Loving Father God,
We come to you in the knowledge that you hold all your children in unconditional love.
We lift to you those who are vulnerable and in need of protection.
Give them your safety, comfort and peace.
We cry to you for those who are hurting and whose trust has been broken.
Give them your healing, restoration and justice.
We bring to you those who seek to forgive others who have hurt them.
Give them your strength, courage and hope.
For those who have caused your children to stumble,
lead them to seek your forgiveness and to enter into true repentance.
Thank you for all who give their time, knowledge, and skills to make our communities safer.
Give them your wisdom, guidance and grace.
For ourselves, we ask you to give us your heart for the vulnerable, the oppressed, the voiceless and the forgotten. Help us to see them as you see them; to value them as you value them, and to nurture and protect them as you desire.
Help each one of us play our part in creating safer places for all your people.
In your name we pray,
Amen
Caring God,
Your heart goes out to those who suffer and we must reach out too.
But it is not an easy thing to get alongside someone and feel their suffering with them.
It takes endless patience and time and energy and we cannot always sustain the effort.
Keep us loving beyond the limits that we believe are possible, for your care goes further than we can we ever imagine into the darkest places of suffering, grief and despair.
Amen
Grant us, Lord God,
a vision of your world as your love would have it:
A world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor;
A world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them;
A world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect;
A world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love.
Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen