PRAYERS FOR SUNDAY JULY 3RD

THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Call to Worship

Sing the praises of the Lord, you His faithful people;
praise His holy name.

For His anger lasts only a moment,
but His favour lasts a lifetime;

Weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

God turns weeping into dancing
and clothes us with joy.

May our hearts sing God's praises and not be silent.
We will praise God today and forever.

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

We exalt You, Lord God
the God who has made all things in creation
and called them ‘good.'
The God who has woven heaven and earth together,
who taught the sun to rise
and the stars to dance.

Mighty in power and works!
Strong is Your love
and tender is Your touch.

The heart of the earth is cradled in Your hand,
each grain of sand is known to You.
the whole world is drenched in Your Holy Spirit.
every atom of this universe is seen and cherished.

How can it be then,
that this very God,
this highest host of heaven
knows and loves each of us?

How can it be then
that this very God
has made it so that we might draw close
in worship and adoration;
here, now, in this very place?

Draw close,
even when we have wandered far away.
Draw close,
even when our hearts are heavy.
When we struggle to believe You care
or that You are even there at all.

Hear us, Lord, and be merciful to us.
Lord, be our help.

We thank You, Lord,
who lifts us from the depths,
who saves us and heals us,
who restores and reshapes us,
and who equips us to restore and reshape all of creation.                                                    Amen.

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

O Living Christ and Ever-Present Saviour,
draw very near to the sick,
the sorrowful, the suffering and to those who have asked for our prayers.
Though absent from us we know their names are written on Your Heart
and their every weakness known to You.
Grant them, even as we pray, rest and relief,
bodily comfort and spiritual consolation.
We bring them to You in faith
and we leave them with You
in entire dependence on Your unchanging love.
Enfold them in Your strength and bring them,
even through sorrow, to a vision of Your eternal peace.

Almighty God, our Heavenly Father,
who loves all and forgets none,
we bring to You our supplications for all
Your creatures, and all Your children.
We remember before You all who live in countries afflicted by war,                                          famine or natural disasters,
that they may find assurance and peace in You.

We pray for all who are burdened by grief,
that they may be raised to know the secret and solidarity of the Cross;
for all who are lonely and sad
in the midst of others' joy.
May they know God as their Friend and Comforter.

Remember O Lord, the aged and infirm,
those who feel that their life work is done;
all who are passing through the valley of shadows,
that they might find that Christ, the Risen from the dead, is with them,
and that there is light at evening time.

We give thanks for the tireless carers
except they aren't tireless
anything but – and yet they have kept going
at great cost to themselves, saving lives.
God who cares, thank You for all carers,
strengthen them in their innermost being.

These and all our prayers,                                    we offer in the Name

and in the Spirit of Jesus                                      Amen.

Dismissal

Go and serve the Lord, you His faithful people;
serve His holy name.                           

For His anger lasts only a moment,
but His favour lasts a lifetime;  

Weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.  

God turns weeping into dancing
and clothes us with joy.

May our hearts sing God's praises

and not be silent.
We will praise God today and forever.

The Grace   

PRAYERS FOR SUNDAY JULY 10TH

FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Prayers of Approach, Thanksgiving and Confession

Father God
open our eyes
open our ears
and open our mouths
that we might worship You honestly.
We come before You with
the sincere intent of seeking
to worship You in spirit and in truth.
Take from our hearts
the stresses and strains
that have shaped our attitudes and actions.

Our Gracious Heavenly Father
in rare moments of insight
we try to grasp the beauty and the expansive nature of Your love.
No words can describe it
no melody contain it
no human being can explain it.

Yet we are surrounded by the emblems of Your love and grace –
In the colours of the sky
in the chaos of the storm
in the song of the birds
in the company of the animals
You tell us all will be well.

In our moments of great fear
when alone and anxious,
You promise to shelter and protect us.
Through days of struggle and heartache,

and achievement,
surrounded by the companionship of family

and friends,
You cover us with a blanket

of compassion and kindness.
The constancy of Your grace overwhelms us,
the depth of Your love leaves us breathless.
Standing at the cross we are transfixed –
gazing, we are troubled, torn and broken.

Here You don't just try to fix us – You mend us.
Your outstretched arms have enfolded us in a love we've never known.
Your gaze has healed our troubled souls.
Your love – the most incredible of all.
Let Your love now live through us.

Great Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith,
forgive us for thinking only of ourselves at times,
with no regard to how others feel around us.
Forgive us for failing to recognise in our enemy, opponent or rival,
a human You love and command us to love too.

We praise You for the intensity of Your passionate love for us,
our colleagues, family and friends,
and for how much You love our foes
and those we find it hard to get on with.

You are truly stunning in Your sacrificial loving,
keep us ever learning in Your kingdom

of love and forgiveness.                                      We ask this in Jesus` name,                                Amen.

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

Let us pray for world peace –
as we remember countries throughout the world
where there is tension and unrest.
Grant to our leaders the wisdom

to make right decisions
and to confront evil with good and in doing so
may love cover a multitude of sins and allow justice and peace to blossom.                        Hear our prayers today as we name those communities on our hearts today.

Lord hear our prayers.

We give thanks to You, O God,

for Your unfailing goodness.

Let us pray for members of the community
who work and serve the common good.
Sustain and strengthen all those who work tirelessly for the good of others.
We pray especially with those who are part of the emergency services;
doctors and nurses and all the support staff

who work in the NHS;
those in the Armed Forces;
for police and those involved in the security of the realm.
Give understanding and wisdom
To teachers and administrators and all who work in our education system;
all politicians and individuals who seek to serve.

Raise up in our land, O Lord,
leaders and others who are willing to serve
not for their own benefit but for the good of our communities
and all those who are oppressed and forgotten.

Lord hear our prayers.

We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness.

We pray for family and friends.
Lord bless and prosper our friends and families.
Give to each of us the insight to know when to speak and when to be silent.
To know when to offer help and when help is required without someone asking.
Be close to those we know who are struggling with ill health and facing an uncertain future.

Grant us the wisdom to know what to say and how to respond to their needs.
Give perseverance to all those who are enduring difficult times,
in frustrating relationships

and challenging work places.
Give strength to those who feel they are running out of options
and feel unable to carry on.
Inspire us with opportunities to carry out deeds of kindness,
without us ever being rewarded,
save knowing that what we do

is to bring glory to Your name.

Lord hear our prayers.

We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness.

We pray for Your church.
That she would be a place of true worship
A shelter and refuge for all in need of Your grace.
As we seek to reform and reshape,
we pray for Your Spirit to guide and inspire
the Church of Scotland at every level.
And we pray for this church [name of church],
for all those meeting in person
and for communities that have formed online.

Lord hear our prayers.

We pray that all may know Your presence and guidance.

We pray for our personal needs.
We take a moment in silence to bring before You that which we are personally thankful for and that which is troubling us.

Lord hear our prayers.

We give thanks to You, O God,

for Your unfailing goodness.

These prayers we offer

through Jesus Christ our Lord,                              Amen.

Closing Prayer and Blessing

We remember before You all who have joined in worship throughout the world today.
Those in cathedrals

and places of great historical heritage
and those who have gathered around a kitchen table.

We pray that unity among Your people                  might be the common calling of Your church.
We pray that in unity we might go out into the world to make disciples,
declaring Your love for all creation.

May the power of the Father of Lights

illuminate our minds,
the presence of the Eternal Son

embolden our voices,
and gifts of the Spirit of Grace

shape our action.

And the blessing of Father, Son and Holy Spirit      journey with us evermore.                                    Amen.

PRAYERS FOR SUNDAY JULY 17TH

THE FIFITH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Call to Worship

We have come here to sit at the feet of Christ

and learn from him.

He has convened this assembly,

and by his Spirit is among us.

By Christ’s grace we gladly worship the God

whose glory will always stretch far beyond our comprehension

yet whose love is as simple and available as the air we breathe.

Prayers of Approach, Thanksgiving and Confession

God our most holy Friend,

we come to you with gratitude and awe.                You are a God whose glory fills heaven and earth! Praise belongs to you forever!

Loving God, you are able to do new things when we least expect it.                               

Whenever we become stuck in a rut,

staying put and complaining,                                please firmly call our names.

Show us again the vision of Jesus

going on ahead of us, beckoning us to follow

and share in his all-inclusive worship and service.  

Holy Friend, Source and Sustenance of your people, we want to say ‘thank you’ for the gift of life and all the joys that enhance it.

We are grateful for the multiplicity of sounds, scents and tastes, that enrich every waking moment.

We are blessed by those who love us enough to comfort us when we are wounded and confront us when we are being wilful.

We are grateful for your gift of the church, which in spite of its obvious imperfections, has nurtured our spirits and raised our sights.

                                                                        Because at times we feel neither awe in the vicinity of your love                                       

nor shame in the presence of your light;                Lord have mercy.

Because it is not in your nature to let us get away with self deceit,

or allow us to drift in the shallows of triviality and indifference;                                                        Christ have mercy.

Because we are neither as good as we publicly pretend,

or as hopeless as we privately feel when we are down in the dumps;

Lord have mercy.

Holy Friend and Saviour, meet with us beneath the currents and eddies of our inner lives;

beneath the strata of either our shame

or our excuses.

Meet us with your mercy that forgives and redeems at measureless cost,

wanting nothing more than our health

and happiness.

Meet us that we may know that even when we have fallen badly, there is more than enough grace to put things right and create a better future.

