God, hear our cries. Our calm and trust have been shattered. Keep us ever mindful that you are our God, the Prince of Peace, the God of Love. Let our hearts not respond with hate or generalizations, not with phobias nor a desire for payback. We pray for all who have been personally impacted by […]
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God, we know you hear our cries and concerns as you hear the prayers of all who suffer around our world. Today we particularly remember in prayer countries destabilized by war and violence – we pray for the people of …… God of transformation, hear our prayer of hope. We remember those in need in […]
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Mwari* [Um-wah-ree], Ruler of the Universe, hear our prayers for your people. Nkulunkulu** [Un-koo-loon-koo-loo], hear our prayers for your land. Eternal One, hear our prayers for Zimbabwe. As the stones stand tall, bring strength to your people. As the mighty Zambezi River roars, bring renewal to your land. As generations have walked, lead Zimbabwe into […]
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God, fill me to overflowing. Empty me of the bile of disdain, the sour taste of harsh judgement, the hurtful bite of sarcasm, the sharp nettle of scorn. Open my mouth and my hand that all the bile juices might flow out and away, that I might be free, left clean. Fill me now with […]
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Gracious spirit of love and peace, we bring to you our prayers for the world and ourselves. May they help to prepare your way in our lives and in the lives of those whom we pray. Spirit of love, we trust in you. We give thanks for the work of charities, local and global. Thank […]
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Inspired by Psalm 72 God of steadfastness and encouragement, thank you for caring for us so much, watching and waiting, choosing just the right moment to come into our world and into our lives. You come with wisdom and understanding, with justice for the poor, bringing peace between predator and prey. You come like sweet […]
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Today’s lament What’s this pit in my stomach, God? Where has my equilibrium gone? Why does my trust waver? Events, some which have not yet transpired, fill me with fear. The writing – bold crude graffiti – seems to be on the walls Surrounding my thoughts Love, break through Hope, shine relentlessly into this darkness […]
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Light of the world, illuminate our darkness. Horrific images of hate and vengeance bombard us. On-going destruction of your creation deflates us. Where are you? We don’t see you. Fear fills us. Where are your angels? The refrain, ‘Do not be afraid,’ rings hollow, Empty, false. The dream of peace shattered. The promise of justice […]
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Hold on Open to divine light Pray, trusting it matters Encounter God’s embrace Help us persist in hope. Photo: Mailbox art, Bellingham, Washington USA, by Jenny & Lucy Dale
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We pause to light a candle for peace in our world. Light the Peace Candle. ‘The 15th of May, is Nakba Day, the Day of the Catastrophe, which commemorates the displacement of Palestinians that preceded and followed the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. An estimated 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled, and hundreds of […]
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Prayers for our world While written specifically for URC Commitment for Life churches, this responsive prayer may be adapted easily for any congregation concerned with climate change. This morning we come before God who created this amazing world and everything in it. We come to confess that our actions, our lifestyles are damaging the world’s […]
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Safe! Home safe! A welcome mat of rainbows Hands outstretched to clasp the stranger. Love, you are the power lifting our open arms The thought enabling our inclusion The spirit warming our hearts to the ‘other’, Reminding us that we are ‘other’ to them. Emmanuel, yours is the face they wear, Yours is the clan […]
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Great Spirit, For the beauty of the earth we give thanks. For the streaks of morning sun we give thanks. For the warmth of family and friends we give thanks. Power of Love, Link us together in love. Shower our day with hope and joy. Create in us a commitment to extend your welcome to all, […]
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God, come close and speak our names. Remind us that we are fully known and loved. God, thank you… for calling us by name. Come close to us, re-claim us for life. God, thank you… for calling us by name. Come close to us, and never let us go. God, thank you… for calling us […]
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God, companion and guide, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you for accompanying us as we journey together with you and with the companions you send our way in this gathering. Open our hearts to the joy of your presence. Empower us to here your call to action in today’s service, to heed […]
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God, companion and guide, thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you for accompanying us all as we embark upon this new leg of the journey with you and with the companions you send our way along the road. Help us look forward with joy and anticipation, knowing that the past rests securely and […]
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When photos are taken at a funeral or wake and shared, often electronically, with friends and relatives unable to be present, this prayer might be shared with the image of the deceased. It might be offered to the family to be shared before hand, so others can easily forward it with the attached image. Comforting […]
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Inspired by Genesis 32: 22-32 God, thank you for your love which perseveres, touching our lives, not just in an hour of worship but every day. Your persistent love attends the world, day in and day out, year in and year out. Grant us perseverance, like Jacob, to stand steadfast in our convictions, to hold on […]
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The Climate Kairos passed. The crisis is now! We must act to restore God’s creation to a place of health and wholeness. Is it too late to make a difference? Can we fix the damage done? God, hear our prayer and spurn us into radical action. We have acted out of self-serving ignorance and frightening […]
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Thoughts upon watching a small child dance with a handful of fallen leaves Fallen Wind-blown Brittle Cracked, cracking An autumn leaf Lifted in the fingers of a child Awed at the brilliance of fire orange And the prominent vein tracks Held high During the dance Twirling Eyes upturned to the heavens Delight In the face […]
