Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 11th July 2021

Servicing the Bald Hills and nearby Communities

Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 11th July 2021

Prayer of Praise    

  Almighty God, Creator of the visible and the invisible, all of Heaven and Earth depends upon you and is sustained by you.  Your glory is plainly seen and made known to all.  Your wisdom and foresight are obvious in the rhythms of life, in the regularity of the tides and the seasons, and the rotation of the planets and the stars we see in the night sky.

  Redeemer God, you release us from the burden of our guilt, you save us from all that isolates us from yourself and others, you show mercy to those who are oppressed by cares and worries, and bring back to you those who have lost their way and purpose in life.

  Renewing God, you bring freshness back into lives that have become withered and lacking in spirit, you bring clarity to those who have become distracted by false desires and dreams.  We rejoice in the reassuring voice of the Holy Spirit, calling us into a loving relationship with you, inspiring our prayers and our praise, and promoting our growth as your children.

  Set before our hearts and our minds each day, O God, the example of Jesus Christ, so that we may love you unconditionally, as he loved, and so that we walk by the light of your Word.  To your honour and glory we pray.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession 

(from Liturgies On-Line Year B Pentecost 2 and Year A Easter 6 & Prayers for the Seasons Year A Easter 6 p106) 

Merciful God, you continually challenge us to become the people you seek for us to be, through the life of your Spirit within us.  You continually challenge us to look at ourselves in the light of your instructions and guidelines, yet often we do not listen to you and choose to look the other way.  Merciful God, forgive our incomplete obedience to your commandments, our half-hearted love of your counsel, and our resistance to your instruction. 

Merciful God, restore and renew our willingness to follow your will with the Spirit of truth.

Merciful God, forgive those times when our conduct does not live up to your standards for us, forgive those habits of ours that are destructive of our relationship with you and of our relationships with others. 

Merciful God, bless and renew our lives with the Spirit of truth. 

Merciful God, forgive us when we worship idols of our own making; gods fashioned for our own selfish ends. 

Merciful God, inspire and renew our worship with the Spirit of truth. 

Merciful God, forgive us when we do not speak loudly enough against the gods of sport and shopping, that attract people away from gathering on one day of the week for a time of worship of you.

Merciful God, awaken and renew our desire for change through the Spirt of truth.

Merciful God, forgive us when we ignore the pain and the hopelessness of so many people, both in our community and in our World, and so deny Christ’s commandment to us to love one another in suffering, self-giving ways. 

Merciful God, inflame and renew our love with the Spirit of truth. 

Merciful God, forgive us when our desire to maintain our standard of living contributes to the poverty of life experienced by others and to the growing environmental problems throughout this World that you have bestowed to us.  

Merciful God, encourage and renew our sense of justice with the Spirit of truth. 

God of mercy and grace, we confess our sins and our shortcomings.

We confess our wanting to follow our will and not to seek for your Will to be done, in our lives and in the life of the Church.

God of mercy and grace, cleanse our lives from sin,

Restore us to a right relationship with you.  Strengthen us to be your People and to be a light for the World.  To your glory we pray, amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Ephesian 1: 7) 

The Apostle Paul reminded the Church in Ephesus that “by the sacrificial death of Christ we are set free, our sins are forgiven”.  Having confessed our sins before God and expressing our faith in the saving grace of God achieved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us be assured that God has heard our prayers, that God has forgiven our sins, and that God has reconciled us to Himself.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer for Others

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

Almighty God, we pray for your Church, that we may find our identity in our relationship with you instead of in the allurements of possessions, accomplishments, or power.

We pray for a strengthening of our discipleship, that we may hear your invitation to bring forth your reign in our lives, our work, and our relationships, and in so doing become a channel of your grace.

We pray for all who are needing medical care, that your healing love will restore the sick, strengthen those recovering from surgery, and stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

We pray for the leaders of churches, that you will inspire them as they guide their congregations in fulfilling its mission of proclaiming forgiveness, healing, and new life.

We pray for a spirit of hospitality, that your generosity to us may be extended as we welcome the stranger and reach out to those who are in need.

We pray for wisdom, that you will guide us as we oppose injustices and encounter opposition or rejection for living the Gospel.

We pray for those who suffer because of prejudice and discrimination, who have been unjustly imprisoned or disadvantaged, or whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by acts of hatred or greed.

We pray for a deepening of gratitude, that we may recognize and appreciate all the gifts that you have given us and honour you by utilizing them fully for your glory.

We pray for greater trust in you, that we may rely upon your providence and care for us as we journey through life and recognize that with Christ, we lack for nothing.

We pray for all missionaries, that you will inspire the message that they offer, help them to recognize how they can best serve their communities, and sustain them in times of loneliness.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will assist those recovering from storms, protect those who live amidst violence, guide those who are seeking employment, and comfort all who are grieving.

We pray for those who are troubled in mind and spirit, that you will provide comfort in times of stress, relief in times of uncertainty and healing to bring them peace within themselves.

We pray that you will guide those of our Nation to use their wealth so that all may find fulfilling employment and receive just payment for their labour.

We pray for a deeper appreciation of the Earth, that we may protect the topsoil and preserve it for the common good of feeding all the Human family.

We pray for those who misuse their power or authority over others for personal or political ends, that you turn their hearts to what is good and true and just and pure.

We pray for all political leaders, that you will help them to understand the greatest needs of those whom they serve and work to promote the common good.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.  https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

(also from Leading Intercessions by Raymond Chapman p70 & 71 and Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B by David Hostetter p150 & 151)

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