Prayer
The Diocese of Bristol is part of the Church of England and as such is rooted in a living faith in Jesus Christ. Faith involves an active devotion to prayer; building a relationship with God through communication. It helps guide our thoughts and can vocalise our feelings; and prayer can bring miraculous results!
Prayer is a vital part of our faith; bringing ourselves before God to ask forgiveness, thanking God for good things and simply to quieten our hearts to hear His voice.
If you would like to know more about the Christian faith,
please visit this
page
for information and links. People often start their journey through
prayer; asking God for whatever's on their hearts and opening
themselves to His power and love.
See also:
-
The Diocesan
Cycle of Prayer
- Praying for world mission: The Lambeth Conference
- Gifts of
Healings
- Church of England Daily Prayers [external
site]
- Emergency prayer (under development - see DHolt & DChed)
- Lydia
Prayer Groups [external site]
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen
hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.
Now and for ever. Amen
The Collect for Growth
Gracious God,
Grant to us the imagination
to see fresh possibilities for growth
and the passion to bring them to birth.
Deepen our commitment to your ways;
Expand our partnership in your cause;
Increase our influence for your purpose;
And add to the numbers of those who acclaim you as Lord.
Lead us from the fear of failure
to that confidence when flows from faith
and to lives of fruitfulness and joy.
In the power of the Holy Spirit
help us to create communities of wholeness with Christ at the centre;
for in his Holy name we ask. AMEN.
Grant to us the imagination
to see fresh possibilities for growth
and the passion to bring them to birth.
Deepen our commitment to your ways;
Expand our partnership in your cause;
Increase our influence for your purpose;
And add to the numbers of those who acclaim you as Lord.
Lead us from the fear of failure
to that confidence when flows from faith
and to lives of fruitfulness and joy.
In the power of the Holy Spirit
help us to create communities of wholeness with Christ at the centre;
for in his Holy name we ask. AMEN.
Prayer for those
affected by severe weather
1. (from Genesis 1: 1-10)
Creator God
who spoke into the chaos
of dark waters
to form our world,
speak to us today in our despair and discouragement:
speak to us of light in darkness,
of day in night,
of dry ground for our homes and families threatened by flood and fear,
and bless and strengthen, we pray
all those who work with us
in the tasks of rescue and renewal.
We ask this in the name of Jesus
who walked upon the water
and stilled the storm
threatening his friends.
Amen
2. (from John 6: 16 -21)
Jesus, Lord of storm,
who reaches out over wild water
to guide us home;
be with all who suffer
from fear and flood:
those forced from their homes,
those without essential supplies,
those responsible for rescue
and those needing guidance to plan the future.
May they know your presence and your power, to rescue good from evil and resurrection from destruction.
Help us,
as we bring our needs to you,
to know again your power
to make all things new.
Amen
Creator God
who spoke into the chaos
of dark waters
to form our world,
speak to us today in our despair and discouragement:
speak to us of light in darkness,
of day in night,
of dry ground for our homes and families threatened by flood and fear,
and bless and strengthen, we pray
all those who work with us
in the tasks of rescue and renewal.
We ask this in the name of Jesus
who walked upon the water
and stilled the storm
threatening his friends.
Amen
2. (from John 6: 16 -21)
Jesus, Lord of storm,
who reaches out over wild water
to guide us home;
be with all who suffer
from fear and flood:
those forced from their homes,
those without essential supplies,
those responsible for rescue
and those needing guidance to plan the future.
May they know your presence and your power, to rescue good from evil and resurrection from destruction.
Help us,
as we bring our needs to you,
to know again your power
to make all things new.
Amen
Prayer for the
peace of the world
GREETING
We meet in the presence of God
who knows our needs,
hears our cries,
feels our pain,
and heals our wounds.
PRAYERS OF PENITENCE
Let us confess to God the sins and shortcomings of the world;
its pride, its selfishness, its greed;
its evil divisions and hatreds.
Let us confess our share in what is wrong,
and our failure to seek and establish that peace
which God wills for his children.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECTS
Almighty Father,
whose will is to restore all things
in your beloved Son, the King of all:
govern the hearts and minds of those in authority,
and bring the families of the nations,
divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin,
to be subject to his just and gentle rule;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
God, our refuge and strength,
bring near the day when wars shall cease
and poverty and pain shall end,
that earth may know the peace of heaven
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
We meet in the presence of God
who knows our needs,
hears our cries,
feels our pain,
and heals our wounds.
PRAYERS OF PENITENCE
Let us confess to God the sins and shortcomings of the world;
its pride, its selfishness, its greed;
its evil divisions and hatreds.
Let us confess our share in what is wrong,
and our failure to seek and establish that peace
which God wills for his children.
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy
forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly,
love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
May the God of love and power
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by his Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECTS
Almighty Father,
whose will is to restore all things
in your beloved Son, the King of all:
govern the hearts and minds of those in authority,
and bring the families of the nations,
divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin,
to be subject to his just and gentle rule;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
God, our refuge and strength,
bring near the day when wars shall cease
and poverty and pain shall end,
that earth may know the peace of heaven
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Intercession
Make your ways known upon earth, Lord God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Lord God,
you hold both heaven and earth in a single peace.
Let the design of your great love
shine on the waste of our anger and sorrow,
and give peace to your Church,
peace among nations,
peace in our homes,
and peace in our hearts,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Lord God,
you hold both heaven and earth in a single peace.
Let the design of your great love
shine on the waste of our anger and sorrow,
and give peace to your Church,
peace among nations,
peace in our homes,
and peace in our hearts,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Blessing
God grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth, and all humankind,
peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants, life everlasting;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the Queen, the Commonwealth, and all humankind,
peace and concord;
and to us and all his servants, life everlasting;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.