Category: Prayers

Lent – choice & tipping points

24th February 2024

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom like the crocus Isaiah 35:1

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 from Deuteronomy 30:16a, 19  I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways…. Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 

A litany of tipping points

Adam, Eve and the fruit that was good to eat:

Eat  and be self-determined?

Not eat and be God-determined?

– A tipping point.

Moses, Pharaoh and a river of blood:

Let the people, these troublemakers go?

Follow the call of this troublemaking God?

 – a tipping point.

A people, a rule of life, and a golden calf:

Accept the short-termism of humanity and give up;
Plead God for mercy and start over afresh?

– a tipping point.

Exile, return and rebuild a new future:

Same old temple, same old rule-bound exclusivity;

New heart, new faith, an openness to others?

 – a tipping point?


Repent, good news, healings and miracles:

A charade, a charlatan, a feel good non entity;

Revelation, reformation, real life born afresh?

 – a tipping point?


Rebellion, deception, execution:

Confrontation, subjugation, might is right;

Confraternity, transformation, God is right?

 – a tipping point?


Empty tomb, close encounters and reunions:

Disbelief, cynicism and a hasty coverup;

Joy, mystery and real life resurrection?

 – a tipping point?


Tipping points are many and varied. 

Some good, some bad.

Help us life, affirming God, 

to see the tipping points we face, 

to see the hazards to avoid, 

the new routes to ride.


Help us, life affirming God, 

to heed the words of your present day prophets, 

the pleas of your children across the globe,  

and the anguished cries of the earth.

Inspire our hearts and empower our actions, 

that we may be a tipping point for good.


Help us, life affirming God, 

to see again in the life and resurrection of Jesus, 

the example we should follow, 

to know once more that Christ’s gospel 

will continue to transform the world.

Amen. 

Lent – against consumerism 

17th February 2024

The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

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: Matthew 6: 19-26 The Message 

“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

 “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!

 “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.

 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.”  

A reflection on Proverbs 1:10, 13-15:-


If shop windows say, 

“Buy all kinds of costly things; 

fill your houses with luxury”:

Do not be seduced, 

but follow the way of righteous simplicity.


If magazines say, 

“Here are the solutions to all life’s problems; 

 check out this month’s lifestyle”: 

Do not be seduced, 

but follow the way of righteous simplicity.


If neighbours say, 

“Come, be like us, 

keep up with our standards”:

Do not be seduced, 

but follow the way of righteous simplicity.


If adverts say, 

“Enjoy today and 

throw away tomorrow”:

Do not be seduced, 

but follow the way of righteous simplicity.


If money-makers say, 

“Here, make a quick buck; 

don’t worry about the risk”:

Do not be seduced, 

but follow the way of righteous simplicity.


If businesses say, 

“Enjoy what we promise, 

forget the environmental cost”:

Do not be seduced, 

but follow the way of righteous simplicity.


Merciful God, 

protect us from ourselves – our ignorance and our gullibility –

Give us wisdom to discern your truth

and insight to see your ways, 

that we may live with simplicity,

enjoying your gifts and sharing your bounty.

Amen.


Praise be to God! For simple things:-

Clean air and the scent of the flowers, 

wind that lifts and freshens.  

For water, crystal clear or dark as bronze, 

now skittering, now languidly flowing.

For trees that grow, ring upon ring, 

and bats and beetles and tiny tree creepers.

For the musical interruption of robin and blackbird, 

and the chit chat of sparrows. 

For fresh picked leaves and fruits in season:

our daily bread.

For the times to pause, to focus our eyes

 and attune ours ears: for peaceful observation.

For all these we give you thanks,

Generous, ever-caring God.

Amen.

Lent – refusing to comply

10th February 2024

The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

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 from Amos 5:14, 6:1-7

Seek good and not evil,
   that you may live;
and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
   just as you have said.

