Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Gentle God,

Divine love, all loves excelling,
who proclaims freedom to the captives,
good news to the poor, liberty to the oppressed.
Whose favour falls as an enveloping rain of grace.

Plant the seed of your love deep within the soil of our hearts.
Not merely an emotion, or a passing mode of thought,
but love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.

For you, above all, are love, and whoever loves
has been born of God and knows God.
Have mercy when the river of charity runs dry.
When we sigh with the fatigue of compassion
and understanding and forgiveness.
Have mercy when we grow tired of waiting,
when we lose hope in the possibility of change,
and the memory of redemption.

Save us from dry piety,
and empty words that do nothing, and change nothing.
But grant to us heavenly love of earthly purpose.
Inflame within us a sacred hunger for righteousness,
and a holy thirst for the true and the good.
Make us firm against injustice,
and persistent in the face of wounds that seem never to be healed,
and tears that seem never to be dried.

Give to us the humility to love our neighbour,
and the courage to love our enemy.
Finish in us your new creation, and draw us into your sacred heart,
lost in wonder and praise.
In the name of Christ,
Amen.

Friends, the good news is that the love of God never ends.
It keeps no record of wrongs, but rejoices in the truth.
That in Christ, through Christ and because of God our sin is forgiven.

Thanks be to God.

by Daniel Broadstock, offered for worship, 3/2/19

Prayers of the people

Love is patient; love is kind; 
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  

We pray for our church as we try to live this love. 
May we who are older show our children and young people what is possible when we live in love.
May we treat each other well.  
May we not be envious, but celebrate each other’s successes and gifts. 
May we think before we speak, may we give our opinions humbly. 
May we be ready to listen for others’ opinions. 

Let us pause and pray for the places in the world, the church
and our community where generous, quiet, humble love is needed… 

Love is patient; love is kind; 
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  

We pray for our church as we try to live this love. 
May we who are older show our children and young people what is possible when we live in love.
May we treat each other well.  
May we not be envious, but celebrate each other’s successes and gifts. 
May we think before we speak, may we give our opinions humbly. 
May we be ready to listen for others’ opinions. 

Let us pause and pray for the places in the world, the church
and our community where generous, quiet, humble love is needed… 

Love is patient; love is kind; 
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. 
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  

We pray for our community, a community where some of us are grieving,
where some of us are anxious, where living is difficult for us
or for those who we love, a community where people are under stress, where some people feel ignored. 

May we be there with each other and for each other.
May we be willing to step aside, or stand back if that is what is needed.
May we be ready to step forward.  

Let us pause and pray for the places in the world, the church
and our community where unconditional love is needed… 

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. Love never ends.
 

May we live this love.
In the name of Christ,
Amen. 

by Kirsty Bennett, offered for 3/2/19