Fast from problems that overwhelm; feast on prayer that undergirds
Leader: There is no place where you cannot reach, Lord,
All: God who made the heavens & earth.
Leader: There is no journey which you have not travelled,
All: God, who shared our life in Jesus Christ.
Leader: There are no people beyond your care,
All: God is spirit, the comforter:
Come, let us pray.
Please join in the hymn.
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name; I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you, to share his love as he told me to.
Refrain: He said: ‘freely, freely, you have received; freely, freely give.
Go in my name & because you believe, others will know that I live’.
All power is given in Jesus’ name, in earth & heaven in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you, to share his power as he told me to. (refrain).
God gives us life in Jesus’ name, he lives in us in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you, to share his peace as he told me to. (refrain).
Please say the first psalm & its antiphon as indicated.
All: The Lord will give victory to his anointed one.
Side I: The Lord answer you in time of distress; the name of
the God of Jacob defend you! May God grant you
what is in your heart and fulfil your every plan.
Side 2: Now I know that God has given victory to his
anointed, that he has answered him from his holy
heaven with the strength of his victorious right hand.
Side 1: Some are strong in chariots; some in horses; but we
are strong in the name of the Lord. O Lord grant
victory to the king, and answer us when we call upon you.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall
be, world without end, Amen.
All: The Lord will give victory to his anointed one.
Please sing the 2nd psalm as indicated.
Cantors: We shall sing
And praise your power.
Cantors: As monarchs of old rejoiced in your strength,
So may we exult in your help.
All: As a sovereign today may trust in your faithfulness,
So do we rely on your steadfastness.
Cantors: You have given us our heart’s desire,
Even the gift of your justice & wisdom.
All: You came to meet us with your godly blessings,
And placed crowns of gold on our heads.
Cantors: We asked you for life & you offer your gift
Long days of contentment in your presence.
All: You have destined even us for glory,
Clothing us with splendour & honour.
Cantors: You have promised us everlasting felicity,
And made us glad with the joy of your presence.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be:
World without end, Amen.
All: We shall sing
And praise your power.
Reading (John 8.) as arranged followed by a pause for reflection.
Again he said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’ They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Please sing the Magnificat .
Cantors: He who sent me is with me, and he has not left me to
myself, For I always do what pleases him.
Side 1: My being proclaims your greatness,
And my spirit finds joy in you, God my Saviour;
Side 2: For you have looked upon me, your servant, in my lowliness:
All ages to come shall call me blessed.
Side 1: God, you who are mighty, have done great things for me:
Holy is your name.
Side 2: Your mercy is from age to age
Towards those who fear you.
Side 1: You have shown might with your arm,
And confused the proud in their inmost thoughts.
Side 2: You have deposed the mighty from their thrones,
And raised the lowly to high places.
Side 1: The hungry you have given every good thing,
While the rich you have sent away empty.
Side 2: You have upheld Israel, your servant,
Ever mindful of your mercy –
Side 1: Even as you promised our ancestors,
Promised Abraham, Sarah, and their descendants for ever.
All: Give praise to the Father Almighty,
To his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
To the Spirit who dwells in our hearts,
Both now and for ever, Amen.
All: He who sent me is with me, and he has not left me to myself,
For I always do what pleases him.
Intercessions:
All (sung): O Lord, hear our prayer, O Lord, hear our prayer,
when we call answer us O Lord, hear our prayer, O
Lord, hear our prayer, come & listen to us.
Reader: We ask you, Lord, to draw near – near to those
involved in warfare & woundedness……silence ……
Reader: Draw near to those who struggle to survive & to those who are lonely & afraid …………….. silence ……
Reader: Draw near to your Church in its frailty & its wanderings from your way ……silence ………
Reader: Draw near to us & challenge us if we have fenced in
your love & kept it for ourselves ………silence ……
Reader: Draw near to us & expand our vision so that the world
may see the light of your life among us …… silence ……
All (sung) O Lord, hear our prayer, O Lord, hear our prayer,
when we call answer us O Lord, hear our prayer,
O Lord, hear our prayer, come & listen to us.
Reader: We pray for people who have died today & for those who will die tonight. We also pray for those whose anniversaries of death occur tomorrow, remembering especially:
Pause for people to add silently or aloud any further intentions.
Leader begins the Our Father….
Leader: May we, your people, Lord, persevere in obedience to your word so that your kingdom may be realized more fully here on earth. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. All: Amen.
Leader: Continue along the road of life in kindness, & may
Jesus be walking close to your wounds & stop to carry
you into healing, & may the God of love & the Spirit of
grace bless & keep you. All: Amen.
As our time of prayer comes to an end we will have some reflective music.