Prayer of Praise: –

 (from Amish Prayers by Beverley Lewis p41, 117 and 121) 

Almighty God, we express our great praise and deep gratitude for your glorious kindness and favour towards us.  We offer our humble thanks for your undeserved mercy, acknowledging that our restored relationship with you has come through the death and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ.

Eternal God, you are the one who best understands our faults and Human weaknesses.  Without your blessing and support, we are nothing, incapable of living a life in obedience to your will and purpose and enjoying a life in the midst of your Creation.

Faithful God, give us the wisdom and understanding so that we can recognise what is true and just, right and pure.  May we love you above all things, with our whole heart, with all strength and ability, and with the breath of our souls.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession 

(from A year of Prayer by John MacArthur, Week 4 p31 to 33) 

Lord of glory, you are a righteous God,

You hold each of us justly responsible for our sins.

We cannot condemn the sins of others without condemning ourselves,

For we are not free from sin.

We deserve your judgement,

Yet you withhold that judgement from us.

You are rich in kindness and tolerance,

Patiently seeking to lead us to repentance.

We confess that we have been led astray from your pathway,

We confess to a stubborn heart, refusing to yield to your will.

We confess that what has been done we cannot undo,

Our good character and good works count for nothing towards our salvation.

We cannot contribute any merit towards removing the taint of our sins,

We are flawed by our mortal imperfections and mixed motives.

In Christ alone do we trust for our salvation,

We humbly seek your forgiveness and cleansing of our souls.

God, be merciful to us,

To your glory and honour we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Ezekiel 11: 19 and 14: 5) 

God told the Prophet Ezekiel that His hope for the People of Israel was that they would “turn back” from their sinful ways and that He would “win back their loyalty and obedience”.    In the same way God seeks to “win back” our loyalty and our obedience.  We have confessed our sins before God.  Let us rest on the assurance that God is ready to hear our prayers and is willing to forgive us and to restore us to a right relationship with Him.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

  Lord Jesus Christ, you have created all people in your image, and by your grace in Jesus Christ, drawn people of every Nation and language back into your Kingdom.

  We confess that we are often painfully separated by race, culture, power, and prestige.

  By your death and resurrection you reconciled the World to God and broke down the barriers of race and culture that divide people and nations.

  Make us agents of reconciliation in the life of your Church and your World. 

  Bless all those in government and positions of authority at national, state and local levels and help them to govern wisely and justly,

  showing respect to all people, no matter what their ethnic or racial background, so that people may be restrained from wrongdoing and encouraged to live good lives.

Thank you, Lord, for all the gifts you have entrusted to us, including the land on which we live.

  Help us to remember that all we are and have comes from you and is to be used to serve you in the World.

ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE. – Reconciliation Action Plan (lca.org.au)

We pray for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, that all will recognize the Creator Spirit in their culture,

  and that they and those of other cultures will work together to allow all Australians to live fully, grow strong and be proud of their heritage.

We pray for all young people, particularly in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities,

  that the Holy Spirit will walk with them and touch their lives as they make their contribution to God, the Church and Society.

We pray for all who seek to promote peace in the World,

  that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will foster a spirit of forgiveness and harmony in our communities.

Heavenly Father: thank you for Jesus’ ministry by which he casts out sin and brings healing and holiness.

  Strengthen our faith so that we do not reject him, especially when we are made aware of our own sin.

Thank you for the Christian companions you provide for our journey, through whom you bring judgment and grace to us.

  Help us to be worthwhile companions to others, loving and true.  Build up the fellowship in this Congregation so we may be well equipped for service and mission in the World.

Help us and the whole Church to understand the sins of our age, to speak where silence needs breaking,

  to comfort where terror threatens, and to support where courage falters, all with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray for our nation’s leaders – her representatives, the parliaments, the prime minister and cabinet, and departments, the opposition and the whole system of government.

  Help them to understand the complexities of life and bring them to govern in a way which pleases you, promotes the well-being of all, and which allows the extension of the Gospel.

Service Order (lca.org.au)

  Thank you for the steps that have been and continue to be taken on the journey towards reconciliation between the races and cultures that exist side-by-side in our Land, and for the grace that so many people have shown to others, and the willingness to forgive.

  Guide national and community leaders to speak the truth in love, to seek justice with mercy and to care for those who continue to experience devastating disadvantage.

  We lament with our aboriginal sisters and brothers the enormous loss of languages and the loss of identity, culture and ancient wisdom that disappears with them.

  Strengthen indigenous church leaders to shepherd your flock faithfully, and strengthen all indigenous people to be salt and light in their communities and in the whole Nation.

Give indigenous and non-indigenous believers the courage to demonstrate the new community you are inviting us to create in your name,

  a new community out of people from every Nation, tribe, language and people, through Wisdom and your Spirit of peace.

Prayer for Indigenous Australians | St Kilda Uniting Church

Almighty God, we pray for us, your Church, that we may risk entering into a deeper relationship with Jesus which will transform us and the way we live.

We pray that wherever your Word is preached that it may be heard with understanding and received in faith.

We pray for courage, that you will empower us to reveal the truth of your love for each person in our everyday circumstances and be witnesses to your presence in our relationships and interactions.

We pray for the gift of Wisdom, that your Word may enter our hearts, bring us to a new awareness of virtues, and guide us in living as your Children.

We pray for greater trust, that you will free us from our past mistakes, strengthen us as we recognize our weaknesses, and open us to your power working within us.  We pray for transformation of our hearts, that we may recognize our greatest weakness, surrender it to you, and allow you to work within us for your glory.

