My soul magnifies Your name O Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
You have looked with favour on this lowly servant.
You have remembered your promise of mercy
… Songs and/or words of praise and thanksgiving could be shared here…
Almighty, you have done great things for us
and holy is your name.

Let us catch glimpses of heaven today; inspire us to  sense how your will may be transfused into our world’s life, as we pray now.
… concerns for people and events are brought before God, silently or aloud
Compassionate God, may your will be done:
on earth as in heaven.

We seek your kingdom and righteousness, give all things needful to us in our seeking
… sharing of needs in silence or aloud…
In our asking for your provision, Generous God, may your will be done:
on earth as in heaven

Just as the Lord has forgiven us, so we also must forgive.
…
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Thanks be to God

 I will listen to what the Lord God will say
for God shall speak peace to his people
to the faithful shall God speak
that they do not turn again to folly
           [from Psalm 85:8].
One of the following scriptures is read

Matthew 11.28-30 “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 6.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 4.12 Jesus answered “It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

Matthew 10.32-33  “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

1 Corinthians 10.13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Time for reflection

The word that goes out from God’s mouth
shall not return empty,
it shall accomplish God’s purpose,
and succeed in what it is sent to do.

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because God has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
God has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
            [ Luke 4:17-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2 ]

As we seek to walk in the Spirit, let us pause before the likely events and involvements and the unpredictable happenings that face us.
…
Since we live by the Spirit,
let us keep in step with the Spirit.
[Gal 5:25 ]
Now to you who by the power at work within us are able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
[Eph.3:21]

 

We did not receive a spirit that makes us slaves to fear
We received the Spirit of adoption
Your Spirit, O God, testifies with ours that we are your children:
By your Spirit we cry “Abba! Father”
Your Spirit hovered over the unformed creation, and overshadowed Mary as the Christ was enwombed, and now your Holy Spirit flares up among us assuring that we are your children, intimating at our core your delight in us,
Our God In heaven, father and mother to us:
Hallowed be your name!

In our world’s global community, in our world’s living systems;
Living God:
glorify your name.
In your church as we proclaim your new life in thought and word and deed;
Living God:
glorify your name.
Among all whose lives our lives touch, friends, colleagues and families;
Living God:
glorify your name.
In this world of sin and death, and yet of blessings and common grace;
Living God:
glorify your name.

In our laughter, and tears, in our fear and our hope;
Living God:
Change the world for good.

       Concerns for the life of the world may be voiced

 We will hear the scriptures together
Come Holy Spirit; fire up our imaginations for good

As we hear the scripture, change our hearts, correct our course and draw us into your counsel.
Ready us for service and steady us in wisdom

          One of these scriptures is read

1 Corinthians 13.4-5 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

1 Corinthians 13.6-7 [ Love ] does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Matthew 7:1-3 “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?

Matthew 7:1-3 “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?

          Time for reflection

We confess with sorrow that we have collaborated with the fallen powers of this world knowingly or unwittingly deliberately or from fearful weakness. We have held others in the tomb of our unforgiveness. …
We are mortified.
We repent in dust and ashes.
We turn afresh to the way of Christ,
the way of the cross
the way of life-giving wisdom.
Heal us and we shall be healed.
Save us and we shall be saved.
 When he saw their faith, Jesus said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” [Luke 5:20]

Jesus comes to us and says,
‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’
He breathes on us and says; ‘Receive the Holy Spirit….’
Pause to reflect on Christ’s presence and call before we return to the rest of our lives.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God
Who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.

You, O God, are the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Sustain us according to your promise
and we shall live.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You have blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ
to the praise of your glorious grace,
which you have freely given us in the Beloved
And now we give you thanks because in love you adopted us through Jesus Christ: Our God In heaven
Hallowed be your name!

As we dare to intercede for a breaking world, we fear that our human agendas and earth-framed ideas fall short of true wisdom. So we ask, God of all mercies, not for our will but yours to be done.
For the misled and the disregarded
Not human scheming
but your will be done.
For the elites and powerful,
your will be done.
For the exploiters of others,
your will be done.
For the fearful and weak,
your will be done.
For the cynical and world-weary,
your will be done.
For the blindly pious and the users of religion,
your will be done.
For those just doing their jobs,
your will be done.
For the helpless and the hopeless,
your will be done.
For the despairing and crushed in spirit
 your will be done.
and we ask in hope that our prayerful imaginings may grow into God’s, as we consider the forces in our times still arrayed for woe and for ill.
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done on earth as in heaven.

We do not live by bread alone
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

One of these scriptures is read

 Matthew 6.33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 14.16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

Luke 4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.’ ”

Romans 8:32 [God] did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also graciously give us all things?

