Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 4th February 2024

Prayer of Praise: –

(Psalm 147: 1, 3 to 11, & 20c)

Almighty God, it is good to sing praises to you,

it is pleasant and fitting to praise you.

You heal the broken-hearted,

and bandage their wounds.

You have determined the number of the stars,

and call each one by name. (Isaiah 40: 26)

You are great and mighty in power,

your understanding has no limit.

You sustain the humble,

but cast the wicked to the ground.

You spread out the clouds and provide rain for the Earth,

you make grass grow on the hills.

You provide food for the cattle,

and for the young ravens when they call.

You do not take pleasure in strong horses for war chariots,

nor do you delight in brave soldiers.

But you take pleasure in those who honour you,

in those who put their trust in your constant love.

We come before you with thanksgiving,

and offer to you our unending praise. Amen

Prayer of Confession

(in part from Psalm 78: 1, 4, 5, & 8b, and 84: 8a)

Merciful God, we confess our foolish ways,

we confess our inattention to your voice calling to us.

We should be praising you for your Creative power and great deeds,

and telling of the wonderful things that you have done.

But, instead, we extol the wonders of Science,

and try to explain how Creation created itself. Forgive us.

We should be instructing our peers how to follow your Commandments,

and teaching our children the benefits from obeying your Laws.

But, instead, we defer to peoples desires to make up their own rules,

and hesitate correcting our children for fear that they will reject us. Forgive us.

We should be confronting social conditions that breed poverty and unmet need,

and opposing prejudice and oppression that prevent others from obtaining an education and gainful employment.

But, instead, we fear making a stand against those who have greater power and influence,

and prefer a quiet lifestyle rather than create conflict with others. Forgive us.

We should be revealing the nonsense of worshipping the gods of prosperity and property,

and revealing the shallowness of life lived only for the pursuit of physical comforts.

But, instead, we find it hard to talk with those who refuse to accept that they have an obligation to submit to your Lordship,

we cannot find the words to say to those who demand proof that you are real. Forgive us.

Listen to our prayer, Lord God Almighty,

release us from that which hinders our close fellowship with you.

Guide us and strengthen us to be witnesses to others of your majesty and power,

use our words and our life to challenge others to consider the sin in their life and of their need for repentance and renewal.

May we not hesitate to put our trust in you, whose concern for us is constant,

May we remain faithful to you, whose lovingkindness is everlasting. To your glory we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

(from 1 Corinthians 2: 23 & 30)

The Apostle Paul preached Christ crucified, the means by which we are put right with God, by whom we are set free from our sins, to become God’s holy people. Having confessed our sins, let us hold onto that truth and be assured that our sins are forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Loving God, we live in times of trouble and conflict, of suffering and pain. We hear of groups who use violence and intimidation to push their religious or ethnic ideology to pursue regional or ethnic domination. We see Governments pursue violence rather than dialogue. We see Governments demand that their way be followed rather than seek conciliation and reconciliation.

May they all come to acknowledge that you are the true God, the Creator God of the

Bible; that you are a God of peace and love, who seeks reconciliation with Humanity and among Humanity, and to that end may they seek what is best for all and not for the few.

We bring to you those living in Refugee Camps, displaced from homes and livelihoods, separated from family, distressed about safety and food and a better future. We bring to you those who are disadvantaged or face discrimination in their homelands and who are driven to seek asylum elsewhere.

Give to them the hope for a better life in the future. Convict those in the World who have more than they need, to share their excess with those who have nothing.

We pray for comfort and relief for the families affected by flooding rains across the northern and central parts of Australia.

Please protect the emergency personnel as they seek to ensure the safety of others. Equip and enable those who transport food and goods to isolated communities so that they can provide what these communities need in their daily lives.

We bring to you our levels of Government, Federal, State and Local. May all Parties accept with humility that they are governing under your authority, for the goodwill of all people and not their ideological supporters and financial backers.

May they seek your guidance so as to know how best to provide services to the needy, to provide efficient and cost-effective facilities and infrastructure, and to make just and righteous decisions for a better future.

We bring to you our Church, its leaders, its decision makers and its people. May they not lose sight of the Gospel in whatever activity they are involved and in whatever decisions that make.

May we truly be the light for our society in presenting You as the source of life rather than pleasure or money. May we truly show the Hope that is in you in the life that we live and in the way that we treat others.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may be instruments of healing, relieving the suffering of those who are burdened with illness or frailty, and offering support and hope.

