Morning Prayer from Iona

Mark Taylor has been leading morning prayers this week in the Ecumenical Centre based on this outline from the Iona Community

Iona Community Prayers

Opening Responses
The world belongs to God
THE EARTH AND ALL ITS PEOPLE
How good and how lovely it is
TO LIVE TOGETHER IN UNITY
Love and faith come together
JUSTICE AND PEACE JOIN HANDS
If Christ’s disciples keep silent
THESE STONES WOULD SHOUT ALOUD

Song or chant

Confession
Loving God, Maker of all
HAVE MERCY ON US
Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor
HAVE MERCY ON US
Holy Spirit, Breath of life
HAVE MERCY ON US
Let us in silence admit our frailty and confess our failings

Silence

Before God, with the people of God, I confess to my brokenness:
To the ways I wound my life, the lives of others and the life of the world
MAY GOD FORGIVE YOU, CHRIST RENEW YOU, AND THE SPIRIT ENABLE YOU TO GROW IN LOVE
Amen

BEFORE GOD, WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WE CONFESS TO OUR BROKENNESS:
TO THE WAYS WE WOUND OUR LIVES, THE LIVES OF OTHERS AND THE LIFE OF THE WORLD
May God forgive you, Christ renew you, and the spirit enable you to grow in love
AMEN



Move among us, O God; give us life
LET YOUR PEOPLE REJOICE IN YOU
Make our hearts clean within us:
RENEW US IN MIND AND IN SPIRIT
Give us again the joy of your help
WITH YOUR SPIRIT OF FREEDOM SUSTAIN US.

Word and Wisdom
Listen now for Word and Wisdom:

(Readings)

This is the word of God
FOR THE WORD OF GOD IN JESUS
FOR GOD’S WISDOM ALL AROUND US
FOR GOD’S WORD AND WISDOM IN US
THANKS BE TO GOD

Affirmation
With the whole church
WE AFFIRM THAT WE ARE MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE, BEFRIENDED BY CHRIST, EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT
With people everywhere
WE AFFIRM GOD’S GOODNESS AT THE HEART OF HUMANITY, PLANTED MORE DEEPLY THAN ALL THAT IS WRONG
With all creation
WE CELEBRATE THE MIRACLE AND WONDER OF LIFE, THE UNFOLDING PURPOSES OF GOD, FOREVER AT WORK IN OURSELVES AND THE WORLD

Song or chant

Prayer for the Iona Community (ALL)
O God, who gave to your servant Columba the gifts of courage, faith and cheerfulness, and sent people out from Iona to carry the word of your gospel to every creature, grant, we pray, a like spirit to your church, even at this present time.
Further in all things the purpose of our Community, that hidden things may be revealed to us, and new ways found to touch the lives of all.
May we preserve with each other sincere charity and peace, and if it be your holy will, grant that a place of your abiding be continued still to be a sanctuary and a light.
Through Jesus Christ, Amen

Universal Prayer for Peace (ALL)
Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our lives, our world, our universe.
Peace, peace, peace.

Prayers of the Community
God of power and promise,
You gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth;
But wherever we go, we are never beyond the reach of your love.
Gather us together now with the Iona Community as we share in the common prayer…

(Prayers of gratitude and concern are invited)

(The leader prays for the priorities of the community, for the world, for the Full and Associate Members)

May they not fail you
NOR WE FAIL THEM

The Lord’s Prayer (ALL)
(In our own mother-tongues)

Silence

Closing responses
In work and worship
GOD IS WITH US
Gathered and scattered
GOD IS WITH US
Now and always
GOD IS WITH US

Copyright (c) Iona community