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Spring Prayer of Intercession – thinking of the southern hemisphere Related texts: Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15, Romans 7:4, Colossians 1:10 (Year C, Pentecost 5), Jeremiah 17:8 (Year C, Epiphany 6) Suggestion: everyone receives & hold a sunflower seed (or similarly large seed) throughout the prayer. Ready-to-print: WORD Spring Prayers of Intercession – Ana Gobledale PDF […]
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Luke 16:1-13 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20) Year C God, sometimes we feel like Lazarus—dirty, unclean, poor, with nothing to offer the world. And yet, sometimes we are guilty of acting like the rich man. Many things – wealth, possessions, beliefs, opinions, fears – can limit our hopes, limit our discipleship, and keep us […]
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a responsive prayer of confession arising from Luke 12.13-21 8th Sunday after Pentecost, Year C God of Life, Creator of the earth and all that is in it, We lift our prayers of thanks to you For the beauty of the earth that surrounds us, For spring flowers that dazzle us and summer’s greenery that […]
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Dearest Friend, gentle spirit, breath of live, source of our being, from the peacefulness of silence, the silence that preceded Creation, your speaking entered the void and light burst forth. Our hearts are filled with gratitude that your speaking extends to us today, that your light illuminates our world and our lives. Even as we […]
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Spirit of Community Thank you for church that brings strangers together… Spirit of Truth Thank you for messages that open my/our ears and minds… Spirit of Trust Thank you for familiar words of prayer that provide solid grounding for yet another day… Spirit of Comfort Thank you for the old melodies that reside in the […]
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Merciful God, we approach you asking for forgiveness, For healing and reconciliation To once again feel the power of your Love. As individuals and as a nation we have tempted fate. We have stretched our grasp with greed. We have protected our privacy with isolationism. We have ravaged your creation with entitlement. Forgive us. As […]
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Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here.* I invite you to close your eyes and breathe in that holy presence. Breathe in the power of God, and breathe out the power of the world. Breathe in the presence of God and breathe out the worries, the fears, the burdens […]
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Home is where the heart is. We remember the bereaved. Home is where I lay my head at night. We remember those sleeping in the street. Home is the hotel midway between here and there. We remember the refugee. Home is the guestroom of friends. We remember the outcast. Home is the terrace house on […]
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God of Illumination, during this Epiphany season we thank you for inviting us on this journey of faith for revealing yourself to us in the love of the Creator, the joy of the Spirit and the peace of the Christ-child. We commit anew, like the wise ones from the East, to seek and serve Christ […]
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God of new beginnings, Be with us as we gaze ahead in hope and enter into this new year with faith. Illuminate the way as we step into the unknown with trust striving to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Thank you for your church where we journey together as God’s family.
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I invite you to pause. Close your eyes, if that’s comfortable and focus on your breathing, the sound of your breath in … and out … in … and out…. [pause for 2-4 breaths]. We live in a busy world, and God invites us to pause in the presence of the divine. [silent pause for […]
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Written in Antalya, Turkey, upon hearing the 11:15 am call to prayer after a coach tour visit to a gold and gemstone showroom. Call to prayer slicing through the cold bended knee bended heart contrite God, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Gems of your earth Shining bling catch the eye catch the heart God, […]
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Peace Your promise Our hope Peace in our communities… Unite us to raise our voices against violence in our homes in our churches in our schools in our work places Peace on our earth… Unite us to take a stand, to act to become eco-churches to go green in our homes and communities to demand powers […]
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A responsive prayer Luke 12:13-21 Provider of Life, creator of the earth and all that is in it, we lift our prayers of thanks to you For the beauty of the earth that surrounds us, For spring flowers that dazzle us and summer’s greenery that delights us, For autumn’s bounty that sustains us and prepares […]
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This prayer incorporates the promises of the World Environment Day Pledge created in Australia in 2007. God, empower me to make a difference. Forgive me for taking travel, convenience and electronics for granted. Grant me the willingness to: boil only the water I need, rather than filling the kettle every time. turn my bio-degradable waste […]
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Each of us can act now to restore God’s creation to a place of health and wholeness. My neighbours may be a bit aghast at my commitment to return our ‘English’ garden to a sustainable form, a home for indigenous plants that need no extra water, an environment that is content with the rains that […]
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We are the church together, each of us an important part, sharing in the responsibility to reach out to those in need, to keep the building in good condition, and to pay the running costs. As we consider what to give this morning, on our church’s anniversary, we reflect on what this church, this congregation, […]
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God, we thank you for gifts: The gift of love we give one another; The gift of Jesus you gave to us. May our gifts this morning be used to bring joy to others near and far.
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God of the past, the present and the future, Thank you for Grandparents who help us remember, And grandchildren who give us reason to remember. Today we remember, even when there is peace in our land. For Peace is a fragile thing. How often it has hung by only a thread May we, followers of […]
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Power of Wholeness, sweep through each nation on the face of this globe. Fill us with the will and conviction to work towards reconciliation. Unite us as indigenous and invader settled in a new home, As settled colonizers and more recent immigrants and refugees seeking a new home, As Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Hindus — […]
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