Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 4th August 2024

Prayer of Praise: –

(from The Book of Worship p56 &163, An Aust Prayer Book p227, Opening Prayers p64 & 134, Invocations p68, Prayers for God’s People Year B p62 & 63, Moira Laidlaw Year B Transformation Sunday)

Creator Lord, we come today to worship you and to celebrate together that you are our God. You reveal your glory in the beauty and the order of the World and the Universe which you summoned into being, in the loveliness of created things, in the manner in which everything works together. You reveal your wisdom in the Laws of Physics, in the movement of the Stars across the night sky, and, equally, in the movement of electrons around the nucleus of each atom.

Infinite God, in your mercy, you encompass us in your arms. For you are our refuge and strength, you keep us safe in your care and we know that all of our hope for the future is in you. You heal us when we are disheartened, you bind up the wounds of our souls, you raise us up with new life. You promise us pure hearts so that we may truly see you, you promise us sincere love so that we may truly serve you, you promise us abundant joy for which we may truly praise you, you promise us that you will never leave us and in this we will put our trust forever.

Majestic God, your power is revealed in and through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who is the light of the World, in whom is our hope for the forgiveness of sins and a life of blessing. He gives light to us who, when we sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, guides us into the way of peace. In him your abundant love for all people is plainly made visible and is freely made available.

Almighty God, we praise you for you are Lord of History, we praise you for your sovereign plans and purposes for our Nation. We are humbled that you have blessed us as a Nation, for the peace and security that we experience day by day, for stable and just government, for an abundance of food and resources. We thank you for the way you revealed yourself to the first peoples of this Land through your creation. We thank you that you continue to reveal yourself to us in our time according to your Holy Word. We praise you as the God who holds all peoples and Nations of the Earth in your hands. In you we put our hope and our trust. To your glory we pray. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

(from Psalm 51: 3, 4, 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)

Merciful God, I recognise my faults, I am always conscious of my sins.

I have sinned against you, O God, only against you.

I have done what you consider evil, You are right in judging me.

Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love.

Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins.

Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin.

Sincerity and truth are what you require;

Fill my mind with your wisdom.

Remove my sin and I will be clean,

Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.

Close your eyes to my sins

And wipe out all my evil.

Create a pure heart in my, O Lord,

And put a new and loyal spirit in me.

Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation,

And make me willing to obey you. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

(from Psalm 51: 17b)

The author of Psalm 51 writes of his confidence that “God does not reject a humble and repentant heart”. Like the Psalmist, we have confessed our sins before God with humble and repentant hearts. Like the Psalmist, let us trust God to keep His promise, let us be assured that God has wiped away our sins and has made us clean in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Lord of abundant life, keep your Church alert,

to the needs of those around us who become hurt or lost in the wilderness of modern life.

Keep us alert to the introvert or to the sensitive person,

who puts on a bold front but who suffers behind the façade.

Keep us alert to the disabled or disfigured person,

who may be suffering behind closed doors.

Keep us alert to the overworked person,

weary and exhausted in body, mind and spirit.

Keep us alert to the unemployed,

who is feeling useless, rejected, frustrated, and angry.

Keep us alert to the bewildered person,

who is ‘bushed’ by life, and who needs encouragement and guidance.

Keep us alert to those are needing to make difficult decisions,

who face confronting times in their life or who are bearing heavy burdens.

Lord of the wilderness, keep us alert also to our own deep needs.

When our path becomes rough, or our thirst begins to burn, give us not what we desire, but what we truly need.

(Contemporary Wilderness in Australian Prayers by Bruce Prewer p150 7 151)

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that in Christ, we may find the fulfillment of the deepest hungers of our hearts and nourishment for our life’s journey.

We pray for Ministers and Pastors of your Church, empower them to bring the true bread of life to all who seek your peace.

We pray that we may lay aside our old habits and attitudes that rob us of life and become new persons of love and service in Christ.

We pray that you will open our minds and hearts to recognize the manna that you send into our lives and give us the courage to utilize it.

We pray for a spirit of understanding, that Christ will free us from narrow thinking and help us take on the mind of Christ so that we may see and understand your vision for life.

We pray for a deepening of trust in your providence, that we may live in the present and be freed from the compulsions to hoard or stockpile.

