Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 31st October 2021

Prayer of Praise

(Psalm 148: 1 – 4)

“Praise the Lord from heaven, Praise him in the heights above.

Praise Him all His angels, praise Him all His heavenly hosts.

Praise Him sun and moon; praise, all you shining stars.

Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

Let then all praise the name of the Lord!” Amen

Prayer of Confession –

Merciful God, we confess that we have not been diligent in living our lives to your standards and your desires for us. We confess that we have not been pure in thought, word and deed. Forgive us lord.

We confess that we have not been faithful witnesses for you. We have often failed to be the light revealing your grace to those around us. Forgive us Lord.

We confess that our harsh words have hindered our relationships with others. We confess that we have not brought healing to those crying out for compassion. We confess that we have turned our backs on those who are in need of care. Forgive us Lord.

Have pity on us, God our Saviour and forgive us our sins. Grant us grace and courage to cast off our sins, and to turn to you for healing. Show us in Christ the sure path of salvation, and strengthen us to follow gladly the way of the Gospel. To your glory we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness –

(from James 4: 10)

James tells us, that, having confessed our sins, God is faithful to forgive our sins and lift us up, renewed and restored in our relationship with Him.

Through the power and love of the cross, let each of us know in our hearts, that we are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may sincerely seek to love you and others so that your reign may draw near.

We pray that we may reverence you as the sole centre of our life and forsake all ‘idols’ and allurements that entice us away from you.

We pray that the Church will be sincere in its proclamation of the need to repent, such that people will be drawn to faith in you. Come into towns and cities, the crowded places where people live with the stresses of everyday life. Break down the darkness of ignorance and indifference with the light of the revelation of your grace and mercy.

We pray for all who are seeking you, that they may experience a deep and loving relationship with you and come to know that they are your beloved child.

We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and empower us to pour our lives out in loving service to others, particularly those with whom we find it hard to relate.

We pray for the poor, the sick, and the homebound, that we may generously assist them and offer encouragement and support to them.

We pray for all who care for the sick and homebound, that you will help them to provide their assistance with love and ever renew their strength.

We pray for all new and expectant parents, that you will give them the wisdom to be good parents who nurture their children with love and faith.

We pray for all who are discerning their direction in life, that you will inspire all who are making vocational decisions and give them the courage to follow your instructions.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will guide those living in areas of war to safety, open the channels of food for those in famine, and send your healing Spirit to all who have been tortured or abused.

We pray for the gift of Peace, that you will inspire dialogue that will bring an end to the arms race, and bring an end to conflicts and terrorism.

We pray for all who are grieving, that they may know your life-giving presence with them today.

We pray for those who are lonely, who are separated from family or close contacts. Please be a reassuring presence with them and hold them in your love.

We pray for all who are held unjustly, particularly missionaries, that you will free them, help them to give faithful witness to Christ, and reunite them with their families.

We pray for empathy and wisdom to prison chaplains as they counsel prisoners and give hope to those who are being released back into Society.

Strengthen those who endeavour to make our Society more caring and moral. Watch over the strangers and the widows and the orphans. Bless the work of those agencies who aid travellers in need and provide housing and support to the abused and neglected.

[Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p83, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of god’s People Year B p205]

Please bless the work of Scripture Union as they provide In-Service training to their chaplains who are located in schools across Brisbane North, Brisbane South, Brisbane West, and the Sunshine Coast. May this training refresh and inspire chaplains in their efforts to care for pupils, their families and staff at schools.

We pray for the island Nation of the Caribbean, from Cuba to Puerto Rico, from the Bahamas to Trinidad and Tobago. We pray for those who have been devastated by disasters, for the rebuilding of their lives, their communities and their eco-systems. We pray for the strengthening of all who faithfully witness to the Gospel through word and deed. We pray for those who have been affected by crime, that they will not lose hope and trust in their Governments to enforce public safety and security. We pray for those whose lives have been affected by addictions. Give guidance and support to agencies and aid groups to reach out to them and be the source of strength and hope for which they are seeking. We pray for good governance and smooth transitions between political leaders, so that there is no social upheaval or unrest.

We ask that you bless the efforts of those leading Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that the Holy spirit is engaging with the children who attend the classes, opening hearts and minds with a clear message of your love for them.

We pray for the Chaplain at Bald hills State School, Kylie Conomos, that you are guiding her efforts to care for the children and teachers at the School, that you are encouraging her in her work and supporting her as she gives of herself to those whom she serves there.