Prayer and Lord's Prayer, inspired by Deuteronomy 24:17-22 and Mark 12:41-44, and by prayers by St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), Bishop How (1823 - 1897), Rosemary Power and Yvonne Morland.
As we gather together in worship, let us come before God with open hearts, ready to celebrate the quiet joys and the profound moments in our lives. We bring our praise for the everyday gifts that surround us and our honest confessions for when we have missed God’s gentle call.
In this prayer, we hold space for both adoration and confession, recognising that in the silence and in the speaking, God’s Spirit meets us.
Let us pray together.
Loving and merciful God,
we adore you for the vastness of your love, for the care you show to every soul, and for the way your grace reaches into our lives.
We praise you that your kingdom is not built on wealth or power, but on mercy, justice, and humble hearts.
We rejoice that you see the small acts of faith, the quiet generosity, and the trust of those who give all they have.
Christ has no human body now on earth but ours, no hands but ours, no feet but ours.
Ours are the eyes through which to look at Christ’s compassion in the world,
ours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good,
ours are the hands with which he is to bless.
Most merciful Father, we confess that we have not always lived as your hands, feet, and eyes in the world.
We have hoarded what you have given, guarded our comfort, and ignored opportunities to show mercy.
We have made plans for ourselves and followed them without seeking your guidance.
Forgive us for the pride that blinds us, the selfishness that divides us, and the times we have failed to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Lord God, guide us step by step.
Help us to see with your eyes, to listen with your ears, to speak with your voice, and to act with your heart.
Show us how to use all the resources you have given us to spread your truth and enlarge your kingdom, however small our efforts may seem.
Give us courage to work for justice, to welcome the stranger, and to heal what is broken.
We confess that we have built walls where you call us to welcome,
that we have drawn lines through hearts,
and trampled what others hold dear.
Forgive us when our actions harm instead of bless.
Open our eyes to see your presence in every person,
especially in those we fear, overlook, or misunderstand.
We are all guilty, yet all loved by you.
In your account, no person or creature is more precious than another.
The way we look, the choices we make, the possessions we hold, the people we know — none of these can separate us from your love.
Help us to live with humility and simplicity, to follow Jesus faithfully, and to carry his light into every part of our world.
Merciful God, accept our prayers, our hearts, and our lives.
Renew us in your Spirit so that, as Christ’s body on earth, we may act with compassion, live with justice, and share your love freely.
And now, trusting in your love and mercy, we join together to pray as Christ has taught us, saying:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
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