Services
Thursday 1 May Silent Prayer from 1-130pm
You are invited to join others in church on 1 May for our monthly silent prayer session. You may find this prayer sheet helpful – please bring a copy with you. If you are not able to join us, we hope you will pray with us wherever you are.
Our text for May: Jesus said, ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ John 13 vv 34-35
Let us pray for the church and the world and thank God for his goodness. Heavenly Father we pray for the fellowship of the church that supports and helps us to put our faith into practice.
Strengthen us Lord in your service that we may be an encouragement to others and hold fast to all that is good.
As we continue our journey through Eastertide, we prepare to celebrate Christ’s Ascension on 29 May and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost on 8 June.
We pray for all the clergy and members of our congregation who will lead services and events at St Giles’ while Fr Jack in on his ‘Sabbatical’ leave.
We remember all who served in the armed forces and auxiliary organisations during WWII as we celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe on 8 May including those who died or were injured serving their country while striving for peace in Europe.
We pray for peace in all areas of the world were war, violence, unrest and terrorism are faced by so many, especially in Ukraine, the Holy Land and Sudan. We pray that world leaders will have the wisdom and courage to know what is right for their own nations but that also brings peace and harmony between nations in our troubled world. We pray for the United Nations and other humanitarian organisations that work to bring peace, humanitarian relief, justice and reconciliation.
Comfort and heal all who suffer in body mind or spirit, remembering all who live with long term illness and those who care for them. Give them courage and comfort in their troubles and bring them the joy of your salvation. We pray for those known to us who need our prayers including those on the church prayer board.
We give thanks for the wonder of God’s world around us, in our parks and gardens, for the joy of the warmer weather so we can enjoy and find peace and refreshment outside in these beautiful places. We pray for all who work to stop climate change and pollution with green and sustainable programmes to safeguard God’s world for future generations.
Give grace to us, our families, our friends and all our neighbours that we may serve Christ in one another and love as he loves us.
Merciful Father, accept our prayers for the sake of your Son our Savour Jesus Christ Amen
We finish by saying the Lord’s Prayer.
A Prayer for all the people of the Holy Land
God of mercy and compassion, of grace and reconciliation, pour down your power upon all your children in the Holy Land: Jews, Muslims, Christians, Palestinians, Israelis.
Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope, oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation, that violent encounters may be replaced with loving embraces, and peace and justice can be experienced by all. Amen
Prayer for Peace in Ukraine
God of peace and justice, we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace, for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at-risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen
Lectionary for Sunday Parish Eucharists at 10am for May 2025
18th May 5th Sunday of Easter
Genesis 22. 1-18
Acts 11. 1-18
John 13. 31-35
25th May 6th Sunday of Easter
Ezekiel 37. 1-14
Acts 16. 9-15
John 14. 23-29