On this page you will find topics for prayer and a prayer resource

This week we are asked to pray -

  For the sick and for those who have died this week.

  For all who receive Holy Communion at home.

  For the patients/residents/staff of the hospital & various care homes in the parish.

  For all involved in the many activities and meetings scheduled for this week and for a gradual broadening of the base of our committed strength, so that new people feel encouraged to become more deeply involved in our Life Together.

For Lent

Gracious Saviour,
You have given us this season of Lent
so that we might open ourselves
more fully to your saving grace and new life.
By our fasting, prayer and giving,
may we realize anew that we rely on You in all things.
Your gift of grace makes all good things possible,
including our desire to reject sin and return to you.
Grant your people a spirit of reconciliation this Lent
so that we may forgive one another as you have forgiven us.
Amen.

For our homes and families

Heavenly Father, we thank you for our homes and families.

Make us aware of your loving care for us day by day

and of all the blessings we receive which we take for granted;

and help us to remember those who are lonely and less fortunate than ourselves,

for our Saviour’s sake.  Amen.

A prayer in times of sorrow

by a Trappist Monk

Lo! there he hangs, ashened figure, pinioned against the wood

God grant that I should love him as I should.

I draw a little closer to share this Love Divine

and hear him softly murmur "Ah, foolish child of mine,

If now I should embrace you my hands would stain thee red,

and if I leaned to whisper - the thorns would pierce your head".

'Twas then I learned in meekness that love demands a price,

'Twas then I knew that sorrow is but the kiss of Christ.

A prayer for today

by Bernadette Farrell

Lord God, we live in disturbing days, across the

world, prices rise, debts increase, banks collapse,

jobs are taken away, and fragile security is under threat.

Loving God, meet us in our fear and hear our prayer:

be a tower of strength amidst the shifting sands,

and a light in the darkness;

help us receive your gift of peace, and fix our hearts

where true joys are to be found, in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Bishop Westcott's prayer

O Lord God,

in whom we live and move and have our being,

open our eyes that we may behold thy fatherly presence ever about us.

Draw our hearts to thee with the power of thy love.

Teach us to be careful for nothing;

and when we have done what thou has given us to do, help us,

O God, to leave the issue to thy wisdom.

Take us from all doubt and distrust.

Lift up our thoughts to thee in heaven; and make us to know all

things are possible to us through thy Son, our Redeemer.

O Spirit of Christ, come,

Blaze this darkness among us with your truth.

O Spirit of Peace, come

Heal our woundedness together.

On Judgement

An Indigenous prayer from Chile

Teach me not to pass judgement on my neighbour

until I have walked many miles in his sandals and

carried his burden on my shoulders.

Instead, make me mindful of the needs of my neighbour.

For Christian unity

We pray to you for the unity of all Christians
According to your will,
According to your means,
May your Spirit enable us to experience the suffering caused by division
To see our sin and to hope beyond all hope.
God, you alone are our hope
You alone are our hope

A prayer for safe travel

O God, the giver of all good things, we pray for all making journeys at this time in connection with holidays; that they may set out in peace and return in safety, refreshed in body, mind and spirit; and that seeing the glory of your works they may remember to give you thanks and praise for Jesus Christ’s sake.

(adapted a prayer of Christopher Idle, New Parish Prayers, ed. Frank Colquhoun 486)

The Caritas Prayer

God our Father

you sent your Son

to reconcile all things

to yourself by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Renew faith, hope and love

among us so that

Sussex is blessed

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

An invitation to prayer

A prayer of penitence

Lord our God,

in our sin we have avoided your call.

Our love for you is like a morning cloud,

like the dew that goes away early.

Have mercy on us;

deliver us from judgement;

bind up our wounds and revive us;

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prayer of St Richard

Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits which you have given us,
for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.
Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother,
may we know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly,
day by day.
Amen.

A prayer for the world from St Augustine

Tend thy sick ones O Lord Christ,

rest thy weary ones.

Bless thy dying ones.

Soothe thy suffering ones.

Pity thine afflicted ones.

Shield the joyous ones.

And all for thy love's sake.

Prayer of St Francis

For the peace of the world

Almighty God,

from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed:

kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all, the true love of peace

and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom

those who take counsel for the nations of the earth

that in tranquility your kingdom may go forward,

till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.

A Prayer of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God of the day and of the night, in me there is darkness, but with you there is light. I am alone, but you will not leave me. I am weak, but you will come to my help. I am restless, but you are my peace. I am in haste, but you are the God of infinite patience. I am confused and lost, but you are eternal wisdom and you direct my path; now and for ever. Amen

A Prayer of St Polycarp

O sweet Saviour Christ, in your undeserved love for us you were prepared to suffer the painful death of the cross:
let me not be cold or even lukewarm in my love for you.
Lord help me to face the truth about myself. Help me to hear my words as others hear them,
To see my face as others see me; Let me be honest enough to recognise my impatience and conceit;
Let me recognise my anger and selfishness;
Give me sufficient humility to accept my own weakness for what they are.
Give me the grace - at least in your presence - to say. ‘I was wrong - forgive me.’
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, increase in us faith and truth and gentleness and grant us part and lot among the saints.

General thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,

we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made.

We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Collect for this Sunday

Almighty God

whose most dear Son went not up to joy

but first he suffered pain,

and entered not into glory before he was crucified:

mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,

may find it none other than the way of life and peace;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Daily Prayer