9th – 15th October is Baby Loss Awareness Week. To try and be a part of raising awareness and supporting those bereaved, our church will be lit pink. Our Zoom Prayer Room on Monday 10th October will include prayers for those affected by the loss of a baby.

The song, Borrowed Angels by Kristin Chenoweth is such a touching song that it’s nearly impossible not to cry when hearing it, and even more so at the funeral of a precious child that’s passed into heaven. Take a look at these very special lyrics: “There must be Borrowed Angels, here in this life. They come along, into this world, and make this world bright. But they can’t stay forever. Cause they’re heaven sent. And sometimes, heaven needs them back again.” Isn’t that so true? We know that these young ones are not responsible for knowing the gospel and it is believed that God will not condemn someone who isn’t old enough to be able to respond to the gospel, so that might give parents some comfort, and even though this song might start a flood of tears, tears are part of the healing process, although no one ever completely recovers from losing a precious child.

Prayer for loss of child (a prayer of comfort for someone who has lost their son or daughter)

Abba Father, We pray for the parents of children who have been taken far too soon. They long to be with their dear beloved child, their hearts are heavy with deep sorrow and their breath is shallow. Please carry them, for they are overwhelmed by the pain of their grief. Words can not express the depth of their loss or the heartache they feel.

We know you Lord God, are with their dear beloved son / daughter, your heart is overjoyed by him. Their breath is new life in Heaven. Please come and nurture the precious one. Thank you for the hope of eternal life that their child has now received. Lord, you will keep them safe until parents and child meet again. We entrust them into your care now. Amen.

Prayer for grieving mum who lost a child

Dear Father, Your Spirit carries the softness of eternity. You are the fragrance of comfort, you are the enfolding lullaby. Please encircle bereaved mums in their grief. Cocoon her within your arms of love, whisper heavenly truth into her soul and keep each fragment of her broken heart safe. When we are in pieces your presence will keep us. So we lay her in your strong arms Jesus. Come carry her. Watch steadily over her day and night. May she come to know that her beloved child is safe with you. Not lost but found, known and cherished. Amen.

There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and of unspeakable love.

Washington Irving, 1783-1859

How many of us can remember Over the Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz? Most of us can, I am sure, and even today this movie is played annually to remind us that home really is “home, sweet home.” Even with the passing of a beloved child, there is still hope that someday they will see the child again. The lyrics remind us that “Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true and someday, we’ll all “wake up where the clouds are far behind me,” which makes me think of the coming kingdom of heaven when all sorrow, pain, suffering, and even death will be gone and God will wipe away every tear, forever (Rev 21:4). This song about a rainbow might remind of us God’s promise to Noah in sending the rainbow.

At 8pm this evening, Sunday 18th September, on the eve of the Queen’s funeral we are asked to stop, pause, reflect and observe a minutes silence, for HM The Queen

After your minutes silence please pray

Lord God
We give you thanks for your love
Revealed in Jesus Christ
We thank you that that love
Is greater than we can ever imagine
And stronger than death itself
And so we know that we can trust you
With our loved ones and with ourselves.
At this time of national mourning
We give thanks for our late Queen,
Your servant Elizabeth
And for the gifts which you gave to her
And the ways in which you sustained her
Throughout her long life and reign.

We bless you
For her dedication to duty and diplomacy
For her commitment to country and commonwealth
For her faithfulness and loyalty to your ways of love and peace.
We give you thanks for the respect and affection
In which she was held
By people of different nations and generations.

We remember her family, at this time, our Royal family
As they mourn a mother, grandmother,
great grandmother and family member.
May they find privacy to grieve for her,
Solace as a public demonstrate their sadness and respect
And the peace that you alone can give.
We pray for those upon whose shoulders
New responsibilities now fall.
And particularly for your servant Charles,
As he succeeds to the throne
Grant him wisdom, strength and courage
That he may rule wisely and well
With the support of government and people.
We ask this in the name and for the sake
Of Jesus Christ whose reign knows no limits
And whose kingdom of love knows no end.
Amen

God Save The Queen

Call to worship

Loved by God,
inspired by Jesus
and guided by the Holy Spirit,
let us gather
to worship
to pray
to listen
and to respond.

Come, let us worship God.

Prayer of adoration and confession (from Spill the Beans Issue 9)

A “sacrifice of praise” is the way:
praise that is pricey,
not easy words
ritually rhyming love to You,
but costly honouring
of Your being
at the heart of our living;
no mere words on lips,
but convictions in our hearts
that without You we would not be.

And so, as if offering our hearts
on an altar of sacrifice,
the flame of fired-up faith
lifting the fragrance
of our love for You to You,
we say from the deepest depths
of our very being,
praise be to You.

Forgive us for thinking of ourselves
far higher than we should!
Forgive us for thinking of ourselves
far lower than we ought!
Lord, forgive us both ways!

Save us from the sin of pride
and the offence of false modesty.
Save us from being
our own best defenders
and our own worst critics.

Let us be glad simply to be at the banquet:
gathered by You in grace,
ready to be put in our place,
not for our merit but despite our demerit,
not for our status but despite our sin.

Forgive us both ways!
Put us in our place!
Only then can we face
our worldly posture
with heavenly poise.
Amen

Psalm 112 New International Version

Psalm 112^[a]

¹ Praise the Lord.^[b]

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

² Their children will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures forever.
⁴ Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
⁵ Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶ Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
⁷ They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
⁸ Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
⁹ They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
    their righteousness endures forever;
    their horn^[c] will be lifted high in honor.

¹⁰ The wicked will see and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Lord God,
You are a God of hospitality
who invites us all to a banquet
where the last may be first,
and where the humble and the powerful switch seats.

In gratitude,
may we share Your abundance without counting the cost.
In thankfulness,
may we host strangers as angels You have sent!

May Your spirit rest upon us
so that we may find a place at Your table
and welcome others with radical hospitality.

In the name of Jesus,
a guest at all our tables, we pray.
Amen

Prayer of intercession (from Spill the Beans issue 9)

Loving God,
we pray for a world
where too often the loudest people
presume to be heard:
where money and power
turns up the volume,
and gentle wisdom is drowned out;
where greed is too often the creed,
and noise masks folly.

Loving God,
we pray for a world
where small voices remain unheard:
where poverty and powerlessness
mutes their sound,
and harsh folly prevails;
where need is a mantra-like refrain,
and compassion a compromised chorus.

Loving God,
bless them all:
the loud and the silent,
the powerful and the powerless,
but bless them differently!

Bless the loud and proud with humility;
bless the quiet and crushed with esteem;
bless the powerful with silence;
bless the powerless with sound.
Amen

Blessing

May we go
to be the hands, feet, heart and mouth of Christ.
May we offer our time and treasure to those who need it
without stopping to count the cost.
May we ceaselessly seek justice and pursue it.
And may the blessing of God Almighty,
Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer
be with us all,
this day and always.
Amen