Opening Prayer:

(Year A p88 +Aust Prayer Book p209 + Book of Worship p209 + The Book of common Worship pp304 &305)  

God of unending grace and love, we celebrate the raising of your Son, Jesus, from the darkness of mortality to the brightness of glory.  By raising Jesus you have conquered the power of Death and have opened for us the way to eternal life.  All glory be to You, Almighty God, giver of life, Saviour and Lord.  May Your Name be blessed for ever for You have honoured Your promise to all of Humanity to forgive sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  May we remain faithful to You always, and trust in Your Word as the sole guide for our lives and for the sustaining of our souls.  In Your name we pray.  Amen.

Prayer of Praise

(from Liturgies Online Year A Easter 2 +Uniting in Worship blue book p218 314 +Aust Pray Bok p210 +Opening Prayers p37 +The Book of Worship p180) 

  God our Saviour, we rejoice in our belief that Jesus is the Christ, your Son, and that in believing, we might have life in His name.  We worship you with praise and thanksgiving for that gift of life made possible through His costly death and victorious resurrection.

  You wash away our sins and give us new life in the Spirit, and bring to our awareness the blessings that are ours through fellowship with You.  Day by day You refine our faith, that we who have not seen Christ may truly confess Him as our Lord and Saviour.  You are the source of all joy and peace that the World cannot either give nor take away.  Please fill our hearts with trust in You, that, by night and by day, at all times and in all seasons, we may commit all that we have and hope to be to Your never-failing love.  Most merciful Redeemer may we know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, day by day.  Amen.

Prayers for Others

Trusting that God always hears us when we call upon him, and always responds to us with an open and loving heart, let us bring our prayers to God for the World and for us.

Almighty and gracious God, we pray for today’s disciples whose faith is being tested, those who meet behind locked doors for fear of persecution, torture and death.  Please give to them the courage to endure their hardships and the realisation of your very presence amongst them in their time of need.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for the peoples of this World who long for peace between Nations and within communities, who long for an end to oppression in whatever form it takes, and who long for the coming of true justice.  Please sustain them in their hopes and in their prayers and in their efforts to undo what is unjust and to remove the fruit of hatred and self-interest.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who are the oppressors, for those driven by a greed for power or property, for those whose lives are controlled by prejudice or an arrogant pride.  We pray that the good news of Christ’s resurrection and promise of new life and salvation will reach into the darkest places of their hearts and their souls, to reveal the error of their thinking and of their attitudes and to lead them to repentance and to seek reconciliation with you and with those whom they have hurt.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those like the travellers on the road to Emmaus, whose lives are bound by distress and loss, loneliness and fear.  May they know your healing presence and peace of mind and spirit as you journey alongside them.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those who are dismayed in this time of great and unexpected change, those who are fearful of the future and what it may bring to them and their lives.  May they be reminded of the Scripture where Jesus said ‘I am with you always’ and that he walks with us every step of our lives.  Therefore, may they trust in your promise, Lord, that you will always support them in their difficult days.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We admire the courage of the women who ventured from Galilee to Jerusalem, who supported Jesus and the Disciples in their journeying of healing and teaching, who stood near the cross as Jesus was crucified while the Disciples cowered in fear, who saw the need to arise early on that Sunday morning so as to anoint the body of Jesus.  In the same way, may we be led to offer our time and talents for your work in the World.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You met Mary Magdalene in garden on the morning of your resurrection.  In the same way, may we meet with you today and every day.  Please speak words of encouragement to us as you spoke them to her, reveal yourself to us as the Living Lord, renew our hope and rekindle our joy.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You commanded the women who ventured into the empty tomb to go out and to tell the Good News of your resurrection.  In the same way, may we be zealous in our proclamation to the World of the promise of sins forgiven and of your words of hope of reconciliation with you and with our neighbours.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

You come to us as you came to the Disciples in the upper room, please turn our fears into courage.

You come to us as you did to the Disciples by the lakeside, please turn our failure into faith.

You come to us as you came to Peter, in our unworthiness and shame, please turn our weakness into triumph.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

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.