Prayers for the Fourth Sunday in Lent - Mothering Sunday

By Mrs Morag Stewart

Mothers Day – Sunday 22nd March, 2009

Lord God, you are the father of all people and we bring our prayers knowing that you will hear us and help us.

A prayer for our church
We thank you for our church, for those who have worshipped here over the years and for those who serve it today.
Grant that all who enter its doors may be enabled to renew their relationship with you and may find your peace, your strength and above all your presence. Help us as a congregation to be outward looking, so that what we find within our fellowship we may share with those outside.

Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer
 

A prayer for  a child welcomed in baptism - Tommy James
In our baptism you welcomed us into the family of your church. May your blessing be upon Tommy James who we have welcomed into the church family this morning. May your love surround him and grant that he may grow up to be a faithful member of your family and may learn to love you and know you as a friend.

Lord in your mercy
Hear our prayer

A prayer for Mothers
Thank you Lord for our mothers. We remember today their loving care and their ceaseless love for us. Make us grateful for their goodness and thankful for their care and may we show them by our gifts, our words and our actions that we love them and care about them too.

Lord Jesus, we are glad that the bible story tells us a little about your family life and introduces us to Mary, your mother.
She was happy when she knew she was to be a mother
She was pleased when people were glad to meet you
She was worried when you were lost and she went to look for you
She stayed by you when everyone else was against you
She shared your pain and suffering and she shared your triumph.

In the love of our own mothers we also have received this same care:
– as babies they do everything for us, as children they teach us, help us and comfort us, sharing our interests and ideas and keeping us happy. When we become adults and leave home they continue to offer advice and support and share our troubles and joys. We are better people because of all they have done for us. Let us pray that the love they have shown us may also be shown by us.

Lord in your mercy
hear our prayer

Hear our prayer, Lord, for people who are ill, in hospitals, at home, or wherever they may be. Give them courage, hope and peace, and the knowledge that you are present in their weakness, pain and suffering. May the skills and knowledge of those who care for the sick be fully used to help and to heal.

We pray for those mothers for whom motherhood is a particular challenge, for mothers throughout the world who have lost children through illness, through natural disasters, through war and civil unrest.

We pray for people whose hearts have been saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them, for members of our families who have died and whose anniversary we recall. Help us to experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within us, and the fellowship of the church family around us until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom.
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
 

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
We say together the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Our Father…….

Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
For ever and ever. Amen