In the power of the Spirit who helps us in our weakness, and in union with Christ Jesus at God’s right hand, let us pray to our merciful and ever-loving God.
[For the Church] … Bless your people, O God, in all our diversity. Deepen our prayer, draw us closer to you, and may neither race nor gender, education nor sexuality, class nor calling nor anything else separate us from you or each other in your love.
Bless our Bishop Robert and his suffragans Nick and Jackie, all clergy and licensed ministers, and all communities in the Diocese of Exeter, among them this Cathedral and the Tamar Mission Community. In the wider Anglican Communion, bless the team preparing for the Lambeth Conference, and help them to find a way forward in light of coronavirus.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[For Creation & World] … Bless your world, O God. Bless and keep from harm all who are struggling to protect and preserve our fragile home, in the face of powerful vested interests and widespread apathy. Bring peace to the parts of the world riven by war and stricken by natural disasters. Give hope to all who work for peace, and a home to all who are refugees displaced by violence or climate change.
Bless all governments, O God, local, national and international. May they seek to serve rather than to wield power, for justice rather than self-interest, and for healing rather than division.
Bless all public servants, O God, in the health and social services, in education, science, in refuse and recycling, in food production, delivery and retail. Give us patient and grateful hearts, and may they all know their work is valued.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[For any Suffering] … Bless all who are suffering at this time, O God. Bring healing to the many who are ill with coronavirus, and resources to all parts of the world where healthcare systems are struggling to cope. Comfort those who are watching with their loved ones or who have been bereaved, and strengthen all who are living with chronic physical or mental health conditions, or who are suffering hardship or violence in any form.
Among them, we name before you …. and in a moment of silence, those we hold our hearts.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
[For the Departed] … Bless all who have died in this past week, O God. Give rest to their souls, and may they dwell in that eternal light with you, where all is bliss and no more sorrow and death can come.
Among them, we name before you …. and again in silence, those we hold our hearts.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
And so, O God who is all compassion, in the confidence that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from your love, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
