Gathering Prayer
Father God
open our eyes
open our ears
and open our mouths
that we might worship You honestly.
Lift our thoughts above
the pressures of our everyday lives,
that we might
confess our hidden sorrows
and our stolen joys,
our hidden sins
and our stolen intentions of grace.
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.
Help us see You in all Your glory
and in doing so
see the true image of who we are meant to be.
Open the windows of our hearts
to let the light of Your glory
transform our vision of service in
even the smallest of actions that will make life better for another.
Teach us how to love You
and in doing so discover we are loving our neighbour. Amen.
Prayer of gratitude
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, joy 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
as we pray
Our Father … Amen
Psalm 82
God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgement:
‘How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked?
Selah
Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’
They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk around in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
I say, ‘You are gods,
children of the Most High, all of you;
nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,
and fall like any prince.’
Rise up, O God, judge the earth;
for all the nations belong to you!
Prayers for others
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.
(silence)
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 Your Church here in Bellshill,
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.
(silence)
Lord hear our prayers
We give thanks to You, O God, for Your unfailing goodness. AMEN
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.
Bellshill Central Church 