Alas for those who are at ease in Zion,
   and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
the notables of the first of the nations,
   to whom the house of Israel resorts!
Cross over to Calneh, and see;
   from there go to Hamath the great;
   then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better than these kingdoms?
   Or is your territory greater than their territory,
O you that put far away the evil day,
   and bring near a reign of violence? 


Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,
   and lounge on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock,
   and calves from the stall;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
   and like David improvise on instruments of music;
who drink wine from bowls,
   and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
   but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile,
   and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away. 

Repentance:

Like carbon to the atmosphere:

We have added to the world’s woes.

Like nutrients from the soil;

We have taken without restoring.

Like heat to the ocean:

We have sown destruction.

All: Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

In our forgiving and being forgiven:

Bring in your reign, O God: Let Godly hopes prevail.

Tuesdays in climate emergency

A Lament for our age:

When advertisers exhort us to drive ever larger faster cars –

and so called sports utility vehicles –

We shall not comply.

When fashion houses entreat us to buy new clothes 

for the beach and yet more for the barbecue, 

clothes for lounging and more for reclining – 

We shall not comply.

When top chefs urge us to buy tropical fruits and exotic grains, 

to eat strawberries in January and avocados in September –

We shall not comply.

When tour companies lure us with trips to the Tropics, 

all flights included,  or city breaks by air –

We shall not comply.

When weekend magazines promote this season’s new colour schemes, 

must-have wall papers and furnishings: 

out with the old and in with the new –

We shall not comply.

When tech industries unveil this year’s new phone, 

the upgraded tablet and colourful but irrepairable head sets –

We shall not comply.

When governments tell us  that coal mines are good 

and oil economical, 

whilst asking for our vote –

We shall not comply.

When trend setters define the next unmissable accessory 

and deride what was last season’s in-thing – 

We shall not comply.

When politicians tell us national needs are all important 

and foreigners must wait – 

We shall not comply.

Holy God, 

keep awake in us a true love for the earth, 

its flora and fauna, our brothers and sisters.

Strengthen our resolve to live within our means, 

to act with compassion, and following your will –

We shall COMPLY!

Feast of the Epiphany

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Hebrews 3:4


Three gifts, 

carried by Magi

riding long roads from the East.


By a star

they had set their course

to seek out a new born king.


Yet from Jerusalem

the worldly snare

of incumbent power pulled them off course.


In Bethlehem 

a home for folk and beast alike, 

made welcome this wandering coterie of  strangers.


A child,

cradled by loving parents, 

is worshipped  with  gold and myrrh and frankincense.


Christ

bless this house

and all that cross its threshold.


Christus

mansionem benedicat.

Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, returned another way.


A family –

threatened –  uproots, takes  flight.

How quickly they join the exodus of refugees.. 


A welcome?

On these shores?…  beyond this border? 

Do you really  deserve a home?


Is not earth our  common home? 

Who designs the borders?  

Who decides who’s and who’s out? These strangers our kin!


This is our  common home

to share with kith and kin,

with bird and beast and all that swims and squirms and creeps.

This  is our  home 

to share with tree and grass, weed and flower, 

with seaweed forests and coral reefs.


Christ

bless this our home –

our common home –  and all that dwell therein.


The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1


May we, like the Magi, 

seek what is true.

May we, like the Magi,

seek the other way.

May we, like the Magi,

worship the maker of our common home.

Amen. 

For a house blessing – https://greentau.org/2022/01/06/marking-epiphany/ NB do adjust the numbers to reflect that this year is 2024!

For justice -Loss and Damage Day

23rd September 2023

Surely no one would turn against the needy when they cry for help in their trouble. Job 30: 24

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 Ezekiel 7:10-12 (from The Message)

“‘Judgment Day! Fate has caught up with you.
The sceptre outsized and pretentious, pride bursting all bounds,
Violence strutting,    

brandishing the evil sceptre.
But there’s nothing to them,    

and nothing will be left of them.
Time’s up.    

