Shrewsbury Abbey - Shropshire Site Map
Prayer Page
We hope you will be
able to make use of this Prayer 'Book' as part of your own
continuing walk with God.
Daily Prayer - click on the day or on the time of day Top
A Guide to Prayer - and ways in which you can try to pray
Forward by Bishop
Mark
This online prayer book will help
to guide us and give us a pattern without being too restrictive.
It encourages us to pray as we can, not as we can’t! I hope you
will find it an aid to keeping close to God and to growing into
the kind of person you are called to be.
Bishop Mark’s
Favourite Prayer
….. is that of the
Breton Fisherman – it’s short and to the point:
‘Guide me dear Lord
as my boat is so small
and the sea is so
big. Amen’
In 1487 Abbot Thomas Mynde received a licence from King
Henry VII to found the Guild of St. Winefride whose members were
to offer daily prayers at her shrine for the King, the Abbot and
the Guild and to support the church by prayer and thanksgiving.
In 1540 King Henry VIII dissolved the Abbey and with it the
Guild.
In 1987 the Guild was restored to be a group of people
who would contribute to the service of God in the Abbey by
prayer and through action.
Membership of the
Guild is available – contact the Abbey Office
01743 – 232723 or
enquiries@shrewsburyabbey.com
Opening Prayer
The Word of God
The Lord says this: Lo, everyone who
thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come,
buy and eat! Come; buy wine and milk without money and
without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not
bread and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen
carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in
rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you
may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my
steadfast, sure love for David. (Isaiah 55.1 – 3)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
The people of God, for inspiration by
the Spirit
The media, for healthy communication
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Eternal light, shine into our hearts;
eternal goodness, deliver us from evil; eternal power, be our
support; eternal wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance;
eternal pity, have mercy upon us; that with all our heart and
mind and soul and strength we may seek your face and be brought
by your infinite mercy to your holy presence, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. (Alcuin of
Monday –
During the
Day
If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that
are above.
Opening Prayer
the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same,
the Three in One, and One in Three.
Of whom all nature hath creation;
eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
salvation is of Christ the Lord. Amen.
from St Patrick’s
Breastplate
If you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the
right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not
on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is
hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3.1 – 3)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
Those who travel, for safety and
protection
Those who are facing death
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Jesus said to the disciples again, 'Peace be with you.
Opening Prayer
Kindle in our hearts,
O God,
the flame of love which never ceases,
that it may burn in us, giving light to others.
May we shine for ever in your temple,
set on fire with your eternal light,
even your Son Jesus Christ,
our Saviour and our Redeemer. Amen.
The Word of God
Just as the body is one and has many
members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one
body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and we
were all made to drink of one Spirit. (I Corinthians
12.12, 13)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
Those who do not feel loved by anyone
Those who are in financial hardship
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Eternal light, shine
into our hearts,
eternal goodness, deliver us from evil,
eternal power, be our support,
eternal wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance,
eternal pity, have mercy upon us;
that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength
we may seek your face and be brought by your infinite mercy
to your holy presence,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of
Opening Prayer
Lighten our
darkness,
Lord, we pray,
and in your great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of your only Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
In the name of the
King of life;
In the name of the
Christ of love;
In the name of the
Holy Spirit
The Trinity of God’s
eternal blessing.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Collect
Be present, O merciful
God,
and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied
by the changes and chances of this fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
A Time of Silence is
kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my
strength and my redeemer.
Opening Prayer
give us the courage to overcome our fears and to seek that unity which is your gift and your will;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Word of God
How beautiful upon the mountains are
the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good
news, who announces salvation, who says to
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
The persecuted Church, for
protection and faithfulness
The criminal justice system, for
wisdom and fairness
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
O Lord our God, grant us grace to
desire you with our whole heart; that so desiring, we may seek
and find you; and so finding, may love you; and so loving, may
hate those sins from which you have delivered us; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.(Anselm - 1109)
Opening Prayer
and no strength known but the strength of love:
so guide and inspire the work of those who seek your kingdom
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was
given to Jesus. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where
it was written: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he
has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me
to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the
blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favour.' And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back
to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue
were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, 'Today this
scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.' (Luke
4.17-21)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
Those who are searching for God’s
meaning in their life
Those who are facing unemployment
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Eternal God, the light of the minds
that know you, the joy of the hearts that love you, and the
strength of the wills that serve you: grant us so to know you
that we may truly love you, so to love you that we may truly
serve you,
whose service is perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Tuesday –
Early
Evening
Opening Prayer
so may your mercy come down upon us
to cleanse our hearts
and set us free to sing your praise
now and for ever. Amen.
