Prayer to heal our Memories

Penetrate these murky corners    where we hide our memories    and tendencies on which we do not care to look,    but which we will not yield freely up to you,    that you may purify and transmute them. The persistent buried grudge,    the half-acknowledged enmity    which is still smouldering,    the bitterness of that loss    we have not turned into sacrifice,    the private comfort we cling to,    the secret fear of failure    which saps our initiative    and is really inverted pride,    the pessimism which is an insult to your joy. Lord, we bring all these to you,    and we review them    with shame and penitence    in your steadfast light

Prayer to Understand Others

Lord, inspire me to give of my best     and make good use     of the talents you have given me. Show me how to be positive in attitude,     appreciating and valuing others,     always being ready to encourage     and give praise. Sometimes I draw conclusions about people     in terms of what I think     is meant by “success” and “failure”,     but the “failure” of one person     might count as a great “success”     of someone with other talents. Lead me never to judge people     but to accept others as they are,     knowing that it is together,     each with our differences,     that we build up your Kingdom.   Amen

Prayer to relinquish the past and move forwards

Lord, I commit my failures    as well as my successes    into your hands,    and I bring for your healing    the people and the situations,    the wrongs and the hurts    of the past. Give me courage, strength and generosity    to let go and move on,    leaving the past behind me,    and living the present to the full. Lead me always to be positive    as I ‘entrust the past to your mercy,    the present to your love,    and the future to your providence’

Sarum Prayer (God be in me)

God be in my head and in my understanding. God be in my eyes and in my looking. God be in my mouth and in my speaking. God be in my heart and in my thinking. God be at my end and at my departing Amen

St George's Day

Almighty God, We have been taught by the legend of St George to fight against dragons and to rescue the helpless. Deliver us, by the truth of the gospel, from that great dragon who leads the whole world astray. Free us from our slavery to sin and death And grant that your light may dawn again  on this nation of England. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen

True to the Last - Crucified for what he believed in....

Jesus you hung upon a cross and died for us So that we might live for you Your body was broken and your blood shed So that we might be healed and made whole You were faithful unto death  So that we might be faithful unto life Your last command was that we might  love one another A nation united through your sacrifice Redeemed by your blood Healed by your love United by your covenant of peace In your death may we find life.

Putting the Puzzle pieces together...

From the beginning you knew the final outcome watched as the jigsaw pieces were slotted into place saw the significance of every moment. As your body was anointed with oil at the table of Simon the Leper the picture was becoming clearer not only in your eyes but to an unknown woman and one of your closest friends. Judas sensed that this was his moment sacrificing trust that had been so freely given on the altar of selfish gain for his fifteen allotted minutes of fame and thirty pieces of silver The woman recognised the moment. She gave generously unselfishly a costly gift, freely offered. A fragrant sacrifice of perfume and love remembered forever in your heart. And as Judas slipped away unnoticed your disciples saw none of this failed to see the significance of the moment. Two sacrifices, one of trust and one of love. But you noticed, Lord as you notice each day our sacrificial offering and betrayal. Anon