Opening Prayers

interspersed with verses from  Isaiah 52:13-53:12

See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.

Jesus Christ, Suffering Servant,
betrayed and denied,
receive the love of our grieving hearts.

He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.

Jesus Christ, Suffering Servant,
unjustly tried, humiliated, tortured,
forgive and heal the violence
that we cannot seem to contain.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Jesus Christ, Suffering Servant,
lifted up, crucified, arms spread wide,
embrace the world with your love today.

By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people.

Jesus Christ, Suffering Servant,
dead and buried,
what have we done?
Give us the faith to enter the darkness with you,
and bring us into the light.
Amen.

Jesus says, ‘Take up your cross and follow me.’
By your strength in me, O God.

Ian Ferguson, offered for worship Good Friday 19/4/2019

Prayers of the people

Jesus Son of Man,
We pray for people who have been betrayed by people they trust,
For children who have been abused by clergy,
Or by a family member, or a dear friend,
For adults who have been abused by the systems that should have protected them
and ensured that they have a place to live, food to eat, and clean water to drink.
May we stand with Jesus, and with all who have been betrayed, and surround them with love.

Jesus Lord,
We pray for people who have been denied justice and their proper place in the world.
For first nations people here and in many parts of the world,
For people who are LGBTIQ
May we join with Peter and weep bitterly at this betrayal,
recognising our part, and resolve to act differently in the future.

Jesus Son of God,
We pray for people who are on trial without cause.
For those who come to our shores seeking asylum and refuge and instead are detained and vilified.
For journalists who are imprisoned for reporting the truth that others try to hide.
May we listen for the truth and speak the truth.

Jesus the Messiah,
We pray for people who have been murdered and traumatised through hate filled violence.
For the victims of the Christchurch shootings,
For victims of domestic violence
For victims of race fuelled aggression.
We pray for creation and for our planet.
For the waterways and oceans, the earth, the air that we breathe.
May we remember,
May we pray and live in ‘peace salaam, shalom’.

May we begin by praying together now…

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen

Kirsty Bennett, offered for worship, Good Friday 19/4/2019