Tag: praise

Holy is God’s name

27th September 2025

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 from Genesis: 1:29-31

 : God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 

Prayers of praise –

Holy is your name and 

Holy is the sky above, 

shades of blue – 

azure, periwinkle, powder – 

with clouds billowing and piled high, 

little puffs and wispy streaks; 

glowing white or deepest dark greys, 

fair weather or storm bearers:

Holy is the sky!

Holy is your name and 

Holy is the earth below, 

shades of brown – 

umber, ochre, taupe – 

stones and grit, dust and hummus, 

teeming with life – 

worms and beetles, 

microfauna and fungi:

Holy is the earth!

Holy is your name and 

Holy are the waters far and wide, 

more shades of blue – 

aquamarine, cobalt, sea green – 

sparkling spring and dancing stream, 

majestic river and languid lake,

and voluminous ocean – 

each overflowing with the gift of life:

Holy are the waters! 

Holy is your name and

Holy are the weeds that toil and spin, 

shades of green – 

lime, moss, emerald – 

rooted in the earth, clinging onto rocks, 

colonising the desert, reaching for the sky, 

brimming with fruits in season,

breathing life into the air

Holy are the weeds!

Amen.

Prayers of sorrow- 

Heavenly Parent,

We have erred against you and your world.

We have polluted the air and the water, 

the seas and the soil. 

We ask for forgiveness and healing.

We have squandered the earth’s resources, 

and consumed more than our fair share.

We ask for forgiveness and healing.

We have decimated plants and animals, 

we have destroyed habitats and poisoned food chains.

We ask for forgiveness and healing.

We have abused our kin and ignored their humanity,

grinding them down into lives of misery.

We ask for forgiveness and healing.

From a place of sorrow, revive us.

From a place of penitence, quicken us. 

From a place of humility, rebuild us.

Amen.

The Grace

In all creation God’s name is holy

31st  August  2025

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Luke 12:27

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 Job 12:7-9

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?

A response:

Amongst the woods and forests,

between oaks and cedars,

God’s name is holy.

In the seas and oceans,

with whales and sea urchins,

God’s name is holy.

Across the moors and meadows,

with curlews and plovers,

God’s name is holy.

By riverbanks and streams,

following eels and kingfishers,

God’s name is holy.

High up on mountain peaks and glaciers,

sheltering in cwms and gullies,

God’s name is holy.

Gathered in barns and hives,

buzzing with bees and bats,

God’s name is holy.

Hidden under stones and snuck into crevices,

lying low with lizards and spiders,

God’s name is holy.

In all corners of the world

and where ever life exists,

God’s name is holy!

Amen.

Living God, 

when we neglect to see the beauty around us, 

open our eyes.

When we neglect to hear the music around us, 

open our ears.

When we neglect to feel your presence, 

awaken our senses.

When we neglect to receive your love, 

open our hearts.

Living God, 

re-inspire us with your Spirit, 

so that in us too your name is holy.

Amen. 

In praise of May 

Friday 6th May 2022

From the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine. Genesis 27:28

The month of May May owes its name to the Greek goddess of fertility, Maia. For many May is the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Queen of  May. It is certainly the month when spring growth is at its most abundant. 

Glory be to God for the may tree –

 the happy hawthorn:

Decked in  white blossom, 

she serves a feast for insects – alleluia! 

Glory be to God for the mayfly – 

ephemera vulgate:

Older even than dinosaurs,  this insect surrenders its underwater life 

for one brief air born day of delight – Alleluia! 

Glory be to God for the maybug – 

the cockchafer:

Four years toiling as grub underground, 

she emerges a chestnut gilded member of the scarab family – alleluia!

Glory be to God for the may flower – 

the cuckoo flower, Cardamine pratensis:

Pink flowers veined with purple, a dainty plant 

that feeds the caterpillars of orange-tip and the green-veined white butterfly –

Alleluia!

A reading: Genesis 1: 29-31 

And look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.  And I’ve given all the grass and plants to the animals and birds for their food.”  Then God looked over all that he had made, and it was excellent in every way. This ended the sixth day.

God of all creation,

May we cherish what you have created, 

respecting each plant and animal, 

bird and insect as both unique and irreplaceable.

May we honour with reverence 

what spreads out before our feet, 

what flies in the air above, 

slides through the water 

or creeps in the soil below.

May we temper our lives 

to make space for others, 

ceding priority to the vulnerable 

and encouraging the faint- hearted.

May we listen with our ears, 

see with our eyes 

and comprehend with wisdom 

the harmony of your Kingdom here in earth.

Amen.

The Grace 

Counting on … Lent 32

17th April 2025

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Ps 96: 11-12

The world – God’s unique creation – should be a prompt for praise and celebration. Where we see shortcomings, let us acknowledge our failings, seek forgiveness and reconciliation, and once again rejoice in God’s glory. 

Earth Day – in praise of God

27th April 2024

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those 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 sisters a d brothers with all that lives: 

May we live together in peace.

A Reading Psalm 8 (The Message )

God, brilliant Lord,
    yours is a household name.

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
    toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
    and silence atheist babble.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
    your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
    Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
    Why take a second look our way?

Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
    bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
    repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us stewards of sheep and cattle,
    even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
    whales singing in the ocean deeps.

God, brilliant Lord,
    your name echoes around the world.

Earlier this week – 22nd April – it was Earth Day. This  globally recognised  event calls on everyone to focus on the needs of the earth. And as Christians we might recall some words of St Paul, ‘As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,“In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.’ 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Glory to God,

Let the earth be glad, and the sea resound: 

Let all that is in it rejoice.

We praise you!

Glory to God, 

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
 Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

We praise you!

The law of the Lord is perfect,
making wise the simple.

Yet we have done our own thing  and despoiled the environment. 

Lord have mercy. 


The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

Yet we have hidden your ways under the cloak of greed,  

making life dark for our fellow beings.

Lord have mercy.

Pause for reflection 


Now is the time! 

Teach us once more to seek your wisdom for the earth.

Now is the time!

Teach us once more how to live in harmony with creation.

Now is the time!

Teach us to be mindful in what we use  and generous in what we give. 


Merciful God, 

forgive us and heals us, 

restore our world to its former glory.

Amen.