Prayers, Sunday 19th October, 2025

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time/Te Rātapu Rua Tekau mā ono o He Wā Noa

Prayers inspired by original prayers, Waiora Te Moni ‘Rau Oriwa (2023, Te Wānanga Ihorangi) Jer 31:27-34, Ps 119:97-104, 2 Tim 3:14–4:5, Luke 18:1-8.

 [We gather - An approach]

 Karanga te reo
Karanga te ngākau pēhi
He roimata te kai i te ao
He roimata te kai i te pō
Ko te tumanako te rite
Whakakahangia mātou.

We call to You,
Those who grieve.
Those who have tears as our only food, day and night;
Yet our hope in You sustains us.
Strengthen us, Lord. 

Bidding and Response:
You have saved us and called us.
Help us to live in Your purpose and Your grace. 

[We pray for the Church]

E te Atua
You made Your Holy Spirit
flame within us,
Your church. 

Let us not be ashamed
Of the faith of our ancestors;
Help us to discern Your purpose, Your truth
In the God-breathed scripture we have inherited.
Save us from listening only to those who say
“what our itching ears want to hear.”
For “how sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!” 

May we, Your Church, understand
We are to reflect Your light and be Christ’s body -
So that Your will is done
on earth as in heaven.
Nothing more.
Nothing less. 

You have saved us and called us.
Help us to live in Your purpose and Your grace. 

[We pray for the world]

E Ihu, Jesus,
You challenge us
To be like the widow,
Insisting on justice, from the unjust judge.
But our God is just.
“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones,
who cry out to him day and night?”  

So we seek the impossible justice
Of lasting peace,
Of feeding all who are hungry;
Of caring for our world;
Of seeing in those we discount
Your truth and your image.
Save us from our silent disbelief
So that when You come, 
You will “find faith on the earth.” 

You have saved us and called us.
Help us to live in Your purpose and Your grace. 

[We pray for our communities and for our own needs.]

Holy Spirit, e te Wairua Tapu
We pray for our homes,
Our families; our local communities.
We pray for the newly elected
And the re-elected.
We pray for wise decisions. 

We ask for your blessing
upon those who are lonely
Those who are sick;
Those in spiritual darkness;
Those with no hope.
We lift to you our own needs;
Our fears;
Our hopes;
Our weaknesses.
All these we lay bare. 

You have saved us and called us.
Help us to live in Your purpose and Your grace.