Prayers for Ordinary 27

Prayers by Mrs Margaret Appleton

The bidding today is LORD IN YOUR MERCY and the response is HEAR OUR PRAYER

Let us approach our heavenly Father in humility, as we bring to his restoring love all our concerns for the Church and for the world.

Almighty Father, as we meet together this morning we give you thanks for who you are and for all you mean to each one of us. We remember with thankful hearts those people who first helped us to understand what the Christian faith was all about – those who first helped us to know about and understand your love and through whom we first made contact with a living faith. We offer you our thanks for the liberating power of your gospel; the light that has become ours through faithful messengers past and present.

We pray for your Church throughout the world; may it continue to grow and change in response to the gospel; to our shared traditions and the needs of all people. May your Church work for the good of all people everywhere and we pray especially for its work and witness in poor and difficult areas of the world: - for its work and mission in shanty towns and among the street children - among outcasts and the rejected. Strengthen with your love those who strive to take your word to these areas often working in the face of open hostility and misunderstandings.

We pray for your Church here at St. Marks and at Putnoe Heights and we thank you for the work of those who minister to us. In their very busy schedules may they be fully aware of the strength of your unfailing love and we pray that each one of them will find sufficient time to relax, to reflect and to pray.
Lord in your mercy Hear our Prayer

Almighty Father, we pray for peace in your troubled world – for the peace givers and the peace - makers. We pray for all those who are seeking to bring about reconciliation and hope to communities and nations broken by war, hatred and suspicion. We remember all those who are involved in conflict, strife or aggression and we ask your blessing on the countries in the Middle East and in Afghanistan. We continue to pray for the members of our armed services serving in those areas and we remember those who have given their lives in serving our country and for their families. We ask for your healing hand on the many service personnel who have been badly injured and maimed in these conflicts and for whom life will never be the same. We pray for all national leaders that they may govern with humility, gentleness and integrity; that they may not be full of selfish ambition or conceit and that they may seek truly to serve and meet the needs of their people and seeking always to follow in your way and do your will. We pray for you blessing on our own country and all her varied peoples: for the Queen and members her family; for national and local governments remembering especially those who serve us in our local community. May they and we work to help keep our community caring and sensitive to each other’s needs. We pray that your Holy Spirit may find entrance to the minds that are darkened by prejudice or are closed by the fears of others. Bring calmness of mind and clarity of vision to all those who have leadership responsibility and may we all learn again the true meaning of mission in Christ’s way.
Lord in your mercy Hear our Prayer

Almighty Father, we pray that you will bless those who are finding life difficult at this time: - the homeless and those facing the possibility of losing their home through the present economic situation - homes where families go hungry - families deep in debt - the unemployed and those on very low wages who have no security - those living alone with no one to care for them - those in broken relationships suffering rejection and feeling unwanted we remember those who face daily abuse, humiliation, degradation and those overwhelmed by despair. We pray for our friends and loved ones in their varying needs: - for all those who are ill at home or in hospital, giving thanks for the care of our medical services which we so often take for granted. In you beautiful world and on such a beautiful morning our thoughts turn to the Philippines stricken by severe flooding. We pray for the victims of those floods, for those left homeless and stranded and for the work of the relief agencies there. We bring before you, loving Father those whom we know who are ill at this time and whom we name in our hearts in a moment of quiet…….. We ask that you will reach out to each one of them and surround them with your love. Help each one of us to be more loving and aware of the part we can play in helping others in their time of need. As we have richly received, so may we richly give.
Lord in you mercy Hear our prayer

Almighty Father, we come to you with our own inner longings and hopes that your glory may be revealed in our homes and in our lives. We thank you for all those who have given themselves to us in love – our parents, our families and our friends - for those who gave us confidence and respect for ourselves and for those who accept us as we are. We thank you for our homes and we pray that they will be places of grace and goodness, of hospitality and holiness and where good relationships and honesty prevail and where each member is equally respected. We remember and pray for homes where loved ones are betrayed - where there is no respect for each other and where there is neglect or apathy, abuse and animosity. We remember those who suffer through the thoughtlessness and cruelty of others.

This morning we ask you to bless homes where there is deep sadness through the loss of a loved one. May those who mourn know of your presence and the peace that only you can offer. 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. This morning we remember and pray for George Edward Page. May he and all who have died know the joy and peace of your heaven for ever.
Lord in your mercy Hear Our Prayer

Almighty Father, we pray that you will open our eyes to see your glory; to see the world as you see it. Unstop our ears to hear your voice and the cries of the world as you hear them, in their joys and sorrows. Warm our hearts with your love that we may go forward into the world this week in your name and take with us your love to all in need, for your glory’s sake. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us conclude our prayers by saying together the prayer that Jesus taught us……………..