The Word of God
As the rain and the snow come down
from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the
earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the
sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out
from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for
which I sent it. (Isaiah 55.10, 11)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
The world's displaced people, for
freedom and security
The protection of relief workers
around the world
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Abide with us, Lord,
for it is evening,
and day is drawing to a close.
Abide with us and with your whole Church,
in the evening of the day,
in the evening of life,
in the evening of the world;
abide with us and with all your faithful ones, O Lord,
in time and in eternity. Amen.
You, O Lord, are in the midst of us and we are called by
your name; leave us not, O Lord our God.
Opening Prayer
Look down, O God,
from your heavenly throne,
illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial
brightness,
and from the children of light banish the deeds of darkness;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
Calm me Lord, as you
stilled the storm.
Still me Lord, and
keep me from harm.
Let any tumult
within me cease.
Lord, enfold me in
your peace.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Collect
Visit this place, O
Lord, we pray,
and drive far from it the snares of the enemy;
may your holy angels dwell with us and guard us in peace,
and may your blessing be always upon us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
A Time of Silence is
kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord,
and teach me your paths.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, who
said to your apostles,
‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you’:
look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church
and grant it the peace and unity of your kingdom;
where you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Word of God
Jesus said to the crowds: 'You are
the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can
its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything,
but is thrown out and trampled underfoot. 'You are the light of
the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after
lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp
stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way,
let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.' (Matthew
5.13 – 16)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
All who follow Christ, for growth in
discipleship
All in the medical profession
Lord's Prayer
Collect
You, Christ, are the
King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free
you humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.(From the Te Deum)
Opening Prayer
who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
The Word of the
Lord
Love is patient; love is kind; love
is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not
insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does
not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears
all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures
all things. (I Corinthians 13.4 – 7)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
All who have no one to pray for them
All who work in residential homes for
the elderly
Lord's Prayer
Collect
O Lord our God, grant
us grace to desire you with our whole heart;
that so desiring, we may seek and find you;
and so finding, may love you;
and so loving, may hate those sins from which you have delivered
us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday –
Early
Evening
Opening Prayer
O Lord our God,
grant us grace to desire you with our whole heart;
that so desiring, we may seek and find you;
and so finding, may love you;
and so loving, may hate those sins from which
you have delivered us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Word of God
You are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you
may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people,
but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy. (I Peter 2.9, 10)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers, which may
include these concerns
All who work as missionaries, away
from their own loved ones
All in the rescue services
Lord's Prayer
Collect
Eternal Lord,
our beginning and our end:
bring us with the whole creation
to your glory, hidden through past ages
and made known
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Wednesday –
Compline (Night Prayer)
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that he
may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because
he cares for you.
Opening Prayer
Before the ending of
the day, Creator of the world, we pray;
That you, with steadfast love, would keep
Your watch around us while we sleep.
From evil dreams
defend our sight, from fears and terrors of the night;
Tread underfoot our deadly foe
That we no sinful thought may know.
O Father, that we
ask be done through Jesus Christ, your only Son;
And Holy Spirit, by whose breath
Our souls are raised to life from death.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
May the peace of all
peace, God’s peace, be with me this night.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Collect
Save us, O Lord, while
waking,
and guard us while sleeping,
that awake we may watch with Christ
and asleep may rest in peace.
Lord’s Prayer
A Time of Silence is
kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Teach me to do what pleases you,
for you are my God; Let your kindly spirit lead me on a level
path.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, whose will it is that
the earth and the sea should bear fruit in due season: bless the
labours of those who work on land and sea, grant us a good
harvest and the grace always to rejoice in your fatherly care;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns
with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for
ever. Amen.
The Word of God
Brothers and sisters, I received from
the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on
the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and
when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body
that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way
he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new
covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in
remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink
the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
(I Corinthians 11.23-
26)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers
may include these concerns
Ministers of the gospel
Those who work for reconciliation
Lord's Prayer
Collect
Thursday –
During
the Day
Opening Prayer
Such a Truth, as ends all strife: Such a Life, as killeth death.
Come, my Light, my Feast, my
Strength: Such a Light, as shows a Feast:
Such a Feast, as mends in length: Such a Strength, as makes his
guest.
Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart: Such
a Joy, as none can move:
Such a Love, as none can part: Such a Heart, as joys in Love.
George Herbert
(1633)
The Word of God
‘I give you a new commandment, that
you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should
love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another.' (John 13.34,
35)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers
may include these concerns
Those who work closely with children
in care
Those who are peacemakers
Lord's Prayer
Collect
Thursday –
Early
Evening
Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Opening Prayer
Heal us, O God, from
all our afflictions
and keep us steadfast in your love;
bind up our wounds,
raise us from death,
and lead us to fullness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
The Word of God
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers
may include these concerns
Those who feed the hungry
Lord's Prayer
Collect
you gave up your Son
out of love for the world:
lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion,
that we may know eternal peace
through the shedding of our Saviour’s blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday – Compline
(Night Prayer)
Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is
prowling round like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Resist him, strong in the faith.
Opening Prayer
The Father of
Creation: Shield me from harm.
The Son of
Salvation: Shield me with power.
The Spirit of
Sustenance: Shield me this night.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
I am placing my soul
and my body
In thy safe keeping
this night, O God,
In thy safe keeping,
O Jesus,
In thy safe keeping,
O Spirit.
The three in One who
defends my being,
Keep me this night
from harm.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Collect
Keep watch, dear Lord,
with those who wake, or watch, or weep this night,
and give your angels charge over those who sleep.
Tend the sick, give rest to the weary,
sustain the dying,
calm the suffering,
and pity the distressed;
all for your love’s sake, O Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
A Time of Silence is
kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God, you have
entrusted to your Church
a share in the ministry of your Son our great high priest:
inspire by your Holy Spirit the hearts of many
to offer themselves to the ministry of your Church,
that strengthened by his power,
they may work for the increase of your kingdom
and set forward the eternal praise of your name;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns
with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Seek good and not evil, that you may
live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just
as you have said. Hate evil and love good, and establish justice
in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be
gracious to the remnant of Joseph. (Amos 5.14, 15)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers may include
these concerns
The local church, for courage to take
up the cross of Christ
Those in authority, for the right use
of power
Lord's Prayer
Collect
Friday –
During the
Day
Opening Prayer
May it be a lantern to our feet, a light upon our paths,
and strength to our lives.
Take us and use us to love and serve all people
in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the name of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Word of God
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers
may include these concerns
Those who work in dangerous
occupations
Those who are single parents
Lord's Prayer
Collect
grant to us your humble servants, that by your holy inspiration
we may think those things that are good,
and by your merciful guiding may perform the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Friday –
Early
Evening
Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near by the blood of Christ.
Opening Prayer
Christ yesterday and
today,
the beginning and the end,
Alpha and Omega,
all time belongs to you, and all ages;
to you be glory and power
through every age and for ever. Amen.
The Word of God
Prayers
may include these concerns
Victims and perpetrators of violence,
for healing and repentance
Christians who face daily persecution
because of their faith
Lord's Prayer
Collect
O God, the source of
all good desires,
all right judgements, and all just works:
give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give;
that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments,
and that, freed from the fear of our enemies,
we may pass our time in rest and quietness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Friday – Compline
(Night Prayer)
God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so
that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of the living God,
who at this evening hour lay in the tomb
and so hallowed the grave
to be a bed of hope for all who put their trust in you:
give us such sorrow for our sins,
which were the cause of your passion,
that when our bodies lie in the dust,
our souls may live with you for ever. Amen.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
I bind unto myself
today the strong name of the Trinity.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Collect
Holy God,
our lives are laid open before you:
rescue us from the chaos of sin
and through the death of your Son
bring us healing and make us whole
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
A Time of Silence is
kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Almighty and
everlasting God,
we thank you that you have brought us safely to the beginning of
this day.
Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger,
order us in all our doings
and guide us to do always what is righteous in your sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Word of the
Lord
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers may include
these concerns
That Christians may live as citizens
of heaven
That the nations of the world will
live in harmony
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
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;
and at my departing. (Sarum Primer)
Saturday –
During
the Day
Opening Prayer
The Word of God
In the year that King Uzziah died, I
saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of
his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above
him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and
with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And
one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of
hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.' (Isaiah 6.1 – 4)
A Time of Silence is
kept
That the dying will know the joy of
resurrection
For those who have the privilege of
Christian ministry
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Saturday –
Early
Evening
Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Opening Prayer
Glory to you for your love. Glory to you for your patience.
Glory to you for forgiving us all our sins.
