INTERCESSIONS
7 September 2003
Father of all hear us now we pray as we bring to you our cares and concerns for your world, praying in the faith and trust that you will hear us and answer those prayers.
We remember this morning the renewed crisis in the lands of your son's birth and pray that the peoples of Israel and Palestine may put aside their hatreds and violence for the sake of each other. We pray too for peace in Iraq and for all those other countries where fighting is the way of life and people live in the continual uncertainty which armed conflict brings. We pray too for those whose way of expression is in terrorism and ask that they may find peaceful ways to express their concerns. And we ask that we may be shown the ways in which we can contribute to the peace of the world and continually work to that end.
Lord in Your mercy.
Hear our prayer
As we eat and drink help us never to forget not only those on whose work we depend, but also those who will today be hungry and thirsty. Strengthen those whose work is to relieve their suffering. Show us what we can do to help them. May we never forget that we too are guardians of the riches of this world of yours and help us to do all we can to preserve those riches
Lord in Your Mercy
Hear our prayer
The sun will never set today on those who share with us in your church. Support and strengthen all those who will face persecution or death as they seek to worship you. Show us how to heal the divisions which we have created in your family so that we may fulfil Jesus prayer that all shall be one, for the sake of the world. We pray for our ministers and leaders here in St. Marks and Putnoe and for all our fellow Christians in this part of Bedford, asking that together we may be a light to draw men and women to Jesus.
Be near all those who are in any kind of need - the sick and the suffering, those racked by agony of mind, those for whom life has lost any meaning, those who are lonely or isolated. We pray for the children who suffer abuse and ask that their lives may be mended. Give them peace and the knowledge that you are with them to all who suffer, and guide those who try to help them. May we be bringers of hope and help to those we know who need it. Lord in Your Mercy
We pray for those who mourn and remember those who have died. The
candle we light is a reminder to us that Jesus Christ is the light of our
world, a light which cannot be quenched which shines continually in the
darkness. We remember especially today …..
And their families.
Turn all our darkness into light for in your light we shall see light.
Lord in Your Mercy
Hear our prayer
We commend to your love and care all who we know in work or play, all who we shall meet in the coming week, all whose lives will touch and help ours, all who will depend on us. And we pray for ourselves that in your strength and with your presence we may live so as to merit the words "Well done good and faithful servant".
Lord in your mercy.
Hear our prayer
We gather up our prayers, spoken and unspoken in the words of Jesus