Prayers of Adoration

Loving God, you have a built a home
in abundant, amazing, awe-inspiring intricacy.
If we spent all our days exploring
all that your creation has to offer
there would still be mysteries to unfold.

Christ, Word of God, you offer us stories
to help us understand the mysteries of love.
If we spent all our days in contemplation,
listening for the truth to be found within them
there would still be so much more to learn.

Spirit, Breath of God, you shape our living
challenging us to step out of our comfort zones.
If we spent all our days immersed in your holy breath
listening for your word deep in our hearts
maybe then we would come to know who we truly are.  Amen

Prayers of Confession

We began by listening to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Loving God, we are filled with grief
by the devastation inflicted by our ancestors
on the First Peoples of this great land.
Help us to listen to their voices, their stories,
open our hearts to their truth.

Christ, Word of God, we are sorry
for the times when we have failed to listen
to new and different ways of hearing your word.
Help us to listen to the dreaming stories
to the beating heart of this land in all her mystery.

 Spirit, Breath of God, forgive us
when our ears are blocked by the noise of our living
when we fail to seek your loving presence.
Help us to listen for you in the voices
of all who are silenced and powerless.

Like the prodigal son each day we are invited to ‘come to ourselves’
and remember that we are well and truly loved,
that God welcomes us back with the boundless gift of grace.
Know then that in Jesus’ name our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.  Amen

Saide Cameron, offered for worship 31/3/19, Lent 4

Prayers of the people

Gracious God, you hear our prayers before we speak. May your Spirit pray in us, drawing us to you and towards our neighbours.

We dare to pray for peace in the world. From your prophets we have been given a vision of a world where weapons are disarmed and ancient and modern hatreds are defused.

And so we pray for peacemakers in Syria, Nigeria, West Papua and all the places where violence and hatred prevail.
God with your outstretched arms, bring peace on earth.

We pray for those who govern us and other nations. Turn their ambition towards justice and mercy. Replace small-mindedness with generosity and kindness. Soften the hard hearts by which our leaders demonise, exclude and condemn.  Silence the voices of hate and prejudice.

And so we pray for politicians and policy-makers in this nation, state and city, especially for those who quietly work to dismantle the barriers of race, religion, and ethnicity.
God with your outstretched arms, bring love and compassion to politics.

We pray for the Christian community scattered around this world and journeying once again towards the mystery and hope of Easter. Keep us mindful of this wider Christian family in all its diversity and tensions. We especially pray for small Christian communities who lack material resources or social acceptance.
God with your outstretched arms,bring trust, love and unity to your Church.

We pray for ourselves. For those who are lonely or fearful, exhausted by life or ill – may they know they are loved by you and this community. For those whose struggles are silent and unknown, may they always be welcomed and accepted here. May those who have been welcomed today continue to find this a community of encouragement and hospitality.

And so we pray for each other, for our ministers and leaders and all who have contact with this church.-
God with your outstretched arms,draw us closer to yourself and your mission in the world.

All these prayers we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who is your love and in whose love we live. Amen.

Geoff Thompson, offered for worship 31/3/19, Lent 4