Prayers for November 16th 2014

Loving God, We pray for peace in the world. We cry to you that men may honour one another and seek the common good.  So we pray for the leaders of the nations where there is strife, that you will bring peace.  We pray for the leaders of religions who stir up distrust and hatred that they may work for harmony and understanding factions. We cry to you for those countries where distrust has turned to hatred and hatred has tuned to war. We pray for the peoples of the Middle East, for Christian, Muslim and Jew, that they may live alongside one another in mutual respect and harmony.  And in particular, we pray for the Christian minority in the Middle East, in Palestine, Israel, Syria and Egypt

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer

We pray Lord,  our CMS link mission partner

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer

Heavenly Father, we pray for people who are ill, in hospitals, at home, in nursing homes and the hospice. Give them peace or mind and body, courage of spirit, and the knowledge that you are beside them in their weakness, pain and suffering. Give hospital teams the skills and knowledge to help and to heal.
We pray for those whose hearts have been saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them. Give to them the strong comfort which no one else can give, and let them know the comforting power of the resurrection of Jesus.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer

Lord Jesus, when you were on earth, you cared for the sick, and associated with those who were rejected by many people.  You called on us to care for the helpless.  Help us as individuals, and as your church in this city, to follow your example, by looking out for those who day by day feel that they are marginalised.  We pray for those in this parish who are overcome by the challenges of poverty. We pray for the ministry in Exeter of the Food Bank, for St Petrocks, and Christians Against Poverty.  Help us to make space for the stranger, to watch out for those who feel invisible.  We pray for the work of Street Pastors in the city, caring for those who are helpless late at night.

We pray for those who care for prisoners and ex-offenders, especially in the prison here.

Lord in your mercy,

Hear our prayer

Finally, we pray for ourselves, that the fruit of the Holy Spirit may be seen in us.

Spirit of the living God, speak again to us and all your people:

And transform us

Changing confrontation into love,

Changing pessimism into joy,

Changing tension into peace;

Changing impetuosity into patience;

Changing sinfulness into goodness;

Changing apathy into kindness;

Changing fickleness into faithfulness;

Changing anger into gentleness;

and changing lack of discipline into self-control.

Then may we enjoy to the full the fruit of the Spirit that you will and work in us for the enrichment of our lives, your church and your world.

Word in the World – Prayers for Christian Worship Book 2 compiled by Donald Hilton no. 331 page 203 adapted

Merciful Father

Accept our prayers