Category Archives: Prayer

International Conscientious Objectors Day

Posted on 12 May 2018 by | 1 Comment

Next Tuesday is International Conscientious Objectors Day, it is marked around the world each year on 15 May. In London each year a brief ceremony is held at the Commemorative Stone, during which the names of representative people who ‘maintained the right to refuse to kill’ are read out and white flowers are laid on the Stone for each of the people remembered.

Lead us from death to life,
from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love,
from war to peace,
Let peace fill our hearts,
our world, our universe.
Let us dream together, pray together, work together
to build one world of peace and justice for all.
Amen.

More information:

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Posted in Peace, Politics, Prayer

A Prayer for Good Friday

Posted on 30 March 2018 by | Leave a comment

Irony of all ironies,

you call us worth it—

the lifetime of listening

and healing

and teaching the world

that everything is different than we thought it was.

There was something about you there on that cross, that Good Friday.

Jesus, may we spend the rest of our days trying to find out what exactly it was.

Amen.

– Excerpt from “A Prayer for Good Friday”

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Posted in Easter, Prayer

The Terra Preta Prayer

Posted on 17 September 2017 by | Leave a comment

As part of our Creatide 3 service we also shared this light hearted (but still serious) prayer!

The Terra Preta Prayer

Our Carbon who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name
By kingdom come, thy will be done, IN the Earth to make it Heaven.
It will give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our atmospheric trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against the Kyoto protocols
And lead us not into fossil fuel temptation, but deliver us from it’s evil
low as we walk through the valley of the shadow of Global Warming,
I will feel no evil, your Bio-fuels and fertile microbes will comfort me,
For thine is the fungal kingdom,
and the microbe power,
and the Sequestration Glory,
For ever and ever (well at least 2000 years)
AMEN

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Posted in Environment, Fun, Prayer, Reflection

A Prayer for our Earth By Pope Francis

Posted on 17 September 2017 by | Leave a comment

Today, as part of our Creationtide service we used this prayer:

A Prayer for our Earth
By Pope Francis

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace .
Amen

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Posted in Prayer, Reflection

Making prayer bunting

Posted on 4 September 2016 by | Leave a comment

This morning we are making prayer bunting to remind us to pray for each other and our neighbours.

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Posted in Fun, Prayer, Worship

I ask for daily bread

Posted on 26 April 2016 by | Leave a comment

I ask for daily bread, but not for wealth, lest I forget the poor.
I ask for strength, but not for power, lest I despise the meek.
I ask for wisdom, but not for learning, lest I scorn the simple.
I ask for a clean name, but not for fame, lest I contemn* the lowly.
I ask for peace of mind, but not for idle hours, lest I fail to hearken to the call of duty.
Inazo Nitobe 1862-1933

*contemn – treat with contempt

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Posted in Prayer

Climate Change Prayer

Posted on 23 November 2015 by | Leave a comment

From Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Join us in praying that world leaders act with compassion and courage, to reach an agreement that will protect our children and our planet.

Creator God,

You have called us to be keepers of your Earth;
Through greed, we have established an economy that destroys the web of life. We have changed our climate and drown in despair.
Let oceans of justice flow,
May we learn to sustain and renew the life of our Mother, Earth
We pray for our leaders, custodians of Mother Earth;
as they gather in Lima at the climate talks
May they negotiate with wisdom and fairness,
May they act with compassion and courage,
and lead us in the path of justice for the sake of our children and our children’s children.

Amen

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

From “Our Voices” – Bringing faith to the climate talks

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Posted in Climate Change, Environment, Prayer

Ramadan Mubarak

Posted on 17 June 2015 by | 1 Comment

Ramadan starts tomorrow (Thursday 18 June), and we’d like to deliver a card like this to each of our 3 local Mosques: Leeds Grand Mosque, Makkah Masjid, and Makki Masjid and Madrassa . All in favour, say Aye??

ramadan wishes

And let’s remember our Muslim sisters and brothers in our prayers this next month… ‘Loving God, Good Shepherd of us all: We give you thanks and praise for the rich diversity of your world and your people. Give us humility to see your Spirit at work in the life of others; give us joy to show your Spirit at work in our life; and above all give us love to embrace and break down the barriers that separate us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’

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Posted in Community, Mission, Our Parish, Prayer

Hunger for Justice weekend

Posted on 19 October 2014 by | Leave a comment

Over the weekend of 18-19 October, hundreds of churches nationwide will be urging their local MPs to tackle climate change, and praying for our sisters and brothers around the world. If you want to know more then visit the Christian Aid website

Here is a special Prayer from Malawi for us to use:

Lord, you are our rock, our fortress and our strength;

guide us, lead us and have mercy on us.

We thank you for the precious gift of your earth, in all its beauty and fragility.

Through it we are each bound to one another in a million ways.

For the sake of those facing rising temperatures, drought and water shortages,

strengthen our movement for climate action.

For the sake of those facing unpredictable weather, disrupted seasons and failed crops,

bless our leaders to work together to find positive, lasting solutions.

For the sake of all those who feel the impact of our changing climate, the poor and the vulnerable,

bring the hope of a brighter, cleaner future.

Lord hear our prayer and fill our hearts with a hunger for justice.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we will set up our banners to call for change. May the Lord fill our petitions!

Amen

Yamikani Dakalira from Malawi is visiting in October to speak to churches about her work, and has written a special prayer for us all to use over the prayer and action weekend (18-19 October).

Yamikani works for Christian Aid’s partner, CEPA, in Malawi to combat the impact of climate change, involving the poorest communities in the solutions.

Use this prayer in your service or at your event over the Hunger for Justice weekend (18-19 October).

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Posted in Christian Aid, Environment, Politics, Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Posted on 1 February 2014 by | Leave a comment

There is an open group meeting to study the Lord’s Prayer. Not everyone can be there so to help us all join in here are some of the thoughts that have come from that group. Why not choose a few of these questions to think about and we will meet to talk about them at a ‘Grub and Gossip’ type meeting during Lent. Or you may choose to chat about them over a cup of tea or coffee. As the weeks go by there will be some more specific questions about each part of the prayer for us to share.

  1. What is prayer?    Individual or corporate.
  2. What makes it so difficult to talk and share about?
  3. For some people personal prayer is really important, and for others it’s just what they do in church and the rest is for “others” to get on with. What place does prayer play in our lives?
  4. We can learn to pray:  what teaching is helpful?  What has helped me in the past? Could we do lifelines of important moments or themes in our prayer journey?
  5. Can you find one friend and ask them what they do?
  6. Disciples said to Jesus, “Teach us to pray”.  How would you answer if someone asked this to you?
  7. Think about how your ways of praying and how it can change over life stages, in different places or in different moods, in times of joy or tragedy, when work/life balance makes it almost impossible.
  8. Think about prayer and personality.
  9. When is discipline – for example having a prayer ‘list’ or having a regular prayer time – helpful or when can it hinder?
  10. How can we do more praying together at AH?

Remember, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, has different background, inclination, theology and opportunity!

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Posted in Prayer