Intercessions for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity 20th August 2023 – given by Karen Sudworth at Christ Church Walmsley

These beautiful prayers were given by Karen Sudworth at the 9.30am Morning Worship on Sunday 20 August. Thank you to everyone who volunteers to lead our intercessions.

Loving God we recognise our responsibility to encourage and uphold one another and to live together in peace and love. We also recognise our needs and our human weaknesses and come to you now with our prayers and petitions.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Holy God, we pray for your church and ask that it might always provide a solid foundation upon which we can anchor our lives.   We especially pray for Christians who pay a heavy price for their faith; who daily experience hostility, from their governments, employers, and neighbours, as a result of their identification with Christ.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

In the world-wide community, we pray for the Church of England and in our Mission Community we pray for the parishes of Bradshaw & Turton.

From our local community we pray for our local businesses and those who work in our local area and we give thanks for our youth charities, including Girlguiding UK, The Scout Association and Bolton Lads & Girls Club.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Generous God, your call on our lives is always towards hope and grace. We pray for all young people who received their A level exam results this week.

We ask your blessing on them as they navigate their next step knowing that you are there for them always. As we rejoice with those who receive good news, we ask your blessing on them, knowing that you celebrate with us whenever life is rich and rewarding.

Bless those who are burdened with anxious thoughts; and comfort those who may face disappointment.  Finally, we pray for those who still wait, in hope and amid uncertainty for their GCSEs next week.  Keep watch with them, loving God, and be their strength.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Father God, help us be reliable and honest in what we do, and friendly to all we meet in our daily lives. Help us always to give our best, to work to our fullest and never be ashamed to confess your name.  In our leisure time, help us to play hard, but to play fair.  Help us to win without boasting, and to lose graciously without making excuses.  We ask that you are with our Women’s football team as they play in the world cup final today.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Gracious God, we pray for the ill, the lonely and distressed especially those struggling with mental illness. We pray for healing and wholeness in their lives and we pray for ourselves.  Help us to bring life and love, joy, and hope, to those who live in despair. Remembering especially: Rev Peter Reiss; Kathryn Browning; Sheila Fairclough; David Lord; John Lewer; Yvonne Ashmore; Chris Foster; Reuben Baker; John Wallington; Frank Unsworth; Bill Hardman; Paul Atherton; Marlene Holt; Heather Lloyd; Sylvia Hodgkiss;

And in a moment of silence, we pray for others known to us.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Merciful God, remember the souls of your servants now fallen asleep and for those who are saddened by their passing. Be with the bereaved in their loneliness and give them the faith to look beyond their present troubles to your Son Jesus Christ who died and rose again and who lives forevermore. From our Book of Remembrance this coming week, we remember the anniversaries of: Brian Fairclough; Hilda Isherwood; Wayne Anthony Power; Sylvia Cheesebrough; Mary Isabella Hopwood; Harriet Susannah Stephens; Dennis Fletcher Melling; Ethel Twemlow;

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

Faithful God, forgive us when we only turn to you when things trouble us and when we forget to thank you for your blessings and bounty. Help us to recognise all the wonderful things in your world for which we should be grateful and send us out into the coming week ready to show our gratitude in all that we say and do.

Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen