Thanksgiving, Dedication, Intercessions for Mission

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving for Mission (2 voices)

Voice 1            We TELL of the glory of God!

Thanks for the Gospel and the passion to share it around the world - the people who make the sacrifice to make Christ known…

 

Voice 2            Holy God, we give you thanks and praise for good news shared by missionaries past and present, especially the Partners in Mission, and the relationships grown between churches and communities. Thank you for their service and commitment.

 

Voice 1            We TEACH and develop disciples to follow the Way of Christ!

Thanks for teachers and learners, mentors and places of nurture - the knowledge of your ways that lead to Life and flourishing…

 

Voice 2            Jesus the teacher, we thank you for giving us models of nurture and learning. We give thanks for those who taught us and those whose commitment to others around the world have led to schools, colleges, universities and libraries. We thank you for the many scholars and programmes of learning and growth (DARE, TIM, Face2Face, A New Face). Thank you for the spiritual gift of Wisdom.

 

Voice 1           Healing God, we thank you for your mission to TEND to the needs of the world.

 

Voice 2            We give thanks for those who hear the cries of the needy and do something about it. We are thankful for our nurses and health workers, for technicians and helpers, for those who comfort in times of crisis. We give thanks for the Gifts of Grace that enabled churches to provide comfort during the worst of the pandemic.

 

Voice 1            Messiah - Our Lord - thank you for challenging the unrighteous and giving voice to the poor and oppressed. Thank you for showing us the way of repentance.

 

Voice 2            We thank you, God, for the prophetic voices and people of action who work to TRANSFORM the unjust structures of the societies we live in. We thank you for the vision of the Kingdom of Heaven that shows us a better way for the economy of life. We thank you for those who work for justice and wellbeing in your name.

 

Voice 1            Creator of All we honour you and give you thanks for the works of your mighty hand.

 

Voice 2            We give thanks for day and night, for light and dark, for earth and water, for creatures of the sea and air. We give you thanks for our very lives. We thank you for CWM actions to care for your creations - for the planting of coral and mangrove, for reforestation and improvements in land management, for the day-to-day acts of creation care taken by our member churches.

Voices 1&2       Thanks and praise to God! Amen

Prayers of Dedication and Intercession

Voice 1        O God, who sees all, bless these gifts of money

            and use them in your mission among those at the margins.

Voice 2        O God, who hears every word of prayer, take our time and health

                   and use us to be signs of your Gospel in the world.

Voice 3        O God, who gives us breath, give us prophetic voices

so that we might speak your comfort and words of healing. 

And so we pray…

We pray first for those who build hospitals and housing, places of care and refuge,

for the architects and construction workers, for the project managers,

and those who run clinics, patiently waiting the building of new facilities.

In all places of hardship, where people have experienced the breakdown of social systems and economic challenges.

We pray for healthcare workers, who have been exhausted

from the ravages of COVID and from the impacts of tensions and conflicts.

We pray for those who educate and their students.

We pray for those who sow the seeds of learning and ask for good soil,

so that flourishing may take place.

We pray for those who struggle with anxiety and depression,

which acts like thorns to choke off life – bless the needy with signs of hope,

so they may rejoice in faith.

We pray for evangelists, who share good news in dark places.

May they be contagious in their love, spreading peace wherever they go.

We pray for your beautiful creation,

broken and hurting from depletion of resources and impacts of greed.

Heal your oceans and countries, by the breath of your Spirit, we pray.

Amen