Prayer Resources.
Think About It .... Pray About It .....
Think about it ..
Half the world-nearly three billion people-live on less than one pound a day.
Think about it .
30,000 - yes, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being weak and meek in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.
Think about it .
In the New Testament one in every ten lines deals directly with the justice imperative to help the poor and the call from God for us to respond to them. In the Gospel of Luke, that becomes every sixth line and in the Epistle of James, that commission is, in one form or another, every fifth line.
Think about it ..
Today across the world - our home - 1.3 billion people have no access to clean water; 3 billion have no access to sanitation; 2 billion have no access to electricity.
Think about it
It is estimated that about one hundred and twenty million children aged between 5 and 17, are forced to work throughout the world. Many of these children are pickers on coffee and tea plantations. Many work in sweat shops making goods for the western world. Many will work for 10 hours a day earning less than 50p.
Think about it ..
Fact: The combined wealth of the worlds 200 richest people hit $1 trillion in 1999; the combined income of the 582 million people living in the 43 least developed countries is only $146 billion.
Think About It .... Pray About It .....
Think about it ..
Half the world-nearly three billion people-live on less than one pound a day.
Think about it .
30,000 - yes, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being weak and meek in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.
Think about it .
In the New Testament one in every ten lines deals directly with the justice imperative to help the poor and the call from God for us to respond to them. In the Gospel of Luke, that becomes every sixth line and in the Epistle of James, that commission is, in one form or another, every fifth line.
Think about it ..
Today across the world - our home - 1.3 billion people have no access to clean water; 3 billion have no access to sanitation; 2 billion have no access to electricity.
Think about it
It is estimated that about one hundred and twenty million children aged between 5 and 17, are forced to work throughout the world. Many of these children are pickers on coffee and tea plantations. Many work in sweat shops making goods for the western world. Many will work for 10 hours a day earning less than 50p.
Think about it ..
Fact: The combined wealth of the worlds 200 richest people hit $1 trillion in 1999; the combined income of the 582 million people living in the 43 least developed countries is only $146 billion.
We pray for all nations that they may seek the way that leads to peace, that human rights and freedom may be everywhere respected, and that the world's resources may be generously shared.
From the Office for Sunday, Week 2
From the Office for Sunday, Week 2
Pray.
Pray for those who are hungry;
Pray harder for those who will not feed them.
Pray for those who are sick;
Pray harder for those who will not care for them.
Pray for those who live in isolation;
Pray harder for those who will not comfort them.
Pray for those who cry for freedom;
Pray harder for those who enslave them.
Pray for those who work in undignified conditions;
Pray harder for those who exploit them.
Pray for those who have lost themselves;
Pray harder for those who will not counsel them.
Pray for those who live in poverty;
Pray harder for those who refuse to reach out to them.
Pray for those who are not heard;
Pray harder for those who will not listen to them.
Pray for those who confront injustice and prejudice;
Pray harder for those who discriminate against them.
Pray for all who suffer in this world;
Pray harder for those who allow the suffering to occur.
Rebecca Sutton after visiting
Good Shepherd projects in Thailand
May 2001
Pray for those who are hungry;
Pray harder for those who will not feed them.
Pray for those who are sick;
Pray harder for those who will not care for them.
Pray for those who live in isolation;
Pray harder for those who will not comfort them.
Pray for those who cry for freedom;
Pray harder for those who enslave them.
Pray for those who work in undignified conditions;
Pray harder for those who exploit them.
Pray for those who have lost themselves;
Pray harder for those who will not counsel them.
Pray for those who live in poverty;
Pray harder for those who refuse to reach out to them.
Pray for those who are not heard;
Pray harder for those who will not listen to them.
Pray for those who confront injustice and prejudice;
Pray harder for those who discriminate against them.
Pray for all who suffer in this world;
Pray harder for those who allow the suffering to occur.
Rebecca Sutton after visiting
Good Shepherd projects in Thailand
May 2001
We Cannot Merely Pray to You.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end war
for we know that you have made the world in a way
that I must find my own way to peace
within myself and with my neighbour.
R. Help me to work for peace
We cannot merely pray to you, O Lord, to end starvation
for you have already given us the resources
with which to feed the entire world
if we could only use them wisely.
R. Help me to use your gifts wisely and reach out to those
without food.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to root out prejudice
for you have already given us eyes
with which to see the good in all people
if only we could use them rightly.
R. Help me to treat everyone I meet l with respect
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end despair
for you have already given us the power
to clear away slums and to give hope
if we could only use our power justly.
R. Help me to live with hope and to use my influence wisely
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end disease
for you have already given us great minds with which
to search out cures and healing
if we could only use them constructively.
R. Help me to support medical research and to bring a healing
presence to all I meet.
ALL: Therefore we pray to you instead, O God,
for strength, determination and will power
to do instead of just pray
to become instead of merely to wish.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end war
for we know that you have made the world in a way
that I must find my own way to peace
within myself and with my neighbour.
R. Help me to work for peace
We cannot merely pray to you, O Lord, to end starvation
for you have already given us the resources
with which to feed the entire world
if we could only use them wisely.
R. Help me to use your gifts wisely and reach out to those
without food.
