Prayers for Sunday 23 March 2023

3rd Sunday of Lent / Te Rātapu Tuatoru o Rēneti

Prayers inspired by: original prayers, Rev Waiora Te Moni ‘Rau Angiangi’: Isa 55:1-9, Ps 63:1-8, 1 Cor 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9
Collect: Epip 8:3

An acknowledgement

Karanga te pō
Karanga te ngākau pēhi.
Titiro atawhai mai ki a mātou
Me ō mātou tini roimata
Ki a rātou kua wehe atu.

I cry out, O Lord,
My heart has nothing left to give.
Look kindly on we who mourn
Those who have departed this life.

For we who remain ‘in a dry and parched land
where there is no water’
We know that You are our living water.
We turn to you.

[Bidding and response]

Because you love us, our lips will glorify you.

For the Church.

E te Karaiti
We give thanks for our church.
You have called us together,
You have freed us to love you.
You bring unity in love to all things;
in heaven and on earth;
We know that not one of us in Your church stands guilt-free.
May the living water of Your love
Call others to Your freedom, to repentance, and to the bearing of good fruit.

Because you love us, our lips will glorify you.

We pray for the world and for this place.

Lord, You know how we yearn
for Your peace in this world,
How we yearn for Your love
to transform scarred places of war and chaos;
into places of growth and harvest;
and to free people from new and ancient hatreds;
Hear our prayer, O Lord.
We pray for your living water to create new growth
Not only in the hearts of people,
But for our environment, our climate and for and for all creation.

Because you love us, our lips will glorify you.

We pray for our communities and for our own needs.

God of life
Bless us, in our communities, our families, and in our homes
We lift to you our frustrations, our fears and mistakes,
We lift to you, our moments of joy and connection with others,
You are our God, the One in whom we trust.
May we remember anew Your son’s journey
to the Cross, the pathway to our redemption.

Because you love us, our lips will glorify you.

Amen.