Prayers at Advent and Christmas
I count the days to Christmas
And I watch the evening sky
I want to see the angels
As to Bethlehem they fly.
I’m watching for the wise men
And the royal shining star.
Please may I travel with them?
Is the stable very far?
I count the days to Christmas
As we shop and bake and clean
And yet deep inside I dream.
That as we tell the story
Of Lord Jesus and his birth,
The things of every day will fade
As heaven comes to earth.
( From The Lion Book of 100 Prayers for children 2010)
Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light
When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
Howard Thurman 1899-1981

Mahmoud in Bethlehem
Oh, now carry us to Bethlehem
To see the Lord appear to men;
Just as poor as was the stable then
The prince of glory when he came.
Calypso Carol
Lord Jesus, light of the world,
Born in David’s City of Bethlehem,
Born like him to be a king
Be born in our hearts at Christmas
Be king of our lives today.
Be born in us we pray.
Amen
Zooming through Covid
As we set out this morning to greet this brand new summer’s day; keep us Lord and guide us and show us all the way.
Be thou my inspiration in all I say and do; And let me Lord, remember, the life I owe to you.
Let me share with others the blessings I receive, let me be a guiding light and shine through all the trees
Let us Zoom with confidence that the Holy Spirit will watch, and know that he will zoom with us in our prayers, our lives and love.
Amen
At Ascension when Jesus was taken into heaven…
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
No hands, but yours, no feet but yours…
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good,
And yours are the hands with which he is to bless us now.
St Teresa of Avila
Prayers for Education Sunday
Image from Sue Martin of Christ the King School, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Father, help us to follow our dreams
To learn something new every day,
To explore this wonderful world around us full of diversity,
We can make such a difference to those we meet,
If we follow your word and your teaching.
Amen (Sue Martin)
• Dear God,
Bless our school.
Bless the buildings.
Bless the playground.
Bless the teachers and everyone who works here.
Bless the helpers and everyone who volunteers.
Bless the work we do.
Bless the games we play.
Bless each and every one of us.
May our school be a place of happiness, respect, and love.
Amen (Lois Rock, The Lion Book of 1000 prayers for Children)
• If our school were in heaven,
We would sweep the paths clean.
If our school were in heaven,
We would cultivate its garden.
If our school were in heaven,
We would keep our things neat.
If our school were in heaven,
We would display our work for the angels to see.
If our school were in heaven,
We would treat everyone as a child of God.
So her on earth, we will do these things
And so make our school more like heaven.
Amen (Lois Rock, The Lion Book of 1000 prayers for Children
VE Day 2020
The silence that says it all…
The lives lost, the lives changed, the lives that would never be the same again.
Seventy-five years on we remain united in isolation, glorious in survival, and thankful for all that we have received.
Because of bravery, courage, determination and spirit we can go forward with joy in our hearts.
Father, we give thanks, we hold honour and strength in our hearts and we let the Holy Spirit work within us to show that same love for each other and our world.
Amen Rev’d Sue Martin
Never Alone
I re-found this prayer at a time when a friend and colleague just really needs some extra prayer help. It was given to me when I was working as a hospital chaplain, by a priest and brother to a patient, with whom I had spent time.
I will go before you
When life gets tough,
I will be close beside you
When the pathway is rough.
My presence is promised
from the beginning of time,
I will never forsake you
because you are mine.
When you go through dark valleys
you won’t go alone,
When you sail stormy waters
I’ll lead you home.
I don’t promise blue skies,
it won’t always be fine,
But I’ll never forsake you,
because you are mine.
Anon
For us all
From all that dwells beneath the skies,
Let faith and hope with joy arise;
Let beauty, truth and good be sung
Through every land, by every tongue.
Amen
A Unitarian prayer
A Prayer for Unity

Kalpana, brothers and sisters in the Himalayas. We support them.
As the country moves towards independence from the European Union. we pray for stability and for a lessening of tension between countries and between peoples of this nation. Let our doors and our hearts be ever open for those who come seeking refuge and friendship.
Amen
Trinity
I Walk with Beauty
I walk with beauty before me
I walk with beauty behind me
I walk with beauty above me
I walk with beauty around me.
A Navajo Night Chant from The Lion Book of a 1000 prayers for children
Michaelmas
Let faith be my shield and let joy be my steed
‘Gainst the dragons of anger the ogres of greed;
And let me set free with the sword of my youth,
From the castles of darkness, the power of the truth.
From Jan Struther (When a knight won his spurs in the battle of old)
Although my steps are small
Sty beside me
Hold my Hand
And never let me fall. Amen
Lent
I am Giving
I am Giving you me
I am Giving you me Lord.
I am giving you me in the twinkle of an eye
And the sadness of my sighing;
In the laughter of my heart
And the tears of my soul;
In the rhythmns of my feet
And the silence of my listening.
I am giving you me, Lord.
From I Am Giving You Me
From Stages on the Way pg. 20-22
© 1997 Wild Goose Resource Group, Iona Community.
