Colossians 4:2 (Good News Translation)
‘Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God’.

Gracious God, as a new week begins we will have our own concerns, our own challenges and our own hopes and dreams for the week ahead. So, we begin by committing each day to You.
On the days when we feel weary and our resolve is low, we pray for the assurance of the presence of Your Holy Spirit to energise and sustain us.
On the days when new opportunities come our way to serve You and the people around us, we pray that our hearts will be filled with respect and compassion for others.
On the occasions when decisions need to be made concerning the well-being of other people, we pray that justice, equality and empathy will govern any decisions made.
When we find ourselves in difficult situations in our relationships with others, we pray that our conversations will be rooted in honesty, forgiveness and humility.
Lord God, we offer this week into Your hands and ask that you use us, enable, equip and empower us to witness to Your love in our world. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Psalm 86:15 (Good News Translation)
‘But you, O Lord, are a merciful and loving God, always patient, always kind and faithful’.

Gracious God, as our nation marks Mothering Sunday this coming weekend, we come to You in prayer. As we look upon the yellow flower we give thanks for those who care, or have cared for us and brought us joy;parents, grandparents, partners, siblings, friends, neighbours, all those who have nurtured and valued us. For the people who have touched our lives, we give thanks.
As we look upon the purple flower we remember those people who will be feeling sad, for whom Mothering Sunday is a difficult day for whatever reason. We pray that You will draw alongside those who are hurting and will comfort them and surround them with Your presence.
Finally, as we look upon the red flower, we remember Your love for us and remember how You want us to love, nurture and care for others. God our Father and our Mother, we thank You for Your ever-abounding love for us. Amen

Genesis 1:21 (ESV)

‘So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good’.

Gracious God, we praise You and thank You for the beauty, wonder and diversity of the animal Kingdom you have created. We marvel at the variety of species You have created in the air, on land and in the sea. And yet sadly, we acknowledge that humankind has threatened the very existence of many of these amazing animals who were born to roam free in the wild. We give thanks for all conservation agencies and charities who strive to protect endangered species. As Chanua, a black Rhino, begins her 7,000 mile journey to a new home in a protected conservation area, we give thanks for the teams of people who have made this possible and are committed to preventing the extinction of the black Rhino. Lord God, we pray that Governments and authorities will do all they can to protect all species of wild animals and may we in turn, do all we can to support conservation agencies, both here and overseas. May we truly be responsible and caring Stewards of Your Earth. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)

‘Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing’.

Gracious God, this morning we lift before You once more the issue of mental health. We acknowledge that so many people are struggling with mental health issues, for so many different reasons. We think especially today of all those suffering in silence and isolation. We pray that all sufferers will have the courage to ask for help but so too, we pray that their voices will be heard and responded to. We pray for all health care professionals and agencies seeking to support mental health issues.
Living Lord, we ask that You will help us to create opportunities to engage in the process of talking and listening to one another. May this process be at the very heart of our communities so that together, we can protect and sustain the mental well-being of all people, of all ages. Give us the courage to challenge those issues that effect the well-being of others. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

Gracious God, we thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who gave us a new commandment, to love one another as You love us, to treat our neighbours with the respect, the dignity, the understanding and the kindness that we would like to receive in return. We thank You that in everything He did on earth, Christ witnessed to Your values of equality, justice and acceptance for all people. In His actions we see that all people are worthy in Your sight and all are loved and valued by You. And so we pray that You will help us to continue to strengthen our relationship with You, and ask that You help us to ensure that the relationships we build with one another are rooted in kindness and compassion. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Psalm 139:14 (ESV)

‘I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well’.

Gracious God, as our schools re-open this week for all pupils, we lift them before You. We understand that this will be both an exciting but also anxious time for some staff and children and so we pray that the assurance of Your presence will be felt in every institution. We pray that amidst the procedures and regulations of testing and the wearing of masks, the joy of learning will be at the very heart of every school. We pray for staff who have worked so hard to prepare to welcome back all pupils and give thanks for their care and dedication. We pray for pupils, that they will feel the joy of being back amongst their peers and their friends and give thanks for their individuality and unique characters. Finally, we pray for parents and carers, as homes adjust to new routines within this continuing pandemic. For the gift of children, of education and learning, we give You grateful thanks. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Gracious God, on this International Women’s Day we give thanks for women across all nations and for the roles they play in our society. May You continue to support and sustain them. We pray especially for equality and justice, so that all women, wherever they are in the world, may feel empowered and enabled to be the women You lovingly created them to be. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Ephesians 1:18 (Good News Translation)
‘I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people’.

