Prayers

We are loved by God; all are loved by God.
This is an eternal truth, revealed by Jeremiah, fulfilled by Jesus and celebrated by us today.

Night has gone, day has broken.
Thanks be to God.
We are loved as the people we are.
Thanks be to God.
With hearts aflame with love
we praise the Lord.

Lord God,
how can we praise you?
How can we know you?
Yet you gave us Jesus Christ
to show us what you are like and how to love.

Teach us again your message of love,
and if we ever doubt,
lift our eyes to Jesus.
Remind us that in the symbol of his cross
your love touches and teaches us,
our families,
our friends,
and through us, many more.
For Jesus' sake.
Amen.

There is no place to which we go that you are not.
There is neither noise nor clamour that can drown the sound of your call.
There are no events past, present or future which call in question your invitation.
We worship you with confidence born of experience.

Lord Jesus Christ, you hold out your hands to us:
hands which heal, restore and renew us;
hands which invite us to place ours in yours and follow;
hands that embrace and enfold us.
We worship you in the security of your firm grasp of us.

Holy Spirit of God, unfailingly you support us,
leading us day by day towards your truth.
Fill our hearts that we may share your love.
We worship you with enthusiasm.
Amen.

Lord our God,
you know who we are and how we are.
Our strengths and weaknesses are known to you.
Forgive our failure to hear and respond.
Forgive our unwillingness to trust your promises.
Let us know the healing touch of your forgiveness,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Lord God, intimately close,
known by each one of us when we commit ourselves to you,
yet greater by far than we can ever imagine,
we praise you.

For entering into relationship with us,
we praise you.

For sending Jesus to show us how to love,
we praise you.

Hold us close to your heart, Lord God,
and keep us faithful as we follow Jesus on his journey to the cross.

For you are our God,
who delights to call us friends,
and longs for our wholehearted trust.
Amen.

Gracious God we are blessed in our community:
we have each other.
We are blessed in our sanctuary:
we have our tradition and our memories.
We are blessed in you:
we have your love and support.

There are many who have no community,
who have no sense of belonging,
no one with whom they can identify:
for all such we pray.

There are many who have no sanctuary,
no place of tradition
and thus no sense of where they come from,
no place of memory, of shared experience,
of joy or sorrow, of sadness and happiness.
For all such we pray.

There are many
who have no sense of your otherness
or of your closer presence,
who walk life's road placing their trust in limited human resources;
others who have confidence only in themselves.
For all such we pray.

Lord of life, the accompanier of all journeys,
make yourself known
in a gentle word, a welcoming smile,
an open hand, a comforting touch,
even in the breaking of bread and wine.
So continue to journey with us
until travelling days are done,
and we find ourselves
in that place of many mansions.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.

Lord of life, the accompanier of all journeys,
help us to make you known
in a gentle word, a welcoming smile,
an open hand, a comforting touch,
until we find ourselves
in that place of many mansions.
Amen.

May God, who knows where you are,
help you on the journey.
May Jesus, who has walked before you,
guide your steps.
May the Spirit, who embraces the wanderer,
nourish you as you travel.
And may the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
await your arrival with joy and love.
Amen.

Go into the world, knowing that God is with you.
Go into the world with the peace of Christ upon you.
Go into the world with the blessing of the Holy Spirit.
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
rest upon and remain with us,
this day and ever more.
Amen.