Countdown: five, four, three, two . . . 
Buyer, don’t boast; seller, don’t worry:    

Judgment wrath has turned the world topsy-turvy.
The bottom has dropped out of buying and selling.    

It will never be the same again.
But don’t fantasise an upturn in the market.    

The country is bankrupt because of its sins,
 and it’s not going to get any better.

And in response, a reading from Exodus 22: 21-29a

 “Don’t abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt.

“Don’t mistreat widows or orphans. If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure I’ll take them most seriously; I’ll show my anger and come raging among you with the sword, and your wives will end up widows and your children orphans.

 “If you lend money to my people, to any of the down-and-out among you, don’t come down hard on them and gouge them with interest.

“If you take your neighbour’s coat as security, give it back before nightfall; it may be your neighbour’s only covering—what else does the person have to sleep in? And if I hear the neighbour crying out from the cold, I’ll step in—I’m compassionate.

 “Don’t curse God; and don’t damn your leaders.

 “Don’t be stingy as your vats fill up.”

Intercessions:

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of

Libya, Greece, Brazil, Rawanda and Pakistan, 

for all whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by floods, 

whose schools and hospitals have been overwhelmed, 

whose crops and livestock have been drowned.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of 

Madagascar and Mozambique, China andTaiwan, 

Nova Scotia, Myanmar and Bangladesh 

for all whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed by storms, 

where roads and public services have been overwhelmed, 

whose crops and livestock have been drowned.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of Somali and Yemen, 

of Haiti, Mali and Burkina Faso, of Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria, 

for all whose face drought and starvation, 

for all whose harvests have cultivated in vain, 

for all who have no reserves to fall back on.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

Open our eyes to the plight of the people of Sri Lanka, Venzuela, 

Senegal, Mozambique  and the Democratic Republic of Lao,

and for all whose economies are ravaged by debt, 

whose infrastructure suffers neglect 

as money is sidelined for interest repayments,

where future investment is blighted.

Lord have mercy!

How can we stand back as our brothers and sisters suffer.

May our hearts and purses overflow with generosity.

With penitence, may we acknowledge our ignorance and callousness.

With humility, we seek to make amends.

With determination, may we press for polluters to pay.

With God’s grace, let us seek a new future of care and justice for all creation. 

 Amen. 

Prayers for Easter Day

14th April 2023 

The  LORD’s unfailing love and mercy still continue, fresh  as the morning, as sure as the sunrise. Lamentations 3:22,23

 You Lord, are the source of all that is good: 

We praise you.

You call us to have compassion for your world: 

May we strive to do your will.

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

May we come together in peace. 

A reading Peter 1: 3, 4a  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

Response

Imagine the sun rising, the glowing disk that rises up over the horizon, spilling light out over the landscape. Imagine that that dawn is constantly breaking out above the horizon as the world travels around the sun. 

Jesus,  light of the world, bring hope to those who feel condemned to live in darkness. Empower us, your Easter people, to reassure and supported you those struggling with mental ill health, to create an inclusive and empathetic society. Bring hope to the people of Afghanistan especially women and girls whose lives are being foreclosed. 

Jesus Lord of life, hear us.

Imagine now a spring of water bubbling and gurgling as it constantly overflows. 

Jesus,  fountain of living water, may you satisfy the thirst of all who seek justice. Empower us, your Easter  people,  to strive for justice – for those fleeing war and persecution, for those who face intolerance and exclusion, for those seeking just wages and  fair trading practices. We pray for peace in Jerusalem, in Israel and in the occupied territories.

Jesus Lord of life,  hear us.

Imagine – smell – a new baked loaf of bread, with a crisp crust and soft crumb. Jesus bread of life, may you satisfy those who hunger for righteousness. Empower us, your Easter people, to aid those in need  – challenging the systems that allows children to go hungry, that make people choose between heating and eating, that ignores the plight of those facing climate induced drought and starvation in the Horn of Africa

Jesus Lord of life, hear us.

Imagine new leaves unfolding on the tip of a branch, bluebells uncurling underneath the trees, the first tentative steps of a new born lamb. Jesus, the way, the truth and the life, show us how to live in harmony with creation that all may live. Empower us, your Easter people, to treat the world with care, to treasure its biodiversity and to understand how to live simply that others may simply live.

Jesus Lord of life,  hear us.

Imagine a new born baby, its vulnerability and its need for care. Jesus as we are born again in baptism into your one family, fill us with your love.  Empower us, your Easter people, to care for all our brothers and sisters – those across the world, and those here in our local community. We pray for healing for  all who ill  …

Jesus Lord of life, hear us.

 Imagine a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis. Imagine  a chick breaking out of its shell. New life growing out of something past.  Jesus, the resurrection, may you bring new life to all in whom their current life has come to an end. 

As we remember those we love who no longer live in this world, bring comfort to all who mourn and grieve. 

Jesus Lord of life, hear us.

The  Grace

Palm Sunday

31st March 2023 

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” Matthew 3:3

 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 from Matthew 21: 8-11

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosannah to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosannah in the highest heaven!”

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Response – A Day of Action

Willow branches burst at the tips 

into the delicate green of spring.

The aroma of new life 

gently rises on the air.

Footsteps, hoof beats, 

small feet, big feet – 

that walk at a measured pace, 

that take a calculated risk.

Not flags, nor banners 

but branches torn from trees. 

No red carpet, no paparazzi 

but coats laid thick upon the road.

Hold your palms high, 

lift them not in surrender 

but in defiance. 

We will not bow to public pressure.

Cast down your coat, 

your mask, your many disguises. 

Cast down your self-conscious pride. 

Uncover the real you. 

Raise your hands, raise your voices!

Shout out loud! 

This is your King, your humble King!

The one at home with the poor and needy.

The slow moving crowd 

that swells and surges, 

now pauses, and then gathers momentum – 

nothing can hold back our passion now.

Onward! Upward! Into the city –

we the outsiders, the outcast, 

the forgotten and the marginalised,

 are taking our place in the story of salvation.

Take courage, take heart! 

Turn the world upside down. 

This is our King! 

This is the Saviour of the world!

Hosannah! Lord save us!

Lord, our loving Saviour,

We give thanks for all who stand up 

for the wellbeing of creation. 

Guide their actions with your wisdom.

Fill their hearts with your love.

Give strength for their bodies 

and compassion for their spirits.

Comfort those who are overcome with sadness.

Reassure those who are loosing hope. 

Heal those who have been injured.

Encompass those who have died.

The road to salvation seems long and uncertain.

May your redeeming power restore creation 

to new life in the Kingdom of God.

Amen. 

Candlemas – where does the light shine?

2nd February, Candlemas

“I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations. Isaiah 42:6

You Lord are the light of the world:help us to see.

Your word is a light for our path:guide us in all we do.

Whatever we say or do:let it be to the glory of God.

A reading from Luke 2: 29- 35

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,

as you have promised.

I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people.

He is a light to reveal God to the nations,

and he is the glory of your people Israel.” 

Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”


Where will that light shine?

Will it reach the tops of the  mountains where the glaciers are fast disappearing?

Will it follow the rivers that flow down from the mountains? 

Will it light upon the people who rely on the river for their livelihoods?

Will it herald a bright future for them or pierce their soul as with a sword?

Where will that light shine?

Will it reach the depths of the earth where conglomerates mine for minerals and riches?

Will it reach the depth of the oceans where conglomerates drill for oil and gas?

Will it follow the flow of money that skips lightly past those who labour,  

and fills the ever deepening pockets of the wealthy?

Will it herald a bright future for them or pierce their soul as with a sword?

Where will the light shine?

Will it reach the verdant understory deep within the rainforests? 

Or will it find that space already punctured by sugar and soy plantations?

