33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Prayers inspired by original prayers, and Ps 96, 1 Sam 1:4-20

An approach, an acknowledgment.

Kei konei mātou
E koropiko ana ki te Koe,
i roto i te ataahua o te tapu:
ka wehi ra ki Tō aroaro,
e te whenua katoa.

We are here
Unfurling before You,
In the splendour of Your holiness:
The earth trembles before Your face

And yet
You hear the smallest voice,
You weep with us,
As we mourn those who have passed into Your love,
Be with those of us who remain in the world of light.
Now and forever,
Amen.

For the Church.

E te Atua, God.
Strengthen your church
To be Your body on the world.
In times of doubt and questioning;
In times of upheaval and uncertainty;
Gather us still, bless our ministries and our leadership.
Grant us courage to act in love where our church must change;
And the courage to always hold on to You -
Our rock, our port in the storm, the path we are to follow.

Bidding & Response
E te Atua aroha, God of love, hear our prayer.

We pray for the world and for this place.

Christ, through whom
All things come to be;
We pray for Your world.
We pray for all those suffering
In places of political strife, of war, and
Of natural disaster.
We pray for all those in this country,
in the days ahead, who seek justice.
We pray also for those who seed dissension,
for no purpose of Yours.
May they turn to You;
And know they are loved.
Help us to see Your image in each person we connect with,
No matter how hard that can be.
Grant us to know Your peace.

E te Atua aroha, God of love, hear our prayer.

We pray for our communities and for our own needs.

E te Wairua Tapu,
Be with us in the coming days,
That we might know Your nearness.
That we may be agents of Your peace,
in our workplaces, our schools, our marae,
Our meetings, our staffrooms, our halls.
Our quiet moments, our sorrows, our shames.
We lift to you our own needs now,
That You might work in us, that we might bring forth
Those good fruits of the spirit.

E te Atua aroha, God of love, hear our prayer.

Āmine.