Praying for our world as we enjoy the football
What a start to the England Campaign at #FIFAWorldCup! Open Doors have created a great resource to pray for the needs of our world as the tournament progresses:
Praying for our new prime minister
King Charles welcomes Mr Sunak at Buckingham Palace (Photo: PA)
THE Archbishop of Canterbury has asked people to pray for Rishi Sunak as he starts his term of office as Prime Minister.
Mr Sunak was chosen as the new leader of the Conservative Party on Monday afternoon, and became the new Prime Minister on Tuesday morning, when Liz Truss stood down after several weeks of financial and political turmoil.
After the announcement on Monday, Archbishop Justin Welby posted on Twitter: “At a time of great difficulty and uncertainty for this country, please join me in praying for Rishi Sunak as he takes on the responsibilities of leadership. May he, and all leaders of all parties, work across divides to bring unity and offer stability for those who need it most.”
Last Thursday, in a House of Lords debate on the cost of living, the Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, exhorted whoever became Prime Minister to address child poverty as a priority.
“The well-being of the nation is now very fragile,” he said. “To the incoming Prime Minister, I say: ‘Please don’t make it worse. Do all you can to make it better. Don’t allow the costs of the economic downturn to be borne by children and the poorest. . . Blessed are those who consider the poor.”
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Thank you to everyone who contributed to a weekend of thanksgiving for Her Majesty at St Mary’s Church.
St Mary’s Church will be open on Monday, 19 September, from 1pm to 8pm, to reflect, pray, light a candle or sign the Book of Condolence.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has written:
As a faithful Christian disciple, and also Supreme Governor of the Church of England, she lived out her faith every day of her life. Her trust in God and profound love for God was foundational in how she led her life – hour by hour, day by day.
In The Late Queen’s life, we saw what it means to receive the gift of life we have been given by God and – through patient, humble, selfless service – share it as a gift to others.
A prayer of thanksgiving for the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Creator of Heaven and Earth,
Through all our days you fashion us and by your grace we grow.
We thank you for all that was accomplished in your servant Elizabeth.
Throughout her life she glorified your name.
May that also be true for each of us and for our nation;
And may our dearly departed Queen rest in peace and rise in glory.
Amen.
King Charles III delivers his address to the nation and the Commonwealth from Buckingham Palace, London, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday. (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
A prayer for the new King
Everlasting God, we pray for our new King.
Bless his reign and the life of our nation.
Help us to work together
so that truth and justice, harmony and fairness
flourish among us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
GET ACTIVE!
GET ACTIVE!
All around St Mary’s Church you will find the Lord’s Prayer in 14 different languages. Can you find them all? Can you guess which language they are?
STARTS TODAY: Thy Kingdom Come Daily Devotions
Thy Kingdom Come is a global wave of prayer calling all Christians to pray between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to know the love and peace of Jesus Christ.
It starts today on Ascension Day and will run from May 26th – 5th June 2022.
Download Archbishop Justin Welby’s daily devotions for this year’s Thy Kingdom Come…
Praying for Peace
Ukrainians praying in the central square of Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Image: Courtesy of Ukrainian Bible Society)
How can we pray for the ongoing war in Ukraine?
Read an excellent article on the website of BRF, one of our mission partners…
Here are some suggestions how you can pray on your own or with others:
Pray and meditate on Psalm 46:
1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Ukraine’s chief Rabbi invited Christian leaders to recite Psalm 31 together
PRAYER RESOURCES
Behind the scenes with local Christian leaders in Ukraine and how they pray…
You can find liturgical resources on the Church of England website…
A Prayer for Ukraine from 24-7 prayer…
How can we pray for President Zelenskyy
Prayers For Refugees – Prayer of The Refugee – Compassion UK
Prayers for peace in conflict and disaster (faithandworship.com)
Prayers prayed for Ukraine at our Sunday service on 13 June:
Lord Jesus, you are our Prince of Peace, the Captain in our Storm. When circumstances are overwhelming and you seem far away, remind us that your presence is with us.
Father, we pray for the War in Europe, and cry out to you for peace in the Ukraine. We ask for your grace to shine upon the citizens of Kiev, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mariupol, Kherson, the Donbas, and all other areas facing the sheer and unthinkable terror of war:
- As artillery fire rains down, keep them safe Lord, as they shelter.
- As missiles lay waste to property and businesses, give them refuge Lord, until they can rebuild.
- As cities are besieged, nourish them Lord, when they feel hungry.
- As bombs kill and maim, comfort them Lord, as they grieve for their losses.
- As lies and disinformation are sown, reassure them Lord, as they seek the truth.
