SUNDAY PRAYERS FOR DECEMBER 4TH

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Call to Worship

The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

The coming of the Lord draws near – let us wake and watch and worship.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession

For every good meal you have shared,
for every kind word you have received,
for every good book on your shelves,
for every good idea in your heads,
for every good message on your phone
may our good Lord be thanked.

For the gardens that rest,
for the nights of good company,
for the music of Advent,
for inspiring speech and positive writing,
for clothes that fit,
for the wisdom of age

and the smiles of children,
may our wise and bountiful Lord

be thanked.

For people who have taught

and nurtured us,
for thoughts which have helped

and restored us,
for friends who have listened to us

and stayed alongside,
for the work of Your Spirit in our lives

and in the lives of others,
may our gracious God

be thanked and praised,
now and always.

Lord God, You have promised to come and sort out all things and all people.
We have gathered in the midst of time to reflect on Your purposes,
to prepare ourselves for Your coming,
and to give You praise.

We confess our sins,
what we have done wrong,
what we have failed to do right.
We live in a world full of wickedness

and injustice,
led by sinful men and women

who need Your mercy, as we do.
We have hurt others

and been hurt by them.

Forgive us

and lead us in better ways, we pray.

We ask this in the name of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,
the one whose coming we await

to make all things right.
Amen

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

Today we are glad for those

who have had good news,
for those recovering from illness,
for those discovering new friends

and new ideas,
for all who with us rejoice in Advent

as a season of hope and good cheer.

We remember those for whom Advent is a difficult time –
those on their own,
those with difficult memories,
those anxious about the stresses

of the Christmas season.

We pray for those who are cold and hungry because of fuel poverty,
and all who seek to help them.

We pray for the sick in body and mind,
for the lonely and the fearful,
for the bereaved.

We pray for those who lead our nations –
for members of Parliaments and Councils,
for Governments at home and abroad,
and for all who have the power to make a difference in people's lives.

We join a great company around the world who seek peace and justice,
and long for a kinder world.

And we pause to give us time to pray quietly for particular needs which we carry on our hearts . . .

Moment of silent prayer

Remembering with thanks

those who have prayed for us and with us,
we offer all these our prayers

both spoken and unspoken                                                      in the name of one who came to save

his people from their sins                         

and to offer life and life more abundant,

Jesus Christ, our Lord.                             

Amen

The Blessing

Hope for all things better,
and do something good towards it –
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be with you all, now and ever,
Amen

SUNDAY PRAYERS FOR DECEMBER 11TH

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Call to Worship

Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God.
And our spirits rejoice in you.

We will praise you as long as we live.
We will sing praises to you

our whole lives long.

We will not trust in the powerful of this world,
But will trust in you–Creator of heaven and earth,
the One who gives food to the hungry,
the One who enacts justice for the oppressed.

Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God
As we worship you in this place,
As we light these candles in hope, peace, and joy.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession

Awesome God, Source of abundant love, peace and joy,  we worship you with grateful, happy hearts.                                                                                            As we continue our Advent journey, help us to trust you more fully, to enjoy you more freely, and to serve you more eagerly.

Let all our preparations be focussed on going to meet you

as you speedily come to us. 

Your goodness, O God

is more than we can understand,

your love is more than we can ever measure.

We thank you

for beautiful life that pulses within us

at this moment,

for our five senses, for the air we breathe, the earth beneath our feet,

the colours of the world around us.

Your goodness is more than we can understand,

your love is more than we can ever measure.

We thank you

for the wonder of human relationships;

the friends who encourage us, families who love us even when we are odiously unlovable, and for counsellors

who enable us.

Your goodness, O God is more than we can understand,

your love is more than we can ever measure.

We thank you

for the life of the church;

for familiar members who support us, those we only know a little

yet who pray for us,

ministers who nurture us,

and the sacraments that nourish us.

Your goodness is more than we can understand,

your love is more than we can ever measure.

Father, we thank you most of all for Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Here words fail us and we move from thanks to  wonder and adoration.

Your goodness is more than we can understand,

your love is more than we can ever measure.

Holy God, you have sent one true Messiah to us, whose ways are grace and truth. Please persist with your mercy towards your errant children.

We are slow learners.

In spite of the openness with which you have come to us in days gone by,

we keep looking in the devious places for happiness.

We are attracted by cheap friendships, treasure the world’s counterfeit values, and spend our energies on third rate pleasures.

