In church, this morning, the following prayers were read by Trevor Stokes.
Prayers for Remembrance Day
“Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of war and conflict and ask that God may give us peace. We pray for all of those who have died in the violence of war. Each one is remembered by and known to God; may God give them peace.”
“We pray for all civilian men, women and children, whose lives are disfigured by war or terror and we call to mind, in regret, the anger and hatred of humanity; may God give all peace.”
“We pray for all peacemakers and peacekeepers. We pray for all who seek to keep this world secure and free; may God give all peace.”
“We pray for all who bear the burden and responsibility of leadership: political, military and religious. We pray that they may have the gift of wisdom and work in the search for reconciliation and peace; may God grant us all peace.”
“We pray for all members of the armed forces who are in danger this day; remembering their families, their friends and all who pray for their safe return. May God give them peace.”
And now, we pray for each of our Armed Forces:
Prayer for the Royal Navy
“O Eternal Lord God, who alone rulest the raging of the sea; who has compassed the waters with bounds until day and night come to an end; be pleased to receive into Thy almighty and most gracious protection the persons of us, Thy servants, and the Fleet in which we serve. Preserve us from the dangers of the sea and from the violence of the enemy; that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth, and her Dominions and a security for such as pass upon the seas upon their lawful occasions, that the inhabitants of our Commonwealth may in peace and quietness serve Thee our God and that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land, with the fruits of our labours and with a thankful remembrance of Thy mercies to praise and glorify Thy Holy Name. Amen”
Prayer for the Royal Air Force
“Almighty God, You have promised that they who wait on you shall renew their strength, they shall rise up on wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. We commend to your Fatherly protection all who serve in the Royal Air Force. Encourage and inspire us in all our efforts so that we may be a safeguard to our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth, and a sure defence to our nation. Help us to fulfil our duties with honour, goodwill and integrity and grant that we may prove worthy successors to those who by their valour and sacrifice did nobly save their day and generation. Amen”
Prayer for all those who serve in the regiments of the British Army (From the Field Service Book of the British Army)
“Almighty God, in you alone we find safety and peace. We commend to your gracious keeping all the men and women who serve in the Army. All who face danger and put their lives at risk so that others might live in safety. Defend them day by day by your heavenly power; and help them to know that they can never pass beyond the reach of your care. Keep alive in them and in us your vision of that peace which alone we must seek and serve. Amen”
Finally:
“O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish here today and those whose names we will never know. As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen”
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
A fitting end to our Remembrance Day prayers is Nelson’s Prayer:
On the morning of the battle of Trafalgar, Nelson made an entry into his journal and with it the following prayer:
“May the great God, whom I worship, grant to my country and for the benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory and may no misconduct in anyone tarnish it; and may humanity after victory be the predominant feature in the British fleet. For myself individually, I commit my life to him that made me; and may His blessing alight on my endeavours for serving my country faithfully. To him I resign myself and the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen.”
Other prayers for 10th November 2019 onwards
“May we all catch in this holy place a glimpse of God’s glory and to come to know and do His will and in all eternity. May God bless us all.”
We pray this week for those who are lonely, unhappy and in pain; those who are ill in body, mind or spirit. We will continue to include the following people in our prayers unless advised otherwise. (Please let us know if you wish us to add somebody to the prayer list or if they no longer need to be on this list.)
Those who have asked for our prayers:
George and Jean Hodgetts, Malcolm Wright, Rose Ward, Nina Davies, Vicki Ellis, George Carter, James Carr, Lindsey Dawes, Fred Clarke, Martin Holland, Ted Dodd, Chris Handley, Mike Harrison, Danny Peters, Stephen Wright, Sam Martin, Carmine Burrows, John Pemberton, Lynn Yule, Keith Turner, Bill Rae, Adam Jones, Gerry Demeulemeesperr, Rob, Leonie and Ged Lance, John Manns, and baby Frankie Rowley.
“All-powerful God of mercy, look kindly on these people in their suffering. When Jesus was on earth, they brought the sick to him and he healed them all. Today we ask you to bless all those in sickness, in weakness and in pain. Ease their burden and make their faith strong that they may always have confidence and trust in your care. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen.”
For those who have recently died, we pray for:
Anthony Banks, Linda Baker, Laurence Boucher, Joan Crowley, Kenneth Wain, Leslie Mitton, Yvonne Jennings, Christine Jackson, Sydney Smith, George Drinkwater, Rosemary Myers and Barbara Guy.
“Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day; fulfil in them the purpose of your love; and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust Anthony, Linda, Laurence, Joan, Kenneth, Leslie, Yvonne, Christine, Sydney, George, Rosemary and Barbara. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and bid them eternal rest. Amen”
For those known only to you who have died, we pray:
“Into your hands, Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil and grant them eternal rest. Let your light shine upon them and their souls rest in peace. Amen”
For the bereaved, we pray:
“God of love and mercy, embrace all those whose hearts today overflow with grief. Grant them space to express their tears. Hold them close through the coming days. Amen”
For those who have died in active service:
“O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those men and women who died in active service during WW1, WW2 and wars since in many parts of the world. We think about their families and friends, also, on this Remembrance Sunday. As we honour the lives of our servicemen for their courage and cherish their memory, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen.”
