Evening Prayer Friday, 4 September 2020

Good evening, Cornerstone friends.
How have you been feeling over the last few days?
Are you appreciating having more time?
Fed up with the change of routine and longing for life to be more normal?
Finding that you are becoming less cautious?

If you are like me, you’ve probably experienced all these feelings – and more.

I came across this poem recently, which I’d like to read to begin our prayers.
It expresses my thoughts and feelings well.
(It can also be sung as a hymn to several hymn tunes,
including Lead us heavenly Father lead us and Praise my soul the King of heaven.)

So, let us pray:

God the weaver, making patterns,
Spinning threads throughout our days –
Joy and sadness interwoven,
Strands of sorrow, strands of praise,
Help us to discern your weaving
In the multi-coloured maze.
Teach us, Lord, to trust your guidance
When the pattern is not clear,
And to feel your strength and comfort
When life’s fabric’s torn by fear.
Help us sense that in the dark times
Lightening love is always near.
When we see the pattern changing
And a new direction starts,
Let us know your love unbroken
Winds through life in all its parts
By the threads of love and friendship
Closely woven in our hearts.

Though we never see the picture
With your sense of space and time,
Help us, Lord, to take our places
In our faith’s continuing line,
As all lives are interwoven
In your final grand design.

Marjorie Dobson

Loving God, we ask for your blessing and guidance,
as we begin to change the habits which we have got into over the last five months.
Give us confidence when we feel fearful.
Keep us mindful of the importance of caring for one another
as we begin to interact more and begin to develop a ‘new normal’.

As we see some aspects of life begin to return to normal:
We pray for all who are anxious – grant them your peace.
We pray for all who feel lonely – bring them the comfort of your presence.
We pray for all who are sick – lay your healing hand on them.
We pray for all who mourn – comfort them and bring peace to their hearts.
We pray for all who are excited – bring them satisfaction and joy.

We pray for those who will not be able to resume all the activities they used to take part in.
Show them new ways to engage with others
which fit more comfortably with the lifestyle which they have developed.
May they continue to be fulfilled as they adapt to different activities and look for new ways forward.

We pray that we may be grateful for the experience gained over the last few months.
Give us thankful hearts and open minds to view the way ahead with hope and imagination.

In Christ’s name we bring our prayers.

Amen

Now let us join together by saying the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.

Amen

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

Amen

Goodnight to you all.
May God be with you and grant you a restful night.

Rosemary Kearsey