If we have been taken in by superficial messiahs who dazzle us with the latest fashions in everything from clothes to food to morality:

Lord have mercy.

If we have allowed ourselves to be impressed by false messiahs who tailor their message to maintain their own popularity rather than deliver truth.

Lord have mercy.

If we have been seduced by secular messiahs who with apparent sophistication offer us a life-style devoid of any ultimate purpose or value.

Lord have mercy.

God of Messiah Jesus and our God, convict us of our sin.

Bring us to a sharp stop.

Turn us around from the wrong directions we have taken.

Return us to the light, mercy and peace of your healing grace.

In the unparalleled blessing of forgiveness and rehabilitation, may we find our peace and strength.           

In the name of Christ Jesus our Redeemer.

Amen

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

Merciful Friend, we bend our wills to yours, so that in our prayers and deeds we may be a lively part of the fulfilment

of your Word.

We call to mind those whose hands seem weak and shaky: the sick and the palsied, the weary and the timid, the sorely tempted and the guilty;

God of promises, by your grace, strengthen the weak hands.

We call to mind those whose trembling legs seem unable to bear the load:                    the aged and the infirm, the oppressed and those threatened with violence;

God of promises, come to your people and steady the trembling knees.

We call to mind those who are filled with consternation or fear:                                the wrongly accused or the abused, the refugee or the victims of war;

God of promises, say those of a fearful heart: fear not, I am with you..

We call to mind those who are blind:  both those whose sight is physically impaired and those who have excellent vision but can’t seem to see the things that really matter.

God of promises, today let the eyes of the blind be opened.

We call to mind those who are deaf:  the many who live wonderful lives,                and for those who have keen hearing but remain deaf to truth and wisdom.

God of promises, today let the ears of the deaf be unsealed.

We call to mind all those without the use of their legs:  victims of birth defect or accidents, the frail and the diseased, some bedridden, and many in wheelchairs.

God of promises, be with the lame that they may leap like the deer.

We call to mind the affliction of the dumb: the many who are mute, some tongue tied,

and some who because of painful shyness rarely speak;

God of promises, loosen the tongue of the deaf that they may sing for joy

O you who are indefatigable love,

please continue your deeds of mercy

to all people everywhere.

With the assistance of your church,

and with the help of all people of goodwill, may the shadows of darkness and pain

be driven back, and all people live

in the joy of your marvellous light. 

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Dismissal and Blessing

Go well. 

That you may take with you

a joyful spirit and a level head,

and deal with the pressing  pre-Christmas activities without frustration or ill will.

That you may make a little space

for prayer and reflection,

so that the remainder of Advent

shall prepare you to sincerely marvel

at the Bethlehem happening.

There will always be with you

the saving grace of Christ Jesus,

the encircling love of God,

and the energising friendship of the Spirit.

Amen

SUNDAY PRAYERS FOR DECEMBER 18TH

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Call to Worship

As God’s people, we draw ever closer to Christmas:

we go on waiting – and not for presents under a tree,

we go on hoping – and not for more cards than last year,

we go on preparing – and not the ingredients

for Delia’s Apricot and Orange Turkey stuffing.

We wait and we hope and we prepare:

with bright angels, shocked shepherds and star-gazing kings,

with expectant Mary

and her swollen ankles and hurting back,

with Joseph, who’s world is about to change.

We wait for a Child – God’s Christmas Gift.

Prayers of Approach & Confession

Holy God, as we gather in worship,

we bring all that we are;

all the complexity of our lives,

all its challenges and joys.

We are here as family,

ready to seek you again,

to bring you to the forefront of our minds

ready to sing in praise,

to pray in expectation

to be empowered by your Word

and your Spirit.

O God:
to you alone we lift our souls;

in you alone we place our trust;
for you alone we wait all day long.
For you are the God of our salvation,

abounding in mercy and steadfast love.

Help us remain alert and watchful for signs of the coming of your promised one, the one who comes with power and glory,

the one drawing near swelling our hope,

the one whom we praise, Jesus Christ.

And as we go on waiting, we pause,

aware of all that we do and have done

that cause pain and guilt to wait,

buried in the hearts of others.

We are aware of all that has caused us pain and hurt, which waits with us, locked inside.

Jesus Christ, Light of the World,

may we be aware of your light,

shining in us,

cleansing and renewing and giving peace.   

Assurance of Pardon

We hear words that Jesus spoke to so many: ‘Be at Peace’.

