Prayers of Intercession for Advent 3

By Richard Ledger

The bidding is: in your love    

Response: Hear our prayer

Let us pray now to our loving God who always keeps His promises and knows us and who values us all so very much.

Loving Father, keep your Church faithful in telling the good news, loving, justice and drawing many to freedom through the joy of your forgiveness.

We pray, Lord for our work and witness for you here at St Marks. Will you bless strengthen and encourage our clery Charlie, Sam and Jane and all who minister in so many ways. We ask your special blessing on the nativities this week at Pre-school and Messy Church and our Carols in the Car Park that in all the enjoyment the amazing message of you coming to dwell with us in love will shine through to all who come.

Lord in your love       

Hear our prayer

We pray particularly for the elderly this Christmas time- especially in Care Homes,
We pray for our ministry in Lady Laude and Anjulita Court, Highfields and
Sir William Harpur House and for Friends for Life – that love and compassion may be spread abroad to bring comfort and hope.

Lord in your love

Hear our prayer

We pray for our world that there may be integrity in leadership, mercy and justice for rich and poor, strong and weak; that there may be peace among nations and respect for all. We ask your wisdom for those battling to solve economic problems in the Eurozone; for those seeking new ways ahead- North Africa & Russia for those trying to bring agreement and justice in the climate talks – South Africa and those grappling with the continued violence in Afghanistan.

For our broken, fragile world that you love and seek to redeem.

Lord in your love

Hear our prayer

We pray, Lord, for our community, our families and friends – for their hopes and fears. May the love of Christ be shown in what we do and how we speak. We remember now all those we know in special need – locked in physical and emotional pain; all weighed down with worry or despair. God of Advent hope, will you restore and replenish them, comfort and free them.

Lord in your love

Hear our prayer

Finally, loving Father, we commend to your love those who have died. Loved ones we especially miss at this time – whose memory are treasure. May they, and we in our turn, experience for ever the joy of your eternity.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world, a light which our darkness can quench. So as we commend to your everlasting love those who have died we light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ which eternally shines and brings hope. Today we remember
Eddie MacKenzie .

You turn our darkness into light; in your light shall we see light.

Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen

And now we say the Lords Prayer.