INTERCESSIONS
21st July 2002
The bidding for our prayers is "in your loving mercy" and the response- "Hear our prayer"
Let us pray to God our Father, the first and the last, who made promises to all faithful men and women and who holds in loving hands our future as well as our past.
We pray for all those who have heard the call to follow Jesus and who have taken up their cross and followed him, here in this land and throughout the world.
We remember especially those who will today worship you in lands where to be a Christian is to risk being an outcast or to live in fear for one's life. Be ever present with them.
Be present with us as we too seek to live out the gospel in our daily lives and in the life of your church in this place.
May all of us here and throughout your world remain true to our calling.
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
We pray for those who dread the future, or who are not persuaded that in Jesus lies hope. May they find Him in their lives.
We pray for those in new relationships, who are starting new lives, or who have a special event ahead. May your joy and hope and peace be theirs
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
We pray for those who plan for the future.
We think of those who exercise power in the nations of your world, and we ask that they may heed your call to be peacemakers.
We remember especially the rulers and peoples of Israel and Palestine, of Afghanistan, of Sri Lanka, of India and Pakistan and all those other countries in Africa where war is the norm. Bring peace to those troubled lands. And show us what lies within our own power to aid the cause of peace and give us strength to do it.
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
We pray for those working with the poor and hungry here in this land and throughout Your world.
We pray too that the rich countries of Your world may cease exploiting the poor and come to recognise that all of us are part of one great family.
May we find ways to make best use of the riches of your world and to share them equally, and may we play our part in that cause.
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
We pray for those whose future is uncertain - those with progressive or chronic illness, those who are lonely or depressed, those who find it difficult to believe in any thing or anybody.
In the silence we pray for those known to us.
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
We pray for those who have lost loved ones. In Jesus we have found the light of the world and unquenchable light. We light a candle to symbolise that light as we recall those who have gone before us, and we remember now Phyllis ... and pray for her family.
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You turn our darkness into light, |
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
God of our past, present and future, help us to live in thankfulness for your call and for all that you have done for us: help us to live in joyfulness because of all that you are doing for us now: help us to live in trustfulness in all that you will do for us in times to come.
In your loving
mercy
Hear our prayer
And in the name of Jesus who always stands ready to receive us, we pray now using the words he taught us
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen
Sermon: Almost thou persuadest me to be
a Christian and
Bible
Readings and Notes for 21st July 2002.