Prayers for Advent 1, December 3, 2023

A – Beginning again, we trust the promise that we will be heard as we offer our prayers.

[Short pause]

A – O God of new beginnings, you renew all creation with your grace.  Give us the faith to live into this reality.  God who comes,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – O God of new beginnings, every day is a new start, a new opportunity to become more aware of what is happening around us and within us.  Grant that we might be willing to take part, wherever you lead.  God who comes,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – O God of new beginnings, we confess our anxiety over the unfamiliar, the unclear, the ambiguous.  Give us the strength to take one step, trusting that you are guiding us into an amazing future.  God who comes,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – O God of new beginnings, give your church the gift of anticipation and hope, that we might let go of our fear, and be open to new possibilities.  God who comes,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – O God of new beginnings, provide a new start and new perspective for those who suffer.  We remember the victims of war, persecution, poverty, racism, unemployment and illness, especially those we name before you.
[Long pause]
Use us to show them your compassion.  God who comes,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – O God of new beginnings, give us strength for the journey we are making, the assurance that we do not walk alone, faith to trust your presence in the fog, and the wisdom to travel together.  God who comes,
C – Hear our prayer.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C – Amen.

Burning

Burning
Heat
Wind
Fire
Combustion
Conflagration

Out of control

Hot sun
Dry air
Searing breeze
Rainlessness
Signs and warnings ignored
Token environmentalism
All the while
Continuing our robust oil subsidies

“Keep the economy going”
“Keep the economy growing”
“Keep the economy producing”

Stewardship of the earth neglected
Care for creation ignored
“Paying attention” a discouraged pastime
Results unintended but not unforeseen

Life turned to kindling

Trees become fuel
Houses become fuel
Grass becomes fuel
Stores become fuel
Garages become fuel
Shops become fuel
Sheds become fuel
Hospitals become fuel
Trash becomes fuel
Nests become fuel
Dog houses become fuel
Leaves become fuel
Twigs become fuel
Beams become fuel
Suburbs become fuel
Downtowns become fuel
Attractions become fuel

Life itself becomes the accelerant of death

What of our memories?
Our times spent in those burning places?
Our hopes and dreams?
Our future plans?
Are these to be reduced to ash and smoke as well

By the burning?

Evacuations
Escape routes
Searching for safety
Clutching a few treasured belonging
Wondering where to go
In the confusion on the roads
As all roads are now One Way
Away from the fires
(But to where?)
While each and every face
Silently mouths

“Will we have a house to come back to?”

Officials make speeches
Offering thanks with one breath
Pointing fingers with the next
They make briefings
Make promises
Make appearances
Quote statistics
Impose fines
Reassure that everything is being done

But nobody really knows

It’s all too exhaustingly familiar

Helplessness returns to us
Unknowing returns to us
Making it up as we go returns to us
Anger returns to us
Loss returns to us
Wondering if I’m next returns to us
Needing to care for neighbours returns to us
And yes
Resistance to responsibility
Returns to us as well

Let’s burn that tire in that ditch
No one will see
No one will know
And besides
The rules don’t apply to us

As long as we don’t get caught

We are surrounded
Engulfed
Assailed
Menaced
Rendered impotent
Defenceless
Incapable
By a pandemic of burning
And by an even greater
Even more pernicious pandemic

Of apathy

So we watch out for ourselves
Never knowing where the next virus of flame will spring up
Praying that our drive to the store
Doesn’t throw a spark into a shrivelled bush
And start a fire

Too close to home

“Please God, keep it away from me and mine”
While we do nothing to curtail the constant burning
Which feeds the economic deity
But finding it within us
To complain that oil well construction has been delayed

Yet again

Nova Scotia
Mi’kmaqi
Unceded and unsurrendered
Reduced to fuel
Fuel for the fire
Fuel for the burning
Reduced to raw material for the conflagration
Which is burning the planet
Burning our lives
Burning our homes
Burning our communities
Burning our relationships

