A particularly warm welcome to
St Cuthbert Church and Home Prayer Group,
whether at Home or in Church.
A particularly warm welcome to our St Cuthbert Church and Home prayer group, whether at Home or in Church.
This month we are praying about the ‘Fruits of the Spirit ‘ which St Paul lays out for the Church in Galatia, now modern central Turkey. The Galatian Church has been led astray from the Gospel, with a tendency to follow their own desires; so St Paul reminds them of NINE important virtues to live in a Christ like way. Namely ‘The fruits of the Spirit’ So through our prayers we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us in our lives
.St Paul enunciates these ‘Fruits’ at GALATIANS Chapter 5 verses 22 and 23.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law
Shall we commence our Prayer time together with the Lord’s Prayer in the traditional form.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. AMEN.
A Prayer recognising how the Holy Spirit makes for our Happiness.
Lord I am happy because you have accepted me dear Lord. Sometimes I do not know what to do with all my happiness. I swim in your grace like a whale in the Ocean. As the saying goes ‘An ocean never dries up’ But we know that your Grace never fails. AMEN.
A Prayer from Archbishop William Temple asking the Holy Spirit to make us loving people.
O God of love we pray thee to give us love . Love in our thinking, love in our speaking. Love in our doing and in the hidden places of our Souls. Love of our neighbours near and far. Love of our friends old and new. Love of those with whom we find it hard to bear and love of those who find it hard to bear with us. Love of those with whom we work. Love of those with whom we take our ease. Love in joy, love in sorrow. Love in life, and love in death. So, at length we may be worthy to dwell with thee. Who art eternal love. AMEN.
May the Holy Spirit bring us peace. A Prayer from John Greenleaf Whittier.
Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease, take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm. Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire. Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire, O still small voice of calm AMEN.
A prayer from Miles Coverdale asking the Holy Spirit to give us forbearance.
O God give us patience when those who are wicked hurt us. Christ suffers blows upon His cheek, the innocent for the guilty, yet we may not abide one rough word for His sake . O Lord grant us virtue and patience, power and strength, that we may take all adversity with goodwill, and with a gentle mind overcome it. And if necessity and thy honour require us to speak, grant that we may do so with meekness and patience, that the truth and thy glory may be defended, and our patience and steadfast continuance perceived. AMEN.
A Prayer asking the Holy Spirit to grant us the virtues of Kindness from Alan Paton.
O Lord open my eyes that I may see the need of others, open my ears that I may hear their cries, open my heart that they may not be without succour. Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong. Not afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich. Show me where love and hope and faith are needed and use me to bring faith to these places . Open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming day do some work and peace for thee. AMEN.
A prayer from Thomas a Kempis asking the Holy Spirit to saturate our hearts with Goodness.
O God the Holy Ghost, most loving comforter of the fainthearted , I beseech thee ever to turn that which is evil in me into good, and that which is good into that which is better. Turn my mourning into joy, my wandering feet into the right path, my ignorance into knowledge of thy truth, my lukewarmness into zeal, my fear into love, all my material goods into a spiritual gift, all my earthly desires into heavenly. All that is transient into that which lasts forever, everything human into that which is divine, everything created and finite into that sovereign and immeasurable good; which thou thyself art. O my God and Saviour. AMEN.
A Prayer asking the Holy Spirit to cultivate a spirit of gentleness.
Heavenly Father, I come before you today to ask for your guidance. Help me to cultivate a spirit of gentleness in my heart. In a world that often values strength and power, remind me of the strength found in gentleness.
Teach me to speak with kindness and act with love. Let my actions reflect your gentleness, and let my words be filled with your grace. Help me to be patient with others, just as you are patient with me.
Guide me in my interactions with others, that I may be a beacon of your love and gentleness in the world. Help me to be understanding and compassionate, to listen more than I speak, and to think before I act.
Lord, I know that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. I pray that you would fill me with your Spirit, that I may exhibit gentleness in all areas of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
A Prayer from Christina Rosetti asking the Holy Spirit to form our FAITHFULLNESS.
O Lord strengthen the faith of us who believe and sow the seed of faith in our hearts for those who lack it. Give us grace to show our faith by our works . Teach us to walk by faith, in reliance to your promises.
And enable us to fight the good fight of faith, that by faith in you Lord we may overcome the world.; through Him who loved us , and whose love is without end, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN.
A Prayer asking the Holy Spirit to cultivate a spirit of gentleness.
Heavenly Father, I come before you today to ask for your guidance. Help me to cultivate a spirit of gentleness in my heart. In a world that often values strength and power, remind me of the strength found in gentleness.
Teach me to speak with kindness and act with love. Let my actions reflect your gentleness, and let my words be filled with your grace. Help me to be patient with others, just as you are patient with me.
Guide me in my interactions with others, that I may be a beacon of your love and gentleness in the world. Help me to be understanding and compassionate, to listen more than I speak, and to think before I act.
Lord, I know that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. I pray that you would fill me with your Spirit, that I may exhibit gentleness in all areas of my life. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.
A prayer asking the Holy Spirit to instill in us the importance of self-control from Ruth Etchells.
My Lord, I discern in my anger a sense of self-righteousness which is much too close to pleasure. And I think of you Lord . You were never angry in your own defence, and you took no pleasure in anger, else why the Cross? But you were angry for God, you were angry with those who sold Him as a commodity, you were angry with those who used God for their own status; or who treated Him as belonging only to them.
O Lord implant in me a Holy fear of the wrong kind of anger, which ministers to my sense of self-importance, or is simply an indulgence of my own frustration.
Forgive me Lord for all such occasions. AMEN
A further Prayer from Sir Thomas More asking the Holy Spirit to saturate our hearts with Goodness.
Give me good Lord, an humble, lowly, quiet, peaceable, patient, charitable, kind and filial and tender mind, every shade in fact of charity, with all my words, and all my works, and all my thoughts , to have a taste of thy Holy Spirit. AMEN
Our own silent prayer
Shall we say the Grace. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen.
Thank you for being with us whether at home or in Church, and so contributing to our prayers for the ‘Fruits of the Spirit.’ And to remind us of what these fruits are:- love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.
Roger.
Our next Church and Home prayer group meeting will be advertised on our website and in our church magazine.
We would very warmly welcome your support.
After the prayer meeting in church, there is a short Holy Communion service which begins at 10.30am and lasts about half an hour. There is no pressure to stay, but you would be most welcome! There is also the added bonus of coffee and fellowship in a local cafe after the Holy Communion service!
