Holy Spirit pray with, in and through us

 

Holy Spirit pray with us

Holy Spirit pray in us

Holy Spirit pray through us

 

We struggle to pray. To find the right words. To still our restless minds, but our hearts are full of longing, our world is full of needing and now we turn our desires towards your Holy Spirit interceding for us when we do not know how to pray

 

Holy Spirit pray with us, Lord in your mercy...

 

We pray for your church. Strong but weak. Extensive and ever-growing but still anxious and scared and lacking faith. We pray that your church might become a place which loves all, includes all and with humility strives always to follow the way of Jesus

 

Holy Spirit pray in us, Lord in your mercy...

 

We pray for all the churches in our community, for their clergy and members and visitors and people who walk by a wondering what goes on inside those grand old buildings. May we know your blessing, seeking always to welcome the stranger and live lives of genuine love

 

And we pray for the churches and people of this land

 

For churches in the center of powerful cities

For churches ministering in comfortable suburbs and uncomfortable estates

For churches in ramshackle seaside towns

For churches with exquisite buildings in areas of outstanding natural beauty

For remote rural churches which struggle to pay their parish share

For churches in wealthy villages struggling to witness to your gospel

For new expressions of church

For ancient places of worship

For all those people for whom church is a dead word and God is a long forgotten memory

 

Holy Spirit pray through us, Lord in your mercy...

 

Loving God we are tired of this world and its mindless violence, where people think their opinions and prejudices gives them the right to murder and kill without mercy. We pray for all people who are the victims of terrorism, collateral damage and hate crimes.

 

And we pray for our country. When politicians and leaders dissemble, when authority figures and opinion makers lack judgment and when ordinary people find their lives invaded and diminished. Help us not to be self-righteous judges but to examine our own hearts and hold on to what is good and decent and true

 

Holy Spirit pray with us, Lord in your mercy...

 

We pray for all those who are struggling and are in difficulty and are reaching out for help, in the quietness we bring their names before you …

 

Silence

 

Holy Spirit of God

Be with us in your mercy we pray

Strengthen us in your love

And enable us to be the people you created us to be

Lovers of your church

Healers of your world

Seekers after your grace

 

Lord in your mercy...