Creator God...
Intercession
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Creator God, you are so much vaster than I can ever realise. I want to put you into a neat box, so that I can label you and keep you manageable, but your Spirit keeps bursting out in unexpected directions. That's unsettling, for I'm never quite sure whether it's your Spirit, or something very wrong. Help me to trust my instincts and open myself to your Spirit blowing through me like a wind of change. Take away my fear of the unknown and my fear of change, and take away my fear of stepping outside unspoken, man-made rules. And then Creator God, help me to throw in my lot with you, with no strings attached.
Creator God, I know that caution is often necessary if we humans are to minimise the number of mistakes we make, but sometimes your Church is so cautious that it seems to be years behind the rest of society. Give us the right balance between caution and impulse. Enable us to recognise instinct and thus to work with you. And help us sometimes to throw caution to the winds and step out with you in faith, that your Spirit might direct and guide our ways.
With Christians throughout the world we pray especially today for the Church in Sudan and Archbishop Joseph Marona, and the Church in Helsinki, Finland, and Bishop Eero Huovinen.
Creator God, sometimes your Church is too cautious, but the reverse is often true of the world. Sometimes we are plunged into warlike situations because world leaders act hastily and without undue thought for the whole of mankind. At other times world leaders keep with the status quo because they hold fast to tradition and refuse to view the world in any other light. And there are times when world leaders think only of their own country and fail to care sufficiently about the rest of humanity. Creator God, pour your wisdom and your love into world leaders, that they may be men and women of vision who are not content that any humans should remain hungry or without basic human rights. And may they ensure that our irreplaceable resources are stewarded with love and care, and that the world itself is not destroyed in the name of progress.
We pray especially today for ....
Creator God, we pray for our own local community, holding in your presence all homes in this area and all who live here, all those who work in this area, and those who ensure that local services continue to function smoothly and to our advantage. Bless all parents and children, all grandparents, uncles and aunts, and all those who live alone, whether from choice or necessity. May our area ring out with sounds of faith which all may hear and to which all may respond, and may our area be full of health in body, mind and spirit.
In our own community we pray especially today for ...
Creator God, we pray for those who are sick, holding them in your presence and asking you to touch them so that they may receive healing. We name before you ... and all those whom we name in the silence of our own hearts. Pour your love and your healing power into them, and bless their carers with gifts of love and compassion, endurance, strength and understanding.
Creator God, we remember before you those from our own community who have died recently and we thank you for their unique lives. We name them before you.... And we ask your support and strength and love for those they leave behind them, who must face the pain of bereavement. We pray too for those who still mourn those they love who have died in previous years ....
We ask all these prayers through through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Creator God, you are so much vaster than I can ever realise. I want to put you into a neat box, so that I can label you and keep you manageable, but your Spirit keeps bursting out in unexpected directions. That's unsettling, for I'm never quite sure whether it's your Spirit, or something very wrong. Help me to trust my instincts and open myself to your Spirit blowing through me like a wind of change. Take away my fear of the unknown and my fear of change, and take away my fear of stepping outside unspoken, man-made rules. And then Creator God, help me to throw in my lot with you, with no strings attached.
Creator God, I know that caution is often necessary if we humans are to minimise the number of mistakes we make, but sometimes your Church is so cautious that it seems to be years behind the rest of society. Give us the right balance between caution and impulse. Enable us to recognise instinct and thus to work with you. And help us sometimes to throw caution to the winds and step out with you in faith, that your Spirit might direct and guide our ways.
With Christians throughout the world we pray especially today for the Church in Sudan and Archbishop Joseph Marona, and the Church in Helsinki, Finland, and Bishop Eero Huovinen.
Creator God, sometimes your Church is too cautious, but the reverse is often true of the world. Sometimes we are plunged into warlike situations because world leaders act hastily and without undue thought for the whole of mankind. At other times world leaders keep with the status quo because they hold fast to tradition and refuse to view the world in any other light. And there are times when world leaders think only of their own country and fail to care sufficiently about the rest of humanity. Creator God, pour your wisdom and your love into world leaders, that they may be men and women of vision who are not content that any humans should remain hungry or without basic human rights. And may they ensure that our irreplaceable resources are stewarded with love and care, and that the world itself is not destroyed in the name of progress.
We pray especially today for ....
Creator God, we pray for our own local community, holding in your presence all homes in this area and all who live here, all those who work in this area, and those who ensure that local services continue to function smoothly and to our advantage. Bless all parents and children, all grandparents, uncles and aunts, and all those who live alone, whether from choice or necessity. May our area ring out with sounds of faith which all may hear and to which all may respond, and may our area be full of health in body, mind and spirit.
In our own community we pray especially today for ...
Creator God, we pray for those who are sick, holding them in your presence and asking you to touch them so that they may receive healing. We name before you ... and all those whom we name in the silence of our own hearts. Pour your love and your healing power into them, and bless their carers with gifts of love and compassion, endurance, strength and understanding.
Creator God, we remember before you those from our own community who have died recently and we thank you for their unique lives. We name them before you.... And we ask your support and strength and love for those they leave behind them, who must face the pain of bereavement. We pray too for those who still mourn those they love who have died in previous years ....
We ask all these prayers through through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
