‘If you do not wish for His Kingdom, don’t pray for it. But if you do, you must do more than pray for it, you must work for it.’
Quote from John Ruskin
Our Father in Heaven
Our God present in all of life, within and around us
Creator of heaven and earth, who originates, sustains, redeems and completes the whole of reality, and yet who is also
Our loving Father bringing us into deep relationship with yourself and with the rest of your good creation
Hallowed be your name
We recognise you as the Spirit of holiness and wholeness in the world.
We ask that your name become holy in and through and amongst us,
as we commit to a new way of holy living, that is mindful of acting justly, loving mercy, treading lightly upon this earth, and walking humbly with our God.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
We pray for the fulfillment of your reign where the signs of God’s Kingdom can be clearly seen:
where there is peace, harmony and equality among humans and creatures,
where your creation is valued, preserved, nourished and cared for,
As we are strengthened by God to live faithfully on this earth, building sustainable communities, with foundations of right relationships, living in harmony with nature.
Give us today our daily bread
Help us to take care of our earth garden so that all living beings will have food, water, shelter and a chance to develop to their full potential.
Help us to be content with a simple life, being thankful for your gifts to us of what we need.
Help us not to be consumed by a desire for more and more, recognising instead the importance of generous sharing with those less fortunate than ourselves, and the need for equality among all.
And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us
Forgive us our idolatrous human-centredness;
Forgive us our contribution to the indebtedness of poorer nations which so often struggle with natural disasters, poverty and famine, displacement, work and food insecurity, water shortages, and whose natural resources have been plundered by rich corporations and affluent consumers, leaving behind water and air pollution, soil degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss and social upheaval.
Forgive us our blindness to the inter-connectedness of all living things, and our apathy and unwillingness to make changes to restore your world.
Relieve us of our greed and our desire to exploit the earth’s resources and guide
us into a right relationship with your creation.
Save us in the time of trial and deliver us from evil
There are many trials upon us now, O Lord:
The COVID 19 pandemic which has brought sickness, debilitation, death, loss, grief, despair, loneliness, poverty, uncertainty, education limits, political and financial instability.
Weather events caused by Climate change, bringing destruction by fire, flood, drought, storm, sea level rise, water shortages, on untold numbers of living creatures.
Wars and violence and terrorism, bringing fear, death and destruction, ruin both economic and structural and political, famine, disease, a refugee crisis and including the rising incidence of family and domestic abuse in homes in our own country.
In spite of our complicity in not loving our neighbours as ourselves, we ask that you would preserve us, save us and keep us, enabling us to shine as lights, following Jesus the Light, in a darkening world.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever
We praise you,O God, King of the universe, for you, our loving Creator, life force of all of reality, our Saviour, our Lord reigning on high, are our source and sustenance, forever and ever.
We pray that we may love what you love, and that we will not only pray but live, to your praise and glory.
Create in us the desire to live in harmony with creation so all creatures may flourish, and your kingdom come.
Amen