Prayers for other
occasions

A prayer for the Survivors of Domestic Abuse

Loving God,

Today we acknowledge with sorrow the harm many experience because of domestic abuse. We grieve that although you created us for loving relationships, our relationships can be distorted and dishonoured through the sin of violence.

We pray for women, children and men who suffer as a result of experiencing violence in their own homes. Please bring healing and hope to these victim survivors of domestic abuse. We pray for those who perpetrate violence against their spouses and children. We ask they will cease to cause harm to those they are to supposed to love and protect and will instead repent of their sin, and seek to be restored to faithful living under Christ.

Father, help our churches be safe havens for those who have experienced violence and abuse; where they can find comfort and healing in a loving community ruled by you, our just and merciful God.

Father we long for the day of Jesus return and that heavenly home where we will dwell with you – in true safety, without fear, in loving relationship with you and one another. 

Amen.

A Prayer for Those Affected by Domestic Violence 

Gracious God, 

We come before you in sorrow and humility, grieving the pain and injustice suffered by those who live in fear within their own homes. We acknowledge with thankfulness that the Lord Jesus came to bring peace, not violence, healing, not harm. He welcomed the vulnerable, protected the weak, and stood against all that crushes the human spirit. 

We pray for women, children, and men who are victims of domestic violence. Comfort them in their distress. Shelter them in your love. Give them courage to seek help and surround them with people who will act with compassion and wisdom. We pray for those who perpetrate violence. Confront them with the truth of their actions. Lead them to repentance and transformation by your Spirit. 

We pray for our churches, communities, and leaders. May we be places of refuge, not silence; of justice, not complicity. Help us to speak with clarity, act with conviction, and love with the heart of Christ. Lord, hasten the day when homes are havens of peace, and relationships reflect your grace. 

We ask this in the name of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

A Prayer acknowledging Domestic Abuse

Almighty God and Everlasting Lord,

You are the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. We pray for the victims and survivors of abuse within our churches and in other communities across our nation.Have compassion upon all who have suffered the injustice, humiliation and pain of abuse – physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual and all other forms of sinful conduct.

In the midst of their distressing circumstances, give them courage to speak. May your perfect love drive out fear and anxiety. In your mercy, create opportunities for survivors to share their pain, reveal their struggles and expose the hurtful actions of others.

Give grace, sensitivity and wisdom to all who will minister to the victims and survivors of abuse. Strengthen them and their carers with the certainty of your love. In all things, we ask that your name be glorified and that we – your people – do justice, love kindness and walk humbly before you.

We ask these things in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who died and rose and now sits at your right hand in glory. 

Amen.

Our Church Gatherings

Gracious God, Lord of the harvest-field,

Work through us, we pray, and bless the congregations of Lower Mountains Anglican
at Mt Riv, Blaxland and Glenbrook.

We pray also for other brothers and sisters in Christ in churches across the Blue Mountains. And ask that you would work through them as they proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Encourage and guide all who lead and who serve. Through them we ask you to draw to yourself those you have chosen so they may hear your saving truth.

This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
for his glory, not ours. 

Amen.

Prayer for our world, praying for the spread of the gospel in the Muslim world.

Almighty God, you alone can give eternal life; hear our prayer for the millions of people in the world who follow the ways of Islam.

May they learn to love you as Father, and to know your abundant love in their lives. May they accept Jesus as your Son and their Saviour, and receive assurance of your forgiveness because of his saving work. May they know the freedom of the life he offers.

We pray in the name of him who died for all people, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

A Prayer for CMS

God of love, whose will it is that everyone should be saved, bless the Church Missionary Society and those who have gone out in its fellowship to preach, to teach and to heal.

Guard, guide and use them; Raise up more people in your worldwide church to pray and to work, to care and to understand, to give to you and to go for you, that your church may grow, your will be done, your kingdom come, and your glory be revealed:

through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen

A Prayer for Anglicare

Let us pray to our God who welcomes all, in whose image we are made, and who hears the desires of our hearts. 

Faithful God, you have entrusted us to share with you the mission of your wider Church.

We give thanks for the pioneers and benefactors of Anglicare who began the work that continues today. And on this Anglicare Sunday we want to give thanks for the skills and service of those who work, serve and lead through the mission and ministry areas of Anglicare. Bless them with insight, energy and capacity as they work together to care for those who are vulnerable and needing assistance. Give them a love and genuine care which reflects and bears witness to the Lord Jesus.

Loving God, we give thanks for all volunteers who contribute so richly to the work of Anglicare, and for the time, skills and care they offer – and we especially recognise the works of volunteers who are part of the Food Donations and Mobile Pantries, the Disaster Recovery Teams, and the various Foster Care efforts. Give them strength and refreshment in their labours.

Sovereign God, Bless us all with grace that we as a church in the Lower Mountains, alongside so many other churches who partner with Anglicare, might effectively partner in the life and work of Anglicare to address the needs and hopes of local communities.

Generous God, pour out your love. We make our prayer through the one who came among us as the friend of the poor, the conscience of the rich, and Saviour of sinners high and low alike, Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Amen.