GIA Publications, Inc., exclusive North American Distributor
Advent
Lord Jesus, light of the world,
Born in David’s City of Bethlehem,
Born like hime to be a king
Be born in our hearts at Christmas
Be king of our lives today.
Be born in us we pray.
Amen
I count the days to Christmas
And I watch the evening sky
I want to see the angels
As to Bethlehem they fly.
I’m watching for the wise men
And the royal shining star.
Please may I travel with them?
Is the stable very far?
I count the days to Christmas
As we shop and bake and clean
And yet deep inside I dream.
That as we tell the story
Of Lord Jesus and his birth,
The things of every day will fade
As heaven comes to earth.
( From The Lion Book of 100 Prayers for children 2010)
Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light
When the song of the angels is stilled
When the star in the sky is gone
When the kings and princes are home
When the shepherds are back with their flocks
The work of Christmas begin
To find the lost
To heal the broken
There is a Smudge of Bad in all of us…
There is a smudge of bad in all of us,
Something that is there deep inside,
Nagging a space for itself,
Something that can’t be dug out with a spade,
Knocked down by a hammer,
Threatened out with fire.
But it’s there
And it flavours whatever we do.
Michael Duggan (aged 12), taken from Poems and Prayers for a Better World, Lion Publishing 2004
At times the daily grind of our lives takes over and we fail to see the wonders and the path that you have set before us.
We fail to do the things that we should do and continue to do the things that just take our time and not our hearts. Help us to see the path that you have set before us and to walk along it with confidence and courage. Help us to see the rainbow and not the rain.
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above, so thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love.
Amen
Rev’d Sue Martin
When the song of the angels is stilled
When the star in the sky is gone
When the kings and princes are home
When the shepherds are back with their flocks
The work of Christmas begin
To find the lost
To heal the broken
To feed the hungry
To release the prisoner
To rebuild the nations
And to bring peace among people
Unity
Posted on November 15th 2015, after the Paris bombing
Dear Lord
Creator of the World
Help us to love one another
Help us to care for one another
As sister or brother.
May friendship grow
From nation to nation
Bring peace to our world.
Anon
Trinity
Michaelmass Sept 29th
O Lord of Heaven,
you have brought us to the company of angels
And to the spirits of the saints.
As in the food of our earthly pilgrimage
We have shared their fellowship
So may we come to share their joy in heaven,
Through Jesus Christ , our Lord.
Amen
I look for you and I long for you
In my idleness
I watch for you and I wait for you
Our lives are interwoven
Use me as you will
We are always together
In you I am strong
Every strand of my life
Is filled with your presence
In your hands, my life
Has purpose and meaning
Hold me close, Lord
With freedom of Love
Anon
An eagle soaring
A voice from the wilderness
echoing through your ear.
Whispering,encouraging-
keep going,seek My glory,
Don’t worry, I’ll keep Your fears.
Juanita Helphrey
Lent
Lord, today is your gift to me.
Help me to turn into my gift to you
Each today pushes back the past into history
And in the long perspective I can see your hand at work.
For good for my good.
And from that view
I can turn to face the prospect of today.
From Eddie Askew Conversations and Prayers
The Nativity
When the song of the angels is stilled.
When the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
Then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among peoples,
And to bring the light of Christ into people’s lives.
Amen
A kite on the ground
Is just paper and string
But up in the air
It will dance and sing.
A kite in the air
Will dance and caper
But left on the ground
Is just string and paper.
Amen
The Beauty of God
If we walk through the world
And do not see its beauty
If we cnnot stop for a flower
How can we know you Lord?
You speak to us through beauty
Let us reverence the spotted burnet
And look in awe at the bugloss
Bowing before you in wonder
(from The Glory of Light by David Adam)
The Road ahead. From Lord of the Rings June 21st
The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet, And whither then? I cannot say J.R.R. Tolkien
Take Time May 16th
Take time to think It is the source of power. Take time to Play It is the secret of perpetual growth Take time to read It is the fountain of wisdom. Take time to pray It is the greatest power on earth. Take time to love and be loved It is a God given privilege. Take time to be friendly It is the the road to happiness. Take time to be friendly It is the road to happiness Take time to laugh It is the music of the soul. Take time to give It is too short a day to be selfish. Take time to work It sit the price of success. Take time to do charity It is the key to heaven.
The Glory of Light Feb 9th
Lord of glory How can I remain dull When I’m part of your brightness? Let me be radiant With your love and light about me. Lord of love, fill my life Dispel my darkness Lighten my way As the new dawn breaks Let your sun rise in my heart. True light of the world Enter the depths of my life Flood the dark and hidden places Overflow my whole being With the light of your glory. Amen
Set out! You were born for the road Set out! You have a meeting to keep. Where? With whom? You don’t yet know Perhaps with yourself? Set out! Your steps will be your words the road your song the weariness your prayer. And at the end your silence will speak to you.
