A warm welcome to
St Cuthbert Church and Home Prayer Group,
whether at Home or in Church.
OUR PRAYERS FOR MAY ARE CENTRED ON
‘CHRISTIAN MINISTRY AND MISSION.’
This month we are praying about Christian Ministry and Mission. Here are Jesus’ last words to His disciples following His Resurrection and before his Ascension - we read these in Matthew’s gospel chapter 28 verses 18-19.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
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.
So shall we pray,
A prayer about mission and ministry
For a clearer vision of the work you have set before us and for a better understanding of your Gospel.
Lord direct us.
For a deeper commitment to your service and a greater love for all your children.
Lord direct us.
For a fresh understanding of the task before us and for a sense of urgency in our proclamation.
Lord direct us.
For a greater respect and acceptance among Christians of different traditions and for a common goal in evangelism.
Lord direct us AMEN.
A prayer asking for the ingredients of Ministry, from John Kingsnorth. (Amended.)
Give to your Church O God, the grace to follow in the steps of Jesus, who came among us as one who serves. May your Church be populated by dedicated servants, by leaders at every level. May it be ready in all the world to spend and be spent in the service of the poor and the hungry, the sick and the ignorant, and those who feel cast aside by the societies they inhabit. May it work with strength and suffer with courage for the liberation of the oppressed and the restoration to all of the dignity and freedom of those created in your image. Grant this O Father for the sake of the same Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
A prayer concerning individual Ministry from Archbishop Michael Ramsey.
Most merciful Father, you have called us to be a caring Church, reflecting in our lives your infinite care for us, your children.
Help us to fulfil our calling and to care for one another in an unselfish fellowship of love, and to care for the world around us in sharing with it the good news of your love and serving those who suffer from poverty, hunger or disease.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
A prayer for strengthening Christian ministry, from Brooke Foss Westcott.
O almighty and most merciful Father, who didst send thy beloved Son to die for the sins of the whole world , look down we beseech thee on all nations who have not known his name, and in thine own good time lead them to his cross. Strengthen with the comfort of thy Spirit all who bear abroad the message of the Gospel. Raise up among us a lively sympathy for their labours. Take away from those who bear all hardness of heart and pride, and penitence, and so move them blessed Lord with infinite love ; and that the day may speedily come when all the ends of the world shall be turned unto thee, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd; we ask all this for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
A prayer for ministry internationally and at Diocesan level.
We pray for the wider ministry of the worldwide Anglican Church especially we ask you Lord to work in the minds of both the North and South to find a lasting unity to their present differences. So too we ask you Lord to bless guide and strengthen with your Holy Spirit all those called to the highest echelon of ministry in the Anglican Communion especially thinking at this time of our new Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mulally, and more locally the Right Reverend Ruth Worsley and our recently appointed Bishop of Warrington the Right Reverend Simon Robinson.
Lord, we ask you to continue to guide the appointment process for the new Bishop of Liverpool.
This we ask in the name of Jesus. AMEN.
A prayer for local Ministry.
We thank you O God for those whom you have called through the centuries to serve in the ministry of the Church. At this time, we ask you Lord to guide the decisions to be taken in our North Meols Deanery over the appointment of Priests to our current vacancies including an Area Dean.
Pour your blessing on our Rector Rebecca may she have strength in her work as Team Rector and as our Incumbent at St Cuthbert and also at St Stephen. May she continue to grow in holiness and love . May she be wise in her judgements, and confident in your grace whilst proclaiming the truth of your word and seeking your glory in all things.
Heavenly Father, we thank you too for the faithful ministry of our retired Clergy for Reverend Bill and Canon Les and more recently for the visits of Canon Rod Garner and Reverend Peter Todd.
So too we thank you for our Reader, Brenda’s devoted ministry and that of our other visiting Team Readers. In Jesus’ name we pray. 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 Ministry and Mission..
Thank you for being with us, whether at home or in Church and so contributing to our prayers for Joy.
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.
On the first and third Wednesdays at St Cuthbert's, there is a short Holy Communion service, which begins at 10.30am and lasts about half an hour, and anyone joing the prayer group in church are warmly welcome to stay in church for this. There is also the added bonus of coffee and fellowship in a local cafe after the Holy Communion service!
We would very warmly welcome you.
