Sunday 26 January 2025

3rd Sunday of Epiphany

Prayers inspired by: original prayers, Neh 8:1-3,5-6,8-10, Psalm 19, Bosco Peters Liturgy.co.nz, Luke 4:14-21

 An approach, an acknowledgement.

 E te Atua aroha
Loving God

Titiro atawhai mai
ki a rātou kua wehe ki te pō,
ki a mātou te hunga ora tonu

 Look kindly upon our people,
who have passed into the night,
and we who live this day.

 [Bidding and response]
Loving God– may your Word dwell in us richly

 For the Church.

The heavens declare Your Glory
    the skies proclaim the work of Your hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.

 Loving God
Grant us that we too, your Church
Show forth Your light
love Your Word,
And seek, without fear, Your justice throughout the world;
To love others as you love us.
We ask that our children & young people
Feel tethered to you, and hear Your still, small voice.
Bless our old, our young and those who are neither,
Bless the body we make,
Every one of its parts, just as You want them to be.
Because You love us.

Loving God– may your Word dwell in us richly

We pray for the world and for this place.

Loving God
We pray for those places in the world
where the possibility of peace is emerging,
So that lasting peace may grow,
Grant those seeds life.

 We pray too for those living in political turmoil,
That they may still know you
And hold to Your truth, even when to do so is hard.
Grant them your strength.

Loving God– may your Word dwell in us richly

We pray for our communities and for our own needs.

Loving God, you meet us where we are -
In small towns, in motels,
In the middle of thousands, or alone;
In our hometowns, or in places we may not belong.
We pray for the people who make us who we are,
Bless them, and the connections that hold us.
Even if, Like Jesus in Nazareth,
Our own people do not yet see You.
You love all of us.
Korōria ki a koe.

Amen.