Prayer Calendar

August - December 2008

Compiled by Richard Connell

AUGUST

Prayers of Praise

Pray that everyone involved in this year’s conference at Swanwick may be lifted up, and let us praise the Lord for 40 years of  Interchurch Families in this country:

Heavenly father, our Creator and Protector, you stretch out the heavens above us like a tent and join us together like pieces of lace.

Rejoice in Gods presence
and worship him in spirit and in truth.

Know at all times that God will be powerfully at work in your life;
that his spirit of unity will be with you  as you  pray and sing,
and as you read and preach his inspired word.

 

SEPTEMBER

Prayers of Thanksgiving

Lift up everybody who offers their time and talents in the work of the Association:

 

Give thanks for Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, who has reconciled us to Him through his death and resurrection, and who unites us in one body through the Holy Spirit. 

Give thanks that, although we may be from different traditions, through this unity we can all be part of the one body that is your church.

Give thanks for men and women everywhere who are ready to answer your call to serve you and each other in love and humility.

 

OCTOBER

Prayers of Confession

We recall what we have done and not done over the past 40 years:
‘If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’   (1 John 1 vs 8-9)

Confess when your faith has been weak in spite of having experienced God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his promises.
Ask for forgiveness for times you set your own priorities rather than God’s.
Confess that sometimes you remain silent when confronted with division and conflict, holding people back from unity.

…  for the times you have not worked for unity in your own communities.

Confess that your pride or selfishness has been a barrier to others knowing  God’s love for them.

…  for the times you have not shared you faith with others.

Trust that God, in his infinite mercy will heal you from past mistakes, through his Son Jesus Christ, who cleanses us from all sin.

 

NOVEMBER

Prayers of Hope

Let us pray for the gift of vision;
to see the things we sometimes miss because our lives are so often rooted in detail.

Let us pray for the gift of wisdom,
that we may always seek unity and reconciliation; bringing peace and shining your light into dark and difficult situations.

Let us pray for the gift of servant hood’
for the gentleness to support, to nurture and to affirm our families, friends and colleagues.

Let us pray for the leaders in our community, for the humility and courage
to meet the needs of those around us.

Let us pray for the gift of hope;
that by our words and actions in daily life,we will enthuse, excite and inspire those around us, overcoming their despair and showing them hope for the future.

DECEMBER

Prayers of Peace

Let us pray that we will grow
in the ways of Christ, who humbled himself and, without counting the cost, andgave himself in love.

However differently we see things, pray that we will not allow those differences to create barriers between us; give us a desire to learn more about each other, to seek the truth, and to love other people as we love ourselves, as Jesus commanded.

Grant that by the prayers and work of people of goodwill, the desire for truth may prevail.  Deliver people from hatred and violence, and help them to see your purpose in honest daily work, and draw them together in one family in your love.

Arouse in us a genuine and continuing love: that we may live in the light of your love, that our neighbours may know us as people of love, and, that we may have self-esteem in knowing ourselves to be your children, created in your image in the unity of your family.

 

 

 

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