Sunday Prayers 6/3

Prayers of the people

Watch or 44:59

At the conclusion of our prayers I will light an oil lamp in the Chapel space, where you can light a taper for your personal prayers at the conclusion of the service. We have no Christ Candle during lent – we will light a brand new candle on Easter Sunday.

God of the dance of life, Mother and Father, Creator, Jesus brother and teacher, Spirit, guide and comforter.

We wake to a calm and sunny morning and are astonished that our world can be beautiful, peaceful, when there is so much turmoil. Across the earth voices are raised in prayer and anguish, to our God of compassion. We pray peace, Pace, Paz, Mir, Paix, Shalom, As-saLaam alaikum, Pax, Frieden, Pokoj.  Olive branch 1

We come before you with prayers for a world in a time of trial. We pray for all countries still affected by war and violence. For the Ukrainian people, plunged into war. For the cries of those fighting for their homeland, for families broken, for children crying, terrorised as their world falls apart. For soldiers forced to fight for their homeland or sent by governments to fight against neighbours.  Olive branch 2

We pray for countries taking in refugees. There will be millions of people displaced by the fighting and we pray for those who are working to feed and house these refugees. We pray also that those we have imprisoned here in Australia are not forgotten by a new wave of refugees welcomed by the government.  Olive branch 3

We pray for the Tongan people as they recover from disaster. We pray for resilience and courage and for help from other countries, as they look to the future.   Olive branch 4

We pray for our own people and land as the skies send down a deluge of rain, flooding homes, crops, people and animals.  We pray for support from government, as they once again start the clean up. We are seeing these catastrophic storms in surprising regularity as global warming causes changes in our weather patterns, and we pray for a willingness to face the fight for our future.    Olive branch 5

We pray for your Church at this time. We find it difficult to understand how these things can happen. Our beliefs are called into question. Help us with our own questions, and help us in our search for answers. Olive branch 6

We pray for all who suffer. For those sick, mentally or physically, for those suffering with Covid, for overwhelmed medical staff, for the unemployed, for businesses who can’t get enough staff, for workers in aged care and the residents.    Olive branch 7

We pray for all the programs running here in Brunswick.  We pray that we always open our arms to the community around us and that we are prepared to listen and hear you speaking to us.  Olive branch 8

Lord of our dance. You are our peace. Help us to be peacemakers as Jesus was. Help us to find peace in the midst of turmoil, in the distress and concerns of our everyday lives. Help us to sing, and dance the music that Jesus put into out hearts and minds, and spread your message of love to those around us. Your kingdom come.  Amen

Helen Burnham, offered for worship 06/03/2022, Lent 1C