Prayers of Adoration & Confession

You break the cycle of wars,
so we may be enriched by your peace;
you shatter the grip of violence,
so we may be freed from our fears;
you plant your word of hope deep within us,
carving on our hearts: ‘you are mine.’
You give us the grace we need
to live in your love,
God of Creation.

You freely become one of us,
to liberate us from
our addiction to worldliness;
you take us by the hand
to lead us out of our doubts;
you give us the grace we need,
to share your word of life,
Friend of the needy.

You hold us safely
when the waters of chaos swirl around us;
you surround us with serenity
when doubts rattle our souls;
you give us the grace we need,
to find our way
along the paths of trouble,
to the way of peace,
Spirit of Holiness.

God in Community, Holy in One,
we need only confess our lives,
and you act on your promises of grace and mercy.
We ask now to hear us as we turn to you.
Reform us we pray as your children of freedom.

Silence

Heart of the Covenant:
we have known your hopes for us, and disappointed them;
we have heard your words of faithfulness, and forgotten them;
we have seen your dreams for us, and turned them into ashes.
Forgive us and bathe us your river of grace,
that drenched in joy,
we may know Christ living in us,
freeing us to live in you.  Amen.

Be still and hear the good news:
God has not forsaken nor forgotten us,
but is in our midst forgiving, restoring, sending.

Christ Jesus says to us all:
Your sin is forgiven:
Thanks be to God!

http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/reformation-sunday.html alt
Ian Ferguson, offered for worship, 5/11

Prayers of the People

Dear Transforming God who unites us with grace,

We pray for our hearts to soften so we may live
strong lives governed by your laws of faith and hope.

Let us be pulled continually back into the folds of your love.
Nurturing God, who knows us and sees us as whole
even when we feel ugly, help us to know
we are valued and are of value.
Help us to see that within each of us, you are there;
an inextinguishable light that will burn through
what we sometimes think is the way it will always be.
Be with those with mental illness and help them to know
there will be a time when they will be able
to see beyond walls of darkness.
Let us see that we are always enough.

Help us to find what it we need to nourish ourselves
so we, in turn, may brighten the flames in others.
Show us how to bring each other joy.

We pray that you disentangle the arguments and views
held by those not motivated by laws of love.
Let us always pray ‘yes’ to love.
Work in the minds of those with power;
show them what it is to feel compassion
and what it means to know empathy.
Uncover for them the freedom that will come
when we choose laws dictated by love.
Stir them and us into action.

Particularly, Lord, for the 600 refugees and asylum seekers
remaining on the Manus Island Detention Centre,
we pray for a good, peaceful and fast resolution.
Help us to rally for their safe passage.
Help us to see how we can radically use love
to shape our country and communities.

Reveal to us the privileged ground on which we stand.
Teach us how to recognise our biases and our judgements.
Show us when it’s our turn to hush and our turn to speak up.

In one body and one people of Christ, we pray
Amen

Olivia Potter, offered for worship, 5/11