Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Creator God,
There from the beginning,
We long for the day that your justice will come:
When valleys will be raised,
mountains will be laid low,
rough places will be made plain.
We delight in the signs of your reign,
when we see your justice break in
to our broken world

Sophia Christ,
There from the beginning,
We long for the day when you will be our shepherd:
When you sustain us like your own flock,
bringing the vulnerable to safety
and guiding the strong to follow.
We delight in the signs of your reign,
when we see your compassion break in
to our broken world.

Hovering Spirit,
There from the beginning,
We long for the day when you come among us:
When we hear that a new day is coming
and we lift our voices with courage
to declare the good news of what is to come.
We delight in the signs of your reign,
when we see your strength break in
to our broken world.

Creator God, Sophia Christ, Hovering Spirit,
We cry out to you, seeking wholeness and forgiveness.

Creator God, forgive us when we are blind to your vision of a just society.
Sophia Christ, forgive us when we deny comfort to the vulnerable.
Hovering Spirit, forgive us when we are timid witnesses for the truth.

We cry out to you, seeking a new beginning.

Sisters and brothers, nothing can separate you from the love of God.
You have served your term, your penalty is paid.
God welcomes you with open arms.
Hear the good news of Jesus Christ, the son of God:
“Your sin is forgiven”.
Thanks be to God.

Natalie Sims, offered for worship, Advent 2, 10/12

Prayers of the People

Going home is something we do at this time of the year,
and it is not always easy for many different reasons.

God of comfort,
we pray for all who have had to leave their homes,
through war, disaster or persecution.
Our families came from across the ocean
to start new lives in a strange land,
and we found a wonderful land
which has never known the wars of Europe.
We pray that we will open our doors and our hearts
to a new wave of people trying to find
a place of safety for their families, as our ancestors did.

Christmas is coming.
It’s a time we look forward to with anticipation.
It’s a time when we are expecting to be
happy, with family and friends.
We spend too much money and over extend ourselves.
We get tired and irritable and short tempered.
Lord we pray for peace, warmth and love
for our families and friends,
for our Church family, for our Community,
for those who are alone, sick, old,
or just have no jobs or no money.
We pray that we remember that we are
celebrating the birth of a child
and whatever creed or religion we are,
we all need your peace.

God of the cosmos, of planets and space,
we pray that we care for this small planet called Earth.
May we learn in Australia,
to value and care for this wide, brown land.
To value our parched earth and dry dusty landscape,
to care for our land, plants and animals.
For we are custodians of this land for our children.
We pray for the first peoples of this land,
forgive us Lord for the injustices
and disrespect we have shown them,
and we pray that we learn to belong to the land
instead of the land belonging to us.

Lord God, here in this place we pray
that you will blow your breath of love through us,
that we may love and serve you.
Guide us, as our world changes.
Through President Trump upsetting the world powers
by moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem,
and all the violence this has already caused.
Israel bombing in Gaza and the retaliation that will come.
Russia and China playing with power
and being accused of interfering
in other countries political systems.
All things change, wither and die,
but the words, love and faithfulness
of our our God endures forever.

We pray these things knowing
that you will hear our prayers
in the name of Jesus our Lord.  Amen

Helen Burnham, offered for worship Advent 2, 10/12