I prepared the Prayers of the People for the Eucharist this morning – only to discover that they weren’t needed.
There is so much talk on social media about the dire state of the world and the possible end of the world, that I feel it is incumbent of us Christians to recall that Christian faith brings hope not despair.
Below is what I would have prayed:
The response for this morning’s intercessions is:
God of hope and assurance,
We thank you and we bless you.
God of peace, we thank you for those who bring peace to their neighbour and turn their despair and grief to hope and determination;
Empower those who are in negotiations for peace in Palestine and in Ukraine. Give them diplomacy, skill and a vision for the future.
Strengthen the leaders who are turning their word of peace into action.
God of hope and assurance,
We thank you and we bless you.
Lord of the Church, we thank you for those who show us the way of the Gospel, for our teachers in the faith as they assist us to work and pray.
We thank you for our ministry of encouragement one to another.
We praise you for your world-wide Church and the ways it witnesses to peace and kindness.
God of hope and assurance,
We thank you and we bless you.
God, you are the author of all healing. We thank you for all who care for the sick: for nurses and doctors, for care workers and researchers, for hospital staff and volunteers. We bless you for their ministry.
We thank you for parents and adult children who take time to care for their loved ones and nurture them back to health.
We thank you for all who are restored to health, and especially we thank you for Milton as he recovers from surgery.
God of hope and assurance,
We thank you and we bless you.
God, you call us into community. We bless you for the love of all who build and maintain community. We thank you for politicians and councillors as they work to make a more loving community. We thank you for each other as we contribute to the solidarity of our parish community.
God of hope and assurance,
We thank you and we bless you.
God, the author of all life, we praise you that you have called us into this life. We thank you for the joys and blessings of life, for those who love us, for our gifts well-used. We confidently praise you for leading us to a marvelous and eternal life.
God of hope and assurance,
We thank you and we bless you.
Mind Journeys 