Prayer of Praise    

Gracious God, we come celebrating the awesomeness of Your love and the wonder of Your grace.  Even though we fail You time and time again, you never walk away and You never fail us.  Undeserving though we are, You show us mercy.  You do not turn away in the moments our faith is feeble in the moments when we doubt, or when we are hesitant disciples, reluctant to share Your word and witness with others for fear of what that might mean for us.

God of never-ending patience, even in the times we fail You, You understand our weaknesses and help us to put our faults behind us.  You dust us off when we have fallen from grace and help us to start again.  We offer so little, yet You give us so much, our love is so weak, yet You respond richly, Your grace defies expression too wonderful for us to fully comprehend, and though we fail You, You never fail us.  Lord, continue to grant us, unworthy as we are, Your grace.

God of all creation, You have given us so much and we are truly blessed.  We thank You for Your constant guidance throughout our lives, for Your wisdom in all things for the way Your word encourages, inspires, feeds us and sustains us in our daily spiritual lives.

You Lord, speak to us through Your church and the fellowship of others.
You Lord, speak to us in the seasons, the landscape and the weathers.
You speak to us in the stories of old and the word of the prophets.
You speak to us in the leadership and ministries of today.

For all the ways You have guided us, supported us and for all the ways You continue to lead in our lives, we give You our heartfelt thanks.

When we are foolish, You hear us and respond in love.  We acknowledge and give thanks for all that enables our spiritual growth.  You Lord are our rock and refuge in times of trouble, and for that we give thanks.  When the storms of life come, we are assured we can lean on and trust in You.  For this and a whole lot more, we are truly humbled and thankful.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

Prayer of Confession 

(Psalm 51: 3 to 12 and 1 and 2) 

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

I have sinned against you – only against you – and have done what you consider evil. 

So you are right in judging me;

You are justified in condemning me.

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.

Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness; and though you have crushed me and broken me, I will be happy once again.

Close your eyes to me sins and wipe out all my evil.

Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.

Do not banish me from your presence; do not take your Holy Spirit away from me.

Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

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!  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from 1 Corinthians 15: 57) 

The Apostle Paul reminds us that God gives us victory over sin through His son, Jesus Christ.  Having confessed our sins before God, let us hold onto that promise with thanks in our hearts, trusting that God has listened to our prayers, that God has forgiven us and that He has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

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

Blessed God, we pray for all those affected by the floods this weekend and this week.
We pray that they may be surrounded by love and support.
We thank you for the work of SES, emergency workers and those who open their homes to the displaced.  We pray for safety for those still facing rain and rising flood waters.

We also pray at this time for the people of Ukraine.
We pray for the suffering of those who have lost loved ones and for the injured and displaced.  We pray the world may stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and that peace might find a way even at this time.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.
Rev Mark Cornford  (Presbytery Minister)

https://mailchi.mp/84e931d9869b/newsletter-4-mar-17-15920548

Prayer from the General Secretary

Dear God we call out in prayer for the people of Ukraine. We pray for peace and safety, We pray for courage and hope. We pray for those who are fearful and those who mourn. God we ask you to bring courage and wisdom to all those who stand against this violence and who work to change the direction of events, those who seek a diplomatic solution, those who protest and pray for peace,  those who offer aid and support in the very midst of the violence. We pray for protection  for each one.

Bring us close to you God … let us be makers of peace with our words, with our actions and with all our hearts. Our eyes are on You.

God of all creation, we pray today for all the people in our congregations and communities throughout the whole of Queensland who have been affected by these storms and floods. Be with them and protect them, let the family of support that is the church, surround and help them, let them stay safe and let them feel safe.

Let us all as the waters recede come together to clean up, offer solace, help our neighbours and find hope.

In Jesus’ name Amen.

Rev Heather den Houting

Prayer from the Moderator

Father God, thank you that you are our shepherd in these difficult times. Look after those in our communities affected by the floods and rain. Help them feel the love and support of their communities. Help them know your protection, your power and your presence, always with them. Keep them safe.

God of peace, look after all those in Ukraine touched by violence and aggression. Guide them and protect them, and bring hope to their hearts. Teach us all the miraculous path from war to peace. Keep them safe.

Guide us through the storms, knowing you are with us. Guide us each day through the dark valleys to rest in green pastures.

Blessings, Rev Andrew Gunton (Uniting News – 1 March 2022)

We pray for all who are hungry, who do not have enough to live with dignity.  May they find generosity and inclusion in their local Christian communities.

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who live in loneliness or isolation.  May they know friendship and community.

