Lord God, creator of all things, in our prayers we bring before you the concerns of our lives, our communities and our world. Today we begin by praying for those on the threshold of change.
Following general elections in the UK and France, we pray that the hearts and minds of those newly in positions of political leadership might be filled with wisdom and kindness, motivating them to work tirelessly for justice and equality, with a desire to serve those they govern.
On a day of sporting finals, we pray for all sportsmen and -women who are competing, for the winners and for those who have to endure the disappointment of losing. We ask God to make them inspiring role models for young people.
As we pray, we echo pleas for meaningful democracy, so that those who are poor or weak are not abandoned to fend for themselves, but are included and dignified, and their needs are fulfilled.
On Sea Sunday, we pray for all those who work at sea, including those who campaign for the environmental health of the sea.
We reach out our prayers to anyone who is distressed, whether in heart, mind, body or spirit. We ask the Holy Spirit to be with them, and we ask for God’s guidance to show us how we can play our part in relieving the suffering of those who are known to us.
We take a moment for our own personal prayers…
Lord God, we lift our prayers to you in the sure knowledge that you hear us and respond. Amen.