Come... Pray With Us.
Here, we share the prayers of our churches and our people. Join us in our prayers so that they shall be heard through Jesus' name. If you wish to receive prayers, please send an email to the church office. If you would like to share your prayers and have them published on this page of our website, please email the Web Admin or the Church Office.
If you would like to light a "Virtual Candle", please visit the Church Of England's Website where you may freely light a candle and pray. May this help you in your time of need or crisis.
The peace and blessings of the Lord be with you, now and forever more.
AMEN.
Prayers and support from the
Some prayers to help with patience and understanding, throughout troubled times. May these strengthen you and put you in good stead...
Proverbs 3:5-6
Righteous God, I know that I must trust in You with all my heart and I know that I must not lean on my own understanding because the path that I choose will lead me down a road of destruction. It is foolish to let my heart guide my paths, so I place my life in Your hands. I pray that I never doubt in You and Your wisdom, instead I will acknowledge You in all my ways so that You can grant me patience and direct my paths in line with your word. Amen.
Jeremiah 33:3
God of wisdom, I call upon You and know that You will answer me and tell me the great and unsearchable things that I do not know. I thank You for divine understanding that reveals to me the things that I do not understand. I pray for patience and understanding in all areas of my life: my workplace, my home, my relationships, in all things. I thank You for allowing me to see things like You do. Amen.
Proverbs 14:29
Lord, help me to be patient with great understanding because an individual who isn’t and is quick-tempered, displays foolishness. I pray that here on earth, I reflect You in all ways and that Your understanding will govern my behaviour. Let patience have its way within my heart so that I can reflect a God-like patience to those around me. Let Your understanding shape me as a person so that I can reach and understand those who need You. Amen.
Ecclesiastes 11:5
Holy God, I pray that I humble myself right now. Although You have enabled me to think logically, practically and intellectually, You know all things. Just as I do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, I cannot understand the works of You – the Maker of all things – with my own knowledge. Your works require revelation and divine understanding, so help me in this area of my life and grant me patience and understanding. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Proverbs 4:7
Father in Heaven, thank You for instructing me and teaching me in the way that I should go. I know that You will counsel me with Your loving eye upon me. I pray that my guidance comes solely from You and Your word. I pray that my patience and understanding comes from You and not from man, because man doesn’t know all things like You do. I will seek You for my wisdom and my understanding. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
Proverbs 21:2
Gracious Lord, sometimes I think that my own ways are right, but You weigh my heart and You know my intentions. Instead of my flesh being my internal guide, let Your Spirit instruct me on the way that I should go. I pray that I become sensitive to hearing Your instruction so that I know what to do. Lord help me to live righteously with You and set apart from the world. Teach me patience, I pray, Amen.
2 Corinthians 4:18
Beautiful God, I pray that I fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, because what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Lord, I pray that do not operate under the temporary, but let my lifestyle come from understanding what is eternal. I pray that my focus never shifts from You because You are eternal, You do not fade away or change. Amen.
Proverbs 19:21
Father, many plans are in my heart, but I pray that Your purpose prevails. Let Your will be done in my life and let the plans that You have released in heaven, be aligned here on earth. I pray that I understand Your purpose for me so that I do not stray from it or forget it. Let my desires become aligned with Your purpose so that I am not conflicted in my lifestyle. This is the prayer of my heart. Amen.
Ephesians 1:17 & 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Dear Lord, again I ask that You, my glorious Father, may give me the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation, so that I may know You better! I pray for divine understanding so that I can walk in all that You have called me to do and be. I pray that I hold on to what is good and reject every kind of evil; help me understand the things that are right in Your eyes. Amen.
Psalm 119:130
God of Wisdom, Your word says that the unfolding of Your words gives light; they give understanding to the simple. I pray that as I read Your word, I realize it on a deeper level so that I can walk in Your light and gain understanding. I pray that I do not become content with understanding at a surface level, instead I pray for an outpouring of patience, divine understanding and revelation in life. Thank you in advance, Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 55:9
Maker of all things, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Your ways higher than my ways, and Your thoughts than my thoughts. I pray for understanding so that I may walk in Your ways rather than my own ways and think in Your thoughts rather than my own thoughts. My way of thinking is limited, and my ways are immature and irresponsible. I thank You in advance for giving me understanding so that I can be more like You. Amen.
Psalm 37:7 & Philippians 1:6
Righteous God, I will be still before You and wait patiently for You; I will not worry when people succeed in their ways when they carry out their wicked schemes. I wait patiently for You because I know that You who began a good work in me, is faithful to complete it within me, I know that You shall succeed in Your ways and Your plans for my life. Amen.
Exodus 14:14
Mighty Warrior, I know that You will fight for me; I need only to be still. I pray that I remain patient because You are in full control of my battles. I know that I will have the victory because You fight for me and You never lose a battle. Increase my understanding when life becomes difficult, increase my trust in my trials. Let all my steps be guided by a patient heart. Amen.
Galatians 6:9
Heavenly Father, I pray that I do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time I will reap a harvest if I do not give up. I pray for an increase in my patience so that I can experience the fruits of my labor. I pray that I do not focus on the things that I see, instead let my mind be focused on You for You never fail. Amen.
Proverbs 16:32
God of Peace, Your word states that it is better to be a patient person than a warrior; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. I pray that I hold my peace and remain patient in all things. I declare that I will not react out of emotion, instead I will reflect and wait before I act. Patience is better to have than power, so Lord help me remain patient. Amen.
Habakkuk 2:3
Holy God, Your word states that the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, I must wait for it, for it will certainly come and will not delay. Lord, give me the strength to wait upon Your promises. Help me to stay patient when the end goal seems so far out of reach. Just as I must wait for Your revelation, I pray that I learn to wait patiently with understanding for all things to come to pass in my life. Amen.
Philippians 4:6-7
Prince of Peace, I will not be anxious about anything, instead in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I will present my requests to You. I will not let fear or worry consume my life, instead I will wait patiently for Your peace. The peace that comes from You, transcends all understanding, and will guard my heart and mind. I thank You in advance for allowing me to feel peace and remain patient. Amen.
Romans 5:2-4
Glory be to Your matchless Name! It is through You, whom I have gained access by faith into this grace in which I now stand. I boast in the hope that Your glory gives me. Not only this, but I rejoice in my sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Help me be endure my sufferings, help me to embrace each season in my life. Amen.
Romans 8:25 & Romans 12:12
Beautiful One, there are things that I hope for that I yet do not have, but Lord I will wait patiently for them. I know that everything comes according to its set time, therefore I will wait in peace knowing that Your will shall come to pass. Father, I pray that even in my affliction, I wait patiently. I declare that I will remain joyful in hope and faithful in prayer. Amen.
2 Peter 3:9
Awesome God, You are not slow in keeping my promise, as I understand slowness. Instead You are patient with me, not wanting me to perish. I pray that as You are faithful to me, I remain faithful to You knowing that the things that I have not yet received shall come. Just as You are patient with me, I pray that I patiently await Your will to come to pass. Amen.
Prayers shared from the Llanasa & Ffynnongroyw Parish.
God of the lowering December sun,
God in the early morning watch:
be with us in this work of waiting and keeping alert;
in the practice of not being the one in control.
May we find beauty in the quiet acceptance of being dependent on a promise of returning light as we watch the days grow shorter;
on an Easter dawn as the hours grow dark.
Amen.
God of the stories that include us,
God of the inclusions that restore us:
we need each other to thrive.
Without the other we are incomplete.
In our fiercer independence we grow narrow and less true.
It is our inter–dependence that reveals what’s best within us all.
If we should be cut off from our fullness,
stunted by a sin of self–assurance,
show us that the lack in ourselves is the space for something greater:
that our work with others is the discovery of the holy in ourselves.
Amen.
God of hope–filled trials,
God of a cautious release:
as we begin to imagine good news arising from the measured process of labs and computers,
of heroes and scientists, of incomplete successes and instructive failures,
may we allow ourselves a sigh of relief,
but one that draws in more strengths so that a winter of waiting may bring a spring of renewal.
Amen.
God of those in acute need,
God of those in chronic need:
Months and months in,
we still struggle to know how cautious to be,
how much risk to accept,
how ‘normal’ we safely can act.
As hospitals fill up and shops remain shut;
as political postures blur into policy decisions,
may we gain wisdom from you so that our cures may not do more harm than disease,
and our wants not outweigh neighbours’ needs.
Amen.
Almighty God,
healer of the sick and strength of the weak,
look with mercy on all those who suffer at this time.
Bring healing to those who are sick,
bring peace to those who are anxious,
bring strength to those who care for them,
and bring wisdom to our leaders
that our whole society may journey together through this difficult time
with determination and generosity,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
God of the moment we are in,
God of the time it takes:
even though tensions build over days and weeks and months and years,
we still expect results to arrive inminutes or in hours.
As we wait for human beings to do the work of counting and accounting,
may we respect the time it takes to process human endeavours;
to calculate beyond an instant the expressions of will and faith and hope that are more than mere moments.
Our actions, our reactions and whims,
we can’t quite catch up with ourselves.
Even in lockdown, even on days cleared of scheduled tasks,
we can fail to stop and accept from you a moment’s gift of rest.
When time seems both to barrel on and hardly move at all,
may we catch our breath and settle in to your unhurried pace,
so that we might then with steady minds approach the task at hand.
Amen.
Lord,
Be thou a bright flame before me.
Be thou a guiding star above me.
Be thou a smooth path below me.
Today, tonight and forever.
Amen.
God of pilgrims who share this journey,
God of travellers upon this road: This path changes us.
The conversations we’ve had, and the views we’ve gained,
the hurt we’ve endured, and the muscles we’ve trained,
they bring us to a new place and to a newer sense of us.
As we unpack the things we’ve carried and recount for what we’ve lost,
may we marvel again at the journey itself,
the gift of walking with others along a path that takes us into and beyond ourselves.
Amen.
God of cleared fields,
God of replenished stores:
the season that passes from seeding to harvest does not bring us to our destination.
It brings to us the substance we need to carry ourselves further along.
As we look back at how far we’ve come and see the journey ahead,
let us give thanks for our progress and the produce of time,
so our growth may continue each day.
God of families,
God of ageing parents:
right now, our world contains those we’ve known for all our lives,
and those whose lives are just beginning.
In this moment, as surreal as it is,
we can still hold together a family of friends and companions,
with lines of communication and daily short connections.
We give thanks for these domestic and digital bonds.
But may we also, through your spirit,
extend our reach to actively commune with others still unknown to us,
but likewise dwell with you.
God of the billions alive on this earth,
God of the one who feels most alone:
we all share this crisis,
this moment; we all hang on this hinge in our history.
Yet we know that some are more affected than others:
more vulnerable to disease,
more at risk from injustice;
who can’t afford to return to the normal.
As this pandemic has exposed a common fragility,
may it reveal a common desire to learn and to change,
restore and protect,
so that all may enjoy a sense of belonging,
and know that what comes will be good.
Amen.
God of the truth beneath our truths,
God of the foundation beneath our facades: we give thanks that there is something beyond our control firmly devoted to our wellbeing.
We give thanks that there is strength available to us in the moments we want to give up.
We give thanks that sounding clear through the noise and distraction is a whisper from you calling our name with the promise that you’ll always be with us.
Amen
God who was before all the chaos,
God who will be in all future years,
set us down in this moment with our boundaries fixed.
As we look to each other to make sense of this world,
remind us that there is no horizon that will not lead us to you;
our spirits will not find a place to hide from your searching love.
So may that knowledge inspire new courage to build again structures of justice,
and bring out anew from an unsettled state a community whose heart is steadied by you.
Amen.
God of persistent widows,
God of eventual justice:
as some sit in the luxury of reflecting on how much can be taken for granted,
others add their weight and their voice to causes that may never benefit them directly,
but can make it more likely for rising generations to experience what all should enjoy.
May we see privilege not as a reward, deserved or not,
but as a tool in hand to build a better world.
Amen.
God of this cycle of seasons:
one day on the calendar marks both the beginning of autumn and the beginning of spring;
the end of the north’s summer and the end of the south’s winter.
While distant from each other,
we are connected by a rhythm,
a push and pull of light.
May it remind us that our journey is not one we take alone,
and that the darkness we enter cannot stop the coming dawn.
Amen.
God beneath the encompassing sky,
God above the hardening earth:
in this thin space between,
the great human drama plays out with deep and deepening pains and endless moments of joy.
Even as we take note as to how small our part may be,
may we take heart that our next breath can hold a message of light and love,
like the one that brought your creation to life.
Amen.
As our children plan to return to school-
Almighty God We give you our schools across our MA.
We give you all the teachers and staff who work there,
We give you all the children who study there.
We pray that our schools would be places of great discovery, adventure and creativity.
May they be places where we love to learn and where we learn to love,
A place where every one is respected and all are deeply valued.
We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Thank you, Loving God,
that you do not call us to anything
without also giving us the resources to cope.
You do not ask us to go anywhere you haven’t been.
You call us to take up our cross,
and we come to you with fear and trembling,
but knowing that ultimately your way is the best.
Be with us, Lord in the coming week and help us to understand as we follow you faithfully.
Amen.
God of opening possibilities,
God of grace at the table:
faith in you is faith in humanity.
You have loved us enough to remain with us through death.
You see in us what we fail to see ourselves:
that each person we encounter is a child of a loving God,
a partner for a better world,
a voice that adds meaning to this prayer.
May we be freed to be ourselves,
to live the life you want, and in that freedom find communion,
and your presence in our midst.
Amen.
God of the guest house,
God of the rooms we prepare:
the ones we welcome and the ways we welcome will reveal a great deal about how we receive your good news.
May we, in this time of social distancing and human longing,
accept your invitation to meet you again in the stranger,
and to meet you ourselves in the emotions we house,
and at doors we either open or close.
Amen.
God of childhood summers,
God of lifelong memories:
these present days are unlike any that have come before,
but remind us a little of surprising moments that appeared when we were growing up;
days of discovering ourselves for the first time in the context of others;
seasons of actively figuring out who we thought we were.
May we all renew our license to explore again who we can be,
so that when this crisis is over, we're all a little more grown up.
Amen.
God of this shared earth and this shared experience:
may this great leveller of a disease,
this reminder of our common fragility,
our mortality, and our recognisable fears,
be also the great correction in our collective story.
May this be the moment when we start again with clearer eyes and kinder hearts,
and with a renewed resolve to do justice,
love mercy and walk humbly together.
Amen.
Creator God,
Bless the birds that shall chirp here,
the seedlings that shall grow here,
the neighbours you shall greet here
and all who overlook here.
Amen
By faith I know
you are there with me
in my sleeping and in my waking
By faith I know
you will protect me
in my going out and my returning.
God of all,
with so little known of what may lie ahead,
may we take the time to meet ourselves again,
and to encounter anew the people we say we know.
Those strangers who may be close to us have more to share,
when we open ourselves to renewed curiosity and trust,
that undiscovered joys lie within the connections we already have.
Bring the strangers to our doors, Lord.
Amen.
God of our growing hope,
God of a learned caution:
guide us now as our experiences diverge.
Some are eager to move forward,
with a certain degree of risk;
others continue to rely on the shield of our collective response.
Grant us patience. Increase our courage.
Give us the sense to know when we're being overly careful,
and when we're being cavalier.
But keep us united,
so we might find our hope together.
Amen.
God of gardens we never noticed before,
God of the time we didn't know we had:
we give thanks for weeks of renewal,
for changes of scenery,
for hours set to a different clock.
We rejoice in the eyes we have to see this beautiful, hurting world again.
We pray that as we return to scheduled patterns,
we will continue to note the realms of glory all around us,
the saints who have struggled on,
and the joyful, urgent work we have to do.
Amen.
God of people doing their best,
God of lost sheep who have lost their way,
we need patience: with ourselves, for others, in the midst of this pandemic.
You have patience.
So be with us as we take a breath,
as we reach out for your hand,
and as we take another next step with you.
Amen.
God of new lessons,
God of old truths:
this faith of ours is in what lies beyond us,
not just within.
As we release ourselves from the trap of thinking we have it all figured out,
and turn to you and others for help,
for the strength and insight we don’t possess,
may the fear of not being in control be replaced by the assurance of never being alone.
Amen.
This year has seen the world transformed,
even if we sometimes feel that we have barely moved.
As we assess where we are now in this stranger, familiar place,
may we take heart in knowing that the simply acts of kindness and compassion we extend,
help shape the world that’s yet to form and affect what happens next.
Amen.
God of long walks with friends,
God of the longer walk of friendship:
we give thanks for the accidental encounters,
the weekly catch–ups, the second cups of tea.
We give thanks for the desire to pick up the phone,
the thought to send a line,
the time we make when we have none.
We give thanks that humans are relational creatures,
begun before birth in contact with another,
and forever after made not for efficient productions,
but for deeper connections.
Amen.
God of welcome,
God of boundary:
we give that that each of us can be our full selves in the community you create.
And we pray that with your grace,
our way of being our true selves will never harm others or prevent them from being their true selves.
May we welcome one another as you have welcomed us,
so that the lines we draw together trace the image of your love.
Amen.
God of lifelong companions,
God of sudden discoveries:
we know that to be honest with others risks pushing them away;
we know that their honesty with us will show what we’d hide.
Let our relationships be the process of our becoming,
so that we are shaped by laughter and tears,
by squabbles and smirks, by courage and comfort,
by another who sees us better than we can.
Amen.
Father,
help us to see where we can be catalysts for unity in our communities and spheres of influence.
Show us Your compassion for the brokenhearted,
and equip us with prayer, strength, and leadership to make an impact in the world for your glory.
Bring the churches in our community together in the name of Christ to serve the surrounding areas with love and practical help.
Help our Churches to grow together in love seeking the common truth of Your grace.
Enable unity in the most intimate places – our families.
Help families in our communities to stand strong together in Your Word and in prayer.
Where there are divisions, show how healing can begin, and let there be peace.
Show us how the beauty of unity can thrive in the midst of diversity.
Where our families, friendships community groups, and churches experience disagreement,
allow unity to continue for Your glory.
Amen.
we pray for your church of which we are a part:
that we might be a place of honest reflection;
respectful dialogue;
open friendship;
humility and reconciliation.
We pray that we might be a community that points to heaven,
and shows ways in which heaven is glimpsed on earth.