Today we join in with the celebrating of the World Day of Prayer 2021.This year, prayers and acts of worship have been prepared by the Christian women of Vanuatu, and so we share in this prayer, written by Elizabeth Burroughs

Holy God, Creator of the heavens and the earth and all that is in them: –
We join with the Christian women of Vanuatu in praise to you
– for fertile land and fresh air
– for the sweet melody of the birds, for land animals and the mysterious creatures of the deep
– and for the sounds of children playing.
We thank you for the example of the Christian women of Vanuatu
– for their trust in you and
– for their fortitude as they struggle to provide food for their families and education for their children
– things that we in this country so often take for granted.
We ask your forgiveness for our thoughtlessness, our carelessness and our lack of foresight which has led to the pollution of the environment and the current climate emergency, and is causing irrevocable damage to Vanuatu and to other low-lying Pacific islands.
We pray that you will help us
– to listen more carefully to you and to your Word
– to build our homes and communities on its strong foundations
– and to work together towards a world where resources are used more sustainably;
where justice and peace reign; and where all your creatures can live in safety and harmony.
We pray in the name of Jesus
Amen.

Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Gracious God, as each Thursday we have given thanks for all those who care for the health of our nation, today we pray especially for all those involved in the Covid 19 vaccination programme. We give thanks for the expertise and knowledge of scientists, still working on vaccines, adapting them to make sure we have the best possible protection. We give thanks for all lab technicians gathering data and rmanaging equipment. We give thanks for those arranging appointments and processing forms as folks arrive for a vaccine, and for the marshals who direct our pathways to ensure vaccinations centre are safe. We give thanks for all those who deliver the vaccines and deal with logistical issues. And so too, we give thanks for the healthcare professionals who administer the jabs. Lord God, we appreciate that this is a huge team effort and a combination of paid workers and volunteers, so, for everyone involved, we are truly thankful.
This morning Lord, we remember too those poorer countries who are struggling to roll out vaccination programmes. We pray that richer continues will continue to do whatever they can to ensure that the peoples of all nations, in our world, receive the protection they need to fight the spread of the virus. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you’.

Gracious God, we lift before You today, all those who care for the needs of others in their homes. We think especially of young carers who look after parents, grandparents or siblings, for whom home schooling will have been particularly challenging, as they juggle their schooling and their responsibilities to their loved ones. We appreciate that many support agencies have had to temporarily cease during lockdown, adding to the pressure upon our children. We pray that these networks will soon be re-established, and that funding will be available to enable them to continue to offer the support so greatly needed. And we think especially too of all adult carers, often caring for someone they love in isolation as a result of the pandemic. May we as communities do whatever we can to support and sustain them and let them know that they are not alone. Living God, may Your presence be felt within every home and in every caring situation today, and may Your strength, compassion and Your love be felt in people’s lives this day, and in the days to come, Amen.

‘The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy still continue, Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. The Lord is all I have, and so in him I put my hope’.

Gracious God, we thank You for the gift of this new day. We thank You for its possibilities and the opportunities it will give us to shine love and hope into our world, through a hand outreached, or a prayer spoken. We praise You for the beauty of the sunrise, for the light of the midday sun as it radiates down upon us and for the certainty that the sun will set, whatever challenges and difficulties the day has brought. Living Lord, just as the sun continues to rise and fall, You continue to love us and walk with us, wherever the day takes us. And so, in this knowledge, help us to carry the hope and peace in our hearts that comes from being truly loved by You and may we, in grateful thanks, commit the day ahead in service to You. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart’s eternal spark
You are the door that’s open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me still
You are my love, keep me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Saviour this very day.

(celtic oral tradition – 1st millennium)