From the depths I call to You, O God; hear my voice. (Psalm 130. 1, NRSV) Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. Make haste to help me, O God. (Psalm 70. 1, NRSV) to the lowest depths of our human condition, and you burden yourself with what burdens us. Still more, you even go to visit those who have died without being able to know you. And even when within us we can hear no refrain of your presence, you are there. through your Spirit you remain within us. —Brother Roger, Taizé A Reading From the Book of Psalms I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from God, who made heaven and earth. God will not let your foot be moved; God who keeps you will not slumber. God who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. God is your keeper; God is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. God will keep you from all evil; God will keep your life. God will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore. —Psalm 121, NRSV Prayer of Response In the darkest night . . . when we feel most afraid God comes alongside us . . . one walking in the darkness as if darkness were day. In the storms of life when we feel buffeted . . . our dreams blown and torn . . . our trust stretched to its fullest God calls our name and calms the storms that assail us. In the trials of life when we feel overwhelmed by worry and apprehension God reaches out a hand . . . invites us to trust and we find that the sea be calmed, the storms stilled. —adapted from a Wellspring Liturgy A Reading From the Book of Psalms God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of God Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved. God will help it when the morning dawns. The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; God speaks forth the Word, the earth melts. The God of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. —(adapted from Psalm 46. 1-7 NRSV) Prayer Of Response Calm my troubled heart, O God; give me peace. O God, calm the waves of this heart, calm its tempests. Be calm, O my soul, so that God can act therein. Calm thyself, O my soul, so that God is able to bring tranquility to you, so that God's peace may cover you. Yes, O God in heaven, often have we found that the world cannot give us peace, but make us trust that you are able to give peace; let us know the truth of your promise: that the whole world and all within it may not be able to take away your peace. May it be so. May it be so, even now. —adapted prayer by Soren Kierkegaard A Reading From the Book of Psalms God is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? God is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh— my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I asked of God, that will I seek after: to live in the house of God all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of God and to inquire in God's temple. For God will hide me and shelter me in the day of trouble; God will conceal me under the cover of God's tent; God will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to God. Hear, O God, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! “Come,” my heart says, “seek God's face!” Your face, O God, do I seek. O God of my salvation! Teach me your way, O God. I believe that I shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living. Wait for the God; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for God. —adapted from Psalm 27, selected verses, NRSV Prayer of Response In the darkest night . . . when we feel most afraid God comes alongside us . . . one walking in the darkness as if darkness were day. In the storms of life when we feel buffeted . . . our dreams blown and torn . . . our trust stretched to its fullest God calls our name and calms the storms that assail us. In the trials of life when we feel overwhelmed by worry and apprehension God reaches out a hand . . . invites us to trust and we find that the sea be calmed, the storms stilled. —adapted from a Wellspring Liturgy Call to Confession The pain and suffering we know also resides in the heart and minds of others. We are not only people who suffer, there are times and ways we add to other's pain. In a world that dismiss the dignity and honor of those who suffer. In a culture which places a stigma upon those especially who live with mental illness, or with other disabilities. There are times we need to remember that kindness and gentleness is the way of God to those who are hurting. It is the way we would follow Jesus. Let us pray: ╬ ╬ ╬ to exclude those who we experience as different from ourselves, God, have mercy. God, have mercy. On the occasions that we have avoided contact with those who behave differently from ourselves, God, have mercy. God, have mercy. In the situations when we have failed to see the light of God in those who appear different from ourselves, God, have mercy. May the Source of all life forgive our excluding instincts, remove the fear of difference from our souls, and enable us to embrace all who are created in God's image. Amen. —Richard Allen Prayer of Intercessions O God our Comforter, for those whose lives are strained and stressed…… R Hear our prayer and pour out your peace. For those whose hold on life is fragile…… R Hear our prayer and pour out your peace. For those whose illness makes them vulnerable…… R Hear our prayer and pour out your peace. For those whose families struggle to understand them…… R Hear our prayer and pour out your peace. For families and friends, nurses, doctors and therapists and all who seek to walk alongside the stressed and strained, the vulnerable and the fragile…… R Hear our prayer and pour out your peace. O God our Comforter, for all whose lives are in turmoil through the effects of mental illness…… R Hear our prayer and pour out your peace. Amen. —Mary Hawes, St. Mary with St. Alban & St. Peter and St. Paul Church, COE, Teddington, Middlesex We remember creation, breathed into life by God’s Holy Spirit: places of beauty and brilliance, places of grandeur and spectacle, places of extravagant diversity. We pray, creating God, for places damaged and degraded for people scraping a living from land made fruitless by human greed [Silence] Help us to live sparingly and to care for creation. R Gracious God: Hear our prayer. We remember humanity, breathed into life by God’s Holy Spirit: people of beauty and brilliance, people of gifts and grace, people of extravagant diversity. We pray, healing God, for people whose lives are diminished because they live with their own or another’s mental illness; for people facing the stigma caused by misunderstanding about mental illness; for people struggling to find help when they need it . . . [Silence] Help us to be welcoming, helpful and more aware of those things that make for mental well being for others and ourselves . . . R Gracious God: Hear our prayer. We remember the Church, breathed into life by God’s Holy Spirit: a community of beauty and brilliance a community of love and compassion a community of extravagant diversity. We pray, inspiring God, for denominations working out how to be one family, offering an effective witness to your love in the world; for churches with projects that offer help to people struggling with mental illness; for ourselves and people in our own families and community who need to be understood, accepted and loved . . . [Silence] Help us to be willing to change ourselves and inspired to change the world. R Gracious God: Hear our prayer. Amen. —from Not Alone Worship Resources, https://www.methodist.org.uk Prayer For Faith Breath of God's loving, Holy Spirit, within each person you sow faith, faith which can only be a very simple trust, so simple that everyone can receive it. Known or unknown, in our darkness you kindle a fire which never dies away. —Brother Roger help us to trust you even when we are going through the most trying times of our lives; to know that you are there with us and that your faithfulness is just. Amen. —from World Vision Offering Our Needs to God God of the weary receive my tiredness. God of the hungry know my emptiness. God of those in danger hold my fear. God of the silenced hear my despair. God of the heavy laden give me rest. God of the hopeless God's fill me again with longing. —Janet Morley, Prayers For An Inclusive Church Sending Forth With Blessing As we go forth, may God be with us to guide us, within us to strengthen us, without us to protect us, above us to raise us, beneath us to uphold us, before us to lead us, behind us to guard us, ever about us this day and evermore. Amen. —Celtic Blessing  |
Those who believe they believe in God,
but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt,
and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God('s )self.
―Madeleine L'Engle
