Weekly Theme W/C 25th June 2012 “Signposts”

Two years after the horrors and the concentration camps of the Second World War the nations of the world put together and signed a declaration of Human Rights; never again should such horrors be repeated. Sadly they have – in recent years in Bosnia and in Central Africa. Our role is make human rights known, support organisations that protect them and pray that they may be observed.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Lord, lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Let peace fill our hearts, our world and our universe. Let us dream together, pray together and work together to build a world of peace and justice for all. Merciful God, listen to us as we pray for a world that will respect the God-given rights of all. We dedicate ourselves to work for the rights of each human person, especially for those who find life burdensome, and who know the suffering of hatred, poverty and war. Help us to share the fire of your peace with all people in all places at all times. Amen.

God be in my head and in my understanding. God be in my eyes and in my looking. God be in my mouth and in my speaking. God be in my heart and in my thinking. God be at my end and at my departing.

God our Father, extend our horizons, widen our vision, and remind us how inter-connected we are as your sons and daughters. Breathe your Spirit into us that we may live more truly as brothers and sisters of one another. Amen.

Lord Jesus, I ask you to open my eyes as you did with the blind man, so that I may really see. Tune my ears as you did with the man who was deaf and dumb, so that I may really hear what you are saying to me. May the many experiences of my senses remind me to be aware of others and of all that is around me. May all that I experience lead me closer to you. Amen

May our ‘way of looking’ become more like yours Lord, we come before you as we are. We ask you to take away from us all that makes us less than human. Strengthen us with the power of your Spirit that our attitude and outlook may develop, and our “way of looking” may become more like yours. Help us to remain positive - encouraging and appreciating one another, looking upon people in the same way that you do. Amen.

Respecting one another God our Father, you call each of us by name, and you treasure each of us individually as though no-one else exists. Inspire us to respect and value each person who comes into our lives this day. Amen.

Before you, God, we are ashamed, for we continue to bring division into the work of your creation. Christ, have mercy on us. We continue to draw boundaries or race or nation or culture or class between your children. We have ignored the beam in our own eye, seeing only the mote in our neighbour’s eye.