John 15:10-12
” If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”.

Gracious God, we come before you today exactly one week before we will celebrate the birth of Your Son Jesus Christ, who came into our world over 2,000 years ago. This baby came to bring us a message of hope, of peace and love but, so too, a message of joy, the joy that comes from being in a living relationship with You through the gift of Your Son, and the joy of knowing that we have a creator God who loves and cares for us. We are never truly alone, Emmanuel, God is with us, You are with us. Lord God, we know that our Christmas festivities will not be the same this year and we are disappointed, frustrated and sad. But as we prepare for a very different Christmas in the week ahead, help us to keep a sense of hope, peace and joy in our hearts knowing that ultimately, Christmas is about love, love that was poured into our world that first Christmas Day so that we may experience what it really means to love and to be loved. In the name of Your Son, the baby in the manger, joy to the world, we give You thanks, Amen.

John 15:10-12
” If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”.

Gracious God, as Thursday dawns, we give thanks, with joy, once more for the amazing work of our NHS and all healthcare providers. Today especially, we give thanks that the vaccine has begun to be administered to the most vulnerable members in our community and so too we lift before You the ongoing work of the scientists, the pharmaceutical firms and all the NHS workers tasked with this huge logistical process. We pray that the vaccine will be delivered across our world and that the voices of poorer nations will be heard amidst all this.
So too today, we think of all those who are unwell for whatever reason and all those who will care for them. We pray for our ambulance service and our A & E departments, struggling to cope with the demands made upon them. We give thanks for their dedication and compassion shown, when dealing with the needs of others, in a crisis situation. Lord God, we pray for the healing power of Your Holy Spirit to sweep across our nation. May the power of your love and grace be experienced throughout our communities. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

John 15:10-12
” If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”.

Gracious God, this morning we give thanks for the mediums of music and drama, for the creativity of those who seek to entertain us in our theatres, concert halls, opera houses and entertainment venues. We thank You that music and drama have the power to move our emotions and bring us joy. Lord God, with news of the tightening once more of restrictions, we reflect upon the plight of all those working in the entertainment industry who have found themselves unable to work for many months now; actors, musicians, producers, dancers, set and costume designers, box office staff, all those who make live performances possible. Amidst the disappointment and the frustration, we acknowledge the financial concerns of freelance artists who find themselves without an income at this time. God of creativity, we ask for Your protection upon all those affected as a direct result of the pandemic. We pray that as a nation, we will find ways to preserve and support the Performing Arts industry and as communities, we will continue to support all those in need who find themselves without work, across all sectors of employment, this day. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

John 15:10-12
” If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”.

Gracious God, as we look at these knitted angels, boxed ready to be delivered to a local care home, we thank you for all those who have lovingly knitted them and the joy they will bring to those who receive them. And today Lord, we lift before You and give thanks for all the amazing people who ensure that our nursing and care homes are infiltrated with joy, even through this immensely challenging time; from carers, to cooks, to cleaners, to activity coordinators, to anyone who ensures that those in their care are loved and looked after with dignity and respect. And so too, we pray for all the residents and their families who have been deeply saddened at not being able to spend time with one another. We pray that whatever the regulations this Christmas time, Your love and presence will be felt in these communities and that there will be a sense of joy and peace as the birth of Your Son is celebrated. Finally Lord God, we give thanks for the joy of the production of a Covid 19 vaccine and pray that those most vulnerable in our society, and those who care for them, will be able to receive it soon. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Gracious God, at the start of Advent week 3, as we focus upon Joy, we are reminded of Your great commandment to us, that we must love one another, as You have loved us. Lord God, we know that there are many who will struggle to feel a sense of joy this Christmas for different reasons. We think especially of those who will grieve the loss of loved ones, those who will be in hospital, those who will lack the security of a warm home, those who are anxious for whatever reason. And yet, amidst all this you speak of joy, the joy that comes from an assurance of Your love, and You command us to care for one another, to let Your love be known and experienced in a very real way. And so, as we continue to journey through Advent, help us to remember Your words spoken to us and to reach out, in any way we can, to those in need of Your love this Christmas, and may we experience the reality of that love in our lives, so that we too may feel a sense of joy. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.
Gracious God, that first Christmas, over 2,000 years ago, a child was born who brought hope into our world. He understood the things in our lives that destroy our sense of peace and as He grew to be a man, He sought ways to restore our relationship with You, and with one another. He taught us to build communities rooted in equality and justice, compassion and understanding, mutual respect and forgiveness. His name was Jesus and He is the Prince of Peace. Lord God, as we move into the third week of Advent, help us to make the space to prepare to celebrate the birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ, remembering the message of hope he brought, as we journey to the manger and seek to follow Him. In His name, the name of Jesus we pray, let there be peace. Amen.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.
Gracious God, as we come to You in prayer this Thursday morning, we pray for a sense of peace for all our NHS workers as they continue to take care of the health of our nation. We know that our NHS is always under pressure, particularly in the winter months, but we appreciate that this year the challenges are even more difficult as they continue to deal with Covid 19, amidst all other health concerns, and now face the added pressure of the logistics of a vaccination programme. We continue to give grateful thanks for all our NHS workers and we pray for their physical and mental well-being. May the power of Your Holy Spirit give energy, assurance, comfort and a sense of peace to all those who will care for the needs of others this day and in the days to come.
So too Lord, as we see an increase in cases of Covid 19 in some of our local schools, we pray for all staff working to ensure our children are educated and cared for, amidst this challenging climate. We appreciate the anxiety felt by staff at this time and again, we give grateful thanks for their dedication to the nurturing of our children. We pray for a sense of peace and assurance within every staffroom, and within our schools.
God of peace, may the power of Your love be felt in our communities today. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.
Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, we take a moment to come before you and quieten and calm our thoughts. Help us to trust that you will walk with us, to help us deal with the matters of the day ahead. Please give us peace of mind and a sense of Your very being, assured of Your presence with us and Your love for us. In a moment of silence we turn our thoughts to You and we take our strength from You.
And now, Lord God, we lift before You anyone we are concerned about this day. As we utter their name upon our lips, we place them into the safety and security of Your hands. In Your name we pray, let there be peace. Amen.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.
God of Grace, today we pray for all the places in our world where there is war or conflict, where people are denied peace. We think especially of families displaced from their homes, for children who cannot play in safety or attend school, for those who lack food and shelter, for communities who live in fear, for those who live with injury and those who grieve the loss of loved ones. We remember when Your Son, Jesus Christ said, ‘Blessed be the peacemakers’. And so we pray for all those seeking to bring peace into the lives of others, for those who seek to alleviate suffering and bring a resolution to conflicts. Lord God, where there is darkness, we ask that Your light will shine, where there is no peace, we pray that Your love will be revealed. In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace we pray, Amen.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.
God of Grace, as we lit our second Advent Candle of peace yesterday, we lift before you this morning, all those, including ourselves, whose peace may be disrupted this week. We think about those who cannot settle for anxiety of financial concerns, those who cannot rest because of pain they are experiencing, those who cannot relax because of the presence of conflict in their homes, for those waiting for news of some sort who struggle to be patient, for those whose minds simply will not settle because of a worry that is gnawing away. Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, You came into our world to give us an assurance of the peace of God which goes beyond our understanding. And so, for all those experiencing a lack of peace this week, we pray for Your assurance, we pray for Your compassion, but most of all we pray for the knowledge of Your presence alongside us in every situation. May the power of being loved by You bring peace into our lives in the days ahead, Amen.