Prayers for Troubled Times

Former Moderators of  General Assembly, the Revd Nigel Uden and Derek Estill, offered the following prayer as the UK and the rest of the world came to terms with the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.’
Psalm 46:1, NRSV

As so much is re-shaped by Coronavirus Covid 19, let us pray with people left unwell, beckoned by death or bereaved;
people providing professional health care and advice, looking after loved ones at home or working to create treatments and cures;
people shaping the response of nations and neighbourhoods, of commerce and industry, of service and voluntary organisations and of communities of faith;
people who are anxious or afraid, alone or isolated.

Living, loving God,
we praise you,
and through times of peril we lean into you,
for in Jesus Christ
you have trodden paths as difficult as ours,
revealing there a love that nothing defeats,
a love that bears us through.

Even as we strive to behave responsibly,
and to care reliably,
so we feel after you
that in these uncertain times we might trust you are with us,
our refuge and strength,
and our faith, hope and love might be renewed,
through Jesus Christ, Amen.


A prayer from Jan Berry:

God our refuge,
we seek your protection.
Protect the vulnerable from illness:
those who are old and frail,
weakened by years and struggle;
those who care for others,
expending energy and love;
those for whom inability to work
means hardship and poverty.

Protect us
from the greed and suspicion
which snatches at our own security
stock-piling and panic-buying
that deprives others of the necessities of life.

Protect us from the shortsightedness
which sees the germ in our own eyes
and ignores the plagues
of hunger, war and violence
that take so many lives each day.

Protect us from the isolation
that leads to loneliness and despair
denying the interconnectedness
that links us with one another.

God our refuge
in our panic and fear
may we not lose sight of our common humanity
that makes us one people in you. Amen.


Prayers in a Pandemic

During the height of the Pandemic the URC Daily Devotion team wrote weekly prayers to bring us comfort and spiritual support during the Coronavirus pandemic.  We were invited to use these devotions in our private prayers and prayer groups.

These prayers have now been made available in a booklet, which can be downloaded on this button:

Collected Prayers during the Pandemic Booklet

The following prayer was suggested when lighting a candle during a call to prayer by the presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE):

For all that is good in life, thank you,
For the love of family and friends, thank you,
For the kindness of good neighbour and Samaritan stranger, thank you.

May those who are vulnerable, hungry or homeless, experience support,
May those who are sick, know healing,
May those who are anxious or bereaved, sense comfort.

Bless and guide political leaders and decision-makers, with wisdom,
Bless and guide health workers and key workers, with strength and well-being,
Bless and guide each one of us, as we adapt to a new way of living.

And may the light shining from our windows,
across road and wynd, glen and ben, kyle and isle,
be reflected in our hearts and hands and hopes.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.


You can also download here a printable leaflet of suggested prayers and prayer themes issued by the Church of England in their recent Call to Prayer for the Nation.