“Give thanks to the Lord because he is good, because his faithful love endures forever.”

Gracious God, as we celebrated the work and service of Methodist Homes for the Aged yesterday, we lift all those before You who work or are residents in Care and Nursing Homes. We appreciate that staff are still coming to terms with the devastating impact Covid 19 had upon their communities, and the loss of residents to the virus is still acutely felt. And so we give thanks for the dedication of Staff, who continue to rebuild communities and ensure the welfare of all those in their care. So too, we acknowledge the grief experienced by families, and those who are still under restrictions in relation to visiting loved ones. We give thanks for the love of families and friends and pray that You will continue to support and sustain relationships. Finally, Lord God, we lift before You all residents. May all residents feel the assurance and security of being cared for and may Your presence and Your love be felt in every home. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Gracious God, as the weekend approaches we give thanks for the sunshine of the past week. It has been a week in which we have corporately shared hope and disappointments; disappointments that restrictions may not be lifted as soon as we would wish and the advisory of travel restrictions once more. But so too, we have witnessed the hope of vaccinations promised to countries in need, and potential steps forward in moves to reverse the damage we have done to our planet. We pray that You will continue to guide all those in authority who will make decisions that will affect us all, over the weekend. In these deeply challenging times, may judgements be made with integrity, wisdom and honour. Lord God, we continue to put our trust in You, knowing that You journey with us, knowing that the guiding, healing power of Your Holy Spirit continues to sweep across our world, and giving thanks for Your love and Your grace. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

‘Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honour than you want for yourselves’.

Gracious God, this morning we pray for the preparations for the G7 summit. We pray that conversations and communications between all leaders will be conducted with integrity and wisdom so that the decisions made will benefit all nations, not just those represented. May Your presence be felt in every conversation and every relationship forged. As our thoughts turn once more to the NHS on this Thursday morning, we give thanks once more for the impact the Covid vaccination is making in fighting the virus. We give thanks for all those involved with the logistics of administering the vaccine. Lord God, we appreciate the privileged position we are in, and that many people across our world do not have access to a vaccination yet and so, as we return our thoughts to the G7 summit, we pray that leaders of richer countries will formulate policies that ensure all people, from all nations have access to a vaccination programme. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

‘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’.

Gracious God, as we marked World Oceans Day yesterday, we give thanks for the beauty of all our waterways; canals, rivers, streams and lakes. We marvel at the wonder of renewal in creation, for the joy of  ducklings, cygnets and moorhens, voles, otters and beavers, and all creatures that live beside our wetlands. We praise you for the beauty of wild flowers, for flora and fauna, for trees and shrubs that grow along pathways, creating carpets of colour and diversity. In the beauty of Your creation we are reminded of Your majesty, Your power and Your presence in our world and so we take a moment to reflect and give thanks and praise. Amen.

Gracious God, as World Oceans Day is celebrated today, we give thanks for the vast expanses of water that cover much of our planet Earth, producing the water of life and the oxygen that we need for life to exist. We celebrate and marvel at the millions of species of animals and plant life that live within the depths of the oceans, an undersea world of beauty, diversity and mystery. We give thanks for the joy of sailing, fishing, paddling and watching waves ebb and flow. We pray for all those who rely on the sea for their livelihoods. Sadly, we know that we have polluted our oceans and damaged the eco-systems within it. Lord God, help us to care for our oceans and seas so that they might be restored to health and truly reflect the wonder of the amazing undersea world You have created for us. For the beauty of Your creation we give thanks. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Gracious God, as a new week begins, we thank you that You are our awesome God. You are the creator of everything. The stars twinkle and light up our night sky because You placed them there. The sun and the moon shine down brightly on us because You made them. You made sandy beaches that we can walk on barefoot to watch waves tumbling in seas and oceans. You made mountains that we can scramble to the top of to see the vastness of the fields and valleys you have created. You have made trees and flowers that change in colour and appearance to give us a world of variety and delight. You have made creatures of every shape, size colour and pattern, of the sea, of the sky, of the land. And You have made us, each of us unique and individually precious to You. And so, we come before You this morning to praise You for the wonderful world You have created because You are our awesome God. We pray that You will encourage, empower and inspire us to nurture and protect the beautiful world You have entrusted to us. May we never take the beauty and wonder of our natural world for granted, and may we never cease to give praise and thanks to You, today and every day, Amen  

1 Peter 5:7 ESV
‘Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you’.

Gracious God, it may be many Thursdays ago since we clapped for our NHS workers and yet we know that they remain under enormous pressure as they try to deal with the backlog of appointments and procedures, that have been delayed during the pandemic. And so this morning, we pray for all administrators working to ensure all necessary appointments and treatments are carried out. We pray for healthcare professionals who continue to give of themselves and work long hours to care for the needs of our nation. And so too, we lift before You all those who anxiously await appointments. Lord God, may Your presence and healing power continue to be felt in our homes and in all medical institutions, now and in the days ahead. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.