Meet us with  that loving Word which  can make the blind see and the deaf to hear.

My brothers and sisters, it is written for our benefit:

“Where sin multiplies, grace much more multiplies.”

Hear again Christ’s liberating word of grace.

“Your sins are forgiven.”

Thanks be to God!

Amen.

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

In our prayers of intercession, we re-align ourselves with God’s will and activity.

Let us pray.

Most loving God, ‘to turn from you is to fall, to turn to you is to rise, to stand with you is to stay firm forever,’ grant us the faith to turn, to rise, and to stand with you, both in our praying and in our working.

May all of your children discover the secret of Christ, and be enabled to rise above all that would discourage,  ensnare,oppress or destroy them.

Assist your church to rise above things that are second-rate, selfish, petty or misguided.

May it continue to be a community where small souls meet a very large Saviour.

Loving God, we pray for this world with its many successes yet innumerable failures.

Save it from the greed, arrogance and injustice which foster crime,terrorism and war,

By your Holy Spirit, be near those close by,

and those far off, who are confused, diseased, injured, abused, emotionally disturbed,

sorrowful, or despairing.

May they receive compassion, encouragement and healing.

Holy Friend, as we have prayed for others, we now pray for ourselves.

Help us in the wider world to live out the text of these our prayers.

Through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

Dismissal and Blessing

Go your way with thanksgiving.

Enjoy those who love you most

and pray for those who dislike you most.

Be compassionate in the face of human need        and patient in the presence of   stupidity.

Let the love of Christ be your map and goal,

your pride and your strength.

The grace of the Man of Galilee,

the love of  the eternal God,

and the fellowship of the Spirit of liberty,

be with you now and always.

Amen.

PRAYERS FOR SUNDAY JULY 24TH

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Scripture Sentence

"He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)

Prayers of Adoration and Confession

Most Holy God,
we take this moment to pause, and wonder,

and bless.
Your greatness balanced by Your nearness.
Your judgment balanced by Your mercy.
How we should praise You!

As we still ourselves before Your majesty,

and wait in awe,
yet we are also bold to lift up our eyes
to see You, face to face.
We call You our King, our Saviour, our Inspiration, our Friend.

Too often we rush by and fail to take that time
to marvel and exclaim at the wonder of this world,
the intricacy of creation,
the abundance of good things You have given us to enjoy and to share.

This day, Lord, we sing Your praises!
This day, Lord, we rejoice in Your generosity!
This day, Lord, we are glad You continue to reach out to us, even us, with love.

Forgiving God,
it does not take us long to stumble

from the high peak of praise,
to the low valley of brokenness as the awareness our sin engulfs like darkening cloud.
Not only the major flaws in our character,
but the petty triviality that trips us daily.
Forgive us the hasty word, the harsh thought,
the too-easy judgment, the spiteful action.
Why, with all the potential

You have knitted into our souls,
do we, so easily, slip into bad habit,

shameful action,
unhealthy obsession,

lazy forgetfulness?

O gracious God, have mercy on us.
Forgive us, remake us, redeem us, restore us.
When all seems lost beyond hope,
yet still You reach out in tenderness and kindness
to make that difference in our hearts and souls and minds,
to reinstate the broken relationship,
to give us the second chance we sorely need.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

Eternal God,
we may only see our small corner of this earth,
You will see the whole expanse of countless universes,
yet we are called to bring our prayers
not only for ourselves,
but for those around us.

In a world fraught with fear and violence and greed,
we pray that darkness is driven out by the light
of compassion, of open-handedness, and of peace.
Let these not be mere words we pray,
but words we put into action through our support
of causes and charities and individuals who make it their mission to be the light-bearers in every darksome place.

We pray today for the healers who practise their gentleness in every hurt place of heart and soul and body.
Where the encouraging word, and the unflinching compassion brings hope like a cleansing flame into every wound.

We pray today for the teachers whose gift of thinking and words enrich our mind and help us grow and develop and mature.

Especially today we thank You for those who taught us to pray, who formed the ideas and the rhythms and cadences that to this day give texture, colour and shape to the relationship we have with You, our living God.

We pray for our Queen and country, and all who are called to be the decision-makers in our society at every level.
For politicians and economists.

For artists and scientists.
For farmers and business owners.
For those who provide our energy

and secure our safety.

We pray for our world in its beauty and fragility,
the astonishing resources,                                    and the unsustainable demands

we make on them.

As we seek to form a new relationship with You, our God, and with our sisters and brothers,
let us also seek to form a new relationship with this Earth we call our home.
Nurturing it, tending it,

stewarding its beauty and energy,
not only for ourselves,

but also for the generations still to come.

