Category: Prayers

We do not presume to walk on this earth

17th November 2024

Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and not we are ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading: Deuteronomy 11: 11-17 

But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—  then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.  I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. 

Response:
We do not presume to walk on this earth,

O merciful Lord,
trusting in our own righteousness,
but in your manifold and great mercies
We are not worthy so much
as to gather up the leftover grains 

nor glean the fruits fallen from your trees –
But you are the same Lord,
whose property is always to have mercy:
Grant us therefore, gracious Lord,
so to live where you plant us, 

that we may work in harmony with nature 

and  share your rich harvest with all. 

Amen 

Thank you God for trees and fruit, herbs and grasses

Forgive us when through greed and thoughtlessness, 

we have cut down forests and burnt the scrub, 

when we have prioritised monoculture and marginalised diversity, 

when we have drained rivers and aquifers 

favouring cash crops over native plants. 

Remake our hearts and minds

and so restore our way of living.

Thank you God for birds of the air, 

the creatures of the land and the fish of the sea.

Forgive us when through greed and thoughtlessness, 

we have promoted our own livestock and made refugees of  the native wildlife, 

when we enlarged  our own living space and made other creatures homeless.

Remake our hearts and minds

and so restore our way of living.

Thank you God for soil and water and the fresh air we breathe. 

Forgive us when through greed and thoughtlessness 

we take from the soil but do not give back, 

when we pollute the waters with waste we do not want, 

when we fill the air with an excess of greenhouse gases.

Remake our hearts and minds

and so restore our way of living.

Thank you God for our brothers and sisters, our kith and kin

Forgive us when through greed and thoughtlessness 

we rob them of their livelihoods, 

when we divert their wealth into our pockets, 

when we ignore their pleas for help.

Remake our hearts and minds

and so restore our way of living.

Lord God, as you made us in your image, that we might live with you

and, as your Son took on our form that he might live among us, 

you have shown us how to live.

Remake our hearts and minds

and so restore our way of living.

Amen.

Prayers at Armistide

9th November 2024

In the UK today is know as Armistice Day, recalling the armistice signed in 1918 bringing an end to the fighting in the First World War.
The end of that war and the threat of future war, did not and has not avoided further armed conflicts not the death and destruction that warfare creates.  

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; Isaiah 12:2

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

A reading from Psalm verses 1 and 2, from The Message and from the RRSVA

If God doesn’t build the house,
    the builders only build shacks.
If God doesn’t guard the city,
    the night watchman might as well nap.
It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late,
    and work your worried fingers to the bone.

Don’t you know he enjoys
    giving rest to those he loves?

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labour in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
    the guard keeps watch in vain.

It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
    for he gives sleep to his beloved.

Response

Forgive us when we trust in our strength, 

and not yours.

Forgive us when we trust in our own wisdom, 

and do not seek yours.

Forgive us when we turn to threats and ultimatums, 

and do not seek dialogue.

Forgive us when we make up our own minds,

and do not spend time listening to the other.

Forgive us when ignore the past, 

and focus only on our own suffering.

Forgive us when fail to seek justice, 

but rather seek to oppress.

Forgive us when we fail to understand, 

but rather shout out our views all the more loudly.

Forgive us when we steam roller the opposition, 

and do not seek a compromise.

Forgive us when we fire weapons, 

and do not seek peace.

Loving God, 

have mercy on us.


Have mercy 

on all those we have injured through war.

Teach us to heal.


Have mercy 

on all those we have trapped in a spiral of revenge.

Teach us to to forgive.


Have mercy 

on all those we have trained in war fare.

Teach us to be peace makers.


Have mercy 

on all those who have been sucked into the tradition of war.

Teach us the story of reconciliation.


Have mercy 

on all those who work in the arms trade.

Teach us to make plough shares.


Have mercy 

on all those whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed.

Teach us to build communities of love.


Have mercy 

on all those habitats and ecosystems we have uprooted.

Teach us to plant trees.


Have mercy 

on the soils and bodies of water that we have polluted.

Teach us to till and restore the land.


Have mercy 

on all those whose faith we have undermined. 

Teach us to love one another with humility.

Amen

Wisdom learned from creation

2nd November 2024

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of her hands. Psalm 19:1

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading – Psalm 119: 4-6, 18-19,27- How to live: 

You, O Lord, have charged that we should diligently keep your commandments. 

O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep your statutes.

Then should I not be put to shame, because I have regard for all your commandments.

Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law.

I am a stranger upon earth; hide not your commandments from me.

Make me understand the way of your commandments, and so shall I meditate on your wondrous works. 

If  the idea of obeying commandments sounds too authoritarian, too black and white, think of God’s commandments as the instruction manual for the world, the user’s guide, best practices for living – or even as an expanded set of the rules of nature.

A further reading, Isaiah 55: 6-9:

As the rain and the snow come down from above, and return not again but water the earth,

‘Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread to eat,

‘So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me fruitless,

‘But it will accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the task I gave it.’


For the sun and moon 

that mete out the seasons,

and measure out the days and weeks:

We thank you, Lord our creator.

For chlorophyll and photosynthesis, 

for leaves and phytoplankton,

that turn sunlight into energy: 

We thank you, Lord our creator.

For H2O in all its forms,

for evaporation and precipitation that waters the earth 

and quickens life.

We thank you, Lord our creator.

For the air we breathe, 

a fluctuating mix of gases 

whose balance must be conserved for life to bloom:

We thank you, Lord our creator.

For rocks and mountains,  

erosion and sedimentation, 

that lays out a rich blanket of soil: 

We thank you, Lord our creator.

For DNA building blocks 

that see life adapt and evolve, 

reminders of our network of kinship:

We thank you, Lord our creator.

For flora and fauna that twist and twine, 

building habitats and 

grounding ecosystems:

We thank you, Lord our creator.

As ‘Johnny-come-lately’ to this world,

Lord grant us the humility to learn from what is already here, 

to look with awe and wonder at what is happily established, 

to treat with respect ecosystems built up over millennia, 

to study and understand the laws of nature, 

to observe and respond to the natural cycles that maintain life,

to cooperate with others 

and with sensitivity to share this space where all can be at home.

Amen.

The Grace

Lamenting our shortcomings

26th October 2024

The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading: Psalm 10:1-6, 12

Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
   Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—
   let them be caught in the schemes they have devised. 

For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,
   those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord.
In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, ‘God will not seek it out’;
   all their thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’ 

Their ways prosper at all times;
   your judgements are on high, out of their sight;
   as for their foes, they scoff at them.
They think in their heart, ‘We shall not be moved;
   throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.’ 

Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand;
   do not forget the oppressed. 

Response based on Daniel 9:4-10

Great and awesome God, 

keeper of promises

and steadfast in love, 

we have sinned and done wrong: 

our greed has made paupers of those we should love, 

our desire for more has taken away even the little they had, 

we have despised and oppressed our brothers and sisters.

Great and awesome God, 

keeper of promises

and steadfast in love,

we have acted wickedly and rebelled: 

we have carved out our paths 

and ignore the ways of your creation 

leaving behind us a trail of devastation.

Great and awesome God, 

keeper of promises

and steadfast in love,

we have turned aside from your commandments:  

we over-grazed the land, over fished the seas, 

we have decimated the forests and polluted the waterways, 

we have taken more than we can restore.

Great and awesome God, 

keeper of promises

and steadfast in love,

we have not listened to your prophets, who speak in your name: 

we have ignored the wail of the sea birds, 

the gasps of the rhino

and the disappearing drone of the insects. 

Great and awesome God, 

keeper of promises

and steadfast in love,

shame falls on us:

we let islands drown and ice sheets melt, 

we let the tundra burn and rivers dry up,

we let cities flood and fields whither.

Lord our God, 

to you belong mercy and forgiveness,

reform and redeem us, 

renew a right spirit within us, 

that all your creation may be treated 

with love and care.

Amen.    

The Grace.

Lament for the loss of biodiversity

19th October 2024

My eyes grow dim with weeping. Each day I beg your help; O Lord, I reach my pleading hands to you for mercy.  Soon it will be too late! Psalm 89:9, 10a

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Luke 18: 9-14 (The Message) He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’ “Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’” Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

Response:-

Suffering God, 

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss: 

Bluebells that cannot keep pace with climate change,

Ash, elm and chestnut trees felled by disease,

Frogspawn that succumbs to unseasonal cold,

Butterflies deceived by unseasonal warmth/ rain*

Suffering God, 

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss: 

Wetlands that are no longer wet,

Curlews that have nowhere to feed,

Streams overwhelmed by fertilisers, 

Rivers polluted by sewage.