Set out! Alone or with others; but get out of yourself. You have created rivals you will find companions. You envisaged enemies You will find brothers and sisters. Eglesia Paroquial Arta, Mallorca
When the song of the angels is stilled When the star in the sky is gone When the Kings and princes are home When shepherds are back with their flocks The work of Christmas begins To find the lost To heal the broken To feed the hungry To release the prisoner To rebuild the nations To bring peace among people And to bring love to the heart Revd Sue Martin
Prayers for Advent
Advent 2
All out of darkness we have light Which made the angels sing that night. Glory to God and peace to men, Now and forever, Amen
Advent 1
Let Us Pray
O God our Father, by whose mercy and might the world turns and brings us to Advent, we give to you our hopes, our dreams and our lives. Open our hearts and minds now to the light of your word, your love and your blessing. Whoever we are, Whatever we face, scatter the darkness of sorrow, fear, doubt and anxiety. Shine in our lives, so that the brilliance of your presence touches every moment of our days We thank you for all the preparations in church and in our homes and in the schools that make advent a wonderful time. For the Nativity plays, that tell of the birth of Jesus, the pantomines which bring fun, laughter and warmth. For the thoughts of friends and families far away. For the presents and the wrappings that we prepare, gifts from our hearts. A time to get ready and be prepared, A time to welcome in the light of the world, your Son, Jesus Christ. Loving God, open our hearts to all you hold in store, the possibilities that wait to unfold, The new dawn that you alone can bring, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Light of Christ dawn afresh in our hearts, Illuminate our minds, fill our souls and shine out from our lives. In a spirit of waiting, we ask that Advent is slowed down and that we take time to look inwards at our hopes and fears, To look outwards at a world in need of hope And to look to God for confidence in His love and commitment to the world. Rev’d Sue Martin
Prayers for Lent
Prayers, thoughts and reflections gathered together in one diary
Part of my Lent project to find space, direction and to follow my call and vocation…
If you enjoy these or find just one prayer that speaks to you it will have been worth the journey.
Rev’d Sue Martin
Come Away
Come away from the din Come away to the quiet fields Over which the great sky stretches and where between us And the stars, there lies but silence; And there in the stillness, let us listen to the voice that is speaking within us. Jerome K Jerome 1859 – 1927
A view of the Peddars Way, West Norfolk
Happiness is…
Happiness is to have enough for the days needs with always some to spare for those who have not. It is to possess the love of friends and to have knowledge that all is well with them. It is to live in peace M. Aumonier Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804 – 1864
Help along the way
Photo from Stett Handy Group Make us worthy Lord, To serve our fellow brothers and sisters Throughout the world who live and die In poverty and hunger Give them, through your hands this day their daily bread, And by our understanding love Give peace and joy. Mother Teresa of Calcutta
The Best Way…
The best way out is always through. Robert Frost 1874 – 1963
Greeting
Set out! You were born for the road Set out! You have a meeting to keep. Where? With whom? You don’t yet know Perhaps with yourself? Set out! Your steps will be your words the road your song the weariness your prayer. And at the end your silence will speak to you.
Set out! Alone or with others; but get out of yourself. You have created rivals you will find companions. You envisaged enemies You will find brothers and sisters. Set out! You were born for the road. The pilgrims road Someone is coming to meet you is seeking you, so that you can find him. In the temple at the end of the road In the shrine at the depths of your heart. He is your peace He is your jo Go, God already walks with you. Taken from Eglisia Paroquial , Arta Mallorca
Belief in whatever is around the corner… Ourselves “Be true to yourselves and let space for others beliefs.”
Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi
And beyond… “In a world full of sound bytes and increasingly short attention spans there is a benefit in having a thought about eternity.”
Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi
Expectations “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it,but that it is too low and we reach it.” Michelangelo 1475 – 1564
Courage
O Lord, give me courage to do good things. Give me courage to do the things I want to do without being afraid of what other people say. Give me courage to be different. Amen A child’s prayer
do different…
Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant? Actually who are we not to be? You are a child of the universe, your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won’t feel unsure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory that is within us. As we let our light shine, we give permission to others to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence liberates others. Nelson Mandela 1994 Inaugural Speech
Prayers at Christmas
A favourite prayer…..
Let there be respect for the earth Peace for its people Love in our lives Delight in the good Forgiveness for past ways And from now on A new start. At some time in the day or night we need to stop and reflect. To have time to think about the day, the week, our family and friends, let alone the much time given to work and relationships. Time on our own, whether its in the car driving home, on the crowded underground, or in a quiet spot at home; it’s good to find some space and stop. We all live busy lives, complex and full of turmoil. Prayers are even better. Sometimes we ask too much, sometimes it must be like a jungle of flack in the air that God receives the messages through. But still He listens. He doesn’t always respond in the way you hope for or not even at the right time, but don’t give up! It does work. A quotation from Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi… “ In a world of sound bites and increasingly short attention spans, there is a benefit in having a thought about eternity.” ———————————————————————– Not everyone can get to our buildings every week. You can read this web page from the comfort of your home, or even further afield, if you too are on a journey. You can leave a message for our church below. If you would like a prayer said, or a person remembered, then send us the details by way of reply. The thoughts of our congregation and our community will be with that person. Sue Martin. ————————————————————- [si-contact-form form=’2′]