Thanksgiving and intercession prayer 3 April 2016

Lord God almighty

To you we offer our heartfelt praise and thanks for all you give us each and every day

the light of the sun, giving warmth to the land

giving food to plants, which begin to burst forth before our eyes

proclaiming your glory, showing your goodness

your breath fills everything with newness of life

and we are grateful we are both witnesses and benefiters of this bounty

as the season changes from winter to spring, we may begin to enjoy our gardens, our golf, our walks in the woods with new wonder

knowing where we are, you are too

we give thanks for the seasons of the church year too

Easter again reminds us of your love for the world, may that message sustain us all through the year

that we can take your message of love with us in our day to day lives

into our homes, into the places we work, into the shops and restaurants and clubs we are part of

that those who struggle to know love

through their own suffering or watching the suffering of those they love

or through looking at this broken world and wondering how a loving God could allow this

may glimpse through us a love which passes all understanding

we recall before you, our Lord, the people of this parish

those who live or work or visit here

may we, as your church, find ways in which we can serve them

we remember the lonely, may we as your church find ways to befriend them

we remember the prosperous, may we as your church help them to live with generosity

and may we we be models of generosity, in our money, time and those things we offer to this church and to this community

that people will know our actions match our words and will follow our example

May this congregation be a place of shelter for the confused

community for the stranger

place of care for those in pain

that in our love for you and them, this church may be a place of healing for a troubled world

Christ our Lord

breathe on us anew, grant us peace and show us once more how to forgive and be forgiven.

And send us out into your world, to love and be loved for your sake and the sake of those who need your love the most

Amen