Prayer
What is Prayer?
Prayer is the way we can communicate with God, we can give thanks, ask for help for ourselves, for people in trouble and places and communities. In our services in church buildings we pray together, saying prayers on behalf of other – intercessions, sometimes known as the Prayers of the People. We can pray on our own or with other people, prayer does not have to use words.
Praying does not have use long sentences, it can be as short as God, help me, or longer. There is no secret formula, God delights and love us and we can communicate with God at any time. You may wish to light a candle as an act of prayer. More resources can be found on the ‘Food for Thought’ page.
Some prayers are below, the Lord’s Prayer (two versions below) and Collect for Purity. These are used in services but can be a good place to start. The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer that Jesus taught.
Almighty God,
Collect for Purity
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Our Father in heaven,
Lords Prayer (Contemporary Version)
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.
Do not bring us to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Lords Prayer (Traditional Words)
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.