Understanding God...
Intercession
Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Understanding God, you learned to deal with stress so well that it didn't ruin your life. You learned to constantly step back and find your own space so that you were recharged and replenished and re-invigorated. When I'm tired or stressed, I tend to turn away from space and silence. It's as though I can't be bothered to make the effort to find you. Understanding God, help me to realise that my effort is immaterial; you are always there, always ready and waiting for me, and there's no need for me to find you since you find me. Lead me beyond physical or mental or emotional needs into the depths of your presence, so that I too might reach beyond stress and into your peace which passes all understanding.
Understanding God, lead me beyond my needs into the depths of your presence, so that I too might reach beyond stress and into your peace which passes all understanding.
Understanding God, in your Church we tend to rely on liturgical prayer. Teach us the richness to be gained from learning to pray at personal depth, and enable us to pray in this way. May we be nourished by silence and nurtured by meditation, so that we can go out and minister within our community in the ways you desire.
With Christians across the world we pray especially today for Kenya with Archbishop David Gitari, and for St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland, with Bishop Henley.
Understanding God, may your Church be nourished by silence and nurtured by meditation, so that church members can properly minister within their own community. We pray especially today for Kenya with Archbishop David Gitari, and for St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland, with Bishop Henley.
Understanding God, our world is a noisy place. In the West, our minds and spirits are constantly bombarded by the noise of commercialism, and for some in other parts of the world, the noise they encounter is that of gunfire and shelling. Teach us all to value quiet and reflection and silence, so that we may demand a change in our social values to enable us to live lives which contain less stress. And may we also demand peace in our world, so that our politicians might work for harmony and accord.
We pray especially today for ....
Understanding God, teach us all to value quiet and to demand peace in our world, so all may live in harmony and accord. We pray especially today for ....
Understanding God, may our homes be so full of your peace which passes all understanding that they bring refreshment and joy to all around us. And may the love which arises from that peace overflow to neighbours in need and embrace those in distress. Comfort and strengthen all who are unhappy at home, and all who must live in an atmosphere of disunity and unpleasantness. May they learn love from you, so that they can rise above their suffering.
In our community we pray especially today ....
Understanding God, may our homes be so full of your peace that love overflows to neighbours in need and embraces those in distress. In our community we pray especially today ....
Understanding God, hold those who are sick in your loving arms and pour your healing strength into them. On behalf of those whom we know who are sick, we touch the hem of your robe as we name them before you ..... Support their carers and their healers, and restore them to full health and strength as you restored all those needy people who came to you when you were on this earth.
Understanding God, we touch the hem of your robe as we name before you those who are sick ..... Restore them to full health and strength and support their carers and their healers.
Understanding God, open your arms to receive those who are dying, and cradle those who have recently lost someone they love. Give our friends who have lost a loved one, the certainty of a resurrection faith. May they know that there is light at the end of their very dark tunnel, and that you carry them in your arms when their burden of pain becomes too heavy. We name them in your presence....
Understanding God, receive those who are dying, and cradle those who have recently lost someone they love. Give them the certainty of a resurrection faith as we name them in your presence....
We ask these prayers through Jesus Christ, who was able to pray for his friends when his own life was about to end.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Church of Christ
Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority
The local community
Those who suffer
The communion of saints
These responses may be used:
Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Understanding God, you learned to deal with stress so well that it didn't ruin your life. You learned to constantly step back and find your own space so that you were recharged and replenished and re-invigorated. When I'm tired or stressed, I tend to turn away from space and silence. It's as though I can't be bothered to make the effort to find you. Understanding God, help me to realise that my effort is immaterial; you are always there, always ready and waiting for me, and there's no need for me to find you since you find me. Lead me beyond physical or mental or emotional needs into the depths of your presence, so that I too might reach beyond stress and into your peace which passes all understanding.
Understanding God, lead me beyond my needs into the depths of your presence, so that I too might reach beyond stress and into your peace which passes all understanding.
Understanding God, in your Church we tend to rely on liturgical prayer. Teach us the richness to be gained from learning to pray at personal depth, and enable us to pray in this way. May we be nourished by silence and nurtured by meditation, so that we can go out and minister within our community in the ways you desire.
With Christians across the world we pray especially today for Kenya with Archbishop David Gitari, and for St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland, with Bishop Henley.
Understanding God, may your Church be nourished by silence and nurtured by meditation, so that church members can properly minister within their own community. We pray especially today for Kenya with Archbishop David Gitari, and for St. Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane in Scotland, with Bishop Henley.
Understanding God, our world is a noisy place. In the West, our minds and spirits are constantly bombarded by the noise of commercialism, and for some in other parts of the world, the noise they encounter is that of gunfire and shelling. Teach us all to value quiet and reflection and silence, so that we may demand a change in our social values to enable us to live lives which contain less stress. And may we also demand peace in our world, so that our politicians might work for harmony and accord.
We pray especially today for ....
Understanding God, teach us all to value quiet and to demand peace in our world, so all may live in harmony and accord. We pray especially today for ....
Understanding God, may our homes be so full of your peace which passes all understanding that they bring refreshment and joy to all around us. And may the love which arises from that peace overflow to neighbours in need and embrace those in distress. Comfort and strengthen all who are unhappy at home, and all who must live in an atmosphere of disunity and unpleasantness. May they learn love from you, so that they can rise above their suffering.
In our community we pray especially today ....
Understanding God, may our homes be so full of your peace that love overflows to neighbours in need and embraces those in distress. In our community we pray especially today ....
Understanding God, hold those who are sick in your loving arms and pour your healing strength into them. On behalf of those whom we know who are sick, we touch the hem of your robe as we name them before you ..... Support their carers and their healers, and restore them to full health and strength as you restored all those needy people who came to you when you were on this earth.
Understanding God, we touch the hem of your robe as we name before you those who are sick ..... Restore them to full health and strength and support their carers and their healers.
Understanding God, open your arms to receive those who are dying, and cradle those who have recently lost someone they love. Give our friends who have lost a loved one, the certainty of a resurrection faith. May they know that there is light at the end of their very dark tunnel, and that you carry them in your arms when their burden of pain becomes too heavy. We name them in your presence....
Understanding God, receive those who are dying, and cradle those who have recently lost someone they love. Give them the certainty of a resurrection faith as we name them in your presence....
We ask these prayers through Jesus Christ, who was able to pray for his friends when his own life was about to end.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
