The Spirit of God has made me;

the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 33:4

But it is the spirit in a person, the breath of the Almighty,

that gives them understanding.

Job 32:8

Breath of God,

Breathe on us; fill us with your Holy Spirit.

Thank you for your wonderful gift of life - life in it’s fullness.

Dear Holy Spirit, in these days of confusion about restarting schools and businesses,

please give decision makers your creative wisdom,

of how to work safely within the current restrictions.

Breathe your life and hope into companies that are about to fail

resulting in the misery of many staff redundancies.

Lord, let the wind of your Spirit blow to remove those things

that have been a snare to the vulnerable and disadvantaged

and breathe life and encouragement into organisations

that seek to free those enslaved by injustice.

Breathe on our government and civil servants, guide them by your Spirit.

Breathe on those working on treatments and a vaccine for COVID-19.

And, as the restrictions are lifted, keep us mindful of one another,

not blinkered by our own needs but alert to you throughout our day,

following your prompting, interacting with you.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

Psalm 94:19

Lord God,

You are our hope and our joy! You never stop working for our good.

We pray for your gift of hope in these troubled times:

hope for those worried about redundancy,

hope for charities worried about loss of income,

hope for parents worried about their children’s education,

hope for those who live with domestic violence

and hope for those fearful of C-19 infection.

When we get anxious, remind us of all the times you’ve stepped in.

When we feel panic, overwhelmed about the future, shake us out of inertia

and let us hear your still, inner voice of calm.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us with the joy and peace of knowing Jesus.

Lift up our hearts so we know the hope you’ve called us to …..

the riches of your glorious inheritance.

Make us peace-bringers where there is no peace;

givers and sharers of hope to a hurting world.

May your joy be in us, and through us, touching those around us.

We love you Jesus,

Amen.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Put on the full armour of God, so you can take your stand

against the devil’s schemes.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers, against the authorities,

against the powers of this dark world

and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:10-12

Lord,

We thank you that when we are weak,you are strong

and all power and authority rest with you.

We ask, in these days of overwhelming difficulties and hardship,

that your strength will be made perfect in our weakness.

We thank you for the spiritual armour your provide

which gives us the bravery to take a stand against the devil’s schemes.

Open our eyes to his subtle agenda in our lives and help us

to stand firm against all forms of evil and injustice.

We thank you that our struggle is not against other people -

whether powerful leaders or our neighbour, but against evil itself.

Show each of us how to act justly, love mercy

and walk humbly with you, our God; to go against the flow of self interest,

and speak up for the abused, downtrodden and broken.

As we become more aware of your expansive love for us,

may we overflow your love to a needy world.

Lord, in your mercy,hear our prayer.

Amen.

In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste.

He shielded him and cared for him;

he guarded him as the apple of his eye,

like an eagle that stirs up it’s nest and hovers over it’s young,

that spreads it’s wings to catch them and carries them aloft.

The Lord alone led him.

Deuteronomy 32:10

Our Father,

We pray for the families and friends of loved ones who have died recently

and those struggling with older griefs made worse by lock-down loneliness.

May they be able to call out to you in their vulnerability

as you help them to adapt to the ‘new normal’.

Enable them to take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Teach them how to fly in these restricting times;

to take a leap out of the nest, trusting you will carry them if they fall.

For those who feel lost in the howling wastes of depression,

show them that you’re there with them, shielding and caring,

guiding them to green pastures and still waters.

Thank you that you are close to the brokenhearted….

…closer than we could ever imagine.

Thank you that nothing can separate us from your love;

it is stronger than death and your love never fails.

In the precious name of Jesus,

Amen.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty,

my soul yearns, even faints,for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh cry out for the living God.

Psalm 84:1-2

Lord Jesus,

It’s Trinity Sunday!

Our day to gather together to worship and adore you,

Father , Son and Holy Spirit:

to hear your word, to pray with, and for, each other,

to meet our friends and make new ones.

Please give us patient hope as we wait to be physically present again,

thanking you that ‘the church has left the building’

and we can worship in our homes via technology.

Just as in Acts, your scattered followers spread the gospel everywhere they went;

may we, your COVID-scattered church, spread the gospel

on the phones and laptops, TV’s and tablets

of all who are looking for life - life in it’s fullness,

REAL LIFE!

Amen.

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

For I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I entrust my life.

Psalm 143:8

Lord Jesus,

As we look to enter into another way of doing life that is not yet ‘normal,

I am thankful that each morning brings a new word of your unfailing love.

As I step out to do life, thank you Lord that you show me the way to go

and when I don’t know where to turn, you are the voice behind me saying,

‘This is the way; walk in it.’

Lord, may we continue to look to you,

look for your direction in our everyday choices

and look to find you in every situation we face.

As we do that, may we reflect the light of your love

and leave a imprint of your presence in every contact.

Amen.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;

He gently leads those who have young.

Isaiah 40:11

Lord,

Thank you for your unfailing love and kindness.

For those who are struggling, may they be held close to your heart;

Let them feel your presence and the warmth of your love.

For those who feel weary and lacking in motivation to just keep going,

may they know your gentle hand leading them,

your ‘well done’, and your strength empowering them.

May your grace fill us to overflowing, smiling through us

radiating your love to anyone we come into contact with.

Thank you Lord,

Amen.

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;

you consider their grief and take it in hand.

The victims commit themselves to you;

you are the helper of the fatherless.

Psalm 10:14

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:18

Dear Father,

Thank you that you have a big heart for the fatherless;

those abandoned by a mother or father and struggle to know who they are,

and those whose parents have died and still hold the grief in their soul.

We lift them to you today; embrace and nurture them

with your mother and father heart.

May they know their identity; belonging to you,

an heir of their Heavenly Father, a son or daughter of the king.

Where their emotional growth has been stunted, cause them to grow and develop.

Prevent their grief and loss from being a trap in their lives, fill the void

and bring them the wholeness which reaches out in compassion to others.

Raise them up as hope -carrying sons and daughters,

offering others the love and comfort they have received.

We particularly pray for the children of George Floyd.

Please protect them, and others who’ve lost loved ones in the recent riots in America, from exploitation by the media and others who would abuse the situation.

Lord, hear our prayer and let our cry come unto you,

Amen.

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it will labour in vain.

Psalm 127:1

Lord build your church,

Build your church in our town,

Build your church in our nation,

Build your church in the world.

Thank you for this time of opportunity; where change would have taken

years of suggestions, proposals and committee meetings,

your Church suddenly became new - accessible at the click of a button!

As your Church, show us how to respond to those who are seeking

a Father, a deliverer, a comforter and a friend.

We pray especially for those starting Alpha tonight at our church

as well as those around the country; may they find your as saviour.

Lord, show them how you identify with them in their pain as well as their joy.

Raise up the confidence and the voice of your church to be the

carrier of good news and your loving arms

in every small village, market town and big city.

Use us, your followers, to follow your lead and not rush in

with our own projects and strategies.

Build the house Lord Jesus,

Build YOUR house.

Build your home and usher in the home-less.

We look to you,

Amen.

Then God said ‘Let us make mankind in our image,in our likeness.’

Genesis 1:26

In Christ’s family there can be no division between

Jew and non-Jew',slave and free, male and female.

Among us you are all equal. Galatians 3:28

Lord God,

thank you that you make us in your image and whatever race, gender,

or station in life, you call us to live as humanity united in love -

inseparable - as you are one with the Son and the Spirit.

We ask for your mercy on the USA at this time of crisis on so many fronts;

that these troubles would be a catalyst for change, bringing racial justice and equality.

We pray that the frustration sparked by the killing of George Floyd,

which has scorched Minneapolis and many other cities,

will become peaceful protest.

Bind the provocateurs of hate - those who loot and destroy

and those who respond with violence and threats of shooting.

Raise up men and women of peace to lead the fight for equality.

We pray for the families of the 100,000 COVID-19 victims.

Bring them your comfort and protect them from infection,

especially the black, indigenous and latino population -

those most likely to live in poverty and overcrowding.

Please provide for those who are unemployed because of the virus;

give them food on the table and hope for the future.

Give your wisdom to President Trump, may he be advised well,

and see your truth beyond the clamour of self-interest and tribalism.

Have mercy Lord,

Amen.

If you then, though you are evil,

know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father in heaven

give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13

Lord Jesus,

Thank you that you give us the liberty of free will

so we plan our lives and expect you to bless our work.

Give us the courage, as we celebrate Pentecost,

to surrender our ideas, our limitations, our preferences,

our prejudices and our goals to you.

Lord, fill each one of us with the gifts of your Spirit,

tailored to us as individuals, but for the good of the whole church.

Empower us to grow - to be’naturally supernatural’;

making the practical spiritual and every human encounter

an open door for your love to enter.

Lead us into the unknown future, gifted and empowered

to spread the good news of God’s expansive mercy

and preparing the way for your Kingdom to come.

Amen.