‘Do not be afraid’ — words of the angels Prayers of Intercession This was originally written for a worship service marking the opening of a week-long Angel Festival. It might be used during Advent, particularly at a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service. The word ‘angel’ is not always popular, or sometimes over-popular! How can […]
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Luke 9:51 – 62 Easily adapted for use relating to any country or people. Loving God, thank you for your welcoming embrace. Your acceptance of our imperfection is ever an example for us to strive for. Forgive us when we fall short – when we are quick to reject and quick to condemn. Inspire us […]
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Holy and loving God, in this Advent Season [on this Sunday of Advent], we turn our hearts and our minds towards you. You are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. You embrace with tenderness all that exists: Every creature that crawls or swims or flies, every plant that turns […]
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Gracious God, giver of peace, planter of justice, spirit of love, we lift up to you our world – giving thanks for its beauty and majesty, for its many creatures and peoples, for its bounty and flourishing. In our thanksgiving, we also remember those who struggle day in and day out simply to survive, those […]
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Living, loving God, thank you for the world around us, your splendid garden creation entrusted into our hands. Please grant us the wisdom to be faithful stewards of your earth: • Keeping air and water clean • Being mindful of energy consumption • Growing foods to share with all your people, our sisters and brothers […]
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A responsive prayer of intercession Within our darkest night, Let your light shine. God of all creation, you hold the depths of the earth in your hands. You are closer to us than the air we breathe. Fill our souls with your wonderful love and light. Give us strength and courage to reflect that love […]
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A prayer each week highlights an area of our world in greatest need. Click here to read and access these timely and relevant prayers written by staff and missionaries serving Global Ministries (a joint ministry of the United Church of Christ USA and the Christian Church – Disciples of Christ, USA). A related photo and […]
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What words can express the horrors of war? The atrocity of dropping an atom bomb on Hiroshima? Nagasaki? The complicity of citizens? The heart-wrenching desire to set things more right. The craving for forgiveness and atonement? Spirit of Peace, hear our prayer. ‘U.S. airman Matthew McGunigle photographed the Hiroshima blast. After the war, he entered […]
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Words to help us face the situation in Syria…
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Originally written for the fifth Sunday of Lent – Year A Eternal One, thank you for this opportunity to worship together. Please help everyone here today, to learn something new about you… We pray for peace throughout the world and for everyone’s heart to be filled with love, so that we can all live together […]
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Day of Action and Prayer for Syria & Peace 21 September What words can express the horror, the sadness, the hope, the truth? Newest ‘Day for Syria’ posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Day for Syria’ resources . . . Words to help us face the situation in Syria…
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This litany was first used at an ecumenical Earth Day service in Denver, Colorado USA, sponsored by Eco-Justice Ministries and the Colorado Council of Churches. (slightly adapted for inclusive language) Biblical references include: Lamentations 1:20 (Holy Week), Psalms 5:1 (Sixth Sunday of Pentecost, Year C), Psalms 31:14-15 (Holy Week), 25, Psalms 71:14 (Holy Week), Romans 15:13 (Second Sunday of […]
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This multi-voice responsive prayer might incorporate groups of readers or individual voices. Group/Voice 1 states the facts about the suffering in our world. Group/Voice 2 lifts up those taking action to improve the situation and change the world. Group/Voice 3 voices a prayer request. Leader: Through our faith, we reach out to God, interceding […]
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Praying for others… Praying for our world… What words do we use to express the pain of our world? How do we meaningfully express our concerns, fears and anger? How do we verbalize the pain and suffering of creation — the people, the creatures, the land? How do we respond to both natural disasters and […]
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What words reach out to a gathered congregation? Do they bring comfort? Challenge? A call for renewal and re-commitment? Are we free or stuck in a formula? What words enable God to speak through us? Newest related posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Pastoral Prayers’ resources . . .
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for Pentecost 17, Year C As people of faith, we accept our interconnectedness with all people, and all creation. And so we unite our hearts in prayer for those in need. Let us draw near to the divine and to one another through our prayers of intercession. There is a responsive line at the end […]
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Worried about Climate Change? Concerned for our environment? Wanting to be a good steward of God’s creation? Join other Christians committed to make a stand for climate justice. Each month, a new ‘Prayer Point’ is posted on the website: Pray and Fast for the Climate. Here is the posting for July 2023 as an example: […]
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O Christ, you lived as an ordinary man not in style but simply, yet still you caused uproar, and questions everywhere; you drew the expectations of hungry crowds, and brought buried conflicts to the light. May we, who are sometimes swayed by the crowd’s approval, and who often avoid conflict for fear of its cost […]
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