John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

 A time of reflection

My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
and in your word have I put my hope.

You supply seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply our seed for sowing and increase the harvest of our righteousness
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
Into what will sustain our life in you, lead us.

… reflection and requests for daily bread and provision.

We look to you to supply our need.
Be our provider and strength.

We have lived within the horizons of this life alone, failing to take our bearings from eternal Life.
Merciful God, forgive us.
And restore us to life.
We have laid others in the tomb of our unforgiveness, withholding the word of life.
Forgive us, Merciful God
And restore us to life-giving.
Let us attend; Christ breathes upon us the peace and forgiveness of God.

Our hearts tell of your Word, O God, “Seek my face”.
Your face, Lord, will we seek (Ps 27)
As we go from this time and place, we go seeking

What is it that we seek?
We seek God’s heart and holiness.
Let’s seek with all our reflecting
Amen. God be our wisdom.
Let’s seek with all our attentiveness
Amen. God be our centre.
Let’s seek with all our valuing
Amen. God be our vision.
Let’s seek with all our efforts
Amen. God be our strength and refuge.

Seek while the Lord may be found,
call out while God is near;
let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts.

Pause to acknowledge God’s presence.

Nothing in all creation, will be able to separate us from your love, O God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Blessed are you God
And hallowed and glorified and exalted for ever

Hallowed be your name Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit, +
As in the beginning so now and forever. Amen.

The word that goes out from God’s mouth shall not return empty, it shall accomplish God’s purpose,
and succeed in what it is sent to do.

One of these Scriptures is read

Matthew 5.43-44 “You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Luke 11.42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others.

Luke 17.20b-21“The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!’ or “There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

Matthew  28:18-20 Jesus came and said to them,  ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

      A time of reflection

God’s word is very near to us;
it is in our mouths and in our hearts for us to observe.

Concerned for God’s values to be embodied in our world, we now remember those in hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.

      We recall before God and one another our concerns…

Send forth your Spirit:
And renew the face of the earth.

Your kingdom come, your will be done:
Let us live by the word that comes from your mouth
seeking first your kingdom & righteousness, may all things needful be added to us.

      Prayers for needs may be voiced….
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Send forth your Spirit:
And renew the face of the earth.

Forgive us that in various ways, big and small, we have grieved the Spirit as we have resisted being transformed into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
Gracious God, glorify your name,
We glory in your forgiveness.
Enfold our forgiving of others in your transfiguration of creation that we may continually participate in the transformation of the world.

Gracious God, glorify your name,
We glory in your forgiveness

Faithful One, be with us in the challenges to our faith and integrity: do not let us fall away from you…
      … we consider the coming hours…
Guide us O God:
by your light to live
  by your grace, forgive
to speak well to all
      to act on your call
in storm find your rest
          in others, seek their best
Your wisdom to know
                Christ’s presence to show
Father, may we be, in this world, the leaven
   And may your will be done on earth
                           as it is in heaven.

Hallowed be your name Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit, +
As in the beginning so now and forever. Amen
As we hear the scriptures and reflect on their message, may God’s Lore frame our lives’ ebb and flow. Let us attend!
           One of these passages is read

Luke 1.46-49 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, … for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Luke 10:21  Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank  you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”

1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.

Ps 86:15 You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you

          Time for reflection.

We did not receive a spirit that makes us slaves to fear
We received the Spirit of adoption.
Your Spirit testifies with ours that we are your children:
By your Spirit we cry “Abba! Father”
Praise be to you, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of compassion and God of all comfort. We give thanks to you at all times and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
          We recognise and celebrate God’s loving greatness…
So with angels and atoms, stars and saints, earth and sky and sea, we hallow your name, joining with the eternal song of heaven
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory,
hosanna in the highest.

Help us and all your church to bear with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, we pray for all humility and gentleness, with patience. We bow our knees before you, Father, and your Spirit intercedes in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought.
        Sharing of concerns before God and one another…
We eagerly anticipate that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We pray for the whole creation, groaning in labour pains until now
        Sharing of concerns before God and one another…
We bow our knees before you, Father, and your Spirit intercedes in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought.

May we know your comfort and provision as we seek your will for life and cosmos: We bow our knees before you, Father, and your Spirit intercedes in our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought.
        …prayers for God’s provision, the leader ending with 
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Give us today the resolve to forgive others: as you forgive us …
      …reflection on our own wrong and on forgiving
forgiven and forgiving; Merciful God, may your will be done:
on earth as in heaven.

Strengthen our hearts in holiness that we may be blameless before you, Father God, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
…
Now to you who by the power at work within us are able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.