Glory to you for coming to save our souls.
Glory to you for your incarnation in the virgin’s womb.
Glory to you for your bonds. Glory to you for receiving the cut
of the lash.
Glory to you for accepting mockery. Glory to you for your
crucifixion.
Glory to you for your burial. Glory to you for your
resurrection.
Glory to you that you were preached to all.
Glory to you in whom they believed. (Ephrem the
Syrian373)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers may include
these concerns
Those who teach our children and
young people
Those who seek to care for the
environment.
Lord’s Prayer
Collect
Stay with us, O God,
this night, so that by your strength
we may rise with the new day
to rejoice in the resurrection of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Saturday – Compline
(Night Prayer)
A Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for
those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labours as God
did from his. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that
rest.
Opening Prayer
Stir up your power,
O God, and come among us.
Heal our wounds, calm our fears and give us peace;
through Jesus our Redeemer. Amen.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
Restore us again, O
God of hosts;
show us the light of your countenance
and we shall be saved.
Bless and keep us, this night and always.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Collect
We give you thanks,
O God, for the gift to the world of our Redeemer;
as we sing your glory at the close of this day,
so may we know his presence in our hearts,
who is our Saviour and our Lord, now and for ever.
May the love of the
Word made flesh enfold us,
his joy fill our lives, his peace be in our hearts;
and the blessing of God be with us this night and always. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
A Time of Silence
is kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Opening Prayer
Christ be with me,
Christ within me,
Christ behind me,
Christ before me,
Christ beside me,
Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and
restore me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of
all that love me,
Christ in mouth of
friend and stranger.
(St Patrick's
Breastplate)
The Word of God
'With what shall I come before the
Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him
with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the
Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of
rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' He has told
you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of
you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly
with your God?(Micah 6.6 – 8)
A Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers may include
these concerns
The universal church, so she may
proclaim the living Lord
That we might use creation in a
sustainable way
Lord’s Prayer
Collect.
Sunday –
During the
Day
Opening Prayer
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as the Lord;
all creation worships you, the Father everlasting.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
the cherubim and seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
From Te Deum
Laudamus
The Word of God
Prayers may include
these concerns
The needy, that they may know new
life
The wealthy, that they may know the
gift of generosity
Lord’s Prayer
Collect.
Sunday –
Early
Evening
Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you
that by night stand in the house of the Lord.
the Lord is the strength of my life..
The light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If anyone is in Christ, there is a
new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything
has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of
reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world
to himself(2 Corinthians 5.17-19a)
Time of Silence is
kept
Prayers may include
these concerns
The angry, that they may find peace
The abusive, that they may find
self-control
Lord’s Prayer
Collect.
Lighten our darkness,
Lord, we pray,
and in your great mercy
defend us from all perils and dangers of this night,
for the love of your only Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sunday – Compline
(Night Prayer)
You, O Lord, are in the midst of us and we are called by
your name; leave us not, O Lord our God.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God,
by triumphing over the powers of darkness
Christ has prepared a place for us in the new Jerusalem:
may we, who have this day given thanks for his resurrection,
praise him in the eternal city
of which he is the light;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Keep a short time
of silence to give thanks for the good things of the day
Be present, O
merciful God,
and protect us through the silent hours of this night,
so that we who are wearied
by the changes and chances of this
fleeting world,
may rest upon your eternal changelessness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Keep a short time
of silence to empty the thoughts of the day
Lord’s Prayer
Look down, O God, from
your heavenly throne,
illuminate the darkness of this night with your celestial
brightness,
and from the children of light banish the deeds of darkness;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
A Time of Silence
is kept
The Lord almighty
grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
Amen.
Much prayer is corporate, that is to
say we do it together and this is reflected in much of what you
will say when you come to Church. Yet there is another side to
our prayer life, our own individual prayers.
Whether you are a child, young person
or an adult, it is easier than you might imagine! Millions of
people of every age pray every day. You don't have to know any
prayers if you want to pray - in fact, words can often get in
the way. Say what is in your heart, what you feel.
Remember!
God hears every prayer - but not all
prayers are answered in the way we might expect or desire!
'Arrow' Prayers
can be offered to God anywhere, at any time.
Thankfully we don't (usually) live
all our lives in moments of extreme crisis. What about
day-to-day praying? We need to come closer to God, to experience
His love for us and to try to make sense of where we are in the
world. Prayer is the way we do this.
How to start?
There are lots of ways and the next few pages are some examples
of how we might begin to pray.
