God of the earth,
You promise plenty and abundance out of a single grain of wheat that dies and is buried in the soil.
Remind us that your realm doesn’t emerge out of sanitised cleanness;
It doesn’t fall down on us from the sky;
It doesn’t come out of nowhere in a shape we don’t recognise.
Rather, your promise is that your kingdom can be born out of the dirt and the compost of the world,
it grows among us;
it’s made of the stuff of everyday life.
Forgive us if we forget where the source of life is,
If we think the kingdom can be of our making,
If we fail to see a realm of possibility and promise in that which seems to be dead.
Bring us back to your life and set us on the path of your love.
God of the church,
In Jesus you come to us and call us to serve you and be your followers
To follow where you lead,
To live as you live, to love as you love.
We pray for our churches, giving thanks for all who work for peace and justice in your name.
As we turn to Jerusalem and face the cross with you,
Give us courage to walk the way of the cross;
To challenge power and vested interests,
To overturn status and wealth.
Give us the courage to leave behind the images of a Messiah that we long for,
A Messiah who will rule to the popular vote,
A Messiah who is always on our side
A Messiah who is gentle, meek and mild.
Give us the courage to live sacrificially
And to face the powers of the world with the terrible and vulnerable love of heaven.
We pray for all people around the world who are living with the effects of climate change and all countries where political violence has cast its shadow.
Loving God, remind us when we hear your story that it is rarely those in positions of power and influence who can show us where you are. Rather it is in the company of women, children, prisoners, the poor, and the marginalised that we shall discover your presence. Help us to stand alongside all vulnerable people and learn from them where you are to be found.
God incarnate, trinity of love,
you made us in your image,
and call us all to be saints.
We give thanks for the lives of all people
who offer us a foretaste of heaven,
all who work to build your Kingdom of justice and peace,
all who lead lives of creativity and selflessness
that show us a glimpse of your divine beauty
that transcends creed and culture.
As we are created in your image
we pray to respect your image in the other
so that all your people have the resources
to be who they are created to be,
and so that together we can build a future for the world
with space for grace incarnate.
You promise plenty and abundance out of a single grain of wheat that dies and is buried in the soil.
Remind us that your realm doesn’t emerge out of sanitised cleanness;
It doesn’t fall down on us from the sky;
It doesn’t come out of nowhere in a shape we don’t recognise.
Rather, your promise is that your kingdom can be born out of the dirt and the compost of the world,
it grows among us;
it’s made of the stuff of everyday life.
Forgive us if we forget where the source of life is,
If we think the kingdom can be of our making,
If we fail to see a realm of possibility and promise in that which seems to be dead.
Bring us back to your life and set us on the path of your love.
God of the church,
In Jesus you come to us and call us to serve you and be your followers
To follow where you lead,
To live as you live, to love as you love.
We pray for our churches, giving thanks for all who work for peace and justice in your name.
As we turn to Jerusalem and face the cross with you,
Give us courage to walk the way of the cross;
To challenge power and vested interests,
To overturn status and wealth.
Give us the courage to leave behind the images of a Messiah that we long for,
A Messiah who will rule to the popular vote,
A Messiah who is always on our side
A Messiah who is gentle, meek and mild.
Give us the courage to live sacrificially
And to face the powers of the world with the terrible and vulnerable love of heaven.
We pray for all people around the world who are living with the effects of climate change and all countries where political violence has cast its shadow.
Loving God, remind us when we hear your story that it is rarely those in positions of power and influence who can show us where you are. Rather it is in the company of women, children, prisoners, the poor, and the marginalised that we shall discover your presence. Help us to stand alongside all vulnerable people and learn from them where you are to be found.
God incarnate, trinity of love,
you made us in your image,
and call us all to be saints.
We give thanks for the lives of all people
who offer us a foretaste of heaven,
all who work to build your Kingdom of justice and peace,
all who lead lives of creativity and selflessness
that show us a glimpse of your divine beauty
that transcends creed and culture.
As we are created in your image
we pray to respect your image in the other
so that all your people have the resources
to be who they are created to be,
and so that together we can build a future for the world
with space for grace incarnate.