In our journeying with you,
it is your hand that stops us stumbling
or slipping on the path,
your word that keeps us growing
and builds upon our faith,
your power that grants endurance
whatever happens next.
Thank you for joys discovered
and blessings received
in our journeying with you.
May the beauty of God
be reflected in our eyes,
the love of God be reflected in our hands,
the wisdom of God be reflected in our words,
and the knowledge of God flow from our hearts,
that all might see,
and seeing, believe.
May you never become cynical
May you never become jaded
May you never lose heart
May you never let the bastards get you down
May you never lose faith
May you see light and good in everyone
May you remain open to wonder and mystery
May you stand firm in the assault of the powers
(shielded with the armour of God and a good sense of humour)
May you stay rooted in hope
AMEN.
From our rising in the morning
to our lying down again,
you are with us every hour of the day,
our reassurance when storms assail
and strength when courage fails.
From our rising in the morning
to our lying down again,
your light illumines every step of the way,
our comfort when darkness falls
and peace that calms our souls.
From our rising in the morning
to our lying down again,
you are with us.
Another day is gone,
With whatever grief, challenge or joy it offered:
Close your eyes, breathe deep,
and let it all go.
Draw a circle of heavenly peace around yourself
and fill it up with your own sweet dreams.
In Jesus name,
Amen
God of experts and amateurs,
in a time of great uncertainty,
we begin to realise how little we each know.
Yet you have placed within our community
those who speak from reason,
who know the science,
whose profession it is to protect.
May we continue to hear the voices of informed wisdom,
as we move out of lockdown,
and give thanks for what is already here:
the knowledge that overcomes ignorance,
the love that overcomes fear,
the community that includes the grace we all need.
Amen
God of the one and God of the whole,
be with those who are working from home today,
and those whose work keeps them from home.
Be with those who won’t go beyond the front porch,
and those who stay on the front line.
Be with those who must choose between
doing a job they know they can do
and being the parent only they can be.
May we each in our private worry hear your universal call
to come, to lay down heavy burdens,
and find a welcome rest.
And then with our burdens lightened,
may we help to hold the whole.
Amen.
God of changed minds,
God of changed hearts:
sometimes a good argument can affect our thinking,
and in turn affect our behaviour.
But more often,
it’s a better relationship that with someone we thought we’d figure out,
that reveals what our minds had missed,
exposing the flaw in our certainty.
No matter how we come to know that your truth is different to what we imagined,
may this revelation lead to a gentle revolution,
and may our turning around bring us closer to you.
Amen.
God of the home and God of the pilgrim,
we begin to embark on an uncertain season,
and start on a journey together.
This is a path we haven’t been on.
Yet we know in each step
you are there alongside us:
a guide, a protector, a friend.
May each day on the road bring us closer together closer to a land of grateful reunion
closer to the place you call home.
God of changed minds,
God of changed hearts:
sometimes a good argument can affect our thinking,
and in turn affect our behaviour.
But more often,
it’s a better relationship that with someone we thought we’d figure out,
that reveals what our minds had missed,
exposing the flaw in our certainty.
No matter how we come to know that your truth is different to what we imagined,
may this revelation lead to a gentle revolution,
and may our turning around bring us closer to you.
Amen.
God of the home and God of the pilgrim,
we begin to embark on an uncertain season,
and start on a journey together.
This is a path we haven’t been on.
Yet we know in each step
you are there alongside us:
a guide, a protector, a friend.
May each day on the road bring us closer together closer to a land of grateful reunion
closer to the place you call home.
Amen.
God of new and renewed community,
where two or three are gathered in your name,
you promise to be there.
You promise also
to be in churches that are tentatively opening their doors for private prayer.
Let us be the church together,
wherever we are,
gathered by your Spirit,
as only your Spirit can gather.
And may we find you already in our midst,
as we close our eyes in prayer.
Amen.
God of love and hope,
you made the world and care for all creation,
but the world feels strange right now.
The news is full of stories about Coronavirus.
Some people are worried that they might get ill.
Others are anxious for their family and friends.
Be with them and help them to find peace.
We pray for the doctors and nurses and scientists,
and all who are working to discover the right medicines
to help those who are ill.
Thank you that even in these anxious times,
you are with us.
Help us to put our trust in you and keep us safe.
God of new and renewed community,
where two or three are gathered in your name,
you promise to be there.
You promise also
to be in churches that are tentatively opening their doors for private prayer.
Let us be the church together,
wherever we are,
gathered by your Spirit,
as only your Spirit can gather.
And may we find you already in our midst,
as we close our eyes in prayer.
Amen.
God of love and hope,
you made the world and care for all creation,
but the world feels strange right now.
The news is full of stories about Coronavirus.
Some people are worried that they might get ill.
Others are anxious for their family and friends.
Be with them and help them to find peace.
We pray for the doctors and nurses and scientists,
and all who are working to discover the right medicines
to help those who are ill.
Thank you that even in these anxious times,
you are with us.
Help us to put our trust in you and keep us safe.
Amen.
God of our hearts and minds,
God of our nervous systems:
as our eyes and ears try to take in
another day of news,
our little bodies absorb the shock
of the biggest event of our lives.
Help us make sense
of what we honestly feel.
Fear. Loneliness. Exhaustion. Anger.
And in naming what lives in
our inner most selves,
may we grow more human
with each other:
warm-blooded and social,
communicative and relational,
present to nurse, eager to soothe
the people we more fully can be.
Amen.
God of ordinary people:
as we reform ourselves in these rebuilding days,
we are bound to mimic the behaviour of others.
May we not get distracted by those whose sound and fury signify nothing.
Remind us of a divine potency alive in those who quietly carry on with compassion;
whose simple goodness, their gift from you, can recreate the world.
Remember those, especially, who face losing their jobs and rebuilding their businesses in these difficult times ,
Amen.
God of eternal life,
God of letting go:
throughout this long season and over a century of days,
you have remained constant as we've rediscovered ourselves.
There is more change ahead. This pandemic is not finished.
Nor are we. As we continue to be transformed,
may we cling to kindness and mercy;
to courage and trust; to faith and hope;
to undying selflessness.
May divine love be made flesh and given breath in the life that changes with you.
Amen
Heavenly Father:
some who receive more hardship respond with greater love.
Their faith runs all the deeper and their hope becomes like rock.
With acquired humility they keep accumulating lessons and accomplish more beyond a terminal sentence than those who barely start.
We give you thanks for saints whose shortened lives contain enough for several books;
whose every thought and prayer and pause deserves an extra page.
Amen.
God of hope:
so much has happened so quickly that we can lose a sense of time.
As we continue to pace and prepare ourselves for more unknown to come,
we are grateful for the faithfulness you promise:
the 'strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow' we find morning by morning.
Give us that song. Have us hum it by heart.
May we share the new mercies we see.
Amen.
God of honest conversation,
God of ever-listening saints:
how we wish we'd found the words and the courage in the moment to say what needed said when loved ones were much closer,
and the time was almost right.
Remind us of the time we have alive with you right now.
Yours is an ear alert for prayer;
ours a communion in which to listen.
Help us in silence with you,
in words for others convey both love and concern,
and may those who hear and those who speak receive the message of your peace.
Amen.
God of midsummer light,
God of midwinter snow:
as our tilted earth rounds the bend and turns along its course,
we note the connection we have with those around the world,
whether they are basking in the fullness of the season or rejoicing in the sun's return.
May we know that even though our highs and lows rarely coincide,
the story of this year and the shared rhythm of this life provides a commonality with all,
even those to whom we are opposed.
Amen
God of cathartic tears,
God of embodied joy:
how good it has been to see a familiar face,
to hear comfort in a dear friend’s voice,
and to share our grief with someone who knows.
As we move through this unbounded and exhausting time,
may we note the moments when we’ve been our most human:
when our bodies instinctively responded to the truth of being alive,
and a part of something greater.
Amen.
May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when our schools close remember those that have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
Let us choose love during this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other.
Let us find a way to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbor.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
You have taught us, through your servant St Francis,
That all creation is your handiwork.
Grant us your grace that we may
Exercise wise stewardship of this Earth;
Tread lightly upon it;
And cherish its resources;
That our children may enjoy its riches, throughout all generations,
And your name be glorified through all that you have made.
Amen.
God we see in familiar faces,
God in the strangers we think we know:
as we meet again and see each other on the street or on a screen,
give us a moment to look again and discover how people can change.
There are worlds within each person we love, and also within those we don’t,
and steps to take from point a to point b, that we can walk together.
As we set out for the good ahead may we greet what’s new inside us.
Amen.
God of the universe,
We thank You for Your many good gifts -
For the beauty of Creation and its rich and varied fruits,
For clean water and fresh air, for food and shelter, animals and plants.
Forgive us for the times we have taken the earth's resources for granted
And wasted what You have given us.
Transform our hearts and minds
So that we would learn to care and share,
To touch the earth with gentleness and with love,
Respecting all living things.
We pray for all those who suffer as a result of our waste, greed and indifference,
And we pray that the day would come when everyone has enough food and clean water.
Help us to respect the rights of all people and to share your resources for all,
Amen
Ebb and Flow
From the flowing of the tide
To its ebbing
From the waxing of life
To its waning
Of your Peace provide us
Of your Light lead us
Of you Goodness give us
Of your Grace grant us
Of your Power protect us
Of your Love lift us
And in your Arms accept us
From the ebbing of the tide
To its flowing
From the waning of life
To its waxing
God of the plentiful harvest,
God of the shaken–off dust:
there is enough work to be done
and enough good to be found that no defeat can be final,
no success a time to stop.
