Sing a song to the Lord all the earth … For great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised. … splendour and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place … Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever

1 Chron 16: 23/25/27/34 NIV

Songs of grace are sweet,
Turn heads, attract attention;
Songs of grace penetrate,
people stop to listen;
Songs of grace echo,
Along corridors walls and halls;
Songs of grace linger,
In street corners, alleyways and doors;

Songs of grace shine,
through the darkness and the gloom;
Songs of grace lighten,
The atmosphere in a room;
Songs of grace perfume,
The very air we breath;
Songs of grace relieve,
Burdens, stress and ill-ease;

Songs of grace welcome,
Invite us to belong;
Songs of grace forgive,
Hurts, pains and wrongs;
Songs of grace comfort,
Those who mourn and are sad;
Songs of grace rejoice,
With those who are glad;

Songs of grace are merciful,
Generous, loving and kind;
Songs of grace transform,
our heart, our soul, our mind.

Loving God, sing your songs of grace over us, that we may sing your songs of grace; your songs of acceptance, your songs of encouragement, your songs of forgiveness,  your songs of peace, your songs of the love of Jesus to each other.  May we sing them at home, in the workplace, in schools, in hospitals, in the shops, on the bus, on the streets and in every situation.

Loving God, may the eternal song of the grace, of Jesus our Saviour be sung and heard throughout our troubled world. Amen.

Ruth Rushworth

Image: MP McKellar – used with permission

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them.
1 John 4:16

We thank You Lord for special friends
Faithful, sure and true
Who bring out the best in us
And point the way to You.

Friends who believe in us
Who listen and care
Friends who trust and shows us
That God is truly there.

Friends who walk alongside us
Help us up a steep slope
Hold our hand quite firmly
Plant seeds of love and hope.

Friends who loves us just as we are
And will never turn away
Who reveal the love of Jesus
Who reflect, share and pray.

We thank you loving God for the gift of friendship.  We thank you for friends and family and all those who have encouraged us along life’s way.  We thank you for those who have guided us along the right path, helped us discover our skills and talents, corrected us and shown the kindness and compassion of Jesus.  We thank you for those who have listened, kept in touch and given generously of their time.  We thank you for those who have shared their faith and prayed with and for us and encouraged us in our walk with Jesus.

Loving God, we thank you for Jesus, our wonderful counsellor, our greatest and most faithful friend, who loves and accepts us just as we are, who guides us and will never turn us away. May we open our lives more fully to his love.

Loving God, we pray for anyone in need of a friend today, that someone may draw alongside them in love. May we be ready and willing to be a good friend to others, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
Isaiah 43:1 NKJV

Lord God, as we look at this picture of a beautiful spring garden, we can imagine ourselves leaning on the gate, enjoying the view, feeling the warmth of the sun on our back, and smelling the blossom. We thank you for the beauty, peace and restoration we can find in the countryside and in your presence.

We take a moment to quieten our minds and turn our thoughts and focus to you.

Lord God, we reflect that you walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden in the cool of the evening. On Easter day morning Mary Magdalene went to the empty tomb in the garden. She recognised the risen Jesus when he called her by name. We imagine that moment when Mary heard Jesus call her by name….

We thank you that you call each of us by name and through Jesus you meet with us, every day, in the garden of our lives. We think of you calling us by name and how we respond to your call….

Lord God, even when we struggle to hear your voice, we thank you for the assurance that you have redeemed us, we belong to you and you have called us and know us by name. We need not be afraid.

May we find refreshment, peace and hope in your presence.

May we find clarity and purpose as we follow you and trust in your guiding hand.

May we be your voice, your hands, your feet and your heart to those who are seeking the assurance of being known, loved and cared for by name.

We offer you our thoughts and prayers and ask for your blessings in whatever lies ahead this day. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Saviour. Amen

Ruth Rushworth

(image:www.pixabay.com)
John 14:27        NIV
“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 Inter-Faith week is marked this week, we thank You for the opportunity to learn and reach out to one another, acknowledging that our communities are made up of people with different beliefs. We pray that You will help us to forge, strengthen and sustain good inter-faith relationships. We pray that conversations will take place in our homes, our workplaces, our places of worship, wherever people meet, so that friendships can develop rooted in awareness, mutual respect, understanding, and tolerance of one another. Lord God, amidst the diversity of our beliefs, help us all to strive for unity and peace in our societies.
This morning we remember especially all those who have fled their homes to escape war and conflict and find themselves seeking refuge in other countries. We pray for all men, women and children facing winter living in temporary camps. May all those in need of security at this time be treated with compassion, empathy, and generosity, and may we find ways to do all we can to reach out to those in desperate need at this time. Lord in Your great mercy, hear our prayers. Amen.