Parish Prayer Resources

As part of Day 7 in our Diocesan “10 Days of Prayer” the Diocese have sent out the below prayer resources compiled and written by Esther Simpson, a Diocesan Reader, and based around King Solomon’s prayer found in 1 Kings 8:54-61.
We were not able to fully use them in our Prayer Meeting on 28th, but I put them here in the hope that they can be used by groups or individuals going forward

Let us pray

Lord God,
You are an ever-faithful God.
You have always kept faith though we have not.
You have always fulfilled your promises though ours so often are forgotten.
Your every word is trusty and true though ours have been twisted and deceitful.
As we come before you this evening, we come in repentance.
When we have refused or ignored your instruction, forgive us.
When we have turned away from those in need, forgive us.
When we have desired other things ahead of you, forgive us.
When we have been careless with your creation and your creatures, forgive us.
When we have been faithless, forgive us.
Forgive us, not because of what we have done, but because of who you are;
Merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger
Abounding in loving-kindness and faithfulness
Keeping steadfast love
Forgiving iniquity and sin.
We call on your faithful mercy and love, shown in the death of Jesus.
Amen.

Reflect on God’s nature.
Confess your own sin.
Call out for God’s faithful mercy for your street, neighbourhood, community and country.

Ever-present God, our Ever-present help,
You are always there, there is no place where you are not.
In this time of isolation and distancing from one another,
You are neither isolated nor distanced from us.
Help us use this time when we are in your presence
To learn the sound of your voice more clearly
To listen for your plans and dreams for us as individuals and congregations
To spend and lavish time on our relationship with you.
Remind us that we are always in your presence;
In our armchairs and kitchens,
In our working from home and home-schooling,
In our anxious and overwhelming moments,
In our grief and loneliness.
May we choose to use every moment well, that all we do and are worships you.
Amen.

Reflect on God’s constant presence.
Give thanks that he is always with you.
Bring before him by name those you know who are grieving, lonely or struggling mentally or physically with isolation.
Cry out for God’s provision of presence and comfort for them

Lord our God,
You have made us, fearfully and wonderfully, for your glory.
We cry out to you for hearts and souls that would choose you
In every day
In every way
In every choice and circumstance
Bring our hearts from death to life
In reading your word and obeying it
In desire and dedication in prayer
In love and longing for the lost.
Turn our hearts and eyes outwards to those who need you.
Bless us with courage to speak
Bless us with signs and wonders
Bless us with harvest.
We pray for fertile hearts and ears to hear your word of life,
In this place, in our streets, in our families, in this nation.
For Jesus’ sake who lived and died in joyful, obedient love.
Amen.

Reflect on Jesus’ example of love with all his heart, soul and might.
Give thanks for God’s power in you to do the same.
Cry out for a greater obedience and witness to God.
Pray by name for those that you long to see come to Jesus.

God our God,
You are God who never sleeps and is always paying attention.
You always hear our prayers, there is no time that you are distracted from our words.
Give us ears that are as attentive
To hear the fear and questions under the complaint
To listen to another’s story without interruption
To hear the whisper of your Spirit’s wisdom.
May we reflect you,
Be unceasing in our prayer
Be unfailing in our witness.
We pray for those right now who feel unheard and unseen.
Lead us to them, to reflect your concern and care for them.
In Jesus’ name who turned aside to care for the unseen and unheard.
Amen.

Reflect on God’s constant attention.
Give thanks that at all times you are loved and cared for.
Cry out for those in our communities who feel unseen and unheard – the homeless, the jobless, the house-bound, those with physical disability.
Pray that God would provide new opportunities for outreach and mission to them

Lord our God,
You have created every person and tribe and nation and language to worship you.
Every person we pass bears your image,
Every one is loved and wanted by you.
We lift up to you those we live with
Those we live beside
Those we work and worship with
Those we relax and rest with
Those we dislike and disagree with.
They are all loved and longed for by you.
Give us a vision broader than our own interests or congregation
Give us a longing as long and wide and deep and high as yours
For all the lost to be saved
For all the prodigal sons and daughters to return
And then help us rejoice and celebrate, even as you do.
Amen.

Reflect on God’s indiscriminate inclusion.
Give thanks for your own salvation, reflecting on how much blessing is has brought.
Pray for all those mentioned in the prayer – family, neighbours, colleagues, friends and even our enemies – that God would bring them home.
Pray that where your heart is hardened towards someone or some group, that God would soften it to be as longing and loving as his.

Lord our God,
Our Master and King.
We recommit ourselves to your service
Do with us as you will
Make of us what you will
Use us how you will
We are yours, whole-heartedly and all in.
May your Kingdom come here,
May your will be done here
In my heart
In these streets
In your church
In this land.
Lord of the harvest, grant us the blessing of gathering sheaves
Shouting and singing with joy where we have sown in tears.
O Lord, bring revival
And start with me.
Amen.

Reflect on God’s calling to you for mission.
Re-dedicate yourself to that work.
Cry out for a harvest in this land – of souls and families, of streets and communities

Lord God,
Thank you for our time together.
We commit all our prayers –
Spoken and unspoken
Those we put words to and those that are aches and sighs and tears –
Into your strong and careful hands.
May you do far more abundantly than all that we think or imagine or dream.
To your glory, yours alone.
Forever and ever.
Amen.

Parish Prayer Resources

SUGGESTED BY THE BISHOP IN HIS VIDEO MESSAGE