As we set out to help heal this world,
remind us that our own power will always be insufficient,
but that your limitless spirit can speak through the words we proclaim of the good news of heaven come near.
Amen.
God of our hearts and minds,
God of our nervous systems:
as our eyes and ears try to take in
another day of news,
our little bodies absorb the shock
of the biggest event of our lives.
Help us make sense
of what we honestly feel.
Fear. Loneliness. Exhaustion. Anger.
And in naming what lives in
our inner most selves,
may we grow more human
with each other:
warm-blooded and social,
communicative and relational,
present to nurse, eager to soothe
the people we more fully can be.
Amen.
God of ordinary people:
as we reform ourselves in these rebuilding days,
we are bound to mimic the behaviour of others.
May we not get distracted by those whose sound and fury signify nothing.
Remind us of a divine potency alive in those who quietly carry on with compassion;
whose simple goodness, their gift from you, can recreate the world.
Remember those, especially, who face losing their jobs and rebuilding their businesses in these difficult times ,
Amen.
God of eternal life,
God of letting go:
throughout this long season and over a century of days,
you have remained constant as we've rediscovered ourselves.
There is more change ahead. This pandemic is not finished.
Nor are we. As we continue to be transformed,
may we cling to kindness and mercy;
to courage and trust; to faith and hope;
to undying selflessness.
May divine love be made flesh and given breath in the life that changes with you.
Amen
Heavenly Father:
some who receive more hardship respond with greater love.
Their faith runs all the deeper and their hope becomes like rock.
With acquired humility they keep accumulating lessons and accomplish more beyond a terminal sentence than those who barely start.
We give you thanks for saints whose shortened lives contain enough for several books;
whose every thought and prayer and pause deserves an extra page.
Amen.
God of hope:
so much has happened so quickly that we can lose a sense of time.
As we continue to pace and prepare ourselves for more unknown to come,
we are grateful for the faithfulness you promise:
the 'strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow' we find morning by morning.
Give us that song. Have us hum it by heart.
May we share the new mercies we see.
Amen.
God of honest conversation,
God of ever-listening saints:
how we wish we'd found the words and the courage in the moment to say what needed said when loved ones were much closer,
and the time was almost right.
Remind us of the time we have alive with you right now.
Yours is an ear alert for prayer;
ours a communion in which to listen.
Help us in silence with you,
in words for others convey both love and concern,
and may those who hear and those who speak receive the message of your peace.
Amen.
God of midsummer light,
God of midwinter snow:
as our tilted earth rounds the bend and turns along its course,
we note the connection we have with those around the world,
whether they are basking in the fullness of the season or rejoicing in the sun's return.
May we know that even though our highs and lows rarely coincide,
the story of this year and the shared rhythm of this life provides a commonality with all,
even those to whom we are opposed.
Amen
God of cathartic tears,
God of embodied joy:
how good it has been to see a familiar face,
to hear comfort in a dear friend’s voice,
and to share our grief with someone who knows.
As we move through this unbounded and exhausting time,
may we note the moments when we’ve been our most human:
when our bodies instinctively responded to the truth of being alive,
and a part of something greater.
Amen.
May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when our schools close remember those that have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.
Let us choose love during this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other.
Let us find a way to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbor.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
You have taught us, through your servant St Francis,
That all creation is your handiwork.
Grant us your grace that we may
Exercise wise stewardship of this Earth;
Tread lightly upon it;
And cherish its resources;
That our children may enjoy its riches, throughout all generations,
And your name be glorified through all that you have made.
Amen.
God we see in familiar faces,
God in the strangers we think we know:
as we meet again and see each other on the street or on a screen,
give us a moment to look again and discover how people can change.
There are worlds within each person we love, and also within those we don’t,
and steps to take from point a to point b, that we can walk together.
As we set out for the good ahead may we greet what’s new inside us.
Amen.
God of the universe,
We thank You for Your many good gifts -
For the beauty of Creation and its rich and varied fruits,
For clean water and fresh air, for food and shelter, animals and plants.
Forgive us for the times we have taken the earth's resources for granted
And wasted what You have given us.
Transform our hearts and minds
So that we would learn to care and share,
To touch the earth with gentleness and with love,
Respecting all living things.
We pray for all those who suffer as a result of our waste, greed and indifference,
And we pray that the day would come when everyone has enough food and clean water.
Help us to respect the rights of all people and to share your resources for all,
Amen
Ebb and Flow
From the flowing of the tide
To its ebbing
From the waxing of life
To its waning
Of your Peace provide us
Of your Light lead us
Of you Goodness give us
Of your Grace grant us
Of your Power protect us
Of your Love lift us
And in your Arms accept us
From the ebbing of the tide
To its flowing
From the waning of life
To its waxing
God of the plentiful harvest,
God of the shaken–off dust:
there is enough work to be done
and enough good to be found that no defeat can be final,
no success a time to stop.
As we set out to help heal this world,
remind us that our own power will always be insufficient,
but that your limitless spirit can speak through the words we proclaim of the good news of heaven come near.
Amen.
God of the community well,
God of our individual needs:
we have gone through this together and will draw from these days a shared experience for years and years.
Yet each of us balances this pandemic’s challenge with private struggles and dissimilar circumstances.
May we take into account the additional weight that we and our neighbours will carry,
so that as we lend and accept each other support,
we can draw out more lessons from this well of community,
and bring home all that we can.
Amen.
God of our healthy fears,
God of our courage and faith:
there is a strengthening pull wanting to carry us back to what they call normal.
But there is also cautious resistance and a reluctance to embrace all that was.
Help us in this in between time, as we start to venture out
and relax restrictions, may we not forget the dangers,
nor lose sight of what we’ve gained in a time of self–imposed limitation.
Strengthen our patience to let this play out;
and may the lessons we carry help us pull through.
Be especially with those who still feel far from loved ones and friends,
Amen.
God of each moment,
God of all time:
years from now 2020 will still be present in our collective memory;
not just for ourselves or our families or this town, or this nation,
but for all people, everywhere.
May this shared experience, with its sorrow, its anxiety,
its lessons and revelations be the beginning of a new ‘we,’
the us you’ve been with
from the start.
Amen.
Dear Lord:
please surround these teachers as they face uncertain days without students in classrooms.
As they worry for the most vulnerable of their students,
may you hear their concerns rising to you for children who face days without adequate food,
who are caught in cycles of abuse that will be heightened at this stressful moment,
and who lack safe places in which to live.
May you assure these teachers that the love they have shared with these children and youth are being felt in the hearts of those students in this time of social distance.
Lord, please assure these educators that while their plans are in flux,
that your plan for them continues to unfold. in the name of our Lord,
Amen.
God of grace and beauty,
God of the crooked shore:
we give you thanks for those who reveal your grace with a wisdom they wear so lightly,
in a strength they only use
to lift up other people.
The generosity that some show in conversation,
and in lessons they impart through open silence,
provides a glimpse of divine light to be found
in stories yet to be told,
in questions we still want to ask.
Amen
God of the scales held in her hands,
God of the scales that fell from his eyes:
we pray for those who have waited far too long for justice;
and for those who have taken far too long to see that systems said to be balanced and blind work for some but not for all.
May repentance come quick, not from a fear of being condemned,
but in the hope of being set free from the seesaw of us–them, win–lose,
and from the blindness of seeing only what we want to be true.
Amen.
God of one and God of all:
from our many may a unity appear.
Help us find a way to hold our differences together.
Bring us to the recognition that to be most fully human
is to champion the full humanity of others.
Your earthly image cannot be found in the mirror,
but in the eyes of varied faces that reflect the incarnated divinity in our own.
Amen.
God of daily bread,
God of simple pleasures:
we ask for enough for today.
Help us give ourselves the very thing we need:
a walk to clear the head,
a phone call that draws a familiar voice,
a brief exchange with a passer–by,
a gentle word of encouragement.
These little things and their significance can be easily dismissed,
but it is often the non–grand gesture, or an everyday routine,
or an in–the–moment whim that reminds us that our God was always there.
Amen.
God of spring and God of summer:
the first cutting has occurred
and the crows are picking through
the heaps, looking out for harvesters
who will arrive to scoop this up.
The beauty of these long rows draws
our eyes up and our minds back
to what has happened
these last few months.
We ask that you would be with us
as we consider what we’ve lost
but also what we’ve found.
May we mark these moments well.
The birds see now the value
of what can feed many
through the winter.
Amen.
God of righteous anger,
God of rippling peace:
somewhere, far from sight, the tempestuous sea and this quiet bay connect in one great body of water,
linked to rivers and streams that extend a backward reach to headwaters far beyond our shore.
May we on this earth, separated by vastly different experiences,
kept apart by distance and the barriers we make,
be united by your spirit,
that the pain of one might be borne by all,
through the channels of your peace.
Amen.
God of our earthly tents,
God of our guiding light:
you led your people through a desert and resisted a permanent home.
You knew that a life made together is a life on the move,
on roads we’d rather not choose.
Follow me, you said. Come and see, you said.
Be with me, my people forever.
As we travel along through this ‘land of unlikeness,’ a terrain of unsettling truths,
your city of reunion awaits.
May the strangeness we face and the people who change us assure us we’re on the right path.
Amen.
God of the lilies, God of the ravens:
the wildflowers are having an absolute field day;
the rabbits can’t believe their luck. Left to do what she does best,
nature certainly shows off.
We, too, may see which root emotion will rise and come to flower.
We pray that instead of the worry the world has tried to plant,
it may be the hope you sow inside.
Amen.
God who commands us to love,
God who remains God with us:
your answer, your solution,
your remedy for our ills
is not a product we can hold
or a lesson we can recite.
It is a life,
a story,
an ongoing relationship.
It is a life that lives on for us.
It is a story we can be a part of.
It is a relationship we enter with you and with others.
Help us remain together in love,
responsive to one another’s needs,
and changed by our one-ness in you.
Amen.
Remembering especially all those who are at risk of losing their livelihoods due to the after effects of the virus-
God with us
and God within us:
just because
we’re all going through it
doesn’t mean this is normal.
Every body’s a little stressed out,
‘out of our comfort zone.’
So we need to find a reserve of patience
with ourselves and everyone else.
We all could use a bit more compassion,
and the time to take a deep breath.
Help us draw out our more tolerant selves,
the ones who can cope with this mess.
Give us the space to centre ourselves
and find you. At peace. In our midst.
Amen.
Bless you.
When the long day is done-
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears-
Bless you.
Through each day of your years-
Bless you.
(This is an Irish Blessing)
God who speaks from out of the whirlwind,
and hears sighs that are too deep for words:
as we come to terms with what we do not know –
a timeline for return, a safe social distance –
as we struggle to make sense of the world around us
and imagine what life will be like,
ground us in our kindness.
May a gracious word begin our next encounter,
a patient thought accompany our coming breath,
so that with little left in our control,
we may control ourselves with grace and faith and compassion.
Amen.
Through light and shadow
I am led, I follow,
through the ins and outs
the ups and downs
of these days,
when my heart is failing,
when my spirit rejoices,
when I can barely put one foot
in front of the other
still you beckon me on...
when I stumble you support me,
when I can go no further
you carry me,
through light and shadow,
in death's dark vale,
and on the mountain peaks
you lead me,
through tangled webs,
on rocky ground,
on smoother paths,
through light and shadow
you lead me, I follow,
may I never walk alone...
Amen.
O Lord, our Shepherding God,
come close to us now
Come near us in our time of need.
Shepherding God,
we need you in our time of anxiety.
We need you in our time of economic uncertainty.
We need you in a time of a globe-trotting disease.
We need you to bind our wounds,
and pour your healing ointment on our heads .
We need the briars, and brambles, and burrs
pulled out of our fleece and skin.
Amen.
God of one and God of all:
from our many may a unity appear.
Help us find a way to hold our differences together.
Bring us to the recognition that to be most fully human
is to champion the full humanity of others.
Your earthly image cannot be found in the mirror,
but in the eyes of varied faces that reflect the incarnated divinity in our own.
Amen.
God of daily bread,
God of simple pleasures:
we ask for enough for today.
Help us give ourselves the very thing we need:
a walk to clear the head,
a phone call that draws a familiar voice,
a brief exchange with a passer–by,
a gentle word of encouragement.
These little things and their significance can be easily dismissed,
but it is often the non–grand gesture, or an everyday routine,
or an in–the–moment whim that reminds us that our God was always there.
Amen.
God of spring and God of summer:
the first cutting has occurred
and the crows are picking through
the heaps, looking out for harvesters
who will arrive to scoop this up.
The beauty of these long rows draws
our eyes up and our minds back
to what has happened
these last few months.
We ask that you would be with us
as we consider what we’ve lost
but also what we’ve found.
May we mark these moments well.
The birds see now the value
of what can feed many
through the winter.
Amen.
God of righteous anger,
God of rippling peace:
somewhere, far from sight, the tempestuous sea and this quiet bay connect in one great body of water,
linked to rivers and streams that extend a backward reach to headwaters far beyond our shore.
May we on this earth, separated by vastly different experiences,
kept apart by distance and the barriers we make,
be united by your spirit,
that the pain of one might be borne by all,
through the channels of your peace.
Amen.
God of our earthly tents,
God of our guiding light:
you led your people through a desert and resisted a permanent home.
You knew that a life made together is a life on the move,
on roads we’d rather not choose.
Follow me, you said. Come and see, you said.
Be with me, my people forever.
As we travel along through this ‘land of unlikeness,’ a terrain of unsettling truths,
your city of reunion awaits.
May the strangeness we face and the people who change us assure us we’re on the right path.
Amen.
God of the lilies, God of the ravens:
the wildflowers are having an absolute field day;
the rabbits can’t believe their luck. Left to do what she does best,
nature certainly shows off.
We, too, may see which root emotion will rise and come to flower.
We pray that instead of the worry the world has tried to plant,
it may be the hope you sow inside.
Amen.
God who commands us to love,
God who remains God with us:
your answer, your solution,
your remedy for our ills
is not a product we can hold
or a lesson we can recite.
It is a life,
a story,
an ongoing relationship.
It is a life that lives on for us.
It is a story we can be a part of.
It is a relationship we enter with you and with others.
Help us remain together in love,
responsive to one another’s needs,
and changed by our one-ness in you.
Amen.
Remembering especially all those who are at risk of losing their livelihoods due to the after effects of the virus-
God with us
and God within us:
just because
we’re all going through it
doesn’t mean this is normal.
Every body’s a little stressed out,
‘out of our comfort zone.’
So we need to find a reserve of patience
with ourselves and everyone else.
We all could use a bit more compassion,
and the time to take a deep breath.
Help us draw out our more tolerant selves,
the ones who can cope with this mess.
Give us the space to centre ourselves
and find you. At peace. In our midst.
Amen.
Bless you.
When the long day is done-
Bless you.
In your smiles and your tears-
Bless you.
Through each day of your years-
Bless you.
(This is an Irish Blessing)
God who speaks from out of the whirlwind,
and hears sighs that are too deep for words:
as we come to terms with what we do not know –
a timeline for return, a safe social distance –
as we struggle to make sense of the world around us
and imagine what life will be like,
ground us in our kindness.
May a gracious word begin our next encounter,
a patient thought accompany our coming breath,
so that with little left in our control,
we may control ourselves with grace and faith and compassion.
Amen.
Through light and shadow
I am led, I follow,
through the ins and outs
the ups and downs
of these days,
when my heart is failing,
when my spirit rejoices,
when I can barely put one foot
in front of the other
still you beckon me on...
when I stumble you support me,
when I can go no further
you carry me,
through light and shadow,
in death's dark vale,
and on the mountain peaks
you lead me,
through tangled webs,
on rocky ground,
on smoother paths,
through light and shadow
you lead me, I follow,
may I never walk alone...
Amen.
O Lord, our Shepherding God,
come close to us now
Come near us in our time of need.
Shepherding God,
we need you in our time of anxiety.
We need you in our time of economic uncertainty.
We need you in a time of a globe-trotting disease.
We need you to bind our wounds,
and pour your healing ointment on our heads .
We need the briars, and brambles, and burrs
pulled out of our fleece and skin.
Amen.
Shepherding God.
you guide us with your voice,
Help us to listen and follow no matter where your voice leads.
Help us to trust you.
Shepherding God,
protect us from the hired hands
that do not really care for us
and have neglected or abused us in the past.
Shepherding God,
thank you for your son
who lay down his life for those who follow him
and for those who are not in the fold yet..
Lord we pray for those who don’t know the shepherd,
whose life circumstances kept them from knowing the good shepherd.
We pray that by our actions, our behavior,
and our reaching out into the community,
they may come to know you.
Shepherding God,
renew us, guide us with your love
and renew us with your peace.
Amen
God of the weary,
God of the burdened:
after six straight weeks,
it would be stranger
if fatigue didn’t set it,
not only for those
who fight for breath,
or are working countless shifts,
but for all those whose minds
are occupied with stress and worry,
laden with concerns for the future.
Turn our ear to your invitation
to come and rest for a while.
Give us again what we struggle to hold:
the strength to let go of control.
Amen.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow,
May the soft winds freshen your spirit,
May the sunshine brighten your heart,
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of his love.
(Traditional Gaelic blessing)
An Awakening Prayer.
For too long we've been asleep in the light.
Too long we have sought shelter in darkness
Hiding, Sleepwalking, we stumble, slumbering through life.
For too long we've been blind while seeing,
Deaf while hearing.
Awaken us. Awaken us, You who love us.
You who are ever with us, you love us
without and within
in a thousand different ways.
In the stars at night
In the songs of life
In the winds and trees
In the flowers at our feet
Shinning through the fabric of all creation
all around us.
Awaken us O Christ
into the grand mystery
of your presence
In us, in you.
Open the eyes of our heart
to see eternity
Open our ears to hear
your eternal voice
Give us a heart of wisdom
that we might cross the threshold
into the fullness tasting your living presence
that we might know you as you are
and dance in the winds of heaven
on earth.
Shepherding God.
you guide us with your voice,
Help us to listen and follow no matter where your voice leads.
Help us to trust you.
Shepherding God,
protect us from the hired hands
that do not really care for us
and have neglected or abused us in the past.
