For morning Light
We humbly thank you
And offer our praise to you
Open our hearts and minds
And give us your presence
In our lives today
Song “He will hold me fast”
Prayer for Gods help
Loving God
Come into my confused and troubled life
And send your Spirit
To work in me
To realign me
So that I may know
You in my life
Your joy, your peace, your Shalom
The Lord’s Prayer in our own language
Reading Acts 28
23 They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24 Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.25 They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
26 “‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
Our Prayers
We pray for people and situations we are concerned about including people making decisions about schools, the shooting of black people in the US, the chaotic weather, people in lockdown, desperate people crossing the sea in dinghies, continuing deaths from Covid 19, the ongoing unrest in Minnesota, Belarus, arrests in Hong Kong and Syria, Russian democracy, the rise of fascism, the government, the Rohinga Muslims, Muslims being persecuted in China, protection for key workers and adequate PPE, protection for Black and Asian people, for people on low or no incomes, for those with underlying health conditions and those over 60, care for those who are alone and those suffering with depression, protection for asylum seekers and refugees and ensuring that food is reaching the vulnerable and global warming.
May we not fail you. Amen
Closing Responses
This is the day that God has made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
I will not offer to God
Offerings that cost me nothing
I will go in Peace
To love and serve the Lord
Amen
With thanks to © Iona Community adapted
