Prayer resources

Reflections

These PowerPoint reflections last between three and four minutes and are ideal for use as a meditative prayer.

Prayer for MRDF’s partners - 1682KB PPT

Meditation based on the parable of the talents 1275KB PPT and MP3 zip file (This is taken from the Enriching Harvest pack. For more information please visit the resource archive.)

Meditation based on the parable of the mustard seed 4MB PPT (This is taken from the Abundant Harvest pack. For more information please visit the resource archive.)

Prayers

A prayer for Cambodia

A prayer from Burundi

A prayer for the climate

A prayer of repentance

A prayer for justice and peace

A prayer for unity

A prayer for courage

A prayer from West Africa

A prayer from Sri Lanka

A prayer for Fairtrade fortnight

A prayer based on the parable of the wise and foolish builders

 

A prayer for Cambodia

At this Christmas time, amongst all our activities, we send this prayer for the work in developing the poultry industry in Cambodia.

We pray for all the families and their children in Cambodia that will benefit from this project. We pray for the children who will be able to attend school and that their lives will improve each year.

We thank God for those who give their time and obey God’s call to be compassionate to those who are in need.

We pray that the people of Cambodia will be blessed in all that they do and enjoy a wonderful Christmas.

In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Newbury Methodist Church

 

A prayer from Burundi

God who heals the broken hearted,

binding up their wounds and raising up those who are bowed down,

give us the strength and grace,

to care for widows, refugees and the destitute,

and the misfortune of a suffering people.

Compassionate and gracious God,

reconcile communities, putting an end to hatred between political parties;

hatred that leads to war and misfortune for a suffering people.

To you, the table where no one is excluded, to you the body that tastes of bread, to you the peace of the world, through Jesus Christ.

Amen

Martine Kakinda, Programme Coordinator of MRDF partner SOEDC in Burundi

 

A prayer for the climate

God of forgiveness, cover the sky with clouds,

regulate the rain and the climate,

to make the crops grow,

and reduce poverty and famine.

Amen.

Martine Kakinda, Programme Coordinator of MRDF partner SOEDC in Burundi

 

A prayer of repentance

Sometimes we dig holes for ourselves Lord,

great muddy pits of anxiety, pride, greed or apathy,

built on the slippery belief that the minutiae of our lives is more important than loving others.

We allow selfish ambition and materialism to stand in the way of protecting your people,

and let ourselves sink into the belief that if we can’t see it happening, it’s not our problem.

Thanks that you don’t turn a blind eye,

and that if we ask, you’ll wade into the mire with us,

cover yourself in the mess we’ve made,

pass a shovel,

dig alongside us,

and help us out.

Anna Rogers, Methodist Relief and Development Fund

 

A prayer for justice and peace

Lord God, you have opened my eyes to the world around me.

Let these eyes not grow weary because of what they see:

war instead of peace,

despair instead of hope,

profit instead of prosperity,

want instead of need,

statistics instead of people,

destruction and pollution instead of nurture and growth.

I know your continual challenge to me: to pursue a life of justice and peace.

I know you have provided me the tools to make a difference.

Your message has lit a spark within.

Ensure that I will continue to look upon the people of the world as my

neighbours

that I will not stay quiet as injustice continues

that I will not let hatred or despair win over love and hope

that I will not let your people become statistics that remove their humanity

that I will not sit by as your world is damaged beyond repair.

I pray that you will keep the fire burning within me. Amen.

John Cooper, Methodist Relief and Development Fund

 

A prayer for unity

Ever-loving and gracious God, we thank you for the potential for creativity, service and healing that each new day brings.

We pray you will help us to live every moment remembering that we are part of a human family, which reaches to the farthest corners of the globe.

Holy Spirit, connect us, transform us, reconcile us so that together, we may celebrate and protect your creation and defend the dignity and worth of all God’s children who draw life from it. Amen

Kathleen Loughlin, MRDF Trustee

 

A prayer for courage

Jesus,

You turned over the traders’ tables,

kicked up a fuss,

shouted and screamed,

suffered and died,

challenged injustice.

We repent of the times when we

have kept our heads down,

have shut our mouth,

have played it safe,

ignored injustice.

Forgive us and breathe your Spirit into us we pray.

Amen.

Sarah Haggar, MRDF

 

A prayer from West Africa

Give us, Father,

A vision of your world as love would make it:

A world where the weak are protected and none go hungry,

A world whose benefits are shared so that everyone can enjoy them,

A world where peace is built with justice

And justice is built with love,

And give us the courage and strength to build it.

Adapted from a West African prayer

 

A prayer from Sri Lanka

Gracious and loving Father, who created all things, we beseech you to forgive us for our disobedience, which has caused your good creation to turn evil and has ruined its beauty and equity. You made men and women equal, without the horror of poverty. But we, through selfishness and avarice, have caused disparities to enter the perfect world system that you created. Amen.

Leo Foneska, MRDF Partner, Methodist Church in Sri Lanka

 

A prayer for Fairtrade Fortnight

Father God,

In all things let us seek to become imitators of you:

You are full of knowledge and infinite wisdom. Help us to carefully consider where our products come from, making wise decisions about what we buy.

You abhor slavery. Encourage us to play our part in freeing people around the world who are trapped in extreme poverty.

You say that a worker deserves their wages. Forgive us for the times we have given our money to companies who don’t provide their staff with a living wage.

Empower us to change old habits so that our spending honours you.

You dance upon injustice and tell us to speak up for the voiceless. Give us the courage to inspire others to take action too.

You are love. Let your tender compassion for each one of your children move us to care for our global family across the world.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Anna Rogers, MRDF

 

A prayer based on the parable of the wise and foolish builders

Give us the strength to be wise God,

We pray that you might open our eyes to the world around us that we will be a generation unafraid to stand on the Rock even as those around us build grand castles in the sand.

Let us stand firm when wind and rain batters us from all sides, make us a people brave enough to clothe ourselves only in what we need and not in what the world says we should have.

Give us the strength to be foolish God,

foolish enough to believe that we can change the world with you.

Help us to be humble enough to sing from our shack on the rocks and meek enough to get alongside those that need our support.

When people around us fall Lord, give us compassion and grace so that we will be the ones to hold out our hands and they might see you reflected in our eyes.

Laura Cook, MRDF/Methodist Schools