Shepherding God,
thank you for your son
who lay down his life for those who follow him
and for those who are not in the fold yet..
Lord we pray for those who don’t know the shepherd,
whose life circumstances kept them from knowing the good shepherd.
We pray that by our actions, our behavior,
and our reaching out into the community,
they may come to know you.
Shepherding God,
renew us, guide us with your love
and renew us with your peace.
Amen
God of the weary,
God of the burdened:
after six straight weeks,
it would be stranger
if fatigue didn’t set it,
not only for those
who fight for breath,
or are working countless shifts,
but for all those whose minds
are occupied with stress and worry,
laden with concerns for the future.
Turn our ear to your invitation
to come and rest for a while.
Give us again what we struggle to hold:
the strength to let go of control.
Amen.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow,
May the soft winds freshen your spirit,
May the sunshine brighten your heart,
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of his love.
(Traditional Gaelic blessing)
An Awakening Prayer.
For too long we've been asleep in the light.
Too long we have sought shelter in darkness
Hiding, Sleepwalking, we stumble, slumbering through life.
For too long we've been blind while seeing,
Deaf while hearing.
Awaken us. Awaken us, You who love us.
You who are ever with us, you love us
without and within
in a thousand different ways.
In the stars at night
In the songs of life
In the winds and trees
In the flowers at our feet
Shinning through the fabric of all creation
all around us.
Awaken us O Christ
into the grand mystery
of your presence
In us, in you.
Open the eyes of our heart
to see eternity
Open our ears to hear
your eternal voice
Give us a heart of wisdom
that we might cross the threshold
into the fullness tasting your living presence
that we might know you as you are
and dance in the winds of heaven
on earth.
Amen.
God of the bedside, God of the graveside:
in care homes and hospices,
in hospital wards,
your spirit remains present
when family cannot be near.
With a comforting word or silent prayer,
in the final minutes of breath,
you have spoken a message of peace
through nurses and doctors,
chaplains and priests:
a Samaritan response at this roadside.
We give thanks that even if a disease
would rob us, through separation,
of a healing moment at death,
you appear at our side, time and again
with embodied, miraculous life.
Amen.
God of the protective fold,
God of the abundant life:
you did not form us
to live in fear of others
or in want of simple joys.
In your keep may we find
the abundance you came to provide:
a constant supply of the love we need
and an ever-opening expanse
of a life that is ours to explore.
Amen.
Creator God,
Because of your abundant love
you chose to bring light and order into the formless void,
to create a world of unsurpassed beauty
and you saw that it was good.
We ask that you continue to recreate the world
with that same attentive love,
to bring light into today’s ever increasing chaos and darkness
where we have failed to be stewards and carers of your creation.
Replenish our hearts
so that we too can renew the face of the earth.
Amen
God of providence, God of surprise,
if this virus had struck 25 years ago,
who among us could have
teleconferenced with our grannies,
or homeschooled our children
in online classrooms?
Who would have dreamt of the conversations
we’ve had with the man who brings groceries
bought with the tap of a screen in our palm?
This is not to question the greed
that has birthed such convenience;
nor to ignore the suffering of those
who don’t have the luxury of asking.
It is to give thanks
that your providence adapts
to the world we create,
allowing human connection to survive.
Amen.
God of the bedside, God of the graveside:
in care homes and hospices,
in hospital wards,
your spirit remains present
when family cannot be near.
With a comforting word or silent prayer,
in the final minutes of breath,
you have spoken a message of peace
through nurses and doctors,
chaplains and priests:
a Samaritan response at this roadside.
We give thanks that even if a disease
would rob us, through separation,
of a healing moment at death,
you appear at our side, time and again
with embodied, miraculous life.
Amen.
God of the protective fold,
God of the abundant life:
you did not form us
to live in fear of others
or in want of simple joys.
In your keep may we find
the abundance you came to provide:
a constant supply of the love we need
and an ever-opening expanse
of a life that is ours to explore.
Amen.
Creator God,
Because of your abundant love
you chose to bring light and order into the formless void,
to create a world of unsurpassed beauty
and you saw that it was good.
We ask that you continue to recreate the world
with that same attentive love,
to bring light into today’s ever increasing chaos and darkness
where we have failed to be stewards and carers of your creation.
Replenish our hearts
so that we too can renew the face of the earth.
Amen
God of providence, God of surprise,
if this virus had struck 25 years ago,
who among us could have
teleconferenced with our grannies,
or homeschooled our children
in online classrooms?
Who would have dreamt of the conversations
we’ve had with the man who brings groceries
bought with the tap of a screen in our palm?
This is not to question the greed
that has birthed such convenience;
nor to ignore the suffering of those
who don’t have the luxury of asking.
It is to give thanks
that your providence adapts
to the world we create,
allowing human connection to survive.
Amen.
St George’s Day Prayer.
With courage,
you stood up to those in power,
to tell them that what they were doing was wrong.
Pray that we, too, may have courage to stand up for what is right,
with God’s help.
You were not ashamed of your faith.
Pray that we, too, may be proud of our faith,
and may cheerfully show the love of Jesus in all that we do.
St George, pray for us.
With courage,
you stood up to those in power,
to tell them that what they were doing was wrong.
Pray that we, too, may have courage to stand up for what is right,
with God’s help.
You were not ashamed of your faith.
Pray that we, too, may be proud of our faith,
and may cheerfully show the love of Jesus in all that we do.
St George, pray for us.
Amen.
God of the earth,
God of each day:
we pray that fifty years from now,
this crucial moment we are in
will be seen as the turning point
when the world began to work
not just to flatten the curve,
but to address the growing crisis
that affects us all.
May this fifty-first Earth Day
be the first day of a new era
when the only enemy we meet
in the peoples of the earth
is our apathy.
Amen.
On a beautiful, sunny day-
God of every living creature,
God of every creeping thing:
a bird came into our garden,
and we didn’t know its name.
The common snipe, the internet said.
‘Common,’ which suggests
our grandparents would have known,
and their grandparents, too.
When did we forget it’s normal
to see and hear nature on our doorstep,
and to appreciate the everyday?
Now that we’ve been stopped
by this common threat,
may we never let such knowledge,
or such birds, become so rare.
Amen.
God of the earth,
God of each day:
we pray that fifty years from now,
this crucial moment we are in
will be seen as the turning point
when the world began to work
not just to flatten the curve,
but to address the growing crisis
that affects us all.
May this fifty-first Earth Day
be the first day of a new era
when the only enemy we meet
in the peoples of the earth
is our apathy.
Amen.
On a beautiful, sunny day-
God of every living creature,
God of every creeping thing:
a bird came into our garden,
and we didn’t know its name.
The common snipe, the internet said.
‘Common,’ which suggests
our grandparents would have known,
and their grandparents, too.
When did we forget it’s normal
to see and hear nature on our doorstep,
and to appreciate the everyday?
Now that we’ve been stopped
by this common threat,
may we never let such knowledge,
or such birds, become so rare.
Amen.
May the quiet fire of God’s love and compassion
Arise in your heart.
May the flames of love, joy, and peace
Enlighten the steps of your path in this world.
And may you be like the burning bush,
The presence of God for each other,
That holy healing light of love.
Amen.
At the ending of the day-
May the quiet fire of God’s love and compassion
Arise in your heart.
May the flames of love, joy, and peace
Enlighten the steps of your path in this world.
And may you be like the burning bush,
The presence of God for each other,
That holy healing light of love.
At the ending of the day-
May the quiet fire of God’s love and compassion
Arise in your heart.
May the flames of love, joy, and peace
Enlighten the steps of your path in this world.
And may you be like the burning bush,
The presence of God for each other,
That holy healing light of love.
Amen.
God of rolling waters,
God of ever-flowing streams:
the skies do seem clearer,
and the air cleaner,
and the world less littered with our mess.
The earth looks more itself these days,
its resilience on fuller display.
But human nature is also more evident
and your warning rings loud in our ears:
what comes out of our mouths can defile;
what rots in our hearts can corrupt.
May justice and righteousness bathe us,
and wash out our self-serving sin.
Let us then resume our part in creation
and breathe out the joy we breathe in.
Amen.
The world needs community like never before. In that spirit, we offer this prayer to build up our spiritual resilience.
God who comforts, God who disturbs:
for some your Easter message
lands when spring is at its softest,
disrupting our anxiety
with the gift of needed peace.
For others, though,
the season grows harsh
and words of comfort become harder to hear.
May we who can now absorb
rays of warming light
store them up for darker days to come.
And for those whose current climate
keeps comfort out of reach
may we find your presence in our midst,
and with it the returning promise
of a new and brighter day.
Amen.
God of constant change,
God of steadfast love:
so much of what is familiar
is being put to rest,
perhaps for a spell,
perhaps for good.
May we who believe in life after death
have faith to lay aside tired ways
and to trust that what is true
and good and life-giving
will re-emerge
from this cocooning tomb, transformed
into a fuller embodiment
of what always was.
Amen.
God, give us eyes to see
the beauty of the Spring,
And to behold Your majesty
in every living thing -
And may we see in lacy leaves
and every budding flower
The Hand that rules the universe
with gentleness and power -
And may this Easter grandeur
that Spring lavishly imparts
Awaken faded flowers of faith
lying dormant in our hearts,
And give us ears to hear, dear God,
the Springtime song of birds
With messages more meaningful
than man's often empty words
Telling harried human beings
who are lost in dark despair -
'Be like us and do not worry
for God has you in His care.