Burning our very selves

And no one knows what to do
To stop the burning
Because

“We have to keep the economy going”

And in the face of this
I find that my soul
My over-tired, over-worked, covid-sick soul
Is once again beginning its own burning
Burning at the apathy
Burning at the intentionally misplaced priorities
Burning at the degradation of life
The reduction of everything
And everyone
To fuel
For the economic god-fire
Which must be fed at all costs
Burning at humanity’s demonic willingness to take part
In its own self destruction
Through the hellish flames
As long as “me and mine”
Are “safe”

And I wonder

Which fire will burn the brighter?

Burning
© RAP, June 2023

Prayers for Easter 2, April 16, 2023

Prayers of the People

A – We offer our prayers to God, trusting in resurrection.

[Short pause]

A – God who comes in our doubts, thank you for walking with us through the fog of life.  Open us to the gift of your presence when we are having difficulty believing.  Hear us, O God,
C – Your mercy is great.

A – God who comes in our questions, our reservations do not shut you out of our lives.  Remind us that Jesus comes through our locked doors and closed hearts with words of peace and acceptance.  Hear us, O God,
C – Your mercy is great.

A – God who comes in our confusion, Easter does not make everything clearer, but it proclaims your presence in the middle of life’s ambiguity.  Help us trust the promise.  Hear us, O God,
C – Your mercy is great.

A – God who comes in our skepticism, your church is a community of people who have not seen, yet whom you call to believe.  Grant us the grace and perseverance to continue the journey of faith.  Hear us, O God,
C – Your mercy is great.

A – God who comes in our incomprehension, we pray for those who are overwhelmed with the circumstances of life – Those facing transitions or violence, those facing poverty or hunger, those facing isolation or doubt, those facing illness or death.  Remember those we name before you.
[Long pause]
May we support them in their struggles.  Hear us, O God,
C – Your mercy is great.

A – God who comes in our uncertainty, you do walk with us through the fog.  Help us comprehend that your love does apply, even to us.  Hear us, O God,
C – Your mercy is great.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ, our living Lord.
C – Amen.

Prayers for Christmas Eve, 2022

A – Let us offer our prayers for the world God loves, the church God calls, and for all people according to their needs.

[Short pause]

A – God of our realities, you come in our empires and our villages, in our nations and our families.  Open us to see, to hear, to smell, to taste and to touch you as you are born among us today.  God who has come,
C – May we share your peace.

A – God of our realities, you come in our economics and our politics, in our recreation and our religious observances.  Free us to engage our broken systems as you engage them, by being born among us today.  God who has come,
C – May we share your peace.

A – God of our realities, you come in poverty and injustice, in homelessness and heartbreak.  Give us a desire to jump into life, no matter how incomprehensible, trusting that you are being born among us today.  God who has come,
C – May we share your peace.

A – God of our realities, you come in holy story and holy stranger, in word and sacrament and the whole human community.  Give excitement to your church, a vision of what might be possible, and a belief in the impossible, such as you being born among us today.  God who has come,
C – May we share your peace.

A – God of our realities, of sickness and health, of caregivers and care receivers, send us to those who have no one to care for them, that the least and the lost may catch a glimpse of your presence as you are born among us today.  God who has come,
C – May we share your peace.

A – God of our realities, of faith mixed with fear, and devotion combined with dread, send us as you sent the angels, show us as you showed the shepherds, use us as you used Mary and Joseph as you are born among us today.  God who has come,
C – May we share your peace.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C – Amen.

Prayers for November 27, 2022 (Advent 1, Year C)

A – As we begin again, let us offer our prayers to the God who has promised to hear us.

[Short pause]

A – O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Come among us, show yourself to us, reflect your presence through us, that the whole creation may be filled with your eternal love.  God who comes,
C – Fill us with hope.

A – O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Give us eager patience as we anticipate your coming, that every minute of every day may be charged with expectation.  Give us joy as we hold to your promise.  God who comes,
C – Fill us with hope.

A – O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Give us patient eagerness as we await your coming, that our lives may exhibit trust and reliance.  Give us confidence as we hold to your promise.  God who comes,
C – Fill us with hope.

A – O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Inspire your church by your coming, to prepare, to watch, to wait and to welcome.  Make us ready for your coming today.  God who comes,
C – Fill us with hope.

A – O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Provide for those who are confronted with illness, who are challenged by poverty, who are lost in isolation, who are surrounded by violence, and who are overcome by hopelessness, especially those we name before you.
[Long pause]
Me we be the way you touch the hurting ones of this world.  God who comes,
C – Fill us with hope.

A – O come, O come, Emmanuel.  Come among us, show yourself to us, reflect your presence through us, that the whole creation may be filled with your eternal love.  God who comes,
C – Fill us with hope.

P – We ask all this in the name of Jesus, our approaching Lord.
C – Amen.

Prayers for November 13, 2022

A – We offer our prayers to God, trusting that, because of Jesus’ promise, we will be heard.

[Short pause]

A – God of challenging times, we are facing challenging times.  Some we find in the Bible  – war, famine, disaster, disease.  Some we find in our lives – broken relationships, broken trust, broken economics, broken jobs.  Remind us of your presence.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of challenging times, your promise does not take us out of our challenging times.  Rather, your promise accompanies us in them.  Give us faith to trust your presence.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of challenging times, there are times when we feel overwhelmed, unable to cope, unable even to stand.  Give us an awareness of your presence, even in the middle of our difficulties.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of challenging times, you call your church into challenging times, to enter them with eyes wide open, looking for signs of your love.  Strengthen us as your people, that our life together may be a sign of hope in this community and in this world.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of challenging times, you walk with those who suffer illness, separation, under-employment, poverty, racism and injustice.  Guide your people into places and relationships in which we can share your healing presence, especially with those we name before you.
[Long pause]
God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of challenging times, you do not abandon us in our difficulties.  Instead, you send us forward to discover your presence in the middle of our hard days and long nights.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C – Amen.

Prayers for Reformation Sunday, 2022

A – We offer our prayers to God, trusting that, because of Jesus’ promise, we will be heard.

[Short pause]

A – Reforming God, you have come among us with grace and love, and have changed us from what we were.  We give thanks for the gift of life.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – Reforming God, you continue to come among us with grace and love, and invite us again into new ways of being.  We give thanks for the gift of growth.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – Reforming God, we confess that we are not always eager for the changes you bring.  We are comfortable with the past, and the future is ambiguous.  Remind us that it is your grace and love which is leading us forward.  We give thanks for the gift of faith.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – Reforming God, you do not call your church simply to restructure our committees or use a different liturgy.  You call us out; you call us away.  You call us to become a movement which is in touch with the hurting neighbour, the racialized stranger, the hungry, the angry, the ignored.  We give thanks for the gift of dreams.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – Reforming God, you are found with the sick, the outcast, the disturbed, the grieving, the different.  Use us to touch those we name before you with your healing love and gracious presence.
[Long pause]
We give thanks for the gift of wholeness.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – Reforming God, re-form us.  Change our expectations.  Break our status quo.  Free us to embrace your movement among us.  Free us to be your movement in the world.  We give thanks for the gift of our calling.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C – Amen.

Prayers of the People, July 31, 2022

A – We offer our prayers to God, trusting that, because of Jesus’ promise, we will be heard.

