Intercessions
28th January 2024
Gracious God, you promised to hear us when we cry out to you in prayer.
Hear the whisper of our hearts as well as the sound of our words.
Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
We lift our praise and thanksgiving to you, our awesome God, as we remember before you the world’s joyful diversity; but we also lay before you many desperate needs that we see and encounter in the media and in our daily lives.
We thank you for the beauty of the world we are privileged to see day by day – new life regenerated every year and heralded here in the Algarve by the blossom of the almond trees. We are thankful that some rains have come this winter to fill our reservoirs and cisternas but we need more. We ask you to give wisdom to those who can make positive decisions and plans to enable abundant rainfall from the north of Portugal to replenish reservoirs here in the south.
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer
Gracious God, we ask you to bless those people suffering and bereaved as a result of natural disasters around the world.
We lament the waves of terror affecting every continent, and the reluctance of governments to address root causes. We remember particularly the people of Israel and Gaza, of Ukraine and other countries around the world where people are fleeing their homelands, for those receiving them and those suffering worldwide in situations not deemed to be newsworthy at the present time. We pray that you will bless those people who work to bring an end to war, to bring peace and respect for human rights in all nations of the world.
May your blessing rest on each nation and its children.
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer
Loving God, last Sunday we were reminded that it had been the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. We remember the divisions in your church and pray with Jesus that we may all be one, united in love of you and in service to your world. We pray for our fellow Christians across the Algarve and throughout your world, thinking particularly of all those for whom worshipping will lead them into dangers and difficulty. Be near them and give them courage and strength in their witness. Make them aware at all times that you are with them.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we pray for our brothers and sisters in The Anglican Church of South Africa particularly praying for the ministry of Allan Smith who ministered to us as a locum.
We give thanks that you have brought Rev Steve here to minister to us and ask you to bless him with wisdom, strength and understanding as he comes to know us and leads us into the future. We ask your blessing on the Church Council as they work with Rev Steve and Rev Mike that you will give them a clear vision of your plans for our church in the years ahead. We ask that you give us all an understanding and insight into the way you want us to go. Help us to recognise strengths and weaknesses and show us ways in which we can be a true witness for you in our community helping others to know you. Help each one of us to know how we can be a useful part of the body which is your church.
We pray for those people around us now – people to be cared and prayed for as fellow members of this extraordinary family of God. We give thanks for the gifts you have given each one of us. Help us to recognise them and use them to your glory.
May your blessing rest on each one of us, your children.
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer
We remember before you our homes, families and communities: our relatives and friends to whom we owe so much, and whom we rarely thank- the people in our communities – the elderly and the schools where young lives are being shaped and equipped for life - our neighbours those we know and those we haven’t got to know yet -the people we meet each day in our various activities.
Let us take some time to bring them to mind now.
May your blessing rest on each person and place, that your kingdom may come in them.
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord Jesus, you responded to need wherever you found it. Bring your transforming love to bear on all who feel exhausted or drained in their suffering.
We remember before you all those on our prayer list and those known to us in special need:
At each pause you are invited to name them out loud or in your heart
On our heart is someone who’s ill at home or in hospital …
On our heart is someone deeply lonely and uncertain about life …
On our heart is someone whose own heart is broken …
On our heart is a special life, now lost to us but alive to you …
May your blessing rest on each one, for in you is hope, healing and joy.
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer
Heavenly Father we lift to your all those who have died this week especially those who have died alone and unloved. We ask you to comfort those who mourn and help them to be aware of your unfailing love in their time of need.
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer
As we go about our daily lives this week, Lord, we ask that you give us opportunities to share our faith. Kindle curiosity in those we meet that they might recognise the difference that knowing you makes.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.