Prayer of Confession: Our Relationships Expand in a Circle/Prayers of the People (Sep, 8, 2013)

Prayer of Confession

Leader:

We live in a web of life.

Our relationships expand in a circle -

we care for our family members,

we care for the needy in our local community,

we decide as a nation about our policies

that  may affect on our global human community

and our Mother Earth.

People:

Our today determines everyone’s tomorrow.

The spectre of tomorrow calls us today to be awake,

Aware of our daily decisions and our lifestyles,

Daring to be more just, ethical and loving.

All:

O God,

remind us that we are not just ourselves,

We are part of the greater Self of humankind and creation.

Restore us and mend our fragile web of life.

O God, we ask you to restore us and mend our fragile web of life

to be wholeness and life-giving for all.

May we be mindful of our blessings when we live today,

the most precious gift given by you. Amen.

Assured of God's Restoring Love

When we are created by the image of God

we are created as Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden

living with the whole creation of God.

We are a community, broken and suffering,

yet we see the promise of restoration in the rainbow

God paints in the sky.

God gives us the strength to preserve our body, mind and soul

through the power of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of greater love.

God intends us to be the ones who restore.  

Being assured of God's love for all,  

receive the assurance and affirmation that we are a new creation, restored and reclaimed

to be God's agents.

Let us give thanks to God. (Thanks be to God.)

May our joy and gratitude ripple outward to the whole creation.

With thanksgiving let us share the peace of Christ.

May the peace of Christ be with you...  

Prayers of the People

O God,

We thank you for your creation and this season – where the energy of change and fruitfulness and fulfilment fill the whole space of the earth and sky. You let us know how every gentle and creative touch of yours keeps and preserves the whole of creation to be perfect and beautiful.

We praise and give thanks to you for who we are – how you have created us all wonderfully and fearfully. Thank you for the beautiful scripture passage of assurance, poetic assurance of an enduring truth. Let us sing how it is amazing to live as we are created, in your image; your love and joy completes us and makes us whole. At this time, give us peace, as we celebrate your creative energy which is shown in the cycle of the seasons; we also embrace the memory of our loved ones who have completed their life journeys on this earth and returned to our common source – you. Give them your peace.  

We remember and embrace N, your faithful servant and our church family member, and N, N’s sister and dear friend to many of us. We pray for their grieving families. Let us all be assured that death is not the end but the mere horizon of our present vision; the new morning breaks over us sharing with us the hope of resurrection. You are our ultimate reality of everlasting love, the source to which we all return. We especially hold up N in our prayer to you. Be present with her and be a centering love and rock for her at this very sorrowful time. Fill our emptiness and move us all into a living hope in you, our Creator.

We also pray for everyone who is in our prayer list every week and every month, especially this week, we remember Ns. We trust your answering love and healing presence.

We pray for Syria and all the countries which groan with suffering, division and strife. 

We pray that the US and the international community take courage and bold initiative to begin ‘political resolution’ and dialogue with the present regime of Syria,  rather than resorting to a vengeful military strike. We strongly hope that our political leaders be granted the wisdom to shun military options which will harm innocent people along with the guilty. We pray for the 2 million refugees who are fleeing from Syria for their safety. We pray for coexistence, tolerance and understanding between Muslims and Christians in the middle East and beyond, and ask that you especially keep safe the Arab Christian minority in Syria and other nations.

We pray for the Neighourhood House in Chemainus as they seek strong support from our local community. They need to find a new home before their building is demolished.