Midday Prayers during COP26

Thursday 11th November 2021

Forgiving God, we recognise that we have avoided your call, 

shirked responsibilities and mis-stewarded your gifts to us.

God forgive us; 

Let your grace live within us

Sharing God; we have resisted expressing your life 

and bringing to birth your kin-dom.

God forgive us; 

Let your grace live within us

God who first loved us, 

help us to love others by forgiving. 

God forgive us; 

Let your grace live within us.

Amen.

(Adapted from https://ourcommonprayer.org/2021/09/07/wednesdays-in-climate-emergency/?relatedposts_hit=1&relatedposts_origin=1824&relatedposts_position=0&relatedposts_hit=1&relatedposts_origin=1824&relatedposts_position=0)

Reading: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!  My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.  Even the sparrow finds a home,   and the swallow a nest for herself,   where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

On this the tenth day of COP26 the focus is on  cities and the built environment, so let us pray:- 

We pray for all the participants,

the decision-makers and the protestors,

the bureaucrats and the prayerful,

influencers and bankers,

for producers and consumers.

May we build better towns and cities,

with green spaces and earth-friendly structures,

with accessible infrastructure and good housing for all

with local decision-making

and communities at their heart.

Loving and patient God,

may your will be done.

All: Amen.

Stop the world!  

I want to get off!

I can’t cope with climate anxiety, 

with the knowledge that we are still 

polluting the atmosphere with CO2.

Stop the world!

I want to get off!

I can’t cope with the politics

that we continue to ignore –

that let the rich grow richer & the poor poorer.

Stop the world!

I want to get off!

I can’t cope with the cycle of hate and war,

with our conviction that being tough 

will bring peace and reconciliation. 

Stop the world!

I want to get off!

I can’t cope with the pursuit of profit 

that says ‘I’m worth it’

 whilst resolutely destroying our world.

Stop the world!

I want to get off!

I can’t cope with myopia 

that can’t see the spread of global suffering 

because we are safe in our wealth.

Eternal God,

Give me some hope to aim for, 

courage to continue,

and peace to regain strength.

Amen.