God of love, forgiveness and of blessing,

we pray for your church,

locally and globally: 

that it will be a refuge of hope

in a world of despair,

a place of forgiveness not of judgement,

a place where people can bring their inability to forgive,

a place to leave things with you

until peace is found.

We pray for your world,

especially for places where hatred breeds hatred,

violence breeds violence,

and resentment grows in unforgiving hearts.

Teach humankind to forgive 

as you forgive us,

to love as we are loved by you,

to be merciful recipients of your mercy without end.

We continue to pray for Nazanin Zagharri Ratcliffe,

giving thanks for a little hope on the horizon.

For our planet, showing the strain of climate change:

show us how to change, how to turn things around.

For the avoidance of war in Ukraine,

and for political leaders – that they will act with integrity

in the interests of all your children.

Lord Jesus,

you brought healing to the sick,

and hope to those with no hope.

we pray for those who can find no peace;

for those injured in mind and spirit,

those struggling to overcome legacies of abuse and harm,

that you will bring hope, freedom, and release.

We pray for counsellors and therapists,

for social workers, 

for all who seek to care for broken humanity

for all places of refuge, for all places of healing.

For those who have died 

and now rest in your mercy, healing and love,

And for all who mourn. 

And we give you thanks

for your love which overcomes fear,

for your mercy which overcomes hatred,

for your peace which is where we find our home.

We thank you, in stormy weather

for our homes, for warm meals, hot drinks,

for those who care about our safety,

And for our church – a place of friendship and love. Amen

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