Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 2nd October 2022

Prayer of Praise

(Lamentations 3: 21 to 26, 31a & 32, 37 & 38, 40 & 41, 55 to 58, and 5: 19)

One thing I will remember,

The LORD’s unfailing love and mercy shall continue,

Fresh as the morning, as sure as the Sunrise.

The LORD is all I have, and so in Him I put my hope.

The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in Him,

So it is best for us to wait for Him to act for us with patience.

The LORD is merciful,

He may allow sorrow to come our way, but His love for us is sure and strong.

The will of the LORD alone is always carried out,

Good and evil alike take place at His command.

Let us examine our ways and turn to the LORD,

Let us open our hearts to God in Heaven.

I cried out to you from the depths of despair,

You heard me and you answered me and told me not to be afraid.

You came to my rescue, LORD,

And you saved my life.

You, O LORD, are King forever,

And you will rule to the end of time. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

(Moira Laidlaw in Liturgies On-line Pentecost 20C, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C p178, Norman Wallwork in Companion to the Revised Common Lectionary volume 5 p65, Wesley’s Prayers and Praises p52)

Merciful God, when we think of your great faithfulness and love, we confess how far we fall short of both

There are times when we judge others by our standards of faithfulness rather than yours.

We confess that there are times when we believe that our works of faith earn us ‘merit points’ with you.

And there are times when we consider that our faith grows just by speaking words about faith without making that faith evident in and through our lives.

We confess that our busy-ness can so distract us that we let opportunities slip by to plant even the smallest seeds of faith.

Forgive our lack of hope that the future could be better than the past, or that our faithfulness could make some difference.

Forgive us, O God, so that we can uproot any obstacles which may hinder our faithfulness. Quicken our conscience, enlarge our vision, and increase our faith.

Jesus, Shepherd of the sheep,

Pity my unsettled soul,

Guide and nourish me and keep

Till your love shall make me whole.

In me perfect soundness weave,

Make me steadfastly believe. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

(based on Lamentations 3:22; 2 Timothy 1:9,10)

Through the steadfast love and endless mercy of God, our sins confessed are forgiven, not according to our works, not according to our own righteousness, but according to God’s purpose and grace – His grace revealed through our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let us rest assured then of God’s forgiveness upon us.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Loving God, knowing your love for all of Humanity, especially your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

We pray for the Church, that we may be a fruitful garden, producing a harvest rich of justice, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness.

We pray for all who have suffered rejection, that you will heal their wounds, fill them with hope and guide them into the acceptance of a community of faith.

We pray for all religious leaders, that you will free them selfish pursuits and help them recognize that their opportunities and authority are gifts from you for the good of those entrusted to their care.

We pray for a deeper relationship with you, that we may not be satisfied with simply using religious words and gestures but rather make the Gospel the source of all our words and deeds.

We pray for humility, that we may recognize what is truthful, just, honourable, and worthy of praise in ourselves and one another, and further your reign through them.

We pray for all who experience anxiety or live with fear, that your peace that surpasses all understanding may fill their minds and hearts.

We pray for all with mental illness, particularly those with depression, that your healing love will free them and open new possibilities for them.

We pray for all who tend the fields and bring food to our tables, that you will strengthen them and protect them in their labours.

We pray for greater respect for human life, particularly for the unborn, that you will open all hearts to the beauty of the gift of each life.

We pray for all who are struggling financially. that you will calm their fears and guide them to new opportunities to support themselves and to use their gifts.

We pray for all who are recovering from natural disasters, that you will give them the strength to face their challenges, speed the assistance that they need, and fill their hearts with peace.

We pray for better international co-operation, that Nations will join together in addressing the crises that are impacting your creation and work to preserve our common home.

We pray for healing of injustice, that you will help us recognize systemic injustices and give courage to all who are working to change society.

We pray for civility in public life, that public discourse may focus on ideas and programs, and that the election speeches and materials will respect the dignity of each person.

We pray that you will keep the Church faithful to its calling to serve you in the World, and faithful to the teaching in your Word.

We pray for your mercy on those whose work is heavy and brings little reward. May they experience your provision for their needs.

(Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions P118)

We pray for the sick and suffering in homes and hospitals, that they will not despair for their health but that they will experience your complete healing and recovery.

(David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C P180)

We pray for the peoples of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru.

We are thankful for the distinctive rhythms, music, dance, food and natural medicine in this area; for the beauty of the region, forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, and ocean coastlines, and especially indigenous peoples’ relationship with, and care for, the natural environment; for churches who witness and work both ecumenically and with those of other faiths to build relationships of trust and commitment amid ongoing injustice and oppression; and for the diversity of languages and cultures flourishing in the region despite disruptions that have occurred through colonization, and political and economic turmoil.

