Prayer of Adoration

Loving God,
You are our light and our salvation.
You offer us shelter in the day of trouble,
And conceal us under the cover of your tent.

Jesus our Saviour,
You walked into adversity
Facing death
And yet remained sure footed on your way.

Guiding Spirit
You weave among us
You accompany us on our way
Lifting us up and gathering us in.

We love you, we worship you.

Amen.

Prayer of Confession

During Lent, our prayers of confession focus on listening
with respect to the voices of those in our community
who are 
in need and oppressed. 

We acknowledge that Royal Commissions
are one of 
our society’s modes of listening,
and this week we remember those that are being held
into aged care, mental health and disability. 
 

Let us listen. Let us pray. Let us witness. 

Loving God, who offers shelter to all, 

We confess that there are times when we
have not offered shelter to others in their day of trouble,
when we (or people acting on our behalf) have turned away,
or turned them away.
 

Forgive us. 

Jesus our Saviour, who gathers us in
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
 

We confess that there are times when we have not
gathered everyone together,
when we have excluded some people,
when we have not reached out,
when we have not been open to others.
 

Forgive us. 

Guiding Spirit, who weaves among us, 

We confess there are times when we have not been led by you,
when we have not followed your way,
when we have not made room for you
and 
have headed off on our own. 

Forgive us. 

Amen. 

by Kirsty Bennett, offered for worship, 17/3

Prayers of the People

Lord our light and our stronghold, we call your name.
 This is the day and the world which You have made,
and we are here in safety to worship you.
 

 And we are broken-hearted and ashamed. 
Broken-hearted because of what has been done
to people who also worship 
You.
We are tied together in our shared history, Jews,
Muslims and Christians, and we grieve and pray
that you will spread your sheltering and comforting wings
over victims, families and the 
people of New Zealand.  

God of love and Mercy, We don’t understand the minds
of people so blinded by hate that they could commit such a violent act
on unsuspecting men, women and children. But we pray
that hearts are not hardened to yet more hate, and violence.
 

We pray for all who live with the terror of war,
and those who seek for safety, we pray they will find welcome
and a place to raise their families in the peace they search for.
 

Lord of time and space. We pray for our earth, oceans,
land, skies and all the creatures of your 
marvellous creation,
as we are all woven together in a fight for survival.
For the changes that are happening in our climate with droughts,
floods, storms and earthquakes that affect us with more frequency.

We pray that Governments and 
companies,
will put away short term gains and profits
and work with scientists to help our earth recover.
 

In this place, God of love, we pray for all
who come to work and worship.  We pray 
for  the Elders
who are commissioned today. We also pray for Carlynne Nunn
who was Ordained yesterday. We pray for her as she begins her ministry
and for the people she will minister to.
We pray that 
You will guide Church Leaders and your people
throughout the world, and help us to reflect your love.
 

We pray for all who meet with us at Church and the Olive Way.
For leaders and helpers and friends who share food and conversation.
God of comfort spread your wings over your wounded
and may we all know your healing and your presence.
 

God of our Mothers and Fathers of our past, present and future.
We call your name, stand with us when your people are
 

Lost and weary;
In
 pain;  
In sickness;
In grief;
In
 weakness;
In terror and panic; 
in hunger and thirst;
i
n Heartache and loss;  

and when we don’t know how to go on,
grant your people courage and hope. 
 

For you are our stronghold and refuge.
You lived a life of love, shared our weariness and joy,
experienced all these things for us. 

Light of our lives. 

 Live in us.  

In Jesus name,

by Helen Burnham, offered for worship, 17/3