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John 12.20-33; Jeremiah 31.31-34; Hebrews 5.5-10

Prayers

Adult & All Age

Prayer of praise and adoration

Eternal God,
from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.
Gentle as the night, sure as the dawn, you are God.
In season and beyond time, you are God.
Before we were born and after we are gone, you are God.
Now and forever, you are God and worthy to be praised.
Amen.

Prayer of repentance and petition for assurance of the love of God.

Living God,
     in you
     faith is sure and steadfast,
     hope springs eternal
     and love lasts forever.

Forgive and refresh us with the faith,
that though our sins are like scarlet,
they shall be white as snow.
     Comfort and encourage us
     with the hope
     that though tears may fill the night,
     joy comes in the morning.

Assure and affirm us
with the love,
that though we appear to have nothing,
yet we possess everything.
     In you
     we find faith, hope and love,
     and we offer our prayer
     in the name and Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Amen.

Prayer, including symbolic planting of seeds, responding to John 12.20-26.

You need a large bowl or pot of earth and a seed for each person to hold. Use the prayer below, based on today's Gospel passage, allowing time for each member of the group to plant their seed. Remember to tend the seeds so that the promise of bearing much fruit can be seen.

You hold in your hand a seed,
small and brittle,
new life that can only be realised
when that seed is buried in the dark earth,
tended by water and sun.

Our lives are like that seed,
filled with potential,
yet buried in darkness,
while we wonder if new growth will come.

Invite the group to plant their seeds.

Tended by the light of Christ,
and the water of your word,
bring forth new life,
and draw us closer still to you.

Amen.

Prayer of approach for Passion Sunday, relating to John 12.20-33.

Lord, we remember that people came to the disciples saying 'we wish to see Jesus'.
And sometimes we, too, long to be able to see him and hear him
and to know exactly what he would say in response to our current concerns.
But we also remember that in the Gospel story
we are not told whether the enquirers ever did see Jesus;
and that in his answer to the disciples he said that the hour has come.
As, in these next days, we remember the final events of Jesus' life,
help us to understand the meaning of these events;
help us to know that through them the awful news of sin and judgement
will become the good news of salvation, for us and for all who seek him.
We ask these and all our prayers in the name of him who died on the cross,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer of petition responding to Jesus' teaching in John 12.20-33.

Jesus said:
'Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain'.
Help us, Lord, to understand this saying
and to be one of those who bear much fruit in your name.
Jesus said:
'Those who love their live, lose it'.
Help us, Lord, to understand this saying
and to be willing to give up all we have in your service.
Jesus said:
'When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself'
Help us, Lord, to understand this saying
and to be part of your mission to bring good news
to our neighbours and to all humankind. Amen.

Short prayer asking for help with obedience in following Christ

God our Father,
give us a true sense of obedience
that we may follow him who obeyed you even to his death,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus, suitable for all ages

As we think of the Son of God, born to the world,
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of Jesus, the man of peace and wisdom
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of the teacher, healing and helping
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of the Messiah, born to die in pain
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of the outlaw, walking into suffering
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of the light, turning into darkness
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of our saviour, dying on the cross
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of him risen from the dead
We thank you, God, for Jesus.
As we think of Christ, living within us now
We thank you, God, for Jesus.

Prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus' sacrifice, suitable for all ages.

Dear God,
Jesus had to go down so that he could rise up for everyone to see.
Thank you that Jesus went down for me.
Jesus had to go into the darkness so that he could shine the light.
Thank you that Jesus went into darkness for me.
Jesus had to suffer so that he could be free the world from suffering.
Thank you that Jesus suffered for me.
Jesus had to give up everything so that he could give people life.
Thank you that Jesus gave up everything for me.
Jesus had to die so that he could come alive again.
Thank you that Jesus died for me.

Short prayer of praise to God, suitable for all ages.

We praise you for your greatness,
We praise you for your mystery.
We praise you for your might,
We praise you for your eternity.
Amen.

Children & Young People

Prayer activities around Dealing with the big stuff theme

For children

Seed prayer

Look together at the seed pictures or cards from Respond to the Word Seed pictures and Seed cards if you made them, as a focus for prayer.

Wonderful God,
thank you for seeds,
small and dry,
waiting to go in the earth.
In the dark earth, the rain comes,
the warmth comes,
and the seeds start to grow.
Life bursts out,
and out of the tiny seeds come
new plants, and fruits …
and more seeds.
Thank you for seeds.
Amen.


Honoured by God

In quietness, think of something kind you have done recently. Have you been friendly to someone? Have you helped, or shared, or smiled? Have you looked after someone, or have you been cheerful? Have you done something kind when you didn’t really want to? God is always so glad when we are like that. Thank you God for the times when we do things that make you happy. Amen.


Take my life

Dear God, I want to be like Jesus — who did what you wanted, even when it was hard and scary. He gave his life, just as you asked him to. And now millions of people have come to know you — because of what he did. That’s lots of fruit from one life. Please help me to follow you when it’s hard, as Jesus did. Please will you use my life to bear lots of fruit too? Amen.


For young people

You need a large bowl or pot of earth and a seed for each person to hold. Use the prayer below, based on today’s Gospel passage, allowing time for each member of the group to plant their seed. Remember to tend the seeds so that the promise of bearing much fruit can be seen.

You hold in your hand a seed,
small and brittle,
new life that can only be realised
when that seed is buried in the dark earth,
tended by water and sun.

Our lives are like that seed,
filled with potential,
yet buried in darkness,
while we wonder if new growth will come.

(Invite the group to plant their seeds.)

Tended by the light of Christ,
and the water of your word,
bring forth new life,
and draw us closer still to you.
Amen.

Short, hopeful prayer for children of thanksgiving for seeds, celebrating new life

If you have pictures of seeds, from craft activities or elsewhere, use them as a focus for reflection.

Wonderful God,
thank you for seeds, small and dry,
waiting to go in the earth.
In the dark earth, the rain comes, the warmth comes,
and the seeds start to grow.
Life bursts out, and out of the tiny seeds come new plants, and fruits... and more seeds.
Thank you for seeds.

Amen.

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