Will it be embraced by a rich biodiverse ecosystem – 

or will it search desperately for indigenous lives that are no more?

Will it herald a bright future for them or pierce their soul as with a sword?

Where will the light shine?

Will it glitter on the vast whiteness of the poles? 

Or will it sink into the void that melting ice has left behind?

Will it bring life to the Arctic tern and the walrus? 

Will it be a ray of light for the penguin chick and the polar bear cub?

Will it herald a bright future for them or pierce their soul as with a sword?

Where will the light shine?

Will reach inside  apartment blocks  split open by bombs?

Will it reach inside the ‘temporary’ abodes of the refugee camp?

Will it reach inside those precarious homes where the need for heat 

faces a constant battle with the need to eat?

Will it spotlight communities in need of levelling up?

Will it herald a bright future for them or pierce their soul as with a sword?


For the times we have masked your light so that its message is obscured:

Lord have mercy.

For the times we have refocused your light away from those in need:

Lord have mercy.

For the times we have directed your light away from our own shortcomings:

Lord have mercy.

For the times we have refused to see where your light is pointing:

Lord have mercy.

Renew in us your spark that we may be visible agents of your Kingdom and active agents of your purpose.

Amen.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5

God In-Carnate

24th December 2022

God in

the beginning 

creating fullness

out of nothingness. 

God in 

the breath 

animating life forms 

made out of mud.

God in 

the garden, 

conversing and delegating – 

sharing the  venture.

God in 

the pillar of fire – and the pillar of cloud – 

leading the people 

from the past to the future.

God in 

the mouths of prophets, 

calling for renewal 

in place of impoverishment.

God in 

the flesh, 

conceived in a womb, 

born as child.

God now in 

bone of our bone, 

flesh of our flesh, 

our intimate companion.

God in 

our  mess, 

sharing our food, sharing our pain, 

living in reality 

our God-given life.

God in 

God’s world, 

the way of renewal, 

and the means to rebuild.

God in

the word, 

the beginning, the middle, 

the end.

Advent – a whale in creation

9th December 2022 

‘You are the Lord, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you.’  Nehemiah 9:6 

 Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:15-16

Creator God, forgive us 

when we have failed to love all that you create; 

when we do not treat creation with respect.; 

when we have sought to impose our will – and not yours. 

As we wait for the coming of your Son, 

help us to show him honour by honouring creation,

to show him care by caring for creation, 

and to show him love by loving creation. 

Amen. 

As the world’s leaders focus on the importance of biodiversity, may we all seek to understand better the importance of biodiversity and the role it plays in our daily lives.

The whale that keeps on giving

The wide vast oceans, 

tropical balm and arctic chill,

teem with living things 

great and small 

And  here dwells the whale – 

God’s tiller of the sea –

formed to frolic in its deeps 

and traverse its lengths. 

From an infinitesimal nil 

to 200 tonnes of mammalian flesh, 

its life spans a century full.  

A life of daily gorging and expurgating 10, 

nay, 20 tonnes of krill 

replenishes the seas with iron,

and spins once more 

the phytoplankton’s oxygen giving, 

carbon absorbing wheel.

From the depths the whale

redistributes food, 

sustaining small fry 

that dare not dive so deep.

Migrating between distant poles 

and warmer summer seas, 

the whale spreads the bounty 

of each mouthful it digests

and spins once more

the global food chain’s thread. 

Under the whale’s ocean watch, 

krill and plankton multiply, 

and so God’s worker feeds 

5000 mouths and more.

Its leviathan frame

 a maritime conveyor belt

of sequestered carbon 

that gracefully sweeps the seas 

till finally at whale fall

 it sinks to rest –

a carbon store 

for evermore 

upon the ocean bed.

The Lord’s Prayer.

NB Over the last century whale numbers have declined by an average of 64% of which the worst losses have been of blue whales, down by 99%.  Scientists are experimenting with reinvigorating the biodiversity of the oceans by the application of artificial whale poo.