Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Let us first breathe, releasing the anxiety and stress of the past week,
Acknowledging the disastrous bushfires,
the many people evacuated or currently under threat,
the destruction of land and wildlife.

God of all that is,
You made the kookaburra, and the koala, and the kangaroo,
You gave leaves to the eucalypt and blossom to the wattle,
You give us hands to help and minds to create solutions.
We know that you rejoice in the beauty of the earth and all that is in it,
And that when you see its destruction,
you grieve with us.

Christ of the manger,
You came among us as a vulnerable baby,
Your childhood was disrupted by travel as a refugee,
You were crucified for challenging the systems that were damaging your worl.
We know that you understand suffering,
And that when you see others who suffer,
you weep with us.

Spirit who moves among us,
You breathed life over the still waters of creation,
You bring courage to those who are fearful,
You spur us on to serve the wounded and the poor,
We know that your strength can renew us,
And that when we are tired and anxious,
You embrace us, and encourage us.

Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit,
We confess that our world is full of problems.
When we see the damage done to creation, we sorrow,
When we see the destruction of war, we are moved to despair,
When we see the desperate flight of those seeking refuge, we grieve.

Restore us. Grant us your vision of the future.
Help us to see your light in times of darkness.
Give us confidence that the time will come
when our nations’ leaders will protect the vulnerable,
when wild animals and forests are safe from destruction,
when children will find safety, even in dangerous places,

Sisters and Brothers,
What seems impossible becomes possible through God, who is stronger than all that is.
With the coming of Christ and through the work of the Spirit,
We can have confidence that a new world is possible, because
The sick are healed,
The dead are raised,
The earth is restored.

In Christ, through Christ and because of Christ, our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

Natalie Sims, offered for worship, 5/1/2020, Christmas 2A, Epiphany A

Prayers of the people

Mother God

We bring our prayers to you today
From a place of fires, and fear, and anger, and sadness
We lift our prayers to you
As the flames rise up to the highest treetops
Stinging and scarring the earth
And black smoke fills the sky

We pray for hope in this time when so many are without hope
We pray for those who have lost loved ones
Homes
A sense of safety and security

We pray for strength in this time of devastation
For the volunteers who are fighting the fires
For all those who are helping in every way

We pray for kindness in this time of destruction
For the creatures suffering in the fires
For those who are caring for them

We pray for unity in this time of chaos
For political leaders to listen and to act well
For compassion and generous leadership

We pray for clear sight in this time of dark skies
For us to see the way to caring for this earth
This land
This place
To listen to the wisdom of the traditional custodians of this country

We are reminded that the darkness did not overcome the light

Help us to be lights of hope in this darkness
Help us work with strength and kind hearts
To help build a caring future for all

Now is a time for you to offer silent prayers of your own
I will ring this bell at the conclusion of the prayers

Mother God
Hear our prayers

Amen.

Simone Alesich, offered for worship Christmas 2A, Epiphany A