O Holy God,
so much to pray for; one prayer is not enough,
so may our pledge this day be to offer new prayers each morning, each night,
as we revel in Your presence,

humble ourselves in Your mercy,
strengthen ourselves in Your love.
Through Christ our Saviour and Lord.
Amen

Benediction

Into every relationship that is dear to us,
into every relationship that is hard for us,
send health, and steadiness, and hopefulness,
modelled upon the relationship You, loving God, have with us.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
known to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you all, this day, and forevermore.
Amen

PRAYERS FOR SUNDAY JULY 31ST

SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

Call to Worship

"Vanity of vanities" says Ecclesiastes
And our newspapers corroborate the theme.

Money gained; money lost;

stolen by a missile or a bomb
We work hard and others benefit,

how can we not complain?

But there's another story, a higher truth we know
A power working, by God's hand,

a kingdom ever growing.

In all our doubts and trials, our wars and poverty
Your faithful hand is guiding;

Your grace always providing.

So, help us, dear Lord this morning,

to move from doubt to faith
To live our lives as stewards of the things You've blessed us with.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession

Loving God, our hearts our bursting with gratitude for all that You give.
We are truly rich in You.
You have lavished us with gifts of grace and forgiveness,
friendship and comfort in grief,
financial provision in times of need.

You have filled us with peace in the midst of adversity,
vision and signs of growth in the midst of despair,
kindness and hospitality in the midst of war and millions of refugees.

You have been faithful down the years,
through chaos and division,
pandemics and plagues,
wars and skirmishes between nations and families and friends.
You have been faithful through it all.

And our words could never tell, not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed, by us.

All we can do is say thank You.
All we can do is live our lives as stewards of all that You have given us.
And in so doing, we hope that Your name might be praised in deed and word!
And this truth is forever proclaimed     

that nothing is ever vanity in You!
Thank You!

God, You are our highest good,                          the only One able to satisfy our deepest longings.
You are the true font of joy and gladness.
In You, we are always rich.
In You, all gifts are ordered and find their rightful place.
In You, we find the joy of giving.
In You we find shalom: wholeness, healing.

But how quickly we are overawed when others grow rich.
We are blinded by the splendour of their homes,
the increase of their wealth

as their profit margins increases.
How quickly we turn to doubt and disbelief, suspicion and misgiving.
"It's vanities of vanities," we say.

Or we turn to greed and try to hoard.                    We build bigger barns,

open another bank account,                                to hold onto what should be shared.

Lord, we confess, we can easily become misguided.   

We can be swayed by greed and selfishness.
We can store up reserves in churches                  when our neighbours can't afford their supper.
We can covet more and more of that which is not really our own.
But in the end, we acknowledge that it leaves us feeling empty.  

Lord, we ask for Your grace and forgiveness.

Fill us with the awareness that all things come from You, and that we will be forever restless
unless all things find their right place

and purpose in You.
Fill us with gratitude for the things You've given us.
Fill us with the riches of Your kingdom,                  so we can share with those who need it.
And give us clean hearts,

kind and open hearts to do it.

And in so doing, we and our neighbours, both new and familiar, will find shalom: wholeness and healing.

Thank You, Lord, for always hearing our prayers,
extending grace with open arms
and giving us that which we need to change      and order our lives back to You,
for Your glory and the benefit of others.              These prayers we offer in the name and in the Spirit of Jesus.                                              Amen.

The Lord`s Prayer

Prayers of Intercession

Generous God,
We pray for rich countries with a surplus of wealth
And for poor countries in debt to them;
We pray for rich countries

whose stores are overflowing,
And for countries whose harvests have failed;

We pray for rich countries flaunting their material success,
And for the poor who live there, forgotten or ignored.

Generous God,
Help us not pile up treasures for ourselves
While remaining paupers in Your sight.

Silence

Generous God,
We pray for those whose wealth has given them power,
And for those whose poverty has made them powerless;
We pray for those whose lives are given to making money,
And for those who can barely afford to live;
We pray for the successful, the popular, the talented,
And for those who are given little respect.

Generous God,
Help us not pile up treasures for ourselves
While remaining paupers in Your sight.

Silence

Generous God,
We pray for Your church with its many possessions,
And for Your people who live in poverty;
We pray for Your church, entrusted with the gospel,
And for those crying out for love and hope;
We pray for Your church, filled with Your Holy Spirit,
And for those who long for guidance and peace.

Generous God,

Help us not pile up treasures for ourselves
While remaining paupers in Your sight.

Silence

In the name of Your Son,

Jesus Christ, our Saviour,
Who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor,
So that through his poverty

we might become rich.                                        Amen

Blessing

May you go in the knowledge of God's grace and provision, grateful for all that God has given
and desiring to be rich in the things of God,
sharing the gifts God has given you
with those who need God most.

And as you go,
may the blessing of God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit
be with you now and until He says to you,
"Well done, my good and faithful friend."

Amen 

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