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Prayers for the Week Beginning 15th January

1 A call to worship
Lord Jesus, you met people in everyday places and called them to follow you. As we come to worship you in this everyday place , may we, too, be open to your call. Amen.

2 A prayer of adoration
God of power, we see that power at work all around us, in big things and small, in new life and old, in beginnings and endings, and we want to praise you.
Gentle God, we feel that gentleness in the care and concern, the warm embrace or the gentle caress of those who love us, and we want to praise you.
Loving God, we discover the incredible depth of your love in Jesus and in his death for us upon the cross, and want to praise you.
God with us, we share in your mission to save a broken world when we ask your Spirit to help us serve you in our daily lives, and we want to praise you.
God of power and gentleness and love, working to change our world through us, we give you praise for Jesus' sake, and in the power of his Spirit. Amen.

3 A prayer of confession
Loving and forgiving God, we know that we hurt you by our disobedience.
For the times when we have looked at someone who disagrees with us and have seen a difficult person, rather than a child of yours, please forgive us.
For the times when we have looked at a challenging person and have seen a troublemaker rather than a child of yours, please forgive us.
For the times when we have looked at somewhere in our town or on the news and have seen a dangerous or difficult place from which nothing good can come, rather than seeing the true potential there, please forgive us.
Please give to each one of us the grace to see your world and its people as you see them. Amen.

4 A prayer of dedication
Living God, take us and mould us so that we may live our calling as the followers of Jesus. Help us to carry to be witnesses of your love revealed in him, even when it is hard to go on witnessing. We pray in the power of your Spirit. Amen.

5 A prayer of concern
God of comfort and healing, help us to listen to the pain of your world, to the cries of hungry children when there is not enough to eat, to the hurt of those who cannot afford the medication they need, to the plight of those who have no one to whom they can turn when they are in trouble. Lord, here am I to do your will.
Saving God, help us to see all those who die without ever having the chance to live life to the full and realise their potential, and help us not to turn away from those whose lives are a kind of living death . Lord, here am I to do your will.
Life giving, and transforming God, thank you for the hope you give us and the challenges you send us each day. Help us to listen when you call us and to know that now is the time to answer. Lord, here am I to do your will. Amen.

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