Morning Prayers Wednesday, 22 April 2020

Good Morning, Living Stones.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that everyone who has faith in him may not perish but have eternal life. It was not to judge the world that God sent his Son into the world, but that through him the world might be saved.

John 3: 16–17

We come to you this morning, Lord, like the disciples in the upper room:
locked in and fearful, dressed up with only downstairs to go to.
Strengthen our faith in your eternal love that we may be bold to pray.

Thank you for the gift of this new day: the warmth of the sun, the brilliance of Spring.
It is a treasure – may we savour it as ever.

Thank you for those who have laboured through the night for us:
health workers, lorry drivers, emergency workers, mechanics, grocers and postmen.
Thank you for those people who labour through the week to keep us connected: Robin, Mark, Ian and more.
Thank you, Lord, for your Cornerstone people, who hold each other in love and prayer.

We pray for people who suffer in body and spirit:
bring strength and healing to the afflicted,
bring peace of mind to all suffering souls.

We pray for everyone busy with new kinds of community engagement:
for the explosion of learning to activate idle minds,
for teachers in virtual classrooms,
for stadium entertainers finding their audience under the stairs,
for council administrators delivering parcels to the vulnerable.
Spark experiment, imagination and curiosity at every turn.

We pray for each other that today may be filled with your good purpose.
We pray that we may live as your forgiven, cleansed and redeemed people.
We pray that we may be clothed in new life,
fearless in the knowledge that death is no more.
We pray as Jesus taught us:

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

Amen

Blessed be the glorious God
who created all things and upholds them daily by great power.
As God has loved us
may we continue in that love today and always.

Amen