Suffering God, 

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss: 

Glaciers receding  up mountains,

Alpine plants pushed over the edge,

Mountain hares with nowhere to go,

Moorlands and tundra burnt to a cinder.

Suffering God, 

Full of grief, I pour out my sorrows;

Full of mourning, I bewail my loss: 

Oceans with no whales,

Savannahs with no elephants

Coral reefs with no coral,

Icecaps with no ice.

Merciful God,

Forgive us our greed and our complacency,

Our folly and selfishness.

Forgive us when we have failed to see our errors, 

have chosen to overlook our faults.

Forgive us when we have not listened to the facts, 

preferring to believe our own stories.

Forgive us when we have ignored the plight of others, 

caring only for number one.

Restore in us a right mind and a right spirit.

Strengthen our hands and our hearts to care for your world.

Embolden our will to love our neighbours as ourselves. 

Free up our grasp on wealth and resources 

that all may benefit from your bounty.

Release us from our pride and self assurance 

that we can truly worship you, 

our creator, redeemer and sustainer.

Amen.

The grace

  • Each year has different extremes of weather

The Joys and Sorrows of Civilisation 

12th October 2024

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading:  So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak: ‘You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors ….. he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, “I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes.” Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised. Acts 13: 16, 17a, 22b,23

Reflection 

Roots secure us to the past, ensure that we are part of the continuity of creation; shoots  and branches  take our lives forward into the as yet unformed future. Without the next generation there will be no ongoing continuity. The gospels of Luke and Matthew both locate Jesus within a human family tree;  the prologue of John’s gospel locates him as co existent with the beginning of all creation. Later in John’s  gospel, Jesus affirms his coexistence with the Father and the ongoing coexistence, through him, of all believers, all God’s children. 

For gifts of past generations

We thank you God:

For the gift of fire for cooking and heating

For the gift of clean water and sewers

We thank you God:

For the domestication of cattle and horses,

Cats and dogs, sheep and pigs, 

Hens and geese

We thank you God:

For the gift of gardening and arable cultivation,

sowing and reaping, 

growing and harvesting

We thank you God:

For the gift of healing and caring, 

of medicine and surgery

For the understanding of the intricacies of mind and body 

We thank you God:

For the gift of story telling and drama, 

of art and observation 

means of sharing grief and joy.

We thank you God:

For the gift of learning and research, 

of teaching and sharing

We thank you God:

For the gift of exploration and endeavour, of travel and communication 

We thank you God:

For the gift of worship, of self realisation and of the knowledge of God.

We thank you God:

But what shall we pass on to generations to come?

Do we offer gifts or burdens?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Clean air or choking smog?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Living water or dying oceans?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Renewables or fossil fuels?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Biodiversity or widespread extinction?

 Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Fertile soils or inhospitable dust?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Balmy summers or wild fires?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Snow capped mountains or drowned coastlines?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

Homes for all  or camps for migrants?

Merciful God forgive and inspire us.

May we be wise guardians of what we have received 

Skilful custodians of what we consume

Generous donors of what we hand on

That the future of creation will be bright and beautiful, 

fair and just.

Amen

The blessings of creation

5th October 2024

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job  33:4

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading:

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
    Tell me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
    Or who stretched the line upon it?

On what were its bases sunk,
    or who laid its cornerstone

when the morning stars sang together
    and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? Job 38:4-7 


Lord,  we should not cease to be amazed at the wonder of creation, 

the diversity of colour, shape and size,

the ingenious adaptations of plants and animals,

the interconnectedness of all living things.

Response:

Then Job answered the Lord: ‘See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
    I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
    twice, but will proceed no further.’ Job 40:3-5


Lord, we should not forget the immense timespan of creation,  

the geological age that have gone before us,  

and the ages yet to come. 

Forgive us when we exaggerate our importance, 

when we claim knowledge we do not have

and when we exceed our competence.

A further reading:

But ask the animals, and they will teach you;
    the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Who among all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?

In his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of every human being. Job 12:7-10, 13

Lord, teach us wisdom. 

Give us humility to learn from others, 

patience to observe what is true,

and contrition to make amends for our mistakes.

Show us how to find joy in simple things, 

contentment with less, 

and  delight in companionship with all creation. 

