Tag: Easter

Eastertide in Climate Emergency

Eastertide lasts until the celebration of Christ’s Ascension, ten days before Pentecost.The prayers below reflect Christ’s rising from death and its implications and incorporate references to creation and alludes to the environmental crises. This form is a beta testing version.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Our hopes are raised
Life emerges from death
Right is wrested from wrong
The uprising of Love has begun!

Draw alongside us, Lord Jesus,
Open up the scriptures to us by your Spirit,
so our hearts might be lit with fresh understanding
and fired up by your presence.

Psalm[s] and reading[s]. The reader or service leader, after the readings may say:

Here ends the reading.
Here begins its outworking.

There may be a time of quiet and/or shared reflection. A framework for reflection, using the pattern of the Lord’s prayer may be used.

Jesus said: ‘Do not doubt but trust.’ With Thomas we respond,
‘My Lord and my God!’
Let us hear for ourselves what Jesus replied,
‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to trust.’
…
We have these words so that we may come to believe and trust:
Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
we have life in his name.*

We set God always before us:
who is at our right hand; we shall not fall.
Our hearts are glad
and our spirits rejoice;
Our flesh shall also rest secure
You will show us the path of life;
in your presence is the fullness of joy
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.**

… Further appreciation of God may be voiced…

O God, you roll away the stone from our hearts, and brighten our imaginations with the dayspring of new life. In Christ you spoke Life into death’s unmaking, and infuse us with your Springtime.
God of new creation:
Hallowed be your name

In this world marred by sin and death, and yet marked by blessings and common grace…
Living God:
glorify your name.

Particular concerns for the world and its people are brought before God, you could pause between each of the one-line petitions*** following, using each one-liner to prompt further prayers. There are suggestions for climate and environment related prayers here and here.

In our world’s fractured global community, in our world’s distressed ecologies
Living God:
glorify your name.
In your church called to be, to do and to proclaim your new life to all creation
Living God:
glorify your name.
Among those whose lives our lives touch; friends, colleagues and families
Living God:
glorify your name.

We ask for God’s eternal-life-giving to be known in our world, saying,
Living God:
glorify your name

In our needs and weakness in our provision and supply…

We consider what we need to continue living in Christ

The risen Jesus makes common table with us.
As we make common cause with Christ:
Give us each day our daily bread.
Living God:
glorify your name.

Full-lively God, we come to you in sorrow for our sins, and confess to you our weaknesses and unbelief.

Recollection of what we need to repent.

We have fallen back into the systems of sin and death, failing to live the metabolism of the risen Christ.
Merciful God, forgive us.
And restore us to life.
We have entombed others in unforgiveness,
enshrouding them in contempt, withholding words 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.

A moment for quiet reflection on our forgiveness.

Who will rescue us from this body of death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

As we seek to forge a new future living the life of Christ let us pause before the likely events and involvements and the unpredictable happenings that face us.

Time to reflect on the coming hours …
A collect prayer may be said.

In our laughter, and tears, in our fear and our hope, Living God:
Glorify your name.

Jesus comes to us and says,
‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’
He breathes upon disciples and says; ‘Receive the Holy Spirit….

Pause to reflect on Christ’s risen 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.

Return to Navigation. 

Notes

*based on John 20:19ff

** From Psalm 16

***Prayers rewritten from an intercessions prayer in Patterns of Worship, 1995

Sunday

Sunday’s prayers reflect the traditional idea of Sunday as a day when we commemorate Jesus’ rising from death.

Source of all life, as a child to her mother:
We turn to you
Saviour of all life, as music to song:
We turn to you.
Sustainer of all life, as a flower towards the sun:
We turn to you.

The Psalm[s]…
Reader, announcing each reading:
Let us attend; words of life in [passage is announced]….
… Reading[s]
Reader or service leader, after the readings:
Here ends the reading.
Here begins its outworking.
There may be a time of quiet and/or shared reflection. A Framework for reflection, may be used.

Let us respond to the questions Jesus asked of Peter.
Do you Love me?
Lord, you know that I love you.
Jesus said: Tend my sheep. And, Follow me.
A few moments to respond inwardly
Amen.
Amen

Blessèd are you, God, redeemer and life-giver;
to you be glory and praise for ever!
In the beginning, you spoke the world into being from the unformed emptiness. In Christ you spoke the Word of life into the unmaking void of death, raising your Life from death and enfolding us in that victory. God of new and eternal life:
Hallowed be your name

We ask for God’s eternal-life-giving to be known in our world, saying: Living God:
glorify your name
Concerns for the world and its people are brought before God, either at this point closing with the series of one-line responses below, or after that series or using each one-liner to prompt further prayers.

In this world of sin and death, and yet of blessings and common grace; Living God:
glorify 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 our laughter, and tears, in our fear and our hope; Living God:
glorify your name.
In our needs and weakness in our provision and supply; Living God:
glorify your name.  
[Rewritten from a prayer in Patterns of Worship, 1995]

God of Life in all its fullness, we come to you in sorrow for our sins, and confess to you our weaknesses and unbelief.
Recollection of what we need to confess.
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.
… a moment for quiet reflection on our forgiveness. …
Who will rescue us from this body of death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

As we seek to forge a new future living the new life of Christ let us reflect on what the coming hours may bring, and pause to recognise the unexpected and unforeseeable will be part of our future .
…
When temptation seems to entomb us,
Roll away the stone.
When our values seem tested to destruction
Raise our hopes to new life.
When good and right ways ahead seem closed,
Help us to find your way through.
When we go forward expecting to anoint the dead
Surprise us with your Life.
When we walk in the old order of sin and death
Walk beside us, remind us of your purposes and reveal yourself to us afresh.
You have created us in Christ for good,
Help us to walk the paths you have prepared for us.