Autumn (Proper 24 year A)

Intercessions 18 October 2020

 

Lord of the Sabbath, we have gathered here to praise you and pray to you on this autumn evening.  The evenings are drawing in, the mists rise, the colours change.  We ask your blessing on us and all people as the season changes.  Let that change bring renewal to us all.   And we ask you to hear our prayers as we bring to you the needs of the world, our communities and ourselves.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

Lord of all goodness, we thank you for all the good gifts with which you have surrounded us.  We are privileged to live with abundance.  We ask that you will guide us to use that abundance with care, love and thought.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

Lord of the struggling, we pray for those in difficulty for whatever reason.  For those who work for little gain.  For those who cannot feed themselves or their families.  For those who are displaced and rely on scraps from others.  For those enduring the stress of disaster.   We pray for all in need and ask you to bring them relief.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

Lord of all healing, we pray for all those who are sick, be it in body, mind or spirit.  We pray for those suffering, especially those afflicted with COVID.   We pray for those whose lives have been turned upside down in the last 18 months.  We pray for the isolated, the lonely and all those who are frightened.  We pray that you will comfort them.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

Lord of the nation, we pray for our leaders and our fellow citizens.   For our political leaders, that they will look to you for their inspiration.  We pray for our fellow citizens.  We pray you to stand among us and make us strong. 

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

Lord of the villages, we pray for our communities.  We pray for the church in guiding us all in your love.   We pray for Gemma and Jenny as they lead us towards you.  We pray that you will guide us in your love.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

 

Lord of us all, we pray for our families and ourselves. We ask for blessing on us as we approach the coming week.  And we place our cares and concerns in your hands for your help.  We pray that we may never forget that you stand there with each one of us.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Lord of our prayers, you have promised that when two or three are gathered together you will be there among them; we ask that you will hear and fulfil the prayers that we offer, as may be best be for us.  This we ask in your name: Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Amen.