However you pray, and whether you
have your own way or use one of the ways described in this
Booklet, it is always good to have a few general guidelines -
-
Wherever it is possible set aside regular times for prayer.
-
Have some idea of what and who you want to pray for.
-
Ask God in prayer, but don’t forget to give thanks as well.
We speak – God listens
God speaks – we listen
Try some of these patterns
Prayer Pattern -
1 Use your hand.
Your fingers can be used to bring to
your mind different things to pray for.
Thumb - this is
the strongest digit on your hand. Give thanks for all the strong
things in your life that support and sustain you.
Index finger -
this is the pointing finger. Pray for all those people and
organisations in your life which guide and help you. Examples
might be friends, teachers, doctors, nurses, emergency services
and so on.
Middle finger -
this is the tallest finger. Pray for all the people who have
power, like world leaders and their governments, Members of
Parliament and local councillors, the Royal Family, and the
people who support them in their work.
Ring finger -
this is the weakest finger on your hand. It cannot do much by
itself. Remember the poor, the weak, the helpless, the hungry,
the sick, the ill and the bereaved.
Little finger -
this is the smallest and the last finger on your hand. Pray for
yourself.
Prayer Point 1 -
Do I have to kneel to pray?
Only if you want to.
Prayer Pattern -
2 ACTS
This serves to remind us of the
Prayer life of the early church and the ‘Acts of the Apostles’
but it is also a jolly good acronym for a daily prayer
discipline -
A - is for
Adoration. Begin your time of prayer by acknowledging how great
God really is - One of the prayers in the anthology section
begins, ‘You are holy, Lord, the only God, and your deeds are
wonderful....’
C - is for
Confession. Then move into a time in which you bring before God
anything which you know is not right in your life. Someone once
said, ‘the only sins God is aware of are the ones we haven’t
told Him about’!! The great gift of God where sin is concerned
is the gift of forgiveness - so tell Him.
T - is for
Thanksgiving. Very often prayer can become a shopping list of
‘God... will you do this, that and the other’. Nothing at all
wrong with such asking, but it is a good idea to give thanks
first.
S - is for
Supplication. This is when we ask God to hear our prayers.
Sometimes these can be simple prayers, God bless mummy, daddy,
nanny, grampy, auntie dot etc., etc., etc..... other times they
can be focused on one person or particular need.
It is good to finish with a formal
prayer - The Lord’s Prayer is an example of such a concluding
prayer.
Prayer Point 2 -
Is silence needed for
prayer?
No - but it is
helpful not to have too much distracting background noise.
Prayer Pattern -
3 Lord - how do we pray?
Jesus’ followers asked him this
question - and he replied by relating to them the prayer which
is the most famous in the world, the one we call the ‘Lord’s
Prayer’.
This has 3 sections - The first
section consists of a series of statements about God. The second
section is a series of requests with a ‘twist’. The third
section has been added by the church as a concluding sentence.
The Lord’s Prayer can be used as a framework for our own prayers
by using each phrase as a starter for our own prayers as
follows:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name; this is rather like the A
in Acts (see previous page) and is an acknowledgement of God’s
holiness. After you have said these words, take time to praise
God who is the infinite creator God.
thy kingdom come; thy will be
done, in earth as it is in heaven. This
continues the theme of God’s greatness and can lead us to pray
for the ministry of His church on earth, that His mission will
be done on earth, and it can help us to focus prayers on places
where there is strife and unrest.
Give us this day our daily bread.
This begins the second section of the prayer
and it is an opportunity for us to pray for our needs; as
another prayer puts it, ‘that which is most expedient for us’.
There is nothing wrong with praying for one’s self —— sometimes
we need to earnestly!
And forgive us our trespasses, as
we forgive them that trespass against us. This
is a confessional with a two edged sword. We need to bring
before God those things which are wrong in our life; our
impatience, temper, intemperance, harsh words, impure thoughts
and all that might be described as ‘sin’. But when others wrong
us we need to be able to forgive them. So in this section, as
hard as it may be, we need to pray for those who have hurt us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil. This section gives us
an opportunity to pray for things that are coming up in the
future - that meeting or appointment, that holiday or contract,
anything which we are planning. It is an opportunity to listen
to God’s word before we make decisions - but careful though, it
is not meant to help us prevaricate or have someone (God) to
blame if we make the wrong decision.
For thine is the kingdom, the
power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
This is the part added by the church and we can use this to
conclude our prayer time with thanksgiving and praise.