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to root out prejudice
for you have already given us eyes
with which to see the good in all people
if only we could use them rightly.
R. Help me to treat everyone I meet l with respect
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end despair
for you have already given us the power
to clear away slums and to give hope
if we could only use our power justly.
R. Help me to live with hope and to use my influence wisely
We cannot merely pray to you, O God, to end disease
for you have already given us great minds with which
to search out cures and healing
if we could only use them constructively.
R. Help me to support medical research and to bring a healing
presence to all I meet.
ALL: Therefore we pray to you instead, O God,
for strength, determination and will power
to do instead of just pray
to become instead of merely to wish.
Prayers of Petition.
Leader: For the exploiter and the exploited, for persecutor and persecuted; for criminal and victim. God of perfect love, we pray:
Response: As we pray, remove the fear that makes us strident and vengeful, and take away the woolliness of thought that makes us sentimental.
Leader: Give us clear eyes to see the world as it is and ourselves and all people as we are; but give us hope to go on believing in the possibility of what you intend all of us to be.
Response: We pray for children growing up with no sense of beauty, no feeling of what is good or bad, no knowledge of you and your love in Christ.
Leader: We pray for women and men who have lost faith and given up hope; for governments who crush peoples spirits and for governments slow to act in the cause of justice, freedom and development.
Response: We pray for the whole church and the world, giving thanks for your goodness, for your love made known in Christ, for your truth confirmed in his death and resurrection, for your promises to us and to all people, keeping hope alive in spite of our failure and rebellion.
ALL: Let us go to our work and into our relationships stimulated by hope, strengthened by faith, directed by love, to play our part in the liberation of all people, in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Leader: For the exploiter and the exploited, for persecutor and persecuted; for criminal and victim. God of perfect love, we pray:
Response: As we pray, remove the fear that makes us strident and vengeful, and take away the woolliness of thought that makes us sentimental.
Leader: Give us clear eyes to see the world as it is and ourselves and all people as we are; but give us hope to go on believing in the possibility of what you intend all of us to be.
Response: We pray for children growing up with no sense of beauty, no feeling of what is good or bad, no knowledge of you and your love in Christ.
Leader: We pray for women and men who have lost faith and given up hope; for governments who crush peoples spirits and for governments slow to act in the cause of justice, freedom and development.
Response: We pray for the whole church and the world, giving thanks for your goodness, for your love made known in Christ, for your truth confirmed in his death and resurrection, for your promises to us and to all people, keeping hope alive in spite of our failure and rebellion.
ALL: Let us go to our work and into our relationships stimulated by hope, strengthened by faith, directed by love, to play our part in the liberation of all people, in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Justice.
Be the light that shines
through the darkness.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Light of the world,
You are the path to freedom,
The way to truth.
Bless and accompany us
As we seek to follow your example.
Grant us the determination
To shine light into darkness
And the courage to face
What we see.
May the joy of your love inspire us
And our actions and words bring hope.
Amen.
CAFOD
Be the light that shines
through the darkness.
Lord Jesus Christ,
Light of the world,
You are the path to freedom,
The way to truth.
Bless and accompany us
As we seek to follow your example.
Grant us the determination
To shine light into darkness
And the courage to face
What we see.
May the joy of your love inspire us
And our actions and words bring hope.
Amen.
CAFOD
"Prayer is the natural response of people who know their place in the universe."
Joan Chittister.
Joan Chittister.
Millennium Resolution Prayer.
Let there be
respect for the earth
peace for its people
love in our lives
delight in the good
forgiveness for past wrongs
and from now on a new start
(Churches Together in England)
Let there be
respect for the earth
peace for its people
love in our lives
delight in the good
forgiveness for past wrongs
and from now on a new start
(Churches Together in England)
Respect for the Earth
Creative God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
your loving-kindness surrounds our planet,
enfolding us with compassion
and filling creation with your life.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us.
Compassionate God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
your tender-hearted mercy is poured upon us,
despite our ruthless exploitation and greed.
We repent of our apathy and inaction as we see the pain of our planet.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us.
Merciful God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
your forgiveness is offered to all who repent
of the pitiless ravaging of the earth's resources.
Inspire us to direct our energies towards peace and harmonious living.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us.
Forgiving God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
by your Spirit, give us respect and integrity
in the way we care for our earth, your creation,
help us to follow our Lord and Saviour in living justly.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us, so that the earth
and all creation may sing your praise and glory. Amen.
(Baptist Union of Great Britain)
Creative God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
your loving-kindness surrounds our planet,
enfolding us with compassion
and filling creation with your life.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us.
Compassionate God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
your tender-hearted mercy is poured upon us,
despite our ruthless exploitation and greed.
We repent of our apathy and inaction as we see the pain of our planet.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us.
Merciful God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
your forgiveness is offered to all who repent
of the pitiless ravaging of the earth's resources.
Inspire us to direct our energies towards peace and harmonious living.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us.
Forgiving God,
Constantly forming and shaping,
by your Spirit, give us respect and integrity
in the way we care for our earth, your creation,
help us to follow our Lord and Saviour in living justly.
Creating God:
Reform us, reshape and renew us, so that the earth
and all creation may sing your praise and glory. Amen.
(Baptist Union of Great Britain)
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