22 Sep 24 | A Prayer from Gwenda Cripps

Each Sunday we have a member of our congregation leading prayers before the sermon.

E te Atua, homai ki a matou tou aroha, tou maramatanga i tenei wa.

God, give us your love and your enlightenment at this time.

Heavenly Father, in this spring time, our hearts are filled with gratitude for your creation. You created us also to be in relationship with this earth, with each other and with you. We give glory to you.

We admit we stuffed up and continue to do so by putting ourselves first . 

Lord, forgive us. We thank you for your son Jesus Christ by whom we are reconciled to you. 

Help us to care for this planet, for each other and to put our trust in you.

We bring before you those who are not able to be here with us today.

We pray that they may sense your love and your peace with them. 

We ask for healing and comfort for those  who are hurting in their bodies or souls.

We thank you for your church. We are your bride to love and your body to serve. May we in humility, love each other and in compassion, serve the world. 

We bring before you the new building next door. May it be completed in time for the new year. Show us how to best serve our community with this gift.

We ask for a way forward with the cathedral in the square.

Holy Spirit, help us to share our faith and disciple others well.

We pray for our nation at this unsettling time of the treaty bill. We ask for Holy Spirit guidance for conversions that promote understanding and partnership.

Lord, we hate war. We feel helpless in the face of it. But you brought down the Berlin Wall and ended apartheid when we were stuck. so we ask you to act in the conflicts of today. We ask for leaders of nations who  not only work for the benefit of their own people but for the benefit of their neighbors as well.

We thank you and look forward to the day when all tribes and nations will come together and worship you before your throne, when you wipe every tear from our eyes.and there is no more death.

 E te Atua aroha, whakarongo mai ki ta matou inoi.

God of love, hear our prayer.  Amen