Opening prayer 17 July 2016

Lord God

one in three and three in one

in perfect love and unity with one another

in perfect love and unity with all creation

through whom all know and unknown to us

all that has been and all that is yet to be

finds it source, its origin, its very reason for existence

how can we offer our praise?

How can we bring our worship?

How can we carry our devotion to you our God, maker and shaper of our very begins?

We, who are made in your very image.

We, who you loved so much you came and lived among us, as Jesus Christ our Lord.

For our prayers, our songs, our meditation on your word seems so short, so little in comparision to all you have given us

Yet we know your deepest desire is for us to come before you in worship before your royal courts

and we bow in humility at your feet now

wishing to listen to your word,

to grow in our faith

to deepen our discipleship

Lord God

May your holy spirit sweep through us this hour

sweep through us to cleanse our hearts and minds

of all which gets in the way of our true devotion this day

our worries and anxieties of past hurts and for the future

our sadness at loss of something or someone dear to us

our disappointment at commitments not kept, promises broken.

Release us from all which gets in the way of our one goal as Christians

so we may follow the path Christ leads us on

Amen