Lord God
What can we say to offer you our thanks for all you have done in our live and the life of the world?
Our words can seem so inadequate, can’t they?
But you do not mind the words we use, do you Lord God?
For our heartfelt prayers are your deepest desire, are they not Lord God?
We praise you for the opportunity to come together in worship in this place
where we are warm and comfortable
where we can praise you in peace and freedom
we think of those in your world who do not have this luxury
they face persecution due to their faith in Jesus Christ as their saviour and Lord
their churches and homes are destroyed, so they have no warm safe place where they can offer you praise
yet they still blend their worship with ours and that of the worldwide church, despite their lack of safety and comfort.
Lord God,
bring them peace and keep them ever on your path of love for all the world, even for their enemies
grant them grace to pray for those who persecute them and may they know, through your holy spirit,
they are united to us in this place as our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Bountiful God
we bless and praise you for the warm sun and soft rain which nourishes our gardens and fields
The beauty of our country is in part due to the weather, though we do like to moan about it too.
We are mindful that too much rain is not good for your land
crops fail, farm animals become ill, visitors do not come
we recall farmers and those who rely on visitors for their livelihood.
Grant them hope and optimism to continue their work, which is blessed through your loving kindness for all.
Father God
we praise and thank you for families and friends
those who we have shared the joys and sorrows of life with, those who make life wonderful and blessed.
Be with our friends and family. May they know they are valued and loved
and be with those who do not seem to have many friends and no family to visit them. Comfort them and may we reach our a hand to friendship to them, through Christ our Lord. Amen