Pentecost at Gresley
Tony Parker led our prayers on Sunday morning. Here they are:
Before we begin our prayers, someone in our midweek group asked me what intercessory prayers were? It seems to me that we can go through our liturgy week by week and automatically assume everyone knows? There is a helpful scripture from Ezekiel 22:30: “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”
When we pray, we stand in the gap between the focus of our prayers, usually people and situations and God. From the scripture it seems that God desires and wills his people to ‘pray on behalf of’ others and situations.
When someone leads prayer and the rest of us respond with something like ‘Lord, hear our prayer’, it seems to have a greater spiritual effect than solitary prayer, so intercessory prayer has an important spiritual dynamic.
Our prayers today will focus on elements of Pentecost, the commemorations to remember the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings and then closer to home; our leadership, fellowship and parish.
Let us pray.
Lord, your Loving spirit shines on your church at this time of Pentecost, and challenges us to make a difference in the name of Jesus. We ask for the gift of your Holy Spirit to help us pray as we ought.
Your word says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Lord we pray that you will bring your church into a place of conviction of the sin that prevents the revealing light of your spirit being effective in the world. We ask Father that you will lose a spirit of repentance and forgiveness throughout your church to restore the energy and vision for needed for service and ministry in this generation.
Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Loving God, at this season of Pentecost when we celebrate the empowering of your church by the Holy Spirit, we give you thanks and praise that you reveal your love to us in so many ways. We pray your blessing on families and friends, those sitting next to us here this morning, those we meet at school, at work, at the shops or wherever we find ourselves. Help us to be sure of your spirits presence with us in our actions… our thoughtful in our dealings with people and that this would reflect in our lives your loving concern for all. Help us to be open to understand your will, and trust you in the choices we make each day.
Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Lord, we remember all who visit our church here at St George & St Mary’s and all those who meet on our premises. May they always receive a loving welcome and sense the presence of God.
We pray for our leaders, for our bishops Alastair and Humphrey, we pray for our new vicar Mike Firbank and his wife Kathryn, and children Pete, Andy and Paige and give thanks for guiding them to us. Be with them Lord as they prepare to move from Cornwall to here. We also ask for your blessing, renewal and strength for all who are involved in the life and ministry of our fellowship.
Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Father, as we reflect on the 100th anniversary of World War I and the 70th anniversary of the World War II D-day landings, we ask for your continued blessings on Queen Elizabeth. As an active member of the forces in the WWII, we pray you will grant her strength and grace as she reaches out to others, not just as our Queen but also as a fellow veteran of WWII. When we look at the faces, sense the cost paid, see the tears and hear those who bear witness to the fellowship and loss of friends and comrades in war, there remains a raw emotion that just will not be subdued. We ask, loving God, that you will draw near to all those affected by war, and especially in our armed forces. We ask for the blessing of deep peace (As Jesus said, in Philippians 4:7, “the peace that passes all understanding”) on all those who remain in the shadow of war; and for those eaten up by haunting memories, anxiety and guilt. We also pray for those who have been so deeply affected by the cruelty, violence and futility of war especially where their Christian life has become hard and dry.
Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
We pray, Lord, that you will stretch out your hand from heaven, through your church and other aid agencies to relieve those suffering the effects of war, famine, disease, intolerance, prejudice and neglect. And we pray your peace and blessing on all agencies that work to relieve suffering. We ask for the energy and vision of your Spirit for those who are tiring in the battle against injustice and oppression: for those exhausted by the struggle with poverty and hunger.
We ask for the love and courage of your Spirit be on those reaching out to comfort the distressed; for those reaching out to others with the Good News of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
Help us to be mindful of the differing needs of those we meet. Help us to be there when needed, sharing the high and happy parts of life and supportive during the lowest and most miserable times we all experience.
We bring before you those who feel no one cares for or about them, the unemployed, the poor, the lonely, the depressed and those suffering injustice and neglect.
We also bring before you and ask for the hope and comfort of your Spirit, those whose lives are overshadowed by illness or pain; for those whose lives are darkened by sorrow or bereavement.
Give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them a real revelation of joy and salvation.
And for ourselves loving God, we ask for the assurance of your Spirit to know your presence with us in our daily lives:
- In our relationships;
- In our work and service;
- In our worship;
- In our times of joy and pain.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.