We pray that we may appreciate all the blessings and opportunities that you have given us rather than complain about that which we do not possess.

We pray for all who are experiencing the wilderness in their life’s journey, that they may encounter Christ in their loneliness, a new vision in times of confusion, and renewed energy when the path ahead seems endless.

We pray for freedom from grumbling and complaining, that we may be transformed by Christ and come to a new understanding of the people and the situations that lead us to negativity.

We pray for strength on our daily journey, that we find our nourishment and renewal in the your Word for all our commitments and responsibilities each day. May our words and deeds show the sincerity of our faith. May our motives be pure and not driven by a desire for material reward or gain.

We pray for business and government leaders who have responsibility for food, that they will strive with new effort to alleviate the hunger and needs of the poor, of refugees, and of the victims of war. May our leaders work together to share ideas and strive for ways and means to work together to implement solutions to our problems, to ensure that all people have access to education, health care and opportunities to earn a descent income.

We pray that you will inspire generosity in those of us who have, so that we will share with those who do not. Save us from the selfishness of holding on to what we can share.

We pray for all who are participating in the Olympics, that you will protect them from harm and help them to use their gift fully for your glory.

We pray for an end to the Covid pandemic, that you will subdue the virus, heal the sick, and give strength to all who care for them.

We pray for all who are suffering from natural disasters, that you will provide hope and safety to those who have fled wildfires, courage to all who are fighting the fires, and rain for those oppressed by drought. Likewise, we pray for those who have fled floods, may they find refuge from rising waters and support to renew their lives and livelihoods.

We pray for better stewardship of Earth’s resources, that Government and business leaders will recognize the impact of their practices upon the environment and work to promote good stewardship of the air, land, and water.

We pray for the gift of peace, that you will end the violence in our cities and bring forth peace so that all can live in safety and use their talents for the good of one another. Bring into this troubled World the stability and firmness of purpose that only you can bring, so that people will live their lives for the welfare of others.

(also from Leading Intercessions by Raymond Chapman p73 and Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B by David Hostetter p160 & 161)

Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of the Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Sao Tome and Principe.

We are thankful for wildlife and rainforests in these lands, and those who protect this habitat, for the oral traditions, folklore, and good practices that have been preserved, for rich minerals and economic development, although benefits need to be shared more fairly, and for healing from exploitative practices that began under colonial rule.

We pray for democratic fair elections and political stability in this region, for economic development that benefits all the people, especially those living in poverty, for the preservation of the wildlife and the land, and for the witness of the churches and other faith groups in the midst of the challenges.

PRAYERS

Lord, if you want that we should love you with all our heart, without distraction or detour,
teach us to become constant in your love.

When those without faith or law insult us, help us to forgive, O Resurrected One.

Jesus, the friend of the people of the Congo, your Father is not a God of the dead but of the living; therefore, guide us in your love, so that we may live in your presence forever.

(Louise Bakala Koumouno, People’s Republic of Congo.)

A Pygmy Prayer
In the beginning God was.
Today God is.
Tomorrow God will be.
Who could possibly make an image of God?
God does not have a body.
God is a word that springs from our mouths.
And what a word!
There is nothing more to be said.
God is the past, and yet God is.
That is what God is.

Prayer for transformation

Barriers, walls, and barbed wire mark the frontiers, O Lord.
Help us to transform them into places where we can meet, with sincerity,
as countries and as persons, so that the world will know that we are Christians
by the love with which our actions are marked.

(Louise Bakala Koumouno, People’s Republic of Congo.)

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/republic-of-congo-gabon-sao-tome-and-principe)

Almighty God we pray that you will bless the launch of the Koorong Canning Vale store happening this month, that this will be an opportunity to build new relationships between Koorong, Bible Society Australia, the local churches and the community. We pray for the team as they relocate an Adelaide Koorong store, for a smooth and on-schedule moving process. We pray for the ongoing integration of Koorong’s new business software system.

We pray for BSA’s CEO, Grant Thomson, and BSA’s church relations team as they engage with churches and Christian organisations, including Crossway Baptist and Youth Alive Victoria through the ‘Read This.’ Bible launch. We pray for you guidance and provision as they share the mission of Bible Society and engage the support of churches passionate about Bible mission.

