Prayers I Find

Prayers I find on my journey through life

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Lent: Not Just About Giving Things Up | UCC Express

Lent starts this week on Ash Wednesday and many people, myself included, may inadvertently get flashbacks to years gone by with having to give up sweets, chocolate or crisps (while in school anyway) and collecting for Trócaire Boxes. But is this really how we should be remembering Lent? Just as a period of self-denial? Or should we be looking at it differently? I think we should. This year Lent runs for the “40 days” (not in actuality, it’s really more like 43) between Ash Wednesday on March 1st to Holy (or Maundy) Thursday on April 13th and culminates with Easter Sunday on April 16th. While many Christians use Lent to try and imitate Jesus Christ when, according to Matthew 4:2, He “fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished” (NRSVA). While giving things up for Lent works for some people, it doesn’t work for everyone. Over the past few years for Lent I have tried taking something up for Lent, so in effect, I have given up giving up for Lent. This could be

Latest piece in the UCC Express on #Lent

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Lent Prayer - I Cannot Do This Alone

Lent starts tomorrow, and it can be a tough time for many of us. So whether you are giving something up and taking up something, I hope this prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer which is included in the Mosaic Bible may be of help.

I Cannot Do This Alone

O God, early in the morning I cry to you. Help me to pray And to concentrate my thoughts on you; I cannot do this alone. In me there is darkness, But with you there is light; I am lonely, but you do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; I am restless, but with you there is peace. In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience; I do not understand your ways, But you know the way for me…. Restore me to liberty, And enable me to live now That I may answer before you and before men. Lord whatever this day may bring, Your name be praised. Amen

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Carbon Fast for Lent

As each year passes we become more and more aware of the effects climate change is having on our world, and how our use of carbon and its products are making th

Latest blog post is Carbon Fast for Lent by Blogger Stephen Spillane

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latest piece on @spiritualityireland

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Spectrum LGBT+ Christian Fellowship launched in Belfast

Guest post from the Spectrum Belfast Team Christians who are LGBT+ and their families/friends often find themselves unheard, hurt and even excluded. Spectrum

The Latest post on the Blog is from the Spectrum Belfast Team. Check out their story so far.

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A Prayer for General Synod

The General Synod of the Church of England is meeting this week. Please join me in praying for them as they approach their work Almighty God, you have given your Holy Spirit to the Church to lead us into all truth: bless with the Spirit’s grace and presence the members of the General Synod; keep them steadfast in faith and united in love, that they may manifest your glory and prepare the way of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Saint Scholastica - Founder of Benedictine Nuns, Sister of St Benedict - Feast Day

I have a growing affinity for the Benedictines and the Saints associated with the order. Here is the Roman Catholic prayer for the feast of St Scholastica As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica, we pray, O Lord, that, following her example, we may serve you with pure love and happily receive what comes from loving you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Cockney Our Father

I was watching an old episode of “Would I Lie To You?” and they mentioned the Cockney Bible and read part of the Cockney Our Father, I had to look it up! 

'ello, Dad, up there in good old 'eaven,Your name is, well, great and 'oly,and we respect you, Guv.

We 'ope we can all 'ave a butcher's at 'eavenand be there as soon as possible.And we want to make you 'appy, Guv,and do what you want 'ere on earth,just like what you do in 'eaven.

Guv, please give us some Uncle Fred,and enough grub and stuff to keep us going today.And we 'ope you'll forgive us when we cock things up,just like we're supposed to forgive them who annoy usand do dodgy stuff to us.

There's a lot of dodgy people around, Guv;please don't let us get tempted to do bad things.'elp keep us away from all the nasty, evil stuffand keep that dodgy Satan away from us,'cos you're much stronger than 'im.

You're the Boss, God,and will be forever, innit?

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Latest post on @spiritualityireland is on Lent. These are my ideas on marking it. What are yours?

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Choose Life - Prayer

Based on that Trainspotting quote, an impressive prayer found on the Christian Aid website

Choose life Choose death Choose prosperity Choose adversity Choose God Choose idols Choose life

Wisdom is the fear of God Folly is the desire of human hearts

Choose

Choose life Choose death Choose justice Choose greed Choose unity Choose division Choose life

Wisdom is the fear of God Folly is the desire of human hearts

Choose

Choose life.

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Collect for St Brigid

Here is the collect for St Brigid (or Bridget) of Ireland from the Episcopal Churh Everliving God, we rejoice today in the fellowship of your blessed servant Brigid, and give you thanks for her life of devoted service. Inspire us with life and light, and give us perseverance to serve you all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Prayer to Saint Brigid

February 1st is the feast day of St Brigid (451–525), one of the first saints from Ireland. A cross of St Brigid is a common site in Irish homes.

Saint Brigid

You were a woman of peace.

You brought harmony where there was conflict.

You brought light to the darkness.

You brought hope to the downcast.

May the mantle of your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious,

and may peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.

Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all God has made.

Brigid you were a voice for the wounded and the weary.

