Marking with ashes

Hope from the ashes of despair,
Healing and love with Christ through the wilderness.

Prayer of Invocation

God of all seasons, in your pattern of things
there is a time for keeping
and a time for losing
a time for building up
and a time for pulling down.

In this holy season of Lent,
as we journey with Jesus to the cross,
help us to discern in our lives
what we must lay down
and what we must take up;
what we must end
and what we must begin.

Give us grace to lead a disciplined life,
in glad obedience and with the joy
which comes from a closer walk with Christ. Amen.

from, Book of Common Order of the Church of Scotland, p431

Prayer

Wise, ancient God you invite us to fast with you,
to work for peace, justice, wholeness and healing for all.
Help us to listen to the voices of our community, our world.
Show us when to speak out against the clamour
and when to quietly respond to those in greatest need.

Guiding light, spring of living water we come to you
with open hearts, willing hands, listening ears.
Help us to listen deeply in this season of Lent
to be a listening community in a troubled world
to listen as your followers, to be your light in the darkness. Amen

Saide Cameron, offered for worship,
Ash Wednesday, 14/2/18

Prayer

God of grace and mercy we offer these prayers to you
dedicating ourselves to a season of listening.
Help us to be aware,
to notice when our hearts are troubled
to turn our attention to you in times of temptation,
to feel and acknowledge the weight of the cross
shaping and transforming our lives,
to move towards the strange wonder of resurrection,
to explore the darkness and live in the light,
to remember the nurturing abundant earth.
Helps us to listen, to follow you
and to love you more and more. Amen

Saide Cameron, offered for worship,
Ash Wednesday, 14/2/18