Ecumenical morning prayer for Brazil - prepared by Hannelore Schmid

Morning Prayer, Ecumenical Centre, Friday, 20 June 2008 - Praying for Brazil in the ecumenical prayer cycle.

Call to worship

Come to worship
not out of habit
not out of duty
not because your name is on a rota
not because you will earn points in heaven.

Come to worship
because you love God
because you love yourself
because you love God’s world
because you love God’s people.

We come to celebrate the living God
made present in us and among us.

© Clare McBeath, U.K.

Song: Cantai ao Senhor (TM 3,1st stanza in Portuguese and in English)

Bible Reading – Revelation 21: 1 – 5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."

The City of God - meditation by Hannelore Schmid

Intercessions

We pray for hope for the children in our midst,
for the children in the favelas of Brazilian cities
and in the cities of the world.
We pray for the children facing a world torn by conflicts.
All that they ask is time to grow, loving care and
to be able to live the years for which they were born.

Sung response: Kyrie, tem piedade (TM 43)

This is our task today:
to build a world of peace, justice, freedom and truth
where kindness will increase.
A world free from hunger and where people share,
where every person is of worth.
Renew in us your vision of wholeness,
that the rich my restore wealth to the poor
and the poor share blessings with the rich.

Sung response: Kyrie, tem piedade (TM 43)

Into your hands, O God, we commend ourselves.
Send us your spirit to guide our thoughts and direct our wills.
Grant us wisdom to know what is right and power to do what is good.
Refresh in us our sense of calling,
that we may follow Christ in serving others
and live simply with those who simply live.

Sung response: Kyrie, tem piedade (TM 43)

The Lord’s Prayer

Blessing

May the blessing of the God of peace and justice be with us;
May the blessing of the Son who weeps the tears of the world’s suffering be with us;
And may the blessing of the Spirit who inspires us to reconciliation and hope be with us;
from now into eternity.
Amen.
© Clare McBeath, U.K.