We pray for healing, that your Holy Spirit will comfort us when we are misunderstood, renew us when we have been unjustly criticized, and inspire us to show your love each day.

We pray for freedom from all attachments so that we may respond wholeheartedly to your will for us and seek first your reign in our lives.

We pray for all who are alienated from their families or communities, that you will open new opportunities for dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation.

We pray for an acceptance of others, that you will help us to be open to the stranger and their gifts as they enter our lives, so that we may be nurtured and enriched by them.  Teach us to learn from oner another and to give support where it is needed.

We pray for all who are struggling, that you will free those bound by addictions, give support to those facing their weaknesses, and guide them in starting again.

We pray for all who are suffering, that you will bring healing to the sick, relief to those experiencing drought, renewal to those who have experienced abuse or crime, and new opportunities for those seeking employment.

We pray for greater stewardship, that you will guide us in caring for your Creation and preserving its resources for future generations.

We pray for all leaders of Governments, that you will give them the wisdom to fulfill their responsibilities, hearts sensitive to the needs of those whom they serve, and freedom to pursue the common good.

We pray for peace, that you will turn hearts from greed and violence, and help all to recognize the dignity of each person.

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)

Almighty God, we pray for the people of Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda

We are thankful for how the churches in Sudan and in South Sudan, as well as Ecumenical Network Sudan, have consistently pursued peace processes, healing and reconciliation in these war-ravaged countries, for those who work to bring justice for the victims of genocide and war crimes, including the International Criminal Court, for the many who carry out humanitarian work in these countries and who settle those who are displaced, and for the economic progress and peacebuilding that has occurred in Uganda, and for effective measures to curb the spread of HIV and AIDS.

We pray for a cessation of ethnic animosities and violence, and increased understanding between ethnic and religious groups, for an end to the rape and practices of genital mutilation of girls and women, for governments to respect the will and best interests of their people and the human rights of all, and for natural resources to be preserved and the land saved from further desertification.

Prayer for South Sudan

Our Heavenly Father,
We come into your presence with thanksgiving and gratitude for your grace, mercy and love in South Sudan.
We know things are not going so well in the country, but we believe that You will do the changes in Your own time.
We trust that South Sudan belongs to you, and therefore we surrender all things into your hand in faith.
For in Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

(© 2014 Beatrice M. Mamuzi)

Prayer for peace

Bless, O Lord, those who hear your word and believe it.
We pray for the people who are in remote areas,
and live in fear of the world of spirits,
that they will know your power as Saviour of the world.
Bring peace to our land
and all parts of the world that are disturbed,
so that the gospel of salvation may be preached to all humankind.
In Jesus’ name we pray.

(Episcopal Church of Sudan. PEW #123.)

Prayer for God’s presence

Visit us, we are despairing.
Our faith is wavering, O Lord, come visit us.
The hardness of the world weighs heavily on us.
Sin keeps us away from your path.
We are forsaken, forsaken, forsaken.

(Sudan. Prières pour le monde 2004, © Fédération protestante de France, Paris, France. English transl. Terry MacArthur © 2005 WCC.)

  Almighty God, we pray for the national Hansen’s Disease programme in Brazil, where leprosy is known as Hansen’s Disease.  May this programme succeed in bringing an end to transmission.  We pray for MORHAN (Movimento de Reintegração das Pessoas Atingidas pela Hanseníase), the organisation of persons affected by Hansen’s Disease in Brazil.  May you guide their leaders and open doors to success.

  Heavenly Father, we pray for organisations of persons affected by leprosy in countries across the world, but particularly in the leprosy priority countries, where the burden of leprosy is so high.  May the leaders of these organisations find wisdom and strength to speak truth to power and to continue to grow their operations.

  Of the 11 priority countries where The Leprosy Mission does not have a presence, seven are in the Africa region.  Several face the challenge of being Fragile States, tackling poor infrastructure due to many years of conflict and political instability.  We pray for the effectiveness of national programmes in these African countries and the WHO and ILEP staff that support them.

  We pray for teams that are working to defeat leprosy across South America.  May they work well together and find strong regional collaborations.  We pray for leprosy transmission to decline on that continent.

  We pray for the World Health Organization’s Global Leprosy Programme and the team at WHO South–East Asia that oversees it.  We pray this team will receive the resources they need to do their work and they will receive the cooperation they need from governments across the World.

  The Leprosy Mission used to support activities in South Sudan, but was forced to stop due to insecurity.  We pray for peace in South Sudan, Sudan and many other leprosy[1]affected countries where conflict hampers the efforts of the national leprosy programme.  For many years, The Leprosy Mission supported the Community Health and Education Programme (CHEP) in Tanzania. We pray for the Diocese of Dodoma as they continue with their work to defeat leprosy in Tanzania

Leprosy primarily affects countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.  The Leprosy Mission is working in a number of the countries in Asia and Africa where leprosy is most commonly found (see p.84 for a map of where we work).  We pray for those countries where leprosy remains a serious issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists 23 countries that it has designated ‘priority countries’ for leprosy. The Leprosy Mission is present in 12 of those countries, while our ILEP partners work to defeat leprosy in the remaining 11.  Those 11 countries are Angola, Brazil, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar, Micronesia, The Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tanzania.  Of these countries, Brazil has the most cases, accounting for the second largest number in the world (roughly 27,000 cases per year, according to pre-pandemic data).  We pray for these countries, the people affected by leprosy who are fighting for their rights, and for our partners who are working to end leprosy.

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 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.