A Prayer for Refugees

Heavenly Father,

Your will it is that all people will be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. And equally that we care for the poor, needy, widows, orphans and refugees as modelled so clearly by the Lord Jesus.

We pray that you would comfort, secure, provide for and protect those who have had to flee their homes due to oppression, poverty, conflict or discrimination. And we particularly pray for those who are displaced because of their faith.

Please give us a heart for those who are removed from their homes and give us the will to care for those whom we meet who come to our shores seeking a safer life.

We thank you for the work of our Mountains Anglican Refugee Support (MARS) group to welcome those who we sponsor as they settle to a new life in Australia.

We pray for your grace to fulfil every good work that you have prepared for us in advance to do as we anticipate the triumphant return of our King and Saviour, in whose name we pray. 

Amen.

Anzac Day Prayer

The Psalmist says: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” 

Gracious Lord,

You have reconciled to yourself all those who trust in your Son for the forgiveness of their sins. We pray this day, conscious of Anzac Day and of the conflicts that are in play around the world especially in the Middle East and between Russia and the Ukraine.

And we pray thankfully for our military personnel serving in Australia and around this world.

Watch over our men and women, especially in places where conflict and strife are at their worst. Give them courage in adversity, safety in service and protection from harm.

We pray for the families and loved ones of serving personnel. Protect them during their periods of separation and reunite them in joy.

And, Heavenly Father, we especially pray for those who are now grieving the loss of loved ones. Help them to cast their anxieties upon you, the God of all comfort. Enable others to minister to their needs with sensitivity and respect. May they know the prayers and support of their fellow Australians.

We pray for those making the decisions which shape the conflicts around this world – give them a heart for peace, reconciliation, and a will to act in grace in difficult and complicated situations.

Finally, give to the people of this nation the peace that passes all understanding, through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

Air Force Prayer

Almighty God,

You sent your Spirit to your people, filling each with courage, hope and determination.

Empower your Armed Service Chaplains when they face the world, to proclaim hope, to represent your love and grace, and to serve the men and women of the Royal Australian Air Force.

In the name of Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

A Giving Prayer

Our most gracious and loving heavenly Father, thank you that through the generosity and sacrifice of Jesus, we who were once poor, have become spiritually rich in every way.

For the sake of the gospel, we pray that you would please shape our hearts. Please teach us to be generous as you have been generous to us.

Please grow us as cheerful and sacrificial givers of our time, our treasure, and our talents, so that many more people will come to know and experience the saving love of Christ.

And we ask this so that Jesus will receive all the glory. 

Amen.

A Prayer for BCA

Lord our God, help us to remember those who live in isolated and remote parts of our land.

We ask you to strengthen and encourage all whose ministries are supported by The Bush Church Aid Society. Refresh them in times of discouragement and loneliness and call others to stand with them in the task of making Christ known.

Grant that, through the ministry of the Word, through caring service and by support for young people, the message of your redeeming gospel may be proclaimed and accepted by the people of our land. We ask these things through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

A Prayer for Mothers Day

Give thanks to you, God, for Mothers - and all those who have played a mother kind of role in our lives - mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, aunties, god mothers and more. They have often selflessly provided and cared for our needs in ways that we do not always recognise. 

We especially give thanks for those mothers we have in faith - those who have helped to shape us spiritually. 

We pray, our Father, for those who may have lost their mums this past year or before - that they may know your comfort in times of grief. 

And we pray for those who have strained or estranged relationships with their mums. May they know peace and forgiveness in the midst of hurt and heartache.

In the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen

A Prayer for CBF

God of the Kingdom, Lord of the harvest, Saviour of the cities, Redeemer of our work places.

We pray for the ministry of the City Bible Forum, for its staff and for the partnership that we share in reaching city workers. Guide our hands as we seek to proclaim the good news to our city. Give wisdom to the City Bible Forum in helping Christians to bear witness to Jesus. Help Evangelistic Prayer Teams to support workplace evangelism. Enable city-based evangelistic events to reach many who don’t know Christ.

Lord, give us a heart for this city and for the many who work on our doorstep. To your glory, in accord with your word, guided by your spirit, and for the sake of Christ.

Amen

Sorry Day Prayer

Lord and Loving Father,

We thank you for your grace and mercy shown through your son Jesus Christ who came not to condemn the world but to save it.

Today we take time to remember the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were removed from their families and suffered the loss of culture and identity. We acknowledge the grief and loss suffered by the many families who had their children taken.

Father, we pray for those who were removed and ask that you may bring hope and healing to each child who may be still struggling today as adults. We pray for peace and comfort to be upon the families who are still waiting for their loved ones to return and ask that somehow,

Father, may you reunite these broken families. Bring healing to the broken-hearted, hope to the hopeless, and love to those who have never experienced true love. As we grieve with those who are grieving, may you grant us all hope for the future in Christ Jesus.

We ask all these things in and through the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Amen

Prayer in acknowledgement of Country

Our Lord and loving heavenly Father, we acknowledge that you are Creator of all that is. We acknowledge that in your Providence you gave custodianship of the land upon which we meet to the Dharug and Gundungurra people. We acknowledge with sorrow the painful history between the Aboriginal people and the later settlers of this land, and we pray that you may work between us for the reconciliation that is the gift of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. 

Amen.