We pray for a renewed apostolic spirit, that we may be on fire with zeal to announce the Good News that there is meaning, purpose, and value in every life because of Christ.

We pray for all the preach the Good News, that you will inspire their words to draw people closer to Christ and empower them to live the Gospel each day.

We pray for all who are hopeless or despairing: that the Holy Spirit will bring light to their darkness and hope to their hearts.

We pray for all who feel devalued, that you will heal their self-image and give them a new spirit of purpose and direction in life.

We pray for all who echo Job’s cry, those struggling to survive, fleeing violence, or searching for food, that the Holy Spirit will give them strength and to open our hearts to assist them.

We pray for all young people who are searching, that they may come to know God in a new way and be filled with enthusiasm for life.

We pray for all in health care ministry, that you will work through them to bring healing and strength to all who seek their assistance.

We pray for all who are ill, that the Holy Spirit may renew the gift of life within them and bring healing to their mind, body, and spirit.

We pray for all who are seeking employment, that you will open new opportunities for them and help them recognize their gifts and skills that they have not been using.

We pray for the members of our Governments, that you will guide their deliberations on the budget and immigration, help them develop policies that honour the dignity of each person, and promote the greatest good for our society.

We pray for all who are working to establish peace, that the Holy Spirit will lead their dialogue and inspire new pathways to establish lasting peace and mutual understanding.

We pray for the peoples of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Western Sahara, Tunisia.

We are thankful for how the early Christian church developed there, for the biodiversity of plants, animals and the natural terrain within their lands, for how Berber, Arab and European cultures have blended, and for how these Countries have remained and stood against the invasion of cultural and military forces from elsewhere.

We pray for all the people of these Countries: Muslims, the tiny remnant of Christians, those of other faiths who continuing bearing witness to their faiths and for all people of good will, for an end to political violence, for an end to how dominating powers have fought over these lands and their resources through the years, and for those suffering exploitation and mistreatment as they travel through these countries.

Prayer on the road of life

God of life, there are days
when the burdens we carry are heavy on our shoulders and weigh us down,
when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening,
when our lives have no music in them,
our hearts lonely,
our souls losing their courage.
Flood the path with light.
Turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise;
tune our hearts to brave music;
give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age.
So quicken our spirits
that we may be able to encourage the souls of all,
who journey with us on the road of life,
to your honour and glory.

(attributed to Augustine of Hippo)

Here am I before you, O my God.
Here am I, rich in misery and poverty,
and a cowardice without name.
Here am I before you, who are nothing but love and mercy.
Before you, but by your grace alone,
I am here, all of me,
with all my spirit,
all my heart,
all my will.

(Frère Bruno of Tibhirine monastery, assassinated in May 1996)

Affirmation

I want peace –
around the world.
I want peace –
in our neighbourhood (village).
I want peace –
so that everyone can be joyous.
I want peace –
so that everyone can be happy.
I want peace –
so that all are free.
I want peace –
so that all become friends.
I want peace –
so that I can embrace my enemy.
Long live peace!
O God, grant us your peace!

(Yemai, 13 years old, Tunisia, adapted.)

Almighty God, we pray for the Launceston Northern Suburbs SU Kids Games team as they start up a new series of game afternoons over the course of term 1. We pray that more Kids Games will start up all across Tasmania. We pray for that you will bless and use the LEGO Club George Town, a unique holiday club created by the team leader Stephanie Baughman, which will give children and families in this semi-rural community of Tasmania a very special encounter with God’s love for them. We pray for the Equip team as they prepare to present sessions on self care at the prayer retreats

We pray for the success of the annual ACT start of year fun day. We pray for guidance and wisdom for the Coordinators and Team Leaders of WA holiday camps as they begin the camp wrap up process with debriefs and feedback. We pray for the many campers wanting to be followed up and to know more about Jesus. We pray for the school chaplains as they start a new school year. We pray for a good start to SRE/RI classes and chaplaincy programs in schools across the Nation. We pray for the first school camp for the year which commences at Camp Coolamatong Victoria today. We pray for staff, teachers and students that their time will be filled with fun, challenges and faith-building opportunities.

(2024/SU%20SEQ-Prayer-Guide-DEC23-FEB24.pdf)

We pray for those who plan to 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 returns to addressing the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the Bald Hills State School.

We pray for those who we have not seen for some time and who are unable to attend worship. May they be aware of your care for them as they meet what each new day brings. Lord God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your lovingkindness. To your glory we pray. Amen