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Dear Lord our God, you are mighty and high lifted up, and your train fills the Temple. You are a holy God and we are aware of your majesty. As we draw near to you, we acknowledge our profound need of you Holy Spirit in our lives, to enable us as we live to reflect your glory to a broken and dysfunctional world. Bring us daily closer to your loving presence and fill us with your Spirit. Inspire our hearts that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, to show to those around us the proof of your presence in our lives and our church.

father we confess that sometimes we, like Elijah, want to run away and hide when faced with the enormity of the task of mission in our world. Keep us faithful for we know that it is only through the prompting of your Spirit that we are able to have courage for the tasks before us.

We pray for ourselves and each other, that we would be led by your Spirit to love one another. Mark your people out as those who care for the weak, encourage the faint hearted and show tolerance and forgiveness. May we seek our wills not to be governed by obedience to any law but regulated by your command to love our neighbours as ourselves.

We pray for our church here at Putnoe Heights and for your people here who seek to serve you in different ways. We pray for Sam and Liz in the Junior Church this morning, as they seek to teach your children in the ways of the Christian life. We pray for all of those involved in Storybox and those who are considering how we may further our church youth work. we pray for our church groups where Christian fellowship exists, men and women's groups, home groups. Encourage Lord we pray all who serve you in any work in your church, whether their contribution is perceived as large or small. May we all be aware of your Spirit to empower our weakness with your strength, that your kingdom would grow here at Putnoe Heights Church.

We pray for the wider church and we pray for our own parent denominations. We give thanks for the first historic meeting lat week of the Circuit Deanery, and we ask for your blessing upon that bold initiative. We continue to pray for our Diocese as Jeffrey John is inducted as Dean of St Albans. May this appointment turn your people to genuine dialogue and a seeking after your will as found in your Holy Word and the guidance of your Holy Spirit. Heal divisions, and enable your church to serve you in our country which is so much in need of the good news of your love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

We pray also for the Methodist Conference as it meets at Louborough. We pray that discussion would take place which would result in real commitment to proclaim your love to broken hearts troubled by the need for forgiveness and freedom which we find only in God's love, shown to us in Jesus Christ.

We pray for those in need, those who are weary and afraid, those who are physically or spiritually weak. We think of the lonely and those who feel unloved, those whose lives are in need of your healing touch. We ask dear lord that you would be with them and touch their lives and motivate us to be your presence to minister to them in their need.

We pray for those who have suffered bereavement and we remember those who have died. We light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ which eternally shines and brings hope.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world

May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace and rise in glory.  Amen.