A final reading:

May the glory of the Lord endure for ever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works—

who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 104: 31-34

Lord, may your creation flourish, 

may we ever be thrilled by what we see, 

uplifted  by what we experience, 

and delighted by what we can offer you. 

The Grace.

Blessings for Creation

28th September 2024

(You may wish to adapt these prayers to suit your local green spaces, nature reserves, parks etc)

Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

and all that is within me bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

and forget not all his benefits;

Bless the Lord, all you works of his,

in all places of his dominion; 

bless the Lord, O my soul.

Ps 103: 1-2, 22

Reading: And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13

Response:
Everliving God, the heavens declare your praise and yet cannot contain your glory. 

We join with all creation in honouring you.

for frosty mornings and blue skies, 

and the fresh air we breathe:

We bless you, creator God;

for robins, sparrows and starlings, 

and all who visit our gardens:

We bless you, creator God;

For strong limbed trees and supple saplings, 

and all the strength they embody:

We bless you, creator God;

For fruits and roots, and leaves and shoots, 

and all the nourishment they provide:

We bless you, creator God;

For cats and dogs, our companionable friends, 

and foxes  and deer, our wilder friends:

We bless you, creator God;

For winter flowers and bumble bees, 

for winter’s work and rest: 

We bless you, creator God!

Let’s  offer intercessions for the well being of our local environment 

We pray for the work of the Wetlands Trust protecting birds and their habitats, and we give thanks for our local Wetlands reserve.

We pray for the work of Kew Gardens and the Millennium Seed Bank, for their work in protecting and nurturing plants and we give thanks for beauty of the gardens.

We pray for the work of the park rangers maintaining the wildness of Richmond Park with its great diversity of plant and animal life. We pray too for the work of Holly Lodge enabling the Park to be accessible to all.

We pray for those who work to protect the biodiversity of the Thames, and we give thanks for the wildlife returning to its waters.

We pray for the Friends of Sheen Common and of Palewell Common and for their safeguarding of these local green oases. We give thanks for joy that comes from playing and running, from playing sports and walking dogs.

We pray too for local gardeners and keepers of allotments, and for all who put out food and water for birds. We give thanks for the beauty of the front gardens we walk past.

As we notice the wonders of creation that surround us, 

we pray that what we see we will love,

and that what we love, we will protect, 

and that what we protect, will be blessed by God. 

Amen. 

Walking with God

21st September 2024

Come … let us walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2:5

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Luke 24: 13-17, 25-29 

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,  but their eyes were kept from recognising him.  And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!  Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’  Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. 

When we walk 

our minds are free.

When our minds are free 

our eyes open. 

When our eyes are open 

we see the truth.

When we walk 

our minds are free.

When our minds are free 

our inner chatter quietens. 

When our inner chatter quietens 

we hear the truth. 

When we walk 

our  minds are free.

When our minds our free 

our hearts open.

When our hearts open 

we can embrace the truth.

Jesus, friend and companion, walk alongside us today.

Open our eyes.

Quieten our chatter.

Speak into our hearts.

Fill us with understanding.

Show us new ways of living

Renew in us love for the world.

And as evening draws in, meet us in the breaking of bread.

The Grace

Today I led one of several Christian Climate Action pilgrimages that are taking place across the country this week. Here is a link to today’s walk along the Thames from Hammersmith Bridge – https://greentau.org/2024/09/21/pilgrimage-for-the-planet-3/

The changing seasons

7th September 2024

And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years – Genesis 1:14

A reading from Isaiah 55: 9-11

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

A response: change happens

A drop of water

falls.

Drip.

Another.

Drip.

Drip, drop – more fall. 

The drip becomes a trickle;

Drip, drip, drop -.

the trickle a stream.

The stream becomes a river,

a down pour, a torrent –

surge, rush, roar.


A flood begins with just a drip. 


Snow.

Sun on snow. 

A little warmth,

a little melting.

A moment of easing,

    loosening, 

         a shifting of weight.

                 gathering momentum –

 And whoosh! 

A million tonnes of speeding snow.


An avalanche begins with just one flake.


A swallow

perched on the telephone wire,

testers slightly. 

Now or later?

One swallow, two.

Another, three. Sway.

Now or later?

Four, six; 

Eight, ten. Now?

Gather, check, sense the air.

Now? Now!

Up, and away, 

wings beat, compass set,  

off – 

fare well.


Where one or two are gathered, 

change begins.

May God bless our endeavours.