Prayer resources

Prayer means launching out of the heart towards God; it means lifting up one’s eyes, quite simply, to heaven, a cry of grateful love, from the crest of joy or the trough of despair; it’s a vast, supernatural force, which opens out my heart, and binds me close to Jesus.St Therese of Lisieux


Faithful God
We remember with thanksgiving and gratitude,
the life and service of Her Majesty the Queen.
We have been inspired by her dedication and faith,
Her commitment to the welfare of our Nation
And her lifelong devotion to the peoples of the Commonwealth.
As we pray for her family and with our nation,
May the integrity of her public service,
Her concern for the common good
And her steadfast commitment to good governance
Inspire all those in public office,
In UK and Commonwealth and across the world,
To uphold the rights of all peoples
In the pursuit of justice
And the interests of peace.
Amen


A prayer for Ukraine from Archbishops Welby and Cottrell:

God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen

A prayer for Ukraine on the Pray as you go site from Jesuits in Britain.

Prayer booklets

Our prayer booklets are designed to help you spend a few minutes each day in prayer using verses from the bible selected by our Prayer Lead Minister and ALM, Eve Cambray.

For December:

 

December 2022 Prayer Diary
Diocesan Prayer Diary

Using the Diocesan Prayer Diary means that on each day all of us across the Diocese can pray for the same individuals. We don’t need to know the individuals for whom we are praying, we just need to know they are our fellow disciples in Christ, and they need to know that we are holding them by name before God.

Click here to view or download the Diocesan Prayer Diary for December 2022 – March 2023

Church of England Prayer Booklet

Prayers to help us pray with one another even when it is not possible to gather together in church.

Click the button on the image to read, and when you have finished press escape on your keyboard or click at the bottom of your screen to close.

CofE Prayer Booklet
Online resources for prayer and reflection
Or you can get completely out of this world by looking at NASA’s astronomy picture of the day: apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html !

Loving God, you made us your children in baptism:
pour out your Spirit upon us, your people,
in 4Rivers Churches in the Diocese of Worcester.
Build up in us your gifts of faith, hope, and love,
that we may grow in faith and in numbers,
proclaim the hope that is in us,
and love you in serving our neighbours;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.


Prayer for Afghanistan

Come, Jesus…
Come, our Saviour,
come to all the people in Afghanistan,
in this bleakest of winters.
Come, with food and water,
to feed the hungry and refresh the thirsty ones.

Come, once a child yourself,
come to the children and the babies,
when so many cry with hunger pangs
and parents would give everything to feed them.

Come, the peace bearer,
come and bring your shalom to this land
after forty years of brutal war.
Come to those displaced and uprooted,
to a people fearful and vulnerable to violence.

Come, the light in our night,
come to families cold and shivering,
when infection passes from one to another,
while the economy is broken,
and creation groans in pain.

For all people, of all faiths,
to all children of every family,
in all the places where mothers weep and children cry,
come, God made vulnerable flesh,
to touch your world with true hope once more.

Turn our sorrow at the suffering of children,
and our determination that hate will not win,
into something we can do.
Take the money we give and the prayers we pray,
and stir in us, and in all your people,
whatever is needed for a new world to come.

From the depths of a bitter winter,
may hope spring.

Amen.

Written by Rev Dr Susan Durber, Moderator, Faith and Order Commission, WCC

Christian Aid Afghanistan Crisis Appeal

God, Creator and Sustainer,
We thank you for such a beautiful world. We are grateful for all that you have made, and we rejoice with those who rejoice.   We also weep with those who weep, and we think of those who are suffering poverty, powerlessness, and inaccessibility to medicines and health care.   The world is not an equal place and as people of faith we commit to fighting injustice where we find it, both locally and globally.We pray for those who feel that they have little power to change their circumstances—the sick, the poor, the defenceless. We pray for those who are far from home—the refugee and those seeking asylum. We believe that you hear our prayers. Our hearts ache at the inequity of resources, access and provision across our world. As this time of continuing global pandemic, we pray for those who need the vaccine most, and we ask that, whoever and wherever they are, they would be at the head of the queue and their economy does not dictate their access.Help us to play our part in raging against systems that discriminate, denigrate and isolate, We thank you that we are not powerless because, as the psalmist says “you are our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble”. You are power-full.All this we pray through the powerful name of Jesus Christ our Lord.Most Rev Pat Storey, Church of Ireland bishop of Meath and Kildare Diocese in the Republic of Ireland.

Prayer for Refugees

Almighty and merciful God,
whose Son became a refugee and had no place to call his own;
look with mercy on those who today are fleeing from danger,
homeless and hungry.
Bless those who work to bring them relief;
inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts;
and guide the nations of the world towards that day when all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and of peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Pray-as-you-go Examen from the Jesuit Refugee Service

Prayers for those held in captivity

Merciful Father,
we cry to you from the depths of our concern
for those wrongly imprisoned or held captive:
for those trying to secure their release,
that the ways of peace and diplomacy may prevail over acts of violence and aggression,
that their captors may know a change of heart;
through him who was sent to proclaim liberty for captives
and to set free those who are oppressed,
your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

O Lord God,
your Son Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In his resurrection
he restores life and peace in all creation.
Comfort, we pray, all victims of intolerance
and those oppressed by their fellow humans.
Remember in your kingdom those who have died.
Lead the oppressors towards compassion
and give hope to the suffering.
Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Tea-time prayer

God of all of life,
waiting for the water to boil
we confess and lament
the rise of temperature
that has led to a climate crisis
across this beautiful planet.
We wait, impatient for change.

Pouring out hot water
on loose-leaf or tea bag,
into teapot or favourite mug,
we pour out our intercessions
for a change of heart by politicians
to put planet and people first.

Stirring teabag, leaves or sugar
we ask that you would stir in us
a passion to take action,
to do all we can at this critical hour
to take care of our common home
and amplify the call for climate justice.

Drinking that first satisfying sip
we give thanks for the day when
‘they will hunger no more,
and thirst no more’*
Infuse us with a strongly brewed vision
of your creation healed and restored.

Amen

#AmenToClimateJustice
*Revelation 7:16

Christian Aid: A tea-time prayer in solidarity with those experiencing the worst of climate injustice.
www.christianaid.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/tea-time-prayer

We remember before God those who have died and we pray that God’s love will surround all who mourn them, now and always.   Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died, surround us and all who mourn with your strong compassion.Be gentle with us in our grief,
protect us from despair,
and give us grace to persevere
and face the future with hope
in Jesus Christ our risen Lord.Amen

The Lambeth Conference invites you to join with an international community to pray for hope, justice and transformation in our world. Click here to find out more.

Prayer for a Pandemic

May we who are merely inconvenienced
remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
remember those most vulnerable.

Show More

Credit: www.ccvichapel.org/post/prayer-for-a-pandemic-cameron-bellm

God became a child.
He made himself dependent and weak, in need of our love.
Now this God who has become a child says to us:

You can no longer fear me, you can only love me.

Pope Benedict XVI

Pray with confidence, based upon the goodness and infinite generosity of God and upon the promises of Jesus Christ.   God is a spring of living water which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray.
St Loius de Montfort (1673-1716)

In prayer, may we come to know ourselves and to meet our maker;
to rejoice in God’s goodness, to share in God’s life,
and to be enfolded in God’s love.   Amen
Julian of Norwich (1342-1420)