Prayer

Topics for prayer

For Christian unity.

For the sick and for those who have died this week.

For all who receive Holy Communion at home.

For the patients/residents/staff of the hospital & various care homes in the parish.

Collect for this Sunday

God, who as at this time
taught the hearts of your faithful people
by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
grant us by the same Spirit
to have a right judgement in all things
and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

A collection of Prayers

A prayer for grace to keep Lent faithfully.
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord...

A Prayer of Richard Baxter, puritan divine 1615-1691
Keep us O lord,
while we tarry on this earth,
in a serious seeking after you,
and in an affectionate walking with you,
every day of our lives;
that when your come,
we may not be found hiding our talent,
nor serving the flesh,
not yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished,
but waiting and longing for our Lord,
our glorious God for ever.

Prayer of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, 1556
Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to labor and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do Thy will.
through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

A Prayer for courage and perseverance after St Thomas Aquinas
Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart,
which no unworthy thought can drag downwards;
an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out;
an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.
Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know thee,
diligence to seek thee, wisdom to find thee,
and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Short prayers FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP – nick FAWCETT
Gracious God, help us to greet each day as your gift,
to spend each day in your service,
to rejoice each day in your love and
to live each day for your glory,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer of Richard Baxter, Puritan Divine, 1691
Keep me, O Lord,
while I tarry on this earth,
in a daily serious seeking after thee
and in a believing affectionate walking with thee;
that when thou comest,
I may be found not hiding my talent,
nor yet asleep with my lamp unfurnished;
but waiting and longing for my Lord,
my glorious God,
for ever and ever. Amen

From a Book of Hours, a 1514 service book used in Clare College, Cambridge
God be in my head
and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes
and in my looking;
God be in my mouth
and in my speaking;
God be in my heart
and in my thinking;
God be at my end
and at my departing.

COME HOLY SPIRIT (source unknown),
Replace the tensions within me with a holy relaxation,
Replace the turbulence within me with a sacred calm,
Replace the anxiety within me with a quiet confidence,
Replace the fear within me with a strong faith,
Replace the bitterness within me with the sweetness of grace,
Replace the darkness within me with a gentle light,
Replace the coolness within me with living warmth,
Replace the night within me with Thy day.
Fill the emptiness, dull the edge of pride,
sharpen the edge of my humility, light the fire of my love.
Let me see thyself as Thou seest me,
that I may see Thee as Thou hast promised. Amen.

Saying Yes to God - JULIAN OF NORWICH (commemorated 8 May) A Book of Prayers for The Journey of Faith (Lion Publishing)
God of your goodness give me yourself for you are sufficient for me.
I cannot properly ask anything less, to be worthy of you.
If I were to ask less, I should always be in want.
In you alone do I have all.

A PRAYER FOR THE PAIN OF THE WORLD - Adapted from an ancient collect – John Pritchard, The Life and Work of a Priest
O God
it is your will to hold the world in a single peace.
May the generous authority of your love
shine on the fractures and sorrows of the nations
and the wounds of your people
and so bring
healing to our politics
healing to our neighbourhoods
healing to our families and
healing to our hearts,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

William Laud (1573-1645)
Grant, O Lord, that we may
Live in thy fear,
Die in thy favour,
Rest in thy peace,
Rise in thy power,
Reign in thy glory;
For thine own beloved Son’s sake,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Gelasian Sacramentary, from THE PROMISE OF HIS GLORY
O Lord our God,
make us watchful and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son our Lord;
that when he shall appear,
he may find us not sleeping in sin,
but active in his service and joyful in his praise;
for the glory of your holy name.

The Cross of Christ
Almighty God,
who in the passion of your blessed Son
made an instrument of painful death
to be for us the means of life and peace:
grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ
that we may gladly suffer for his sake;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Collect for Holy Cross Day, 14 Sept

A Prayer for Dedication from St Augustine
Almighty God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
who hast made us for thyself,
so that our hearts are restless till they rest in thee:
Grant us purity of heart and strength of purpose,
that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing thy will,
no weakness from doing it;
but that in thy light we may see light clearly,
and in thy service find our perfect freedom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Prayer for the Spirit of Service (After Jeremy Taylor, 1613-1667)
O Everlasting God,
who from all eternity dost behold and order all things,
and hast called us to serve in this our generation,
doing the work of God after the manner of men:
Enable us to use the talents entrusted to us,
to thy glory and the service of others,
that at the last we may hear that most joyful voice,
Well done, thou good and faithful servant,
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord;
through the same our Saviour Jesus Christ.

A prayer for Parish Groups by Frank Colquhoun
Strong Son of God, our Saviour,
who chose for your first followers not the great and exalted
but ordinary men and women from the common ways of life,
and gave them each a place in your service:
we thank you for calling us to serve you
in the fellowship of the Church in this our day.
Keep us faithful to our calling;
strengthen the bonds of fellowship that unite us to each other;
and show us how best we may bear our witness in our homes,
our places of work,
and in the life of our community,
to the honour and praise of your name.

Bishop Westcott's prayer
O Lord God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
open our eyes that we may behold thy fatherly presence ever about us.
Draw our hearts to thee with the power of thy love.
Teach us to be careful for nothing;
and when we have done what thou has given us to do, help us,
O God, to leave the issue to thy wisdom.
Take us from all doubt and distrust.
Lift up our thoughts to thee in heaven; and make us to know all
things are possible to us through thy Son, our Redeemer.

The Caritas Prayer
God our Father
you sent your Son
to reconcile all things
to yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Renew faith, hope and love
among us so that
Sussex is blessed
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of St Richard
Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which you have given us,
for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.
Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day. Amen.

A prayer for the world from St Augustine
Tend thy sick ones
O Lord Christ, rest thy weary ones.
Bless thy dying ones.
Soothe thy suffering ones.
Pity thine afflicted ones.
Shield the joyous ones.
And all for thy love's sake.

Prayer of St Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

A Prayer of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
God of the day and of the night,
in me there is darkness,
but with you there is light.
I am alone, but you will not leave me.
I am weak, but you will come to my help.
I am restless, but you are my peace.
I am in haste, but you are the God of infinite patience.
I am confused and lost, but you are eternal wisdom
and you direct my path; now and for ever. Amen

A Prayer of St Polycarp
O sweet Saviour Christ, in your undeserved love for us you were prepared to suffer the painful death of the cross:
let me not be cold or even lukewarm in my love for you.
Lord help me to face the truth about myself. Help me to hear my words as others hear them,
To see my face as others see me; Let me be honest enough to recognise my impatience and conceit;
Let me recognise my anger and selfishness;
Give me sufficient humility to accept my own weakness for what they are.
Give me the grace - at least in your presence - to say. ‘I was wrong - forgive me.'
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, increase in us faith and truth and gentleness and grant us part and lot among the saints.

General thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory throughout all ages. Amen.