Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Watch or 8:19

Be still my heart, my mind, my busy world,
that I may hear God’s Word. x2

Mother and Father, Creator God.
For the wonders of our world, we give you thanks and praise.
For you have created a world of infinite differences.
A kaleidoscope of people of different talents, colours, languages ,cultures, religions, and yet, we are all yours.
You created us in love and call us to commit, to trust, to do justice and love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

Jesus, Saviour, Teacher
You speak, and we hear a new way of being, of living.
You show us life, not passively waiting for heaven, but of revolutionary thinking and sacrifice.

Holy Spirit, guide and comforter.
You walk with us through the shadows of life,
catching us when we fall and comforting us when we fail.

Mother, Father, Jesus, Spirit,
For your all-encompassing and merciful love we thank you,
and pray for your forgiveness when our courage fails.
When we fail in loving, only loving as much as we are loved.
When we fail in forgiving, and hold on to our anger and hurt.
When we do good, only when we expect to be rewarded.
When we ignore the inequalities around us, to the poor,
the disabled, the aged, and those who are different in colour, religion, and sexuality.
Forgive us for our complacency, our feelings of superiority and our adulation of the powerful.
Forgive our brokenness, when we stumble, and fail to follow
our teacher and friend and saviour, Jesus
Amen

Word of Grace
Brothers and sisters, children of God.
God created us, every one, and every day we work to bring our broken pieces together,
creating a new, stronger and more resilient version of ourselves, through the love of God.
So with the all encompassing forgiveness of our merciful God, we know
Our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

Helen Burnham, offered for worship 20/02/2022, Epiphany 7C

Be still my heart, Words © John Murray. Music © Cecily Sheeby. from Faith Forever Singing, International copyright secured.
All rights reserved.
Used by permission under under ONE LICENCE # 604502

Prayers of the people

Watch or 55:15

Loving God, Christ of Justice, and Spirit who moves through Creation,
We pray for the world,
We pray for those places of political unrest and violence: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, and the Ukraine.
May efforts to bring peace be effective.
We continue to pray for the people of Tonga, and for all those who are working to restore housing and infrastructure.
We pray for refugees: the men in Park Prison, and those members of our congregation still waiting on visas,
and for all those who seek a safe place to live.
We pray for those who work in government, that they will serve their communities with compassion,
make just laws, and lift up those who need the most help.
We pray for the creatures in our world who cannot speak: in and on the soil, in the air, and in the water;
that we will protect and honour their place in the world.
May we love as you love.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.

God in Community, Holy Three in One,
We pray for the church.
For our community here at Brunswick: for our ministers Ian, Peter, and Dave.
For our church council and all who serve the church, in so many ways.
We pray for our Sunday Morning Program, that it will be a place where our children can grow in their faith.
We pray for all those who are exploring questions of faith and community.
We pray for the broader church around the world, and for continuing work
to build understanding between denominations and between all people of faith.
Help us as your church, to reflect your love, in our prayers and our actions.
May we love as you love.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.

God our Creator, Christ our Brother, Spirit among us,
We pray for those who are close to us.
We pray for those who are sick, and for all those who support and care for them. Bring healing, bring wisdom, bring peace.
We pray for those who mourn. Bring comfort and community.
We pray for those in prison, their families, and for prison chaplains.
We pray for our own families and friends in need of help.
We pray for all those we meet in our daily lives.
Help us to share your love, in our prayers and our actions
May we love as you love.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.

Natalie Sims, offered for worship 20/02/2022, Epiphany 7C