We pray for Christians to have the courage, imagination and energy to build bridges of peace and understanding against conflict and division, and to pursue justice for the poor, marginalized and dispossessed; for an end of corruption in all levels of the society, including economic exploitation which impoverishes and hinders economic growth from benefitting all; for immigrants and refugees seeking a new home, and those who accompany and support them; and for an end to drug trafficking, and effective assistance for those who are addicted.

Prayers

A Mapuche* Blessing

God of life, Mother of all, you renew creation.
Bring us peace and justice, ‘balance’ in the Mapuche sense:
balance and harmony for the earth,
balance and harmony for the peoples of the world,
balance and harmony for men and women,
balance and harmony between nature and ourselves and God.

(*Mapuche means ‘people of the earth’. They are the aborigines living in the south of Chile and Argentina. Source: the Mapuche Pastoral Team, Santiago, Chile. From: The website Red de Liturgia, Latin American Council of Churches)

Our Father in heaven, holy is your name.We thank you for the gift of life,
which is renewed every moment with your beauty.
Your mercy, God, confirms your love.
In your hands are our destiny and our life.
All-powerful and merciful God, we pray for the future of Peru,
for the poor who often go hungry,
for the victims of disasters.
Provide them with all they need from you,
with all they require of you.
For the salvation of our souls through the death of your Son,
we thank you,
but we pray for those who are left out,
who do not have a relation with you,
who do not even know of your existence.
Lord, no longer allow human evil to go forward.
Keep corruption, which often touches the life of churches,
from proliferating.
We especially pray for the authorities of Peru,
that they be given the wisdom to plan towards a better future.
We pray for justice because here, too, the rich dominate
while justice is denied to the poor.
Lord, we pray for the leaders of your churches,
give them courage to bear with the poor, and the ignorant,
but also with those educated, who in their hypocrisies scorn your people.
Grant, O Lord, peace in all the world
and an end to war which only destroys and kills.
May the strength of the Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts.
May we live under your refuge and protection.
Bless our families.
Give us your happiness.
Thank you, Lord, for turning your ears towards our requests.
Give us the humility to accept your will.
In your hands we place our future and our livelihood.
Thank you, Lord, for giving us much more than we deserve,
especially for giving us the happiness
of having access to your word.
Receive our adoration and our prayers.
Thank you, Lord, for answering us.

(Victor M. Ascanio Huaringa, Peru, 2005. English transl. Terry MacArthur/WCC)

Prayer for peace and justice in Bolivia

O God, from Bolivian soil,
The Bolivian people implore you to listen to their voice,
feel their sadness and see the tears of your people,
which are also your tears.
So many bodies without any life left
have fallen in the streets,
in the roads and in the fields,
leaving behind pain and sorrow within the Bolivian family.

In those moments in which their hearts are mourning from such suffering,
give them consolation.
Do not allow them to relinquish their self-control,
but give them a vision
so they can see with their own eyes the way they ought to go,
so they can reach life by the path of justice.
Hear, O God, the voices of the multitudes
who march in the streets and highways
crying for justice,
tired of so much misery,
the lack of work, corruption and violence;
tired of so much authoritarianism by the people in power,
who take decisions without consulting the people
and who are guided by their own stingy interests;
tired that the natural resources
that you have given for the well-being of all the people
are once more being used to benefit the economic interests of the large
transnational corporations.

Hear the voice of the Bolivians
and give them discernment and strength
so that they can respond
to hatred with love,
to injustice with righteousness,
to apathy with commitment to their people,
to individualism with solidarity,
to violence with peace.

Hear their voice and inspire within their hearts (and within ours)
the knowledge of peace,
the strength of justice,
the joy of being close to one another.
Guide them to walk with the crowds on the way of peace with the signs of justice.
O God, hear their voice
and grant to them (and us) your eternal peace.

Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We pray your support and guidance for the leaders and helpers at Scripture Union school holiday camps that are finishing this weekend. We pray that the holy spirit is working in the hearts and minds of the children and youth attending these camps, that they will return home convinced of the need to develop a closer relationship with you and to continue contact wit their local churches.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Chaplain at Bald hills State School, that she will be renewed in energy and enthusiasm as she commences a new School term.

We pray for those whom we have not seen for some time. May they feel your presence with them each day. May they know that our thoughts are with them. Please keep them in good health.

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