Strengthen what is weak within us.

Calm us into a quietness that heals and listens. 

May we grow each day into greater wholeness in mind, body and spirit.

Amen

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Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Philosopher, Teacher of the Faith - Collect

Today is the Lesser Festival of Thomas Aquinas. He was a Dominican Friar. This Collect is from the Church of England's Common Worship. Eternal God, who enriched your Church with the learning and holiness of your servant Thomas Aquinas: give to all who seek you a humble mind and a pure heart that they may know your Son Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

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Timothy and Titus Companions of Paul - Lesser Festival - Collect

Today we mark Timothy and Titus who accompanied St Paul on many of his journeys to set up the early church. They are mentioned in his letters and often were the bringers of messages to the early church communities. Heavenly Father, who sent your apostle Paul to preach the gospel, and gave him Timothy and Titus to be his companions in faith: grant that our fellowship in the Holy Spirit may bear witness to the name of Jesus, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017 - Day 8

Below is a reflection, prayer and some suggested actions for Day 8 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as suggested by CBTI. Check out all their resources for this week here. For more details on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity see my blog post on @spiritualityireland.

Reflection:

Be-Holding

If seeing is believing can we look not turning our face away from the mourning the crying the pain staring into the grave meeting the gaze of what we fear

If seeing is believing can we look turning our face towards resurrection reconciliation and reformation to the day when every tear will be wiped away

Every tear

the tears of those living in terror the tears of those fighting in anger the tears of those grieving from loss the tears of those aching with compassion the tears of God for the pain of the world

If seeing is believing can we look if through blurred eyes beholding all things are being made new.

Prayer

Jesus Christ, your torn and abused body, found its peace in death. Yet you are risen on Easter day. Give us the courage to comprehend your saving and transforming love in the wounds as well as the healing. So that we can find new and deeper joy in the good news of your risen life! Amen.

Go and Do - see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo

●      Watch the short film Tree of Life – an example of what was meant for destruction bringing restoration.

●      Seek out stories, songs, poems or pictures from those seeking refuge in your community or country that describe their hopes for the future.

●      Give thanks for the work of ACT Alliance, 140 churches and faith-based organisations working together in over 100 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people.

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Conversion of St Paul - Collect

This is Collect Two in the Church of Ireland's Book of Common Prayer and the Collect found in the Church of England's Common Worship Almighty God, who caused the light of the gospel to shine throughout the world through the preaching of your servant Saint Paul: grant that we who celebrate his wonderful conversion may follow him in bearing witness to your truth; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017 - Day 7

Below is a reflection, prayer and some suggested actions for Day 7 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as suggested by CBTI. Check out all their resources for this week here. For more details on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity see my blog post on @spiritualityireland.

Reflection

Reformed

You shape us – each and every one; some are more malleable than others, and yet more near broken, fragile, cracked. But a fault line runs through us all; Perhaps that’s how we see the light, the spark of the divine in each of us?

As we each embrace that which is broken in us, we find that in our wounds – that is where we discover each other. Not that my pain is yours, or yours mine; but that none of us, not a single one, go through life without being scarred.

If we were each to bring our broken pieces and bit by bit, lay them down side by side; we would see Your craftsmanship, reforming that which is broken, into that which is healed

loved

and one day

whole.

Prayer

God of reconciliation, Through Christ you call us to a unity that is not an option. Yet we fall back tenaciously on our old ways: conflict, division and fractured relationships. Confront and convict us of this failure; Break through the walls of our excuses, And set us free to participate in your ministry of reconciliation. This we pray in Jesus’s name. Amen

Go and Do - see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo

●      Ask someone for something you need today.

●      View the Radi-Aid Awards (formerly the Rusty Radiator Awards) and seek to challenge stereotypes about who the needy are.

●      Give those who are new to your community an opportunity to contribute – for example ask them to share in the cooking of a community meal.

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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2017 - Day 6

Below is a reflection, prayer and some suggested actions for Day 6 of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as suggested by CBTI. Check out all their resources for this week here. For more details on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity see my blog post on @spiritualityireland. 

Reflection

Covenant

This I do not know: Whether I must change, repent – reform before reaching for reconciliation; Or if, rather, being reconciled with my brothers and sisters is a necessary condition for reformation.

This I know: that human time, rarely straight-lining, rather, spirals; that the troublesome grit-of-separation seeps into the cavities of the walls of division, growing layers of wisdom: pearls of reconciliation.

And this more I know: that the covenant binding us with God is a gift of God’s time.

Prayer

God of promise, you call us into a covenant that binds us into your inclusive love; yet we build walls that disturb and disrupt this. Lead us to a renewed understanding of your promise to us, that is never cancelled, but which reconciles us to you, through Christ Amen

Go and Do - see www.ctbi.org.uk/goanddo

●      Read about the work of reconciliation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

●      Explore the different ways people can be discriminated against.

●      Take action to challenge any myths that have grown up concerning those who seek asylum. See the Refugee Council, Irish Refugee Council and Focus on Refugees websites.