Church Prayers and Intercessions for Epiphany

Prayers Sunday 7 January, 2018 by Mrs Morag Stewart

Lord of light and love, we praise and adore you for breaking into the darkness of this world with the glorious light of your presence.  A light which made your love for the world visible in the babe born in Bethlehem-Jesus Christ, your Son, our Saviour.  A light which guided those gift-bearing travellers from afar to find and worship the Christ-child. A light which leads us to you, revealed in Jesus Christ.  We pray that you will accept our prayers for they arise from hearts and minds in awe over the enormity of your gift to us of pure love.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Lord of light and love, we pray for your blessing on Eloisa who has been baptized into your family today.  Hold her in your arms and bless her.  Shine your light on the path before her and let her always feel your loving presence as she travels along the paths of life.  We also ask for your blessing to rest upon this Church.  We are grateful for its worship and fellowship; for the care and teaching of children and young people; for its nurture and love.  Help us to see the kind of church you need today.  May we not lose sight of the many and varied needs of this neighborhood.  Hold up before us the vision of your kingdom, a kingdom of justice and mercy, truth and compassion.  Help us to grasp the meaning of the gospel which you have entrusted to us, and give us grace to live by it.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Lord of light and love, we pray for your blessing to be upon our Christians throughout the world.  Where they are a small minority let them find strength in knowing you are with them; where they are persecuted let them find courage; where they are young in the faith let your Holy Spirit build them up in the knowledge of your love; where they are affluent and accepted keep them constant in the service of Jesus.

As we are blessed by the prayers of others, may our prayer be a blessing to all who love and worship you across the world.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Lord of light and love, we pray that as the years change, we may find rest in your unchangeableness.  May we greet this New Year bravely, sure in the faith that while men come and go, and life changes around us, you are ever the same, guiding us with your wisdom and protecting us with your love.
We ask for your blessing on the year to come.  Give us the resilience to bear its disappointments, energy to seize its opportunities, and openness to accept the more abundant life which you have promised to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Lord of light and love, we pray for our hospitals and nursing homes. For the work and devotion of carers whose skill and compassion bring both material and spiritual comfort at times of need. We ask for your loving compassion on all whose lives have been marred by tragedy of any kind. We pray for all who are downcast or fearful. We remember those who await a doctor’s diagnosis or an operation. We pray for all who seek healing and hope. We bring before you those most in need in our own community, the elderly, the housebound and those in care.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord of light and love, we give thanks for all who have passed beyond death and been transformed in your glorious kingdom: for the saints, for loved ones departed; that we, like them may come to the fullness of your presence.

Jesus Christ is the light of the World, a light which no darkness can quench.  We remember before God those who have died and light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ which eternally shines and brings hope.  We remember today....

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

God who shines in the darkness, receive these prayers and the prayers of our hearts, in the name of the one who is your light, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Lords Prayer