And finally:
“Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day; fulfil in them the purpose of your love; and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
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PRAYER FOR BARBARA GUY
It is with great sadness we have to tell you that Barbara died very recently. We know she is at peace now. Barbara had been ill for a number of years but had always been a fighter. Sadly that fight has ended. She loved her family unconditionally and will no doubt be missed by them. When some of us started running Sunday school about 35 years ago ( Wendy Bird, Linda Stockall, Joyce Turner and Lynn Yardley), Barbara’s son Martin (a friend of Wendy's daughter, Melanie) attended each week and Barbara was always a very supportive parent, helping at many functions. Despite being ill even then, she always had a great sense of humour. Our sincere thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.
“Father of all, we pray to you for Barbara. Grant to her eternal rest; let light perpetual shine upon her. May her soul, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”
“Bless those who mourn the death of Barbara who feel that, with this loss, their lives are incomplete. Fill their empty hearts with pleasant memories, the sound of laughter, sunshine and happier days. Heal their brokenness with the soothing balm of your gentle touch.”
PRAYER FOR ROSEMARY MYERS
It is with sadness that we have to report the death of Rosemary Myers who was soon to retire from teaching. In her work as a teacher and as a trusted educational advisor, she was fiercely capable and compassionate. Rosemary was a wife, sister, mother, grandmother and dear friend. For Rosemarie, we pray:
‘Eternal rest grant unto Rosemary, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen’
Rosemary’s husband, The Revd Paul Myers, was injured in the accident. He was Team Rector in the Blakenall Heath Team Ministry (Lichfield) until his retirement approximately 5 years ago. Paul was our vicar’s mentor before he was ordained so Father Mark, who knew Rosemary well, must be devastated by this tragedy. For Paul, family and friends we pray:
‘Almighty God, source of all mercy and giver of comfort; deal graciously with those who mourn, that, casting all their sorrow on you, they may know the consolation of your love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen’
‘For all those who woke this morning to the loneliness of bereavement – the empty bed or chair, an unaccustomed quietness, a life now incomplete – may they know your presence in the stillness of the day and through the love of friends who offer their condolence. And in the darker moments, may they reach out to hold your hand and feel the warmth of the One who has already passed from death to life to welcome others into God’s Kingdom. Amen’
Some of our regular congregation members were friends of Rosemary. We hold Glenys Foley and Keith and Marilyn Turner, as well as Father Mark, in our prayers.
When someone loses a loved one we want to find a way to comfort them and pay our respects. A really good way to do this is by praying. Prayer helps us to express our love and understanding for others, to empathise with what they are going through and to wish them the strength during such a difficult time. Prayer is an act of love towards others, as well as being something that can bring together people, which is essential during a time of loss.
‘Bring comfort to those coming to terms with the unexpected loss of Rosemary. We pray that you will bring healing to Father Mark, Glenys, Keith and Marilyn. Comfort them with Your love O God; wrap them up in Your strong embrace. Envelop them in Your tender care. Amen’
It is with sadness that we have to report the death of Rosemary Myers who was soon to retire from teaching. In her work as a teacher and as a trusted educational advisor, she was fiercely capable and compassionate. Rosemary was a wife, sister, mother, grandmother and dear friend. For Rosemarie, we pray:
‘Eternal rest grant unto Rosemary, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen’
Rosemary’s husband, The Revd Paul Myers, was injured in the accident. He was Team Rector in the Blakenall Heath Team Ministry (Lichfield) until his retirement approximately 5 years ago. Paul was our vicar’s mentor before he was ordained so Father Mark, who knew Rosemary well, must be devastated by this tragedy. For Paul, family and friends we pray:
‘Almighty God, source of all mercy and giver of comfort; deal graciously with those who mourn, that, casting all their sorrow on you, they may know the consolation of your love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen’
‘For all those who woke this morning to the loneliness of bereavement – the empty bed or chair, an unaccustomed quietness, a life now incomplete – may they know your presence in the stillness of the day and through the love of friends who offer their condolence. And in the darker moments, may they reach out to hold your hand and feel the warmth of the One who has already passed from death to life to welcome others into God’s Kingdom. Amen’
Some of our regular congregation members were friends of Rosemary. We hold Glenys Foley and Keith and Marilyn Turner, as well as Father Mark, in our prayers.
When someone loses a loved one we want to find a way to comfort them and pay our respects. A really good way to do this is by praying. Prayer helps us to express our love and understanding for others, to empathise with what they are going through and to wish them the strength during such a difficult time. Prayer is an act of love towards others, as well as being something that can bring together people, which is essential during a time of loss.
‘Bring comfort to those coming to terms with the unexpected loss of Rosemary. We pray that you will bring healing to Father Mark, Glenys, Keith and Marilyn. Comfort them with Your love O God; wrap them up in Your strong embrace. Envelop them in Your tender care. Amen’
PRAYER FOR JOAN CROWLEY
We are sorry to report the death of Joan Crowley on 5th September. Joan’s daughter, Alison O’Neill, is a regular member of our congregation and our sincere sympathy, prayers and thoughts are with her at this very sad time. Our prayers are also with the rest of Joan’s family and friends.
“Father of all, we pray to you for Joan. Grant to her eternal rest; let light perpetual shine upon her. May her soul, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”
“Bless those who mourn the death of Joan and who feel that, with this loss, their lives are incomplete. We pray especially for Alison, brother Andrew, husband Andy and their daughters Eleanor and Melanie. Fill their empty hearts with pleasant memories, the sound of laughter, sunshine and happier days. Heal their brokenness with the soothing balm of your gentle touch.”
“Almighty and eternal God, from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life: hear our prayers and thanksgivings for Joan; fulfil in her the purpose of your love; and bring her to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord."
“In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust Joan. In this life you embraced her with your tender love; deliver her now from every evil and bid her eternal rest.” Amen
