to use the gifts with which you have endowed us. We lower our standards and disregard the influence that our conduct may have upon others. We are proud and vane and love nothing more than boasting about our own deeds and achievements. We strive for popularity and avoid criticism, we are sullen when things do not go the way we want them to, we are temperamental when challenged with the need to grow and to mature. Forgive us.

Merciful God, we come humbly before you, seeking your forgiveness. Remove all the sin in our lives that binds and oppresses us. Give us the courage to cast off our sinful habits and to turn to you for healing. Strengthen us to follow gladly the sure path of salvation and to walk humbly in your footsteps. May we walk in the way of grace and truth all the days of our life. For this we pray. Amen

Assurance of Forgiveness (from Psalm 80: 7b and 19b)

The Psalmist declares with assurance, “Show us your mercy, Lord God Almighty, and we will be saved.” Having confessed our sins before God, we have faith that God, in His great mercy, has heard our prayers, has forgiven our sins, and has brought us back into a right relationship with Him. Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

We pray for greater attentiveness for the Church, that our minds and hearts may be focused upon the tasks we do, the people we love, and our service for you.

We pray for greater awareness: that the Spirit will guide us to reflection and recognition of all the thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams that are planted deep within our hearts.

We pray for those who have wandered from their relationship with you, that the memories and hopes of this season will open a doorway to you, God, who loves them.

We pray for World leaders, that they may take the long view of Human history and choose to protect and promote life and peace for all people, rather than their reputation or personal gain.

We pray for all who are suffering from violence, famine, persecution, or neglect, that you, God, will destroy the bonds that holds them and open the doors of mercy and compassion for them.

We pray for all who are seeking employment, that you will open new opportunities for them to use their gifts and provide for themselves and their loved ones.

We pray for all refugees, immigrants, and displaced persons who are awaiting a new home or a return to their home, that you will give them patience and guide lawmakers in developing the required policies and procedures to address these issues.

We pray for all who are being persecuted for their religious or political beliefs, that you will give them courage and relieve their suffering.

We pray for all who are ill, that you will heal the sick, give strength to those who care for them, and guide all who are working on vaccines and cures.

We pray for healing of our Nation: that you, God, will heal the wounds of the political enmity, restore civil dialogue, and help us to address together the greatest needs of our Country.

https://liturgy.slu.edu/

The Lord’s Prayer

All: 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 for ever. Amen.