Prayers - 11 September 2026
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Te Rātapu Rua Tekau mā whā o He Wā Noa
Taken from/inspired by Exodus 14:19-31, Psalm 114, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 18:21-35 ,and the ANZPB.
Bidding: [We] will sing to the Lord,
Response: ...for He is highly exalted.
[based on Exodus 15:1b]
Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turned the rock into a pool,
the hard rock into springs of water.
[Psalm 114: 7-8]
Let us pray.
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
[Romans 14: 5-9]
Gracious God, teach us to live with one another,
and to accept the many ways in which you can be glorified.
[silence]
Bidding: [We] will sing to the Lord,
Response: ...for He is highly exalted.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
[Matthew 18:21-22]
We pray for your church.
Enliven us with your compassion.
[silence]
Bidding: [We] will sing to the Lord,
Response: ...for He is highly exalted.
The sea looked and fled,
the Jordan turned back;
the mountains leaped like rams,
the hills like lambs.
Why was it, sea, that you fled?
Why, Jordan, did you turn back?
Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,
you hills, like lambs?
[Psalm 114: 3-6]
Creation is yours, and everything in it. We pray for your creatures.
[silence]
Bidding: [We] will sing to the Lord,
Response: ...for He is highly exalted.
God of infinite mercy,
grant that we who know your pity may rejoice in your forgiveness and gladly forgive others for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