[Short pause]

A – God of creation, you are the reason everything exists, and all creation wants to sing your praise.  Inspire us to care for your creation, that we may join the song.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of love, your world provides more than enough, for everyone and everything.  Forgive us for hoarding the produce of the earth, and move us to share what you give, that all may enjoy your generosity.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of relationships, the gifts you give are demonstrations, not only of your care, but also of your desire for human community.  Free us from our craving for more, that we may find our security in you.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of our needs, motivate your church by your Holy Spirit, that we faithfully proclaim your provision for all the world, and that the world may become aware of your faithful provision.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of the world’s need, increase our recognition of the needs around us.  Open us to sharing what you have given, especially with the homeless, the hungry, the outcast, the sick, the mourning and the forgotten, especially those we name before you.
[Long pause]
God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of our possessions, forgive us for allowing our “things” to replace you at the centre of our lives.  Remind us of your presence; remind us of your love; remind us through the difficult journey of letting go, and turning back to you.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C – Amen.

Prayers of the People for July 24, 2022

The theme of the service/sermon was prayer, a calling all of us have received, not just clergy. Therefore, these prayers were crafted in such a way that the entire congregation would be offering them.

A – We offer our prayers to God, trusting that, because of Jesus’ promise, we will be heard.

[Short pause]

A – God who comes in relationship,
C – You come to us in Jesus, who lived a life of work and struggle, of celebration and suffering.  Make us aware of his presence in the middle of our lives, that we may know your love.  Teach us to pray.  God who is with us,
A – Hear our prayer.

A – God who comes in relationship,
C – You come to us in the world, in the rhythm of day and night, in ocean swells and blades of grass, in insect hum and song of bird.  Make us aware of your presence in every step and every breath, and help us respond in ways that support life.  Teach us to pray.  God who is with us,
A – Hear our prayer.

A – God who comes in relationship,
C – You come in spoken word and silent presence, and you ask us to respond in the same way.  Take away our fear of holy interaction, that we may respond with joy to your invitation to be in touch.  Teach us to pray.  God who is with us,
A – Hear our prayer.

A – God who comes in relationship,
C – You speak to us in splash of water, in bread and wine, in words of forgiveness and promise.  Free your church to acknowledge all the gifts you give, that we may share your bounty with our hurting world.  Teach us to pray.  God who is with us,
A – Hear our prayer.

A – God who comes in relationship,
C – We bring before those who are in need, those who are hurting, those who are suffering, those who are lonely, and those who are dying.  Use us to touch them with your caring presence, and remind us that you are the healer.  Teach us to pray.  God who is with us,
A – Hear our prayer.

A – God who comes in relationship,
C – You come to us in grace, in peace and in love.  Give us the faith to trust your promised presence, that we may joyfully share our lives and our challenges with you.  Teach us to pray.  God who is with us,
A – Hear our prayer.

P – We ask all this in the name of our teacher and helper, Jesus, the Christ.
C – Amen.

Prayers of the People, July 17, 2022

Based on a reading from Luke 10:38-42.

A – We offer our prayers to God, trusting that, because of Jesus’ promise, we will be heard.

[Short pause]

A – God who knows all about our simplistic ways of thinking, forgive us for dividing life into categories, for separating people into “us” and “them,” for attempting to exercise control over others.  Set us free.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of challenges, enable us to welcome difference, to embrace other ways of thinking, to accept that “our way” is not the “only” way, or even the “best” way.  Set us free.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God of complicated answers, life is not “either / or,” and neither are you.  Push us into the ambiguity of our daily lives, trusting that we will indeed discover your presence in the unknown.  Set us free.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God who calls us to follow Jesus, give your church the faith that trusts you so much that we no longer need to dictate how others live.  Enable us to walk with others, allowing them to make their own choices, and convinced that you will never abandon any of us.  Set us free.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God who calls us to serve, you send us to the hurting, the sick, the imprisoned and the broken, not as examples of righteousness, but as companions in the gloom.  Motivate us to reach out with the love we have received, especially to those we name before you.
[Long pause]
Set us free.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

A – God who teaches us, we learn as we sit at your feet.  Remind us that we also learn when we are working, when we are serving, and when we become aware that others are working and serving differently.  Open us to the difference.  Set us free.  God who is with us,
C – Hear our prayer.

P – Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C – Amen.