Amen
A prayer for Easter Monday-
Risen and reconciling God,
Your greeting after the grave
acknowledged the trauma and turmoil
of that time and our own.
The message of peace
was what your disciples needed to hear,
and what the world needs now.
When we are reunited
with those from whom we've been separated,
may our greetings, too, be of peace,
and may we see all division in the light
of your reconciliation
and all crises in the context
of your resurrection.
Amen.
Everything becomes sacred when we walk with God.
Every leaf, every tree, every eye, and open heart.
The ground we work and plant.
The words we write and sing.
The ones we bless and honor...
Every person becomes Beloved
As we awaken in the vast wonder of God.”
God of the fallen grain,
God of the children of light:
it was in your being broken down
that you were lifted up.
It is in releasing our lives to others
that we bear your lasting truth.
As we head further into this week,
a community dispersed,
may our relinquishing of self
and our selfless love for others
broadcast wide the great good news
that even in death there is glorious new life,
and that darkness will not overcome it.
Amen.
Walk with us
Jesus, you know what it's like
to feel abandoned
lost and afraid.
Walk with us
And show us how to walk with others,
who live in fear,
who face death
through hunger or war.
Show us how to pray
for those we do not know
and will not meet,
but who are always loved by you.
Walk with us Jesus,
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
in this sacred and solemn week
when we see again
the depth and mystery of your redeeming love,
help us to follow where you go,
to stop where you stumble,
to listen when you cry,
to hurt as you suffer,
to bow our heads in sorrow as you die,
so that, when you are raised to life again,
we may share in your endless joy.
God of rolling waters,
God of ever-flowing streams:
the skies do seem clearer,
and the air cleaner,
and the world less littered with our mess.
The earth looks more itself these days,
its resilience on fuller display.
But human nature is also more evident
and your warning rings loud in our ears:
what comes out of our mouths can defile;
what rots in our hearts can corrupt.
May justice and righteousness bathe us,
and wash out our self-serving sin.
Let us then resume our part in creation
and breathe out the joy we breathe in.
Amen.
The world needs community like never before. In that spirit, we offer this prayer to build up our spiritual resilience.
God who comforts, God who disturbs:
for some your Easter message
lands when spring is at its softest,
disrupting our anxiety
with the gift of needed peace.
For others, though,
the season grows harsh
and words of comfort become harder to hear.
May we who can now absorb
rays of warming light
store them up for darker days to come.
And for those whose current climate
keeps comfort out of reach
may we find your presence in our midst,
and with it the returning promise
of a new and brighter day.
Amen.
God of constant change,
God of steadfast love:
so much of what is familiar
is being put to rest,
perhaps for a spell,
perhaps for good.
May we who believe in life after death
have faith to lay aside tired ways
and to trust that what is true
and good and life-giving
will re-emerge
from this cocooning tomb, transformed
into a fuller embodiment
of what always was.
Amen.
God, give us eyes to see
the beauty of the Spring,
And to behold Your majesty
in every living thing -
And may we see in lacy leaves
and every budding flower
The Hand that rules the universe
with gentleness and power -
And may this Easter grandeur
that Spring lavishly imparts
Awaken faded flowers of faith
lying dormant in our hearts,
And give us ears to hear, dear God,
the Springtime song of birds
With messages more meaningful
than man's often empty words
Telling harried human beings
who are lost in dark despair -
'Be like us and do not worry
for God has you in His care.
Amen
A prayer for Easter Monday-
Risen and reconciling God,
Your greeting after the grave
acknowledged the trauma and turmoil
of that time and our own.
The message of peace
was what your disciples needed to hear,
and what the world needs now.
When we are reunited
with those from whom we've been separated,
may our greetings, too, be of peace,
and may we see all division in the light
of your reconciliation
and all crises in the context
of your resurrection.
Amen.
Everything becomes sacred when we walk with God.
Every leaf, every tree, every eye, and open heart.
The ground we work and plant.
The words we write and sing.
The ones we bless and honor...
Every person becomes Beloved
As we awaken in the vast wonder of God.”
God of the fallen grain,
God of the children of light:
it was in your being broken down
that you were lifted up.
It is in releasing our lives to others
that we bear your lasting truth.
As we head further into this week,
a community dispersed,
may our relinquishing of self
and our selfless love for others
broadcast wide the great good news
that even in death there is glorious new life,
and that darkness will not overcome it.
Amen.
Walk with us
Jesus, you know what it's like
to feel abandoned
lost and afraid.
Walk with us
And show us how to walk with others,
who live in fear,
who face death
through hunger or war.
Show us how to pray
for those we do not know
and will not meet,
but who are always loved by you.
Walk with us Jesus,
Amen.
Lord Jesus Christ,
in this sacred and solemn week
when we see again
the depth and mystery of your redeeming love,
help us to follow where you go,
to stop where you stumble,
to listen when you cry,
to hurt as you suffer,
to bow our heads in sorrow as you die,
so that, when you are raised to life again,
we may share in your endless joy.
Amen.
Remember especially this evening the truck drivers, retail workers and care workers, who very often work for a minimal wage and on whom so many of us take for granted-
Circle them, Lord.
Keep protection near
And danger afar.
Circle them, Lord
Keep hope within.
Keep doubt without.
Circle them, Lord.
Keep light near
And darkness afar.
Circle them, Lord.
Keep peace within.
Keep evil out.
Amen.
A Prayer for Loneliness in time of self isolation
Dear Gracious and Loving God,
Help me to feel your presence.
My heart aches and I feel so alone.
I miss a human touch, someone to take my hand or give me a hug.
I long for someone to tell me everything will be alright.
Please send your Comforter to me and take this loneliness away.
Help me instead of feeling empty, to feel full of the love you have for me.
Help me to know in my heart and remember that according to your Word;
I am never alone because you are with me.
Your love and peace is with me, right now, in this moment.
I feel it and I am not alone.
Amen
May we, who are merely inconvenienced, remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we, who have no risk factors, remember those most vulnerable.
May we, who have the luxury of working from home, remember those who must choose between preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we, who have the flexibility to care for our own children when their schools close,
remember those who have no options.
May we, who have to cancel our trips, remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we, who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market,
remember those who have no margin at all.
May we, who settle in for a quarantine at home, remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose to love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around one another, let us find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.
Jesus Christ, you travelled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.”
At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.
Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbours from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.
Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.
Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
Jesus Christ, heal us.
Visit the America Magazine Faith article here...
Dear Lord, Jesus brought healing during his ministry on earth. He healed the sick and brought the dead to life.
By his own death and resurrection he brings the promise, hope and means of healing to us all.
Now we need his healing more than ever.
We need not only the healing from physical illness brought on by the COVID-19 virus but healing for human hearts, communities and world society.
Open our hearts that we may not turn in on ourselves and our own needs.
Let unity, compassion and care mark us all.
Inspire us to serve the poor and abandoned.
May we use our skills in service of others.
May more fortunate countries come to the aid of those less prosperous.
May we be concerned less about public image but more about doing the right thing.
"This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples: if you love one another." (John 13:35).
Amen
Visit the Columban Pandemic Prayer article here...
Praying in a Pandemic
‘Shape your worries into prayers’
(Philippians 4:6, The Message) by Jen Pollock Michel.
1. For the sick and infected: God, heal and help. Sustain bodies and spirits. Contain the spread of infection.
2. For our vulnerable populations: God, protect our elderly and those suffering from chronic disease. Provide for the poor, especially those not eligible for benefits.
3. For the young and the strong: God, give them the necessary caution to keep them from unwittingly spreading this disease. Inspire them to help.
4. For our local, county, devolved, and national governments: God, help our elected officials as they allocate the necessary resources for combatting this pandemic. Help them to provide more tests.
5. For our scientific community, leading the charge to understand the disease and communicate its gravity: God, give them knowledge, wisdom, and a persuasive voice.
6. For the media, committed to providing up-to-date information: God, help them to communicate with appropriate seriousness without causing panic.
7. For consumers of media, looking to be well-informed: God, help us find the most helpful local information to equip us to be good neighbours. Keep us from anxiety and panic, and enableus to implement the recommended strategies, even at a cost to ourselves.
8. For those with mental health challenges who feel isolated, anxious, and helpless: God, provide them every necessary support.
9. For the homeless, unable to practice the protocols of social distancing in the shelter system: Protect them from disease, and provide sufficient shelters in every place.
10. For international travellers stranded in foreign countries: God, help them return home safely and quickly.
11. For Christian missionaries throughout the world, especially in areas with high rates of infection: God, provide them with words of hope, and equip them to love and serve those around them.
12. For workers in a variety of industries facing shutdowns and financial hardship: God, keep them from panic, and inspire our nation to generously support them.
13. For families with young children at home for the foreseeable future: God, help mothers, and fathers, to partner together creatively for the care and flourishing of their children. For single mothers and fathers, grow their networks of support.
14. For parents who cannot stay home from work but must find care for their children: God, present them with creative solutions.
15. For those in need of regular therapies and treatments that must now be postponed: God, help them to stay patient and positive.
16. For business leaders making difficult decisions that affect the lives of their employees: God, give these women and men wisdom, and help them to lead self-sacrificially. For ordained and lay church ministers faced with the challenges of social distancing: God, help them to creatively imagine how to care for their people and love their places well.
17. For college and university students, whose courses of study are changing, whose placements are cancelled, whose qualifying is uncertain: God, show them that while life is uncertain, their trust is in you.
18. For Christians in every village, town, and city: May your Holy Spirit inspire us to pray, to give, to love, to serve, and to proclaim the gospel, that the name of Jesus Christ might be glorified around the world.
19. For frontline health care workers, we thank you for their vocational call to serve us. We also pray:
God, keep them safe and healthy. Keep their families safe and healthy.
God, help them to be knowledgeable about the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, as well as the changing protocols.
God, help them to stay clear-minded in the midst of the surrounding panic.
God, deliver them from anxiety for their own loved ones (ageing parents, children, spouses, roommates).
God, give them compassion for every patient in their care.
God, provide for them financially, especially if they fall ill and are unable to work.
God, help Christians in health care to exhibit extraordinary peace, so that that many would ask about the reason for their hope. Give them opportunities to proclaim the gospel.
God, we trust that you are good and do good. Teach us to be your faithful people in this time of global crisis. Help us to follow in the footsteps of our faithful shepherd, Jesus, who laid down his life for the sake of love. Glorify his name as you equip us with everything needed for doing your will.
Amen.
Visit the Christianity Today Prayer article here...
Dear Father, who created us, and redeemed us, and who has promised us your love, be with us in a time of danger and of worry.
May those who suffer, or who are ill,
know the blessing of your grace,
while we who are well be inspired by your Spirit
to be wise and to be servants,
working for the healing and wholeness of all,
each in our own way.
Keep us calm and cautious, strong and open to service,
So that we take care of those around us, and also ourselves.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Remember especially this evening the truck drivers, retail workers and care workers, who very often work for a minimal wage and on whom so many of us take for granted-
Circle them, Lord.
Keep protection near
And danger afar.
Circle them, Lord
Keep hope within.
Keep doubt without.
Circle them, Lord.
Keep light near
And darkness afar.
Circle them, Lord.
Keep peace within.
Keep evil out.
Amen.
A Prayer for Loneliness in time of self isolation
Dear Gracious and Loving God,
Help me to feel your presence.
My heart aches and I feel so alone.
I miss a human touch, someone to take my hand or give me a hug.
I long for someone to tell me everything will be alright.
Please send your Comforter to me and take this loneliness away.
Help me instead of feeling empty, to feel full of the love you have for me.
Help me to know in my heart and remember that according to your Word;
I am never alone because you are with me.
Your love and peace is with me, right now, in this moment.
I feel it and I am not alone.
Amen
PRAYING IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC
Scripture encourages us to a life in Jesus Christ where we ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Timothy 5:17) and pray at all times’ (Ephesians 6:18). In a time of heightened feeling, in circumstances of daily change, we might value some words or structure to help us to pray. We aren’t able to come together at the moment to pray with each other, but we can pray for each other and for the many different groups of people and places caught up in the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a global crisis, and as God’s people, the Body of Christ, we can hold this world in prayer before God.
If we have access to the internet we’ll be able to discover all kinds of resources. Many of us are not online, so here are some suggestions for ways of praying which others are using too. Whenever we pray we do so with others anywhere in the world, all caught up together in the praying of Jesus in the heart of the Holy Trinity.
Some of us may find it hard at the moment to put our prayers into words. Here are a few full prayers that could be helpful to pray.
Prayers In A Time Of Pandemic.
By Cameron Wiggins Bellm...
May we, who are merely inconvenienced, remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we, who have no risk factors, remember those most vulnerable.
May we, who have the luxury of working from home, remember those who must choose between preserving their health or paying their rent.
May we, who have the flexibility to care for our own children when their schools close,
remember those who have no options.
May we, who have to cancel our trips, remember those who have no safe place to go.
May we, who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market,
remember those who have no margin at all.
May we, who settle in for a quarantine at home, remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country, let us choose to love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around one another, let us find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbours.
A Prayer Amid an Epidemic
by Kerry Weber, an executive editor of America Magazine...
Jesus Christ, you travelled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.”
At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.
Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.
Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbours from helping one another.
Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.
Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.
Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.
Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.
Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.
Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.
Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.
Jesus Christ, heal us.
Visit the America Magazine Faith article here...
Prayer for the Pandemic.
by Columban Fr. John Comiskey...
Dear Lord, Jesus brought healing during his ministry on earth. He healed the sick and brought the dead to life.
By his own death and resurrection he brings the promise, hope and means of healing to us all.
Now we need his healing more than ever.
We need not only the healing from physical illness brought on by the COVID-19 virus but healing for human hearts, communities and world society.
Open our hearts that we may not turn in on ourselves and our own needs.
Let unity, compassion and care mark us all.
Inspire us to serve the poor and abandoned.
May we use our skills in service of others.
May more fortunate countries come to the aid of those less prosperous.
May we be concerned less about public image but more about doing the right thing.
"This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples: if you love one another." (John 13:35).
Amen
Visit the Columban Pandemic Prayer article here...
Some of us will prefer headings or lists or prompts to focus our prayer, rather than set words. Here is a list of 20 prayers to pray during this pandemic. Of course it doesn’t cover everything, but can be a helpful start. We might want to concentrate on just one, or several, at a time.
Praying in a Pandemic
‘Shape your worries into prayers’
(Philippians 4:6, The Message) by Jen Pollock Michel.
1. For the sick and infected: God, heal and help. Sustain bodies and spirits. Contain the spread of infection.
2. For our vulnerable populations: God, protect our elderly and those suffering from chronic disease. Provide for the poor, especially those not eligible for benefits.
3. For the young and the strong: God, give them the necessary caution to keep them from unwittingly spreading this disease. Inspire them to help.
4. For our local, county, devolved, and national governments: God, help our elected officials as they allocate the necessary resources for combatting this pandemic. Help them to provide more tests.
5. For our scientific community, leading the charge to understand the disease and communicate its gravity: God, give them knowledge, wisdom, and a persuasive voice.
6. For the media, committed to providing up-to-date information: God, help them to communicate with appropriate seriousness without causing panic.
7. For consumers of media, looking to be well-informed: God, help us find the most helpful local information to equip us to be good neighbours. Keep us from anxiety and panic, and enableus to implement the recommended strategies, even at a cost to ourselves.
8. For those with mental health challenges who feel isolated, anxious, and helpless: God, provide them every necessary support.
9. For the homeless, unable to practice the protocols of social distancing in the shelter system: Protect them from disease, and provide sufficient shelters in every place.
10. For international travellers stranded in foreign countries: God, help them return home safely and quickly.
11. For Christian missionaries throughout the world, especially in areas with high rates of infection: God, provide them with words of hope, and equip them to love and serve those around them.
12. For workers in a variety of industries facing shutdowns and financial hardship: God, keep them from panic, and inspire our nation to generously support them.
13. For families with young children at home for the foreseeable future: God, help mothers, and fathers, to partner together creatively for the care and flourishing of their children. For single mothers and fathers, grow their networks of support.
14. For parents who cannot stay home from work but must find care for their children: God, present them with creative solutions.
15. For those in need of regular therapies and treatments that must now be postponed: God, help them to stay patient and positive.
16. For business leaders making difficult decisions that affect the lives of their employees: God, give these women and men wisdom, and help them to lead self-sacrificially. For ordained and lay church ministers faced with the challenges of social distancing: God, help them to creatively imagine how to care for their people and love their places well.
17. For college and university students, whose courses of study are changing, whose placements are cancelled, whose qualifying is uncertain: God, show them that while life is uncertain, their trust is in you.
18. For Christians in every village, town, and city: May your Holy Spirit inspire us to pray, to give, to love, to serve, and to proclaim the gospel, that the name of Jesus Christ might be glorified around the world.
19. For frontline health care workers, we thank you for their vocational call to serve us. We also pray:
God, keep them safe and healthy. Keep their families safe and healthy.
God, help them to be knowledgeable about the diagnosis and treatment of this disease, as well as the changing protocols.
God, help them to stay clear-minded in the midst of the surrounding panic.
God, deliver them from anxiety for their own loved ones (ageing parents, children, spouses, roommates).
God, give them compassion for every patient in their care.
God, provide for them financially, especially if they fall ill and are unable to work.
God, help Christians in health care to exhibit extraordinary peace, so that that many would ask about the reason for their hope. Give them opportunities to proclaim the gospel.
God, we trust that you are good and do good. Teach us to be your faithful people in this time of global crisis. Help us to follow in the footsteps of our faithful shepherd, Jesus, who laid down his life for the sake of love. Glorify his name as you equip us with everything needed for doing your will.
Amen.
Visit the Christianity Today Prayer article here...
Coronavirus Diocesan Prayer.
Bishop Gregory has written a prayer which he offers to our diocese…
Dear Father, who created us, and redeemed us, and who has promised us your love, be with us in a time of danger and of worry.
May those who suffer, or who are ill,
know the blessing of your grace,
while we who are well be inspired by your Spirit
to be wise and to be servants,
working for the healing and wholeness of all,
each in our own way.
Keep us calm and cautious, strong and open to service,
So that we take care of those around us, and also ourselves.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.