Lent in Climate Emergency

This prayer for Lent in climate emergency is evolving -if you visit more than once during Lent 2022, you may see changes. You’re welcome to suggest further changes or ideas in the comments section at the bottom. I encourage you to pray it before commenting, though. The form for Friday daily prayer in climate emergency could also be used during Lent.

During Lent you might like to keep a small dish of dust or ash near where you normally pray as a reminder of the season and a visual reminder in some of the prayers. Perhaps you might mark a cross with it on your hand or hold it in your hand as you start to pray the first words of this office.

just a suggestion !

— ɷˡˡ̷ —

We remember we are dust
And to dust we shall return.
Of stardust we are formed
Of God we are breathed to Life.

     Pause to take a deep breath or two …

Reading(s) and reflection

Jesus calls us to follow him.

….pause for reflection

Lord, we believe,
help us in our unbelief.

A collect may be used.

Our God in heaven, you hide us in the shadow of your wings;
Hallowed be your name.
We will give you thanks:
You are our help and our God.
You seek us out in the darkness of our sin, and exchange beauty of reconciliation for the ashes of our rebellion.

                                     …other appreciations of God may be added.

You are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger;
Abounding in steadfast love for us.

In a world of precarity and danger, we cry out for  marginalised people and vulnerable biomes – that they may find respite, security and dignity
….
God fulfil your purpose for us:
Send from heaven and save us.

In a world replete with prideful and greedy powers, shaping the lives of people and planet -bring them to judgement, recall them to the common good and draw them into creation care.
God fulfil your purpose for us:
Send from heaven and save us.

In our deserts of decaying dreams and dried up stories, nurture and equip those who hunger and thirst for right to prevail. …
God fulfil your purpose for us:
Send from heaven and save us.

In a fragile and pressured world we lay out before you, God, the needs and concerns known to us.

                        Further prayers may be voiced here. This prayer guide is commended and you may find these topics useful to consider further.

God fulfil your purpose for us:
Send from heaven and save us.

In a world where there is bread enough for all, we recall those who do not have, and pray for the will and means of supply, globally and locally.
God fulfil your purpose for us:
Send from heaven and save us.

Seeking first your kingdom & righteousness may all things needful be added to us.

                           We hold before God our own needs ….

You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Give us this day the courage and insight to forgive others as you forgive us our trespasses …

Like carbon to the atmosphere:
We have added to the world’s woes
Like nutrients from the soil;
We have taken without restoring.
Like heat to the oceans
We have sown destruction

Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.
                       A moment of silence for reception of God’s mercy and grace …
in our forgiving and being forgiven, God, fulfil your purpose for us:
Send from heaven and save us.

As we live the coming hours, what in the world do we seek?
We seek God’s way among the ashes.
Let’s seek with all our deciding
Amen. God be our wisdom.
Let’s seek with all our affections
Amen. God be our centre
Let’s seek with all our attitudes
Amen. God be our vision.
Let’s seek with all our resources
Amen. God be our mainstay.
Tested and tempted in the desert, scripture revealed, as the Spirit steered, Jesus’ resistance and direction …
Let us go in the mind of Christ
Led in the way everlasting.

— ɷˡ̷ˡ̷/—

Other climate emergency attentive prayers can be found here, an explainer for them is also there -a few paragraphs down.