Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Watch or 7:44

Holy one, Mother, Father, Jesus, Spirit.

You set the myriad stars in the sky, separated the land from the oceans,
and everything that has life and  breath on this earth sings a song of unending Joy and Praise.
We are filled with wonder and awe at the majesty of creation,
and yet, you still can find us, in our brokenness, and turn our sorrow, into joy and gladness.
So, with the whole of Creation, we are waiting, hoping, longing, for your Kingdom to come,
for the birth of the child, who will turn our world upside down, bring Joy to the world, who is God with us.

Holy one, Mother, father, Jesus, Spirit.
Forgive us, when we exploit your creation rather than nurture it.
Forgive us, for the wars we fight, both physical and financial, for our aggression, greed, and violence.
Forgive us, when we fail to recognise the humanity of those who are different.
When we discriminate because of colour, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or religion.
Forgive us when our eyes are blind, our mouths stay shut, and our ears are deaf, to injustice abuse and discrimination.
Forgive us when we ignore your light on the path you set before us.
Forgive us when we don’t recognise joy, look for joy, create joy, bring joy, search for joy in our world where we need it so much.

Joy to the world,
God with us
Amen

Helen Burnham, offered for worship, 11/12/2022, Advent 3A

Prayers of the people

Watch or 47:10

O God, we pray that you will bring joy to the world.

We give thanks for the joy we have in our secure lives,
and pray for people in those places where life is hard, and it is difficult to be joyful.
For places at war or of political unrest: Ukraine, Ecuador, Israel and Palestine,
for places where famine is leading to extreme hunger: Kenya, Somalia, Nigeria and Ethiopia.
We pray for all those who have lost their joy
due to displacement, intergenerational trauma and domestic violence.
We pray for those living in places where public expressions of joy can lead to imprisonment:
for women in Iran, and for gay and lesbian people in those many countries w
here their love cannot be celebrated publicly.
We pray for those parts of our earth where the joyful song of birds
has been silenced by deforestation or pollution.
Bring joy to the world.

God, we pray that you will bring joy to the church.
We pray that we, as your people, will make this church a place where joy is found.
We pray that you will bring joy to all who serve this church,
the communities that are part of our church, and to those who serve the wider church.
We pray that all your churches throughout the world
will receive joy enough to share with others during this Advent season.
We pray especially for those congregations and denominations
where there is conflict or hardship, that this will be a time when they can,
with common purpose, open their doors and hearts to all who seek you.
We pray for interfaith dialogue, and that through it,
all people of faith can find common joy.

Bring joy to the church.
O God, we pray that you will bring joy to all people.
For those who are lonely, bring the company of good friends,
For those who have ill health or are in pain, bring healing and good humour,
For those who are distressed, bring peace, so that joy may come.
For those who mourn, bring comfort and memories of shared joy and laughter.
For all of us, give us the joy of faith, and the courage
to be a source of joy to those around us.
Bring joy to us all,
That may we celebrate together, dancing, singing and clapping,
in the light that is to come.

Amen.

Natalie Sims, offered for worship 11/12/2022, Advent 3A