A particularly warm welcome to
St Cuthbert Church and Home Prayer Group,
whether at Home or in Church.
Our prayers for September are for what is termed
The Fruit of the Spirit’.
St Paul writing to the Galatian Church (Galatians Chapter 5 verses 22-23) recommends 9 practical human values as a template for Christian living, where we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us to follow Jesus’ example. All of which fall under Jesus’ two great commandments.
St Paul writes. ’But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 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 for joy from Robert Louis Stevenson.
Grant to us O Lord the royalty of inward happiness, and the serenity which comes of living close to thee. Daily renew in us the sense of joy, and let the eternal Spirit of the Father dwell in our souls and bodies, filling every corner of our hearts with light and grace; so that bearing about with us the infection of good courage , we may be diffusers of life, that we may meet all ills and cross accidents with gallant and high hearted happiness, giving thee thanks always for all things. AMEN.
Engaging with difficulties faced by others. A prayer of kindness from Alan Paton.
O Lord open my eyes that I may see the needs of others,
Open my ears that I may hear their cries.
Open my heart so that they may not be without succour.
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak, because of the anger of the : strong,
Nor 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 them to these places.
Open my eyes and ears that I may; this coming day,
Be able to do some work of peace for thee.
In Jesus’s name . Amen.
A prayer for Goodness from Charles Kingsley.
O God that looking upon the face of the Lord, as into a glass, we may be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory. Take out of us all pride and vanity, boasting and forwardness, and give us the true courage which shows itself by gentleness, the true wisdom which shows itself by simplicity, and the true power which shows itself by modesty. AMEN
A prayer of faithfulness and perseverance from Margaret Dewey.
Lord, I can only see a little of the road ahead, I can’t see my final destination. I can’t even see over the next hill, and I know there will be other ups and downs beyond it, high points from which one can see quite a long view, valleys where the hills shut one in. And some of those clouds may mean storms, but the great thing is to have got started!
Lord. thank you for calling me and setting my feet on the way.
Thank you for the map of the way, which is yourself.
Lord, help me to persevere. Amen.
A prayer for gentleness from Kathleen Fischer.
Jesus, you cared for all the sick who came to you.
I want to care with loving compassion to attend to details with gentleness, but I become weary and impatient, angry and abrupt.
It is hard to watch the suffering of someone I love, hard to find energy for all I must do,
I grow discouraged and resentful. Let me learn from your life of compassion.
Spirit of healing and comfort, be with me in these difficult times.
Teach me to take time for myself, to be gentle with my own limits,
To ask for help from others.
May your grace allow me to forgive myself when I fail,
Send your healing power to me and the one for whom I care.
We trust in your love. AMEN.
A further prayer for patience and gentleness from Miles Coverdale.
O God give us patience when those who are wicked hurt us. Oh, how impatient and angry we are when we think ourselves unjustly slandered, reviled and hurt!
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 good will and wit a gentle mind overcome it. And if necessity and 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 for peace attributed to St Francis of Assissi.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
A prayer for self-control from John Baillie,
Lord let me put right before interest.
Let me put others before self,
Let me put things of the spirit,
Before things of the body.
Let me put the attainment of noble ends
Above the enjoy of present pleasures
Let me put principle above reputation,
Let me put thee before all else. AMEN
A prayer of love for humanity from Archbishop William Temple.
O God of love, we pray thee to give us love.
Love in our thinking, love in our speaking,
Love in our doing, and love in the inner 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 meet,
And love of those with whom we take our ease.
Love in joy, and love in sorrow
Love in life and love in death,
That so at length we may be worthy to dwell with thee,
Who are eternal love. 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 about ‘The fruit of the Spirit’. It is hoped this may have been helpful at this time.
Roger.
Church and Home prayer group meetings are usualluy held on the first Wednesday of each month and are advertised on our website and in our church magazine.
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!
We would very warmly welcome your support.