We pray for your guidance and support for the Bible translation and revision work underway in the languages, Motu, Magi, Vula’a, Gogodala, Yuna, Aekyom, and Pa, supported by the Bible Society of PNG and their partners. We pray for the Aekom and Pa language projects which are currently on pause, that they will pick up soon with more church leaders involved and for an increase in resources.

(biblesociety/image/upload/v1722209171/August_2024_Prayer_Letter_-Standard.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for the Scripture Union run Indigenous Bush Camp in the Northern Territory, that young people would come to know and love Jesus.

We pray that the many potential SUPA Clubs will advance in the right places with the right teams and that participants will have soft hearts to hear the truth.

We pray for continued connections with local schools as Scripture Union Australia explore launching more lunchtime and after-school SUPA clubs in the ACT.

We pray for the unity of the Spirit to be at work amongst the Scripture Union staff in South Australia as they forge a completely new way of engaging with churches. We pray for trust and productive outcomes.

We pray for partnerships with local churches, for mutual support as churches work in community with SU ministry, that we would also activate opportunities to support the endeavours of local church ministry.

We pray for chaplains running Coffee and Chat groups with parents. May it be an opportunity to bless more families and share the importance of chaplaincy with them

We pray for Scripture Union’s inaugural Inspire Creator’s Day Camp and for young people to be blessed and find Jesus amongst their creative expression.

(Scripture%20Union%20Prayer-Guide%20July%20to%20September%202024.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for the high numbers of children being diagnosed with leprosy in Sri Lanka, that The Leprosy mission Sri Lanka can find these cases early, so that the children can be cured and have a future without disability.

We pray for continued good relationships with district and regional Ministry of Health officers, as district and regional Leprosy Action Plans are developed to improve early detection of leprosy cases and secure better treatment.

We pray for the continued growth of the Leprosy People’s Association of Sri Lanka as it works to assist both its members as well as the wider community in improving their inner wellbeing and food security.

We thank you God for the faithful service of church leaders, who have mobilised their congregations as well as leaders from other faiths to raise awareness of leprosy, reduce stigma, give practical support, and find new cases of leprosy.

We pray for the people affected by leprosy in Sri Lanka, who are mostly farmers or fishermen, hit hard by climate change. We pray for new initiatives to support them to adapt to the changing seasonal patterns and increased disasters they now face.

We pray for the success of a new project that brings together many stakeholders including Government officers, people affected by leprosy, The Leprosy Mission and its partners Kaveri Kala Manram and Alliance Development Trust to detect the many hidden leprosy cases across the country.

We thank you God for the increased – albeit fragile – political and economic stability. We pray that the cries of the people of Sri Lanka for justice and a wise and honest Government would be met and political stability would be restored for the long term

We pray for efforts of The Leprosy Mission Sri Lanka in its supporting people affected by leprosy to support themselves through peer counselling and livelihood development, and its offer of support with ensuring community members know how to obtain the benefits and rights they are owed by the government and look to bless the wider community through their seed banks, leprosy awareness raising, and training on improved nutrition at low cost.

We pray for good health and wisdom for the office holders of Alliance Development Trust, for Godfrey Yogarajah – CEO, and for Raghu Balachandran – Director, Relief & Development.

We pray for good health and wisdom for the office holders of Kaveri Kala Manram, for Rev Santhanapillai – President and for Rev TS Joshua – Executive Director

We pray for good health and wisdom for the office holders of Leprosy Association of Sri Lanka, for Mr Amarasinga – President, and for Shahana Inparasa – Director.

(The%20Leprosy%20Mission%20Prayer%20Guide%202024.pdf)

PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION

We pray for those who undertake Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School in the coming weeks. Guide them in their preparation for the

words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, as she addresses the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the Bald Hills State School.

We pray for the wife and family of the young father who passed away suddenly recently. Please comfort them as they grieve on their loss and deal with the changes that his passing brings to their lives.

We pray for those who we have not seen for some time and who are unable to attend worship regularly. Please guide and comfort them in their particular circumstances. May they be aware of your care for them as they meet what each new day brings.

Merciful God, you sent your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to walk among us. He heard the cries of the people and shared with them the Good News of the Kingdom. Hear our prayers this day and answer them so that your greatness may be known by all. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.