Prayer Point 3 -
Do I need to write
things down for prayer?
Some people keep a
prayer diary and find this very useful, it isn’t obligatory, but
try it and see if it helps.
Prayer Pattern 4 –
Persistent
Psalmody
The Psalms are the day-by-day link
between two sides of Christian responses to God; the ‘Collective
Worship’ of the gathered community we call ‘church’ when it
comes together to worship and the ‘Re-collective
Worship’ of individual Christians for the specific and
personal thanksgiving, penitential and intercessory prayers
which we are called to pray as and when they are needed.
Coming from the Judaic roots of
Christianity and over centuries distilled into the regular
pattern of the spiritual life of monastic, especially
Benedictine, early Christianity, the Psalms have been said on
weekly or monthly cycles. Amazingly, and encouragingly, the
Anglican corpus of liturgy retains the following pattern of
praying the Psalms according to the Judeo-Christian traditions
which date back some 3000 years. This pattern of prayer is raw,
dynamic and life changing – Praying the Psalms in this twice
daily pattern is the most recommended of all the patterns in
this small booklet.
Psalms 1- 5: Day 1. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 6- 8: Day 1. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 9-11: Day 2. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 12-14: Day 2. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 15-17: Day 3. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 18: Day 3: Evening Prayer.
Psalms 19-21: Day 4. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 22-23: Day 4. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 24-26: Day 5. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 27-29. Day 5. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 30-31: Day 6. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 32-34: Day 6. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 35-36: Day 7. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 37: Day 7: Evening Prayer.
Psalms 38- 40: Day 8. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 41- 43: Day 8. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 44- 46: Day 9. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 47- 49: Day 9. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 50- 52: Day 10. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 53- 55: Day 10. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 56- 58: Day 11. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 59- 61: Day 11. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 62- 64: Day 12. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 65- 67: Day 12. Evening Prayer.
Psalm 68: Day 13: Morning Prayer.
Psalms 69-70: Day 13. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 71-72: Day 14. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 73-74: Day 14. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 75-77: Day 15. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 78: Day 15: Evening Prayer.
Psalms 79-81: Day 16. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 82-85: Day 16. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 86-88: Day 17. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 89:
Day 17. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 90-92: Day 18. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 93-94: Day 18. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 95-97: Day 19. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 98-101: Day 19.
Evening Prayer.
Psalms 102-103: Day 20. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 104: Day 20. Evening Prayer.
Psalm 105: Day 21. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 106: Day 21. Evening Prayer.
Psalm 107: Day 22. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 108-109: Day 22. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 110-113: Day 23. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 114-115: Day 23. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 116-118: Day 24. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 119 v1-32: Day 24. Evening Prayer.
Psalm 119 v33-72: Day 25. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 119 v73-104: Day 25. Evening Prayer.
Psalm 119 v105-144: Day 26. Morning Prayer.
Psalm 119 v145-176: Day 26. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 120-125: Day 27. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 126-131. Day 27. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 132-135: Day 28. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 136-138: Day 28. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 139-141: Day 29. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 142-143: Day 29. Evening Prayer.
Psalms 144-146: Day 30. Morning Prayer.
Psalms 147-150: Day 30. Evening Prayer.
Prayer Pattern 5 - Using your senses
It can be very helpful to focus on
something as you pray. Some examples of this are:
Candles - Think
about what or who you are going to pray for. Then light one or
more candles. If you are going to pray for one person or thing,
maybe just light one candle, if for several then perhaps light
one candle for each. Night lights (tea lights) are very good and
can burn for a long time. There are short stubby candles which
are sold as ‘church candles’ and are very good for this. You can
buy wrought iron candlesticks very easily these days to allow
candles to be ‘3D’ in their effect.
Icons - Icons are
very special pictures. They are not images in the manner
proscribed by the second commandment. Icons have been described
as ‘Doorways to the Sacred’ and they are used to help us focus
not on the picture itself, but on what is ‘behind’ the picture.
So, an Icon of Christ is not an idol or image, but a doorway to
help us focus on the divinity of Christ. Very often they can be
used to concentrate prayers on the nature of God and can be aids
to praise and thanksgiving. Candles and Icons can be used
together.
Pictures - The
use of pictures can help us in many ways and a picture of nature
in all its glory can be a tremendous aid to prayer. Pictures
that are not pretty can also be helpful in aiding our
prayers for those in need.
