Prayers for Second Sunday before Lent by Mr Mike Elliott
Prayers of Intercession Feb. 27th 2011
Morning Worship at 9-30 am
(prayers 75.doc)
Readings:
1. Isaiah 49 : 8-16a Foretells the Restoration of Israel.
2. 1 Corr.4 : 1-5 Do not judge until the Lord comes.
3. .Matt.6 : 24-34 Do not worry about tomorrow.
After these prayers of intercession we shall say together the Lord’s prayer as printed on your Order of Service.
The bidding for our prayers will be ‘Lord in Your Mercy’
With the response ‘Hear our Prayer’
Almighty, Everlasting and Creator God –
We come before you in prayer not because we are able by our own right, but because we know our need of God.
We come not because we are able by our own deeds, but because we are summoned in God’s love.
We come in our need and hope. We come because of all that God has done. We come in thanksgiving.
So we pray for this your world and it’s peoples with all their needs, questions and longings.
Lord in Your mercy. - 'Hear our prayer’
We pray for the world wide Christian Church in all its wonderful diversity, bringing the elements of different cultures into their worship to and in the service of our Lord Jesus Christ. Especially we pray for those churches who meet together in difficult and often dangerous circumstances. Let them know and feel your all abiding presence to both uphold their courage and strengthen their faith.
We pray for our own church here at St. Mark’s and at Putnoe Heights and we bring before you all those who lead and inspire our worship, those who visit and pray for the sick and bereaved and those who carry out the maintenance and administration of a busy centre. For we are called to go out and preach the Good News to all that will hear - and so we pray for all areas of outreach to both young and old and whether formal or informal that many will respond to the call of Christ to follow him.
Lord in Your mercy. - 'Hear our prayer’
Lord, in this world which is a part of your creation, we struggle to understand the reasons behind the great natural disasters which mankind must endure; whether it be hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, Tsunamis or Earthquakes like the one in New Zealand just a few days ago.
But we do understand that in the midst of such events your love is shown in the acts of bravery, selflessness and compassion which follow. We pray for all who suffer in such dreadful circumstances and for those who are tasked with rescue, providing the medical and community support and, eventually, in the long task of reconstruction.
We pray for the peoples of Libya, that the days of tyranny will soon be over and that all weapons are laid down. We remember the many foreign workers who have been, and still are, caught up in that nation’s turmoil that their ordeal of uncertainty will soon be over and that they are soon home with loved ones.
We pray for all states where people feel oppressed and are denied a voice in their own destiny and ask that those in authority listen to their people and treat them with dignity and compassion.
Lord in Your mercy. - 'Hear our prayer’
Prayers for UK and our society
As our nation struggles with economic uncertainty we pray for the power-less, the hope-less and all those for whom our Lord would have us care for most.
We pray for those who have to make the difficult spending decisions with reduced budgets knowing that all objectives and needs cannot be met.
As our young people return to schools and colleges after the break we remember that the society they grow up in and the attitudes that they form are in our hands. Lord help us to work towards a just and equitable society, built on the values that are inspired by people of faith, vision and commitment and not on those of expediency, glamour and greed.
We remember, as always, those who serve in our armed forces abroad and for those who wait at home for their safe return. We pray for the work of specialist medical staff caring for both physical and mental injuries.
Lord in Your mercy. - 'Hear our prayer’
And so we think now of those in most need in our own community, the elderly, the housebound and those in care homes, hospital and hospice and for the work and devotion of Carers whose skill and compassion bring both material and spiritual comfort at times of need.
Especially at this time when the professional care of the elderly is once more brought into the media’s spotlight, we pray for those who must seek solutions in areas where deficiencies of that care have been found. And we pray that the compassionate care skills of old are not lost in a tangle of bureaucracy and regulation.
We also pray for those who feel the pain of grief at the loss of a loved one whether recent or as each anniversary passes. Help us to support all those who mourn both with our prayers, with words of comfort and with practical help both this day and in the days and weeks to come.
So now we share a moment of silence together as we bring before you those known only to ourselves and to you Lord. Let them feel your presence in their lives as we name them in our hearts and commit them to your loving care.
(A short period of silence)
Lord in Your mercy. - 'Hear our prayer’
And so we pray with confidence that –