Prayers of Adoration & Confession

God of mercy and love,
Our maker and our sustainer.
Tower of strength and valley of peace,
Gentle mother of all the world.

In your good creation so much is broken and undone.
We are caught up in a tangle of greed and exploitation.
We do not know how to escape it,
And sometimes we do not know where to begin to fight it.
And it seems all our efforts are swallowed up and forgotten.

But you stand against the tyrant and the master.
You were with Esther in the throne room,
And Daniel in the den.
You were imprisoned with Joseph.
You wept with Mary.
And in Christ you were consumed
by the insatiable hunger of the world.

Remember to us the solemn promises
of your everlasting goodness:
That the good fight is worth fighting.
The long race is worth running.
The hard truth is worth speaking.
The deep wounds are worth healing.
That the cross stands bare ,
The grave is empty,
That the long arc of history is bending inevitably toward justice,
And a deep current of mercy runs beneath the surface of all things.

Roll down justice like a river
Give to us dreams and visions,
make us prophets and criers in the desert.

Bring nearer the day of your righteousness like the cresting dawn.
Give us peace in the waiting, and perseverance in the work,
Until your kingdom comes.
In the name of Christ,

Amen.

Friends, the good news is that the mercy of God never fails.
It never runs dry, it never gives up. It perseveres through all things.
And through Christ, in Christ and because of Christ, our sin is forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

by Daniel Broadstock, offered for worship, 27/10

Prayers of the people

God of peace,
we pray for our world where there are so many places
and situations that do not know peace.

For the Kurds on the Syrian border caught up
in the political battle between other countries,
and all places of conflict.

For the people of the UK
as they try to plan for a future amidst the uncertainty of Brexit
and all places where politics dominates, rather than governs.

For the Right to Know campaign here is Australia,
that we may know what is being done
and what is happening to our fellow citizens
and for freedom of the press everywhere.

May we speak out and stand strong, may we not be dismayed.
May we remember to stay the course, and live in your way.

God of faithfulness,
We pray for the church

That the churches with their unimaginable wealth and power
will focus on you and your way rather than on themselves.

That people of faith may set an example in the way we listen to
and respect the wishes of Indigenous people all around the world.

That our church here in Brunswick
may be a place of hope and inspiration in our community.

May we remember your faithfulness and take heart.
May we be strong and offer your love as we live out our faith.

God of compassion,
who shows us what love is,
who makes room for everyone to sit  at the table,

We pray for our community,
for those of us who are ill,
for those of us who are troubled,
for those of us who grieve.

May we listen to each other and respond,
may we be a community of love.

No matter how long it takes, we know that justice will come,
in the world, in the church and in our community.
Justice will come, so:

Let us fight the good fight.
Let us finish this race we run with you.
Let us keep the faith.

Amen.

by Kirsty Bennett, offered for worship, 27/10