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer

We pray for all who are abused in any way, whose homes or neighbourhoods or places of work or study are places of fear, not of safety. May they be strengthened and freed from abusers and fear. May they find your good plans for them and hope in you.

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those with disabilities and those who feel alone. We pray too for all who are shunned, from whom people turn away. Please help them to be included and to know that they are loved by you and that you have good plans of hope for them

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who have been displaced, who live in exile and in fear of losing everything they have ever known. May they know your peace and strength in their lives

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

(www.worlddayofprayeraustralia.org.au) 

We pray for the peoples and the nations of Belgium, Luxembourg, and The Netherlands

We give thanks for the important roles political leaders here have played in European integration, and for how people here have led in creative solutions to environmental, economic, and cultural challenges.  We give thanks for how churches here have overcome barriers and reached out to assure a good life for all, and for the ecumenical contributions that have come from this area, and their continuing support.

We pray for the overcoming of cultural, linguistic and political barriers and suspicions that remain divisive, and for the haunting legacies of colonization and quests for economic gain.  We pray for immigrants who are alienated or marginalized in these societies, and for greater tolerance and solidarity with all in these societies and around the world.

Let us pray for Faith:
That it will be the fruit of right hearing.
That at all times there will be people
with an open mind and open ears
who will listen sharply to your word
and pay attention to the needs around them.

Let us be such people.

Let us pray for Hope:
That it will be the fruit of a living faith.
That at all times there will be people
growing towards the light,
continuously filled with courage and never cease being hopeful.

Let us be such people.

Let us pray for Love:
That she is the fruit of a living faith and hope.
That at all times there will be people
never giving up being alarmed
about the continuing existence of the earth:
The care for animals and entire environment
that lend assistance in friendship,
that abolish loneliness,
that help working out sorrow and grieve,
that show sympathy with joy.  

We pray to you, O Lord.  Let us recognize one another in deeds of faith, hope and love.

(© Rev. Pieter Post)

Dear God, there are so many people in need!
Like everyone in this world,
refugees are in need of a place to live,  
a warm bed, food, clothing, a decent wash…  
Dear God, you know that we need all those things,
but, most of all, we need people who care,
to share our love, our hope and our future.
We need to be needed.
Dear God, you know that we are in need.
Come and give us a hand!

(From http://www.ccme.be/members-info/)

Lord, we pray for the world,
for the world in which we live.
We pray for the girl who says:
I don’t want to live anymore
and for the boy who confesses:
I sometimes want to end it all.
We pray for the new-born baby
with an uncertain future.

Lord, we pray for the world, for the world in which we live.

Lord, we pray for all the people,
all the people in this world
who feel scared or upset;
who are ill or lonely.
We pray for people around the world
who have no freedom or no family.

Lord, we pray for all the people, all the people in this world.

Lord, we pray for the world,
for the world in which we live.
We pray that the world will not collapse
under the weight of violence and hate
and that our eyes will remain open
to beauty and goodness,
so that we may also pray:

Lord, we thank you for this world, the world in which we live.

(from the Dutch Dienstboek Schrift Maaltijd en Gebed, p. 793 no 65)

Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

We pray for the success of the FOUND Project in Nepal run by The Leprosy Mission Nepal that aims to support people with disabilities to find employment. 

We pray for the success of the research projects in Nepal supported by The Leprosy Mission Nepal, one testing an innovative ulcer treatment, and another that is evaluating the self-help groups for people affected by leprosy and other diseases.

We pray for the HEAL project in Nepal as it targets the successful integration of lymphatic filariasis and leprosy services.  We pray for the successful training of health workers, medical officers and female community health volunteers; as well as the HEAL Project skin camps in Nepalese districts.

(2022 Leprosy Mission Prayer Diary)

We pray for the Scripture Union Leadership conference being held this weekend, that the delegates will be equipped and inspired in their ministry and life.  We pray for the intake of students into the years’ Scripture Union run Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care Courses, that they will be inspired to develop the skills to enable them to serve you in their community and places of worship.

(suqld.org.au/prayer guide March – May 2022)

We pray for Kylie Conomos, that you will support her and guide her as she seeks to address the issues and problems affecting the lives of the students, families and staff of Bald Hills State School.

We pray for the leaders of Religious Instruction classes held at Bald Hills State School, that you will enthuse them as they present the Gospel to the children.  May the Holy Spirit work in the minds and the hearts of the children so that they will respond to your message with acceptance and joy.

We pray for those who have not been able to join us in fellowship.  May they experience your presence and support each day, reassured of your strength and power to guide them.

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