Music - The use
of music can be a wonderful aid to prayer. Such music can be
ancient or modern, simple or grand, short or long, played once
or played repetitively. You can chose different music to help
prayer with different themes.
Incense - This
can be used to give a sense of well-being - after all, prayer
should touch all our senses.
O God, the living
God, who has
put your own
eternity in our hearts,
and has made us to
hunger and
thirst after you.
Satisfy, we pray you, the
instincts which
you have implanted in
us, that we may
find you in life, and life in you,
through Jesus
Christ our Lord.
Anon
O Lord, help us to
turn and seek you; for you
have not forsaken
your creatures as we have
forsaken you, our
Creator. Let us turn and seek you,
for we know you
are here in our hearts when we
confess to you,
when we cast ourselves on you and
weep because of
our evil ways. You gently wipe away
our tears and we
weep all the more for joy because
you, Lord, who
made us, remake and comfort us
Hear, Lord, my
prayer, and grant that
I may love you
completely
Let the knowledge
of you increase in me here, and there let it come to its
fullness. Let your love grow in me here, and there let it be
fulfilled, so that here my joy may be in a great hope,
Anselm
for it was by your
gift that I first believed,
and now by your
illumination I understand.
Anselm
for all the
benefits which thou hast won for us,
for all the pains
and insults which thou hast borne for us.
O most merciful
Redeemer,
Friend and
Brother,
may we know thee
more clearly,
love thee more
dearly
and follow thee
more nearly day by day
Richard of
Lord, I do not
know what I ought to ask of you;
you alone know
what I need; you love me better
than I know how to
love myself. 0 Father, give to your
child that for
which he himself knows not how to ask.
I dare not ask
either for crosses or consolations, I
simply present
myself to you, I open my heart to you.
Behold my needs
which I know not myself, see and do
according to your
tender mercy. Let me suffer, or heal;
cast me down, or
raise me up, I adore all your
purposes without
knowing them; I am silent, I offer
myself in
sacrifice, I yield myself to you, I would have
no other desire
than to accomplish your will.
Teach me to pray,
Pray yourself in me
François
de la Mothe-Fénelon
to hear and to
answer the prayer
that is sincere:
Let not our hearts be
upon the world
when our hands are
lifted up to pray
nor our prayers end
upon our lips, but
go forth with power
to work thy will
in the world, through
Jesus Christ our
Lord.
Eric Milner-White
goodness, who
knows the thoughts of our
hearts, we confess
that we have sinned against you,
and done what you
see as evil. Wash us, we implore
you, from the
stains of our past sins, and give us grace
and power to put
away all hurtful things so that,
being delivered
from the bondage of sin, we may
produce the good
fruits of repentance.
Alcuin
Forgive me my
sins, 0 Lord; forgive me the sins
of my youth and
the sins of mine age, the sins of
my soul, and the
sins of my body, my secret and my
whispering sins,
my presumptuous and my crying
sins, the sins
that I have done to please myself, and
the sins that I
have done to please others. Forgive me
those sins which I
know, and those sins which I know
not, forgive them,
0 Lord,
forgive them all
of thy great goodness.
Private Devotions
1560
our Saviour, not
in the next world, but in this,
that you will
change and alter all that is within us, as
you helped the
blind to see and the lame to walk, that
your nature may be
formed and created in our hearts,
your humility and
self-denial, your love of the Father,
the desire of
doing his will and seeking only his
honour; that so
the
and our possession
for ever, world without end.
Deliver me, O God,
from all
idolatrous love of any creature.
Preserve me from
all such blind affection
Be a guard to all
my desire And be my security
that I may never
open my heart to anything
but out of love to
you.
John Wesley
Christ be with me,
Christ within me,
Christ before me,
Christ beside me
Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts
of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of
friend and stranger
Attributed to St.
Patrick of
Give me your
strength; give me your love; and be
the motive of all
the use I make of my
understanding, my
affections, my senses, my health,
my time, and
whatever other talents I have received
from you. Only
thus can I fulfil my duty and your
command of loving
you with all my heart, and mind,
and soul and
strength.
John Wesley
Stir us up to
offer to you, 0 Lord, our
bodies, our souls,
our spirits, in all
we love and all we
learn, in all we plan
and all we do, to
offer our labours, our
pleasures, our
sorrows to you, to work
through them for
your Kingdom, to live
as those who are
not their own, but
bought with your
blood
Charles Kingsley
O Divine Master,
grant that I may
not so much seek
To be consoled, as
to console;
To be understood,
as to understand,
To be loved, as to
love;
For it is in
giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning
that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying
that we are born
To eternal life
Francis of
the multitudes
who, though created in your
image, have not
known you, nor the dying of your Son
their Saviour
Jesus Christ; Grant that by the prayers
and work of your
holy church they may be delivered
from all ignorance
and unbelief, and brought to
worship you;
through him whom you have sent to be
the resurrection
and the life of all people, your Son
Jesus Christ our
Lord
Francis Xavier
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
And lovest all
whom thou hast made,
suffer not our
family to separate itself from thee
by building
barriers of race and colour.
As thy Son, our
Saviour, was born of a Hebrew mother,
but rejoiced in
the faith of a Syrian woman
and of a Roman
soldier,
welcomed the
Greeks who sought him,
and suffered a man
from
so teach us to
regard the members of all races
as fellow-heirs of
the kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Toc H Prayer
O Lord, the author
and persuader of peace, love
and goodwill,
soften our hard and steely
hearts, warm our
icy and frozen hearts, that we may
wish one another
well, and may be the true disciples
of Jesus Christ.
And give us grace even now to begin
to display that
heavenly life in which there is no
disagreement or
hatred, but peace and love on all
hands, one towards
another.
Ludovicus Vives
O Lord, help us to
forgive as we
would be forgiven;
neither
mentioning old
offences committed
against us, nor
dwelling upon them in
thought, nor being
influenced by them in
heart; but loving
our brother freely as
you freely loved
us.
Christina Rossetti
Lord, make
possible for me by grace what is
impossible to me
by nature. You know that I am
not able to endure
very much, and that I am downcast
by the slightest
difficulty. Grant that for your sake
I may come to love
and desire any hardship that puts
me to the test,
for salvation is brought to my soul
when I undergo
suffering and trouble for you.
Thomas à Kempis
Almighty God, have
mercy on us, who, when
troubled with the
things that are past, lose
faith, and life,
and courage, and hope. So have mercy
on us, and uphold
us, that we, being sustained by a
true faith that
you are merciful and forgiving, may go
on in the life of
the future to keep your commandments,
to rejoice in your
generosity to trust in your mercy
and to hope in
eternal life. Grant to all of us, whatever
may happen to us,
to remember always that it is all of
your guidance,
under your care, by your will; that so,
in darkest days,
seeing you we may have courage to
go on, faith to
endure, patience to bear, and
hopefulness to
hold out, even to the end
George Dawson
Some Prayers from
the Book of Common Prayer
O GOD,
the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee
for all sorts and conditions: that thou wouldest be pleased to
make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all
nations. More especially, we pray for the good estate of the
Catholick Church; that it may be so guided and governed by thy
good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians
may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of
spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.
Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those, who are
any ways afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate;
that it may please thee to comfort and relieve them, according
to their several necessities, giving them patience under their
sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And
this we beg for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.
A Prayer of
St. Chrysostom.
ALMIGHTY
God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to
make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise, that
when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt
grant their requests; Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and
petitions of thy servants, as may be most expedient for them;
granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the
world to come life everlasting. Amen.
A Collect from
Morning Prayer
O LORD,
our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast
safely brought us to the beginning of this day; Defend us in the
same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into
no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our
doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is
righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Guild of St.
Winefride’s Prayer
God our Father you
give us joy in honouring the memory of St. Winefride. May her
example of courage and faith be our inspiration. Through Jesus
Christ our Lord, Amen
Hear our humble
prayer, 0 God, for our friends the animals, especially for
animals who are suffering;
for any that are
hunted or lost
or deserted or
frightened or hungry;
for all that must
be put to death.
We entreat for
them all thy mercy and pity and for those
who deal with them
we ask a heart of compassion,
gentle hands and
kindly words.
Make us ourselves
to be true friends to animals and so to share the blessing of
the merciful.
Albert Schweitzer
- this reminds us
we share ‘one world’!
And to close
..........
May the road rise
to meet you.
May the wind be
always at your back.
May the sun shine
warm upon your face,
the rains fall
soft upon your fields
and, until we meet
again, may God
hold you in the
palm of His hand.
A Celtic Prayer
2 Corinthians
xiii.
THE
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
– Contemporary and Traditional
Our Father in
heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Our Father, who
art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
© The Archbishops'
Council 2000
Original material ©
Paul Firmin 2003 - 2011
Reprinted 2011 – with
thanks to Philip Cobb for proof-reading.
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