May we be alert

to God’s mercy and grace; 

signs that the Spirit

is already at work in us.

God believes in us,

and is prompting us to grow into the full wholeness God desires for us.

Thanks be to God!

We pray together that prayer that gave strength to Jesus and his disciples….

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

God of eternity,

in the last-minute rush of Christmas shopping we pause to consider what money cannot buy.

Silent prayers for those struggling in the economic crisis.

In the excitement of wrapping the presents

we pause to listen to the story that lies beneath the paper.

Silent prayers for local concerns.

In the busyness of cooking and entertaining we pause to remember those who have no place to go.

Silent prayers for the lonely.

In the choosing of trees and putting up decorations we pause to pray for those who find Christmas a difficult time.

Silent prayers for those facing broken relationships.

In the singing of carols and costumes of nativity plays we pause to think of what lies behind our customs and traditions.

Silent prayers for schools and community groups.

In the letters to Santa and hanging up of stockings we give thanks for your gift of yourself in the birth of a baby.

Silent prayers of thanks for the Nativity.

We thank you that two thousand years after the story of Jesus,

God is still with us.

Here in Salford,

God is still with us.

Here in Walkden Congregational Church,

God is still with us.

In our own hearts,

God is still with us – and it is an amazing gift beyond all gifts.

Amen.

Sending out and Blessing

Let us bless each other as we enter this last week of Advent,

and as we prepare to receive again,

the Gift of God – Immanuel:

The light of the Christmas Star to you.

The warmth of home and hearth to you.

The cheer and good will of friends to you.

The love of the Son and God`s peace to you.

And the blessing of God,

Creator, Child and Spirit

be with us all today,

through this Christmas season,

and always.             

Amen

SUNDAY PRAYERS FOR DECEMBER 25TH

CHRISTMAS DAY

Scripture Sentences from Psalm 9 

O sing to the LORD a new song;

sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Let the heavens be glad,

and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest

sing for joy!

Call To Worship

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - we come to worship! Soon the bells will start - we come to let our prayers ring out! And the thing that'll make 'em ring is the carol that you sing - we come to sing our praises!

Right within your heart - we come to ponder, deep in our hearts.

Based on It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Meredith Wilson, 1951

Prayers of Approach, Confession and Assurance of Pardon

So this is Christmas

and what have we done?

God we thank you for the year that is ending, and for the one just beginning.

And so this is Christmas

we thank you for fun

with near and with dear ones

with old and with young.

As we meet you in this space,

we let go of fear,

We draw near to you, we wait for peace...

So this is Christmas and yet we still live in a world where the strong exploit the weak,

where the rich ones snatch wealth from the poor ones,  where the words "War is over if you want it, war is over now" ring with challenge, rather than peace

God forgive us.

Christ child forgive us.

Spirit of change, transform us. 

God's peace is not the easy peace,

but Christ's gift to us is that peace is within grasp, as we hear that good news,

we yearn to be part of the change we seek. Amen.

With resonance from Happy Xmas (War is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, 1971

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees, they're putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace. Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on...

God,

sometimes the outstretched arms of the world make us simply want to skate away,

and yet, you are in the trees starved of oxygen and the rivers full of plastic.

Our gift to you is love,

Your gift to us is grace.

Hear our prayers.

God,

sometimes the outstretched arms make us simply want to skate away and yet,

you are in the tears of those who mourn and yearn,

the hands of those with nothing to spare,

the bodies of those who live and love expansively, and the scars of those we don't yet understand.

Our gift to you is love,

Your gift to us is grace.

Hear our prayers. 

God, sometimes the outstretched arms of the world make us simply want to skate away,and yet, you are in each of us,

in our  flesh, in our thoughts, in our fears and hopes, and in our actions...

Our gift to you is love,

Your gift to us is grace.

Hear our prayers.

This Christmas, instead of skating away, may we skate towards a new world,

where we, Christ's hands, save the earth,

where we, Christ's feet, journey with the unloved, where we, Christ's people,

join in Christ's work.

In Jesus's name we pray,

Amen.

A Blessing

All I want for Christmas is you!

Go with love and laughter,

go with ponderings and words of love,

go with joy to live out peace,

and know that the blessing of God:

the blessing of the One in Three

who yearns, who births, and who is born, Is with you this Christmas.

Amen.

Minister ~ Rev Alan Kennedy 07733153203 01612703296 alanrk1690@gmail.com