We pray Lord for the refugees who have been forced to leave behind their lives and loved ones. We trust that you are close to the brokenhearted, and you save those who are crushed in spirit. In the same way, protect these people from aggression Lord, and guide their safe passage out of the Ukraine. May they be welcomed by countries across the continent with open arms and avoid encountering bureaucratic challenges or hostility as they seek refuge. Revive, guide and empower the organisations working tirelessly to enable this evacuation, and direct aid to where it is needed the most – and we pray that refugee needs for food, shelter, clothing and love can be expedited wherever they are needed.
We pray that you can use the leaders of western governments to be instruments of peace. Guide them away from pride and partisanship, and towards unity in common purpose. Give them strength and wisdom through their negotiations as they seek to ensure enduring peace, fill them with compassion and empathy for those in need.
We pray for President Putin and the Russian leadership. Your light leads us out of darkness, and in the same way we pray that you can lead and guide his decisions over the coming weeks. We pray Lord that you can soften his heart away from decisions that might cause further destruction or hurt others. Lord, only you can make the impossible possible. Amen.
Other Prayers for Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion
to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear.
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen.
Archbishop Justin Welby
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Father, today we pray for the escalating situation in Ukraine.
We confess that in times of such rapid change and on issues of such complexity, it can be difficult to know how to pray.
So we start with our praise and thanks to you, who remains steadfast and faithful, all-seeing and all-knowing.
We re-orientate ourselves in you, your timescales, your ways and your purposes.
We remind ourselves of your love for this earth you formed and those you created in your image.
We struggle to see clearly through confusion and misinformation, yet recognise an age-old lust for power, control and violence.
We pray for those already mourning, those who are fleeing homes and livelihoods, for those who are fearful and vulnerable.
We pray for intermediaries on the ground and those seeking to defend life and liberty. Blessed are the peacemakers.
Amidst the political posturing and frightening military action we pray for those involved in genuine diplomatic efforts to avert further bloodshed.
We remember how Jesus resisted being co-opted into the religious and political uprisings of competing empires. We remember how He spoke to heal the sick, calm the storm and raise the dead. We too pray that the name of God would not be invoked in destructive nationalistic ways. We pray for powerful words and miraculous actions – for de-escalation, peace and justice, repentance and restoration.
On earth as it is in heaven, and for our faithful witness until then,
Amen.
David Smyth, Head of Northern Ireland Evangelical Alliance.
A Prayer for Peace in Ukraine
God of compassion,
Have mercy this day on the people of Ukraine.
Restore to them the gift of peace.
Grant wisdom to the governments of the world.
Bring good in the midst of evil and suffering,
For the sake of Jesus Christ your Son,
Who gave his life to bring peace to your world
Amen.
Bishop Steven Croft
A Prayer by Christian Aid
Borders, barricades, bewilderment…
When the bargaining begins,
God please protect peace.
Sanctions, security measured in minutes and it’s scary…
When safety scatters,
God please protect peace.
War dresses up in peace-keeper’s clothes,
Troops amass, the ground trembles and so do people…
When the future feels fragile,
God please protect peace.
The littlest, the least likely to have a say, those
who lives are sanctioned and bargained over
Violence always finds them first.
And the ‘oh-so important’ political manoeuvres
mean nothing to them. They just want to live.
When the winners want to wipe them out of
the way, God please protect peace.
We will not turn away. We will stand together
God, give us the strength to protect peace.
Amen
Prayer about refugees and finding asylum…
Psalm 31 prayed from bomb shelters and bunkers
Watch Ukrainians praying Psalm 31 from bunkers and bomb shelters in this video (courtesy of biblesociety.org.uk).
211121 Sunday Service on 21st November 2021
Sunday Service, live from St Mary’s Church, starting at 10.30am (and available to stream afterwards).
Please download the service sheet in advance (attached below), which contains all the words for the service.
Prayers Friday 5th November 2021
Morning prayer
Lord, I long to worship you and to receive the spiritual and physical refreshment you want to give me. I thank you for lighting my way when darkness makes it hard. I thank you for your mercy
May I stay close to you, to accept your grace and take another step toward the perfection to which you are calling me. Lord, your grace is all that I will ever need.
Forgive me for the ways I try to follow you on my own strength. Fill my heart with your surpassing love, and make me holy as you are holy. Hold me close today, and keep me always in your presence.
I pray for all those who have gone before me and are still in need of your pardon. Pour forth your mercy upon them so that they may be counted among the saints in heaven.
Holy Spirit, I offer you all my shortcomings, sins, and fears. Help me to walk forward, trusting in your mercy and grace. Help me to use the gifts you have given me to grow into the person that you want me to become. May I focus on you and see you more and more in my life. Amen.