Intercessions for Sunday 18th July 2021

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Intercessor: Rosemary Wilson

After the words “Dear Lord” the response is “Hear our prayer”

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit we bow our heads before You and bring to You the needs of the world. 

First it is our joy to thank You for the beauty of Your creation all around us. After the long months of lockdown our eyes are open wider to appreciate and praise You for the diversity in flowers, shrubs, trees and landscape which lifts our impoverished spirits closer to you. We have learnt the value of these things and the joy of companionship with other people, help us to draw closer to each other in compassion and fellowship, and thus to You. Bind us together as a family of God so that we may attract other people by reflecting Your love. For all Your manifold gifts we praise and thank You. 

In silence we give thanks for special blessings received this week. Dear Lord: Hear our prayer

Loving Father, as we approach the cusp of our release from social restrictions, give us wisdom in our behaviour. Help us to think carefully about the protection of those around us, to show discipline and restraint. Grant that by so doing we may contain the spread of Covid and gradually return to fuller lives in which to serve You. Silence. Dear Lord:Hear our prayer 

Heavenly Father we hold before You the areas of the world where conflict endangers people’s lives, especially in Afghanistan, now left without foreign military deterrents. Give Your pure and peaceable wisdom to the leaders of the nations, and strengthen their resolve to seek an end to violence. 

In our own country we are ashamed of the verbal racist insults directed at our footballers after all their dedication in training. Purge the minds of these unfeeling and unthinking people and let Your love take charge.  Silence  Dear Lord: Hear our prayer 

Loving Father we pray for the leaders of our churches. Give them and us grace to inspire knowledge and faith in You. At the time of uncertainty and anxiety help us to trust in You. Strengthen our resolve to serve You in our lives. 

Take our hearts and souls to love with; Take our minds and wills to pray with; Take our emptied hands to heal with; Take us, body, soul and spirit; Live in us however You will; Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Dear Lord: Hear our prayer Loving Father, we ask Your blessing for grace and guidance to all members of our Royal Family. In all their stresses and strains uphold them by Your Holy Spirit so that they can be beacons of Your love and inspire us all to live closer to You.  Silence  Dear Lord: Hear our prayer

In trust and faith, we commend all members of our community who are suffering in mind, body or spirit. In silence let us bring them before you.We ask Your blessing on all in the National Health Service, all carers and social workers ~ and ourselves. We pray for all who are mourning the loss of a loved one and we remember and give thanks for all the departed; especially, today, Ian Hume and Donald Boak.  Silence

Let us end our intercessions with the prayer of St Francis: 

Lord, make us instruments of your peace;

Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt , faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive;  It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying that that we are born to eternal life. 

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of You Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN.