Evening Prayer Friday, 17 July 2020

As we come to the end of another week, I imagine we will all have much thank God for –
people who have touched our lives,
experiences which have brought joy or blessings to us,
people who have thought of us, contacted us or prayed for us.

So, this evening, I thought I would provide an opportunity
for each of us to thank God for, and pray for,
each of those people who have crossed our path, or been in our thoughts.

Let us pray:

God, our Father, we thank you that you have made us part of an interdependent community.
Even though many of us are seeing far fewer people than we may have been used to in the past,
we are aware of the extent to which we all rely on one another.

We thank you and pray for all those people who were up early this morning, or worked overnight,
to ensure that fresh food was in our shops,
that sick people in hospital received their medication,
that business premises were cleaned,
post was sorted and delivered
and milk could be left on our doorsteps.

Thank you for their dedication and service.
Help us to show our appreciation to them when we have the chance.

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

We thank you and pray for all those people who have been there to serve us each day.
Those who work in factories and offices, whom we may not see,
but whose work will have an impact on our lives.
Those who work in shops, those who make deliveries to our homes,
those who bring us news and entertainment on television and radio.

Some may enjoy their work and not look for thanks from others,
but some may find it tedious or tiring or challenging in other ways.

When work is difficult, dangerous or tough,
help them to know that others appreciate their efforts.
Let us not take for granted all the efforts they make on our behalf.

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

We thank you and pray for all those who have been caring for others today.
Teachers, nursery nurses, play leaders, child minders and parents who have been caring for children.
Nurses, doctors, care assistants and administrators in hospitals, surgeries and care homes.
May they know satisfaction in their work.
Help us not to take advantage of those whose work is thought of as ‘sufficient reward in itself.’

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

We thank you and pray for those whose work has become more hazardous because of coronavirus –
bus drivers, dentists, refuse collectors and shop workers.
May they be provided with appropriate protection by their employers
and receive consideration from those who receive their services.
Remind us to show our appreciation of all they do whenever we have the opportunity.

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

We thank you and pray for those who work anti-social hours.
Those who will be leaving home soon to work through the night
and those who will not see their family over the weekend, while they are working.
We pray that they will have other opportunities to engage with those they care for
and that while they work, they may know that the service they give is valued by others.

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

Loving God, thank you for all those whose work touches our lives at Christ the Cornerstone.
We pray for Simon and Woody, who have had little contact from church members during the lockdown.
May they know that they are not forgotten and are in our thoughts and prayers.
We pray for Ernesto and George, thanking you for the guidance and support
they have been giving us remotely.
We pray that you will uphold and protect Ernesto, as he is shielding,
and George, who is on sick leave.
May they be conscious of your love and our prayers.

We thank you for Mark, Ian and Robin, who are all working to keep us connected while we cannot be together physically.
We value all their efforts and pray that you will uphold them in all that they do for us.

We remember those members of our congregations who are not in touch with us,
because they do not use computers or have smartphones.
May they, too, know that they are not forgotten and that we long for the chance to see them again.

We pray that you will give us patience as we wait for the chance to return to our church building.
Support those who are lonely or isolated,
bring healing to those who are sick and comfort to those who are sad.
Help us to remember that we are still members of the body of Christ in Milton Keynes,
each with our own part to play.

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

And now we each think of those personal encounters we have had this week.
We lift to you all those who have helped us, offered us support or who have been on our minds.
May they, too, know your love and care
and be conscious of our love reaching out to them, wherever they may be.
Keep them safe; show us how to let them know that they are appreciated.

For every gift you give us,
make us truly thankful.

As St Paul reminds us, as members of the body of Christ:

¹ …I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

…⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Romans 12: 1–2 & 4–5 NIV®

 And now, at the end of another week, we join together by saying The Grace:

May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all now, and for ever.

Amen

Rosemary Kearsey

I wish you all a very good night.