Sunday, July 24, 2016

Prayer and thanksgiving and confession from 'crosswind' a prayer and healing service here at St Peter's


We held a Prayer and Healing Service here at St Peter's on Sunday night. It was great to have the ministry team from the Presbytery come and share and pray in the Service and to have people from other Presbyterian Churchs in the city join us.


Here is the prayer of thanksgiving and confession I worte for the evening. Crosswind was the title and I saw it as the wind of the spirit of God blowing and bringing the grace and new life of the cross into our lives today.



Loving God we gather before you tonight from all over

We come together to give you praise for who you are

To thank you for the great things you have done for us,

That great list of benefits we read together from the psalms*

That we experience and know in our lives in Christ
To allow your word read and preached to minister to us
That we may know strengthening and healing by your Spirits presence
that the wind of the God may blow the grace of the cross into our lives today
That it may blow through us to the people of this city
we gather together to celebrate your great love



A love shown in creation

When the spirit hovered over the waters

And you spoke your word and it came into being

We thank you for the wonder of it all

The vastness of galaxy swirl,

when we look up at our star studded night sky,

The uniqueness of our Island home

Your provision through good  soil and seed,

Our uniqueness and diversity  as human beings

Each different, yet all crafted as an expression of your love



A love shown in the sending of your son Jesus,

The word becoming flesh and dwelling amongst us

A clear picture to all  of Your grace and mercy

Jesus bought good news to the poor

Healing for sick, recovery of sight for the blind

Freedom from  bondage and release from sin and death

In his death on the cross we are forgiven, the slate wiped clean

Reconciled with you as our loving heavenly father

Through his resurrection we have received new life

Abundant life now in Christ and eternal life then with Christ



We thank you for your love present in our lives today

That you are faithful to your promise and sent your spirt

That you poured out your Holy Spirit on all who believe

 At Pentecost and a Pentecost reality for us today

That the wind of God blows from the cross, bringing your grace

You fill us with your presence; you lead us and guide us in all truth

You empower us to witness to the hope we have in Jesus Christ

You enable us to love one another as Christ has loved us

You equip us to bring your healing and wholeness to those in need

You nurture Christ like fruit in our lives, and draw us together



Loving and righteous God, allow the wind of the cross to blow in us

Forgive us for our sins, and cleanse us from all unrghteousness

Forgive us fir what we have done wrong, and the good we have left undone

Meet us at the point of our need that we may be made whole

Fill us afresh this evening with your Holy Spirit

Send us out from here revived and renewed

That we may bear witness to you in this city you love

That we may in word and deed, power and love make Jesus known

Renew our passion for Jesus and ou compassion for his people and world

That you maybe glorified O God; father, son and Holy Spirit.


*The call to worship that evening was a great reminder of the goodness and grace of God from psalm 103:1-12

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits –
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness
    and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
    his deeds to the people of Israel:
the Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbour his anger for ever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us



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