Thanksgiving and intercession prayer 17 May 2020

With love in our hearts

and the spirit of God around us

we offer our prayers of thanks to God

for new leaves on trees

the coconut smell of gorse flowers

the lengthening of days through spring

we thank you, God

for carers and those who are cared

for poets and writers

artists and knitters

photographers and bakers

we thank you, God

for the march of time, ever forward

for new ways of being church

for being loved beyond imagining

we thank you , God

For these, and a thousand million reasons, we are blessed to know you God

and be able to say “we are children of God.”

Wow

what a thing to say and know

that, we are God’s children

[pause]

Loving God

many people seek depth and meaning in all this uncertainty

they see they wonder of creation, bursting forth before their eyes

and are filled with joy

may they know, we pray, that is one of your many gifts to all your children

there are those who wonder where a loving God is

when people die without loved-ones at their side

when the Taliban attacks a maternity hospital

when people’s lives and welfare are treated as commodities to create money, rather than carriers of the divine image

when those who make mistakes refuse to say “Sorry.”

Loving God

cradle them in your hand

empower us to show a different path, a different way of living

and grant wisdom and discernment to governments to all nations

so the poorest may be lifted up

justice may prevail

and you love be shown

to your honour and glory

All this, and more, we pray, through Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit

One God, three in one

Now and always

Amen