Tips For Form Prayer Time
It is important that prayer time takes place in school every day. Twice a week this takes place
in assembly, but on other days, this takes place in form time.
There are many ways which form tutors choose to make form prayers. Here are some ideas
below:

Begin and end your prayers by making the sign of the cross. Always insist on silence.
It might help to get the pupils to close their eyes or bow their heads.

Special intentions – once a relationship is built up within your form and you have
created an atmosphere of trust, you can ask the students for their own special
intentions to pray about during prayer time. Invite students to offer up anything that is
happening in their lives at the moment that they would like to pray about. Students
could also offer up ideas for prayers on a local community scale, or on a worldwide
scale. Examples that come from students could include a sick relative, a brother/sister
doing exams, a parent going on a trip, a pet going to the vets etc. Ask students if they
have seen the news or read a newspaper with an example of a global issue, war,
poverty, disaster, racial prejudice, murder, ecological disaster, pollution etc. Once the
students have offered up what they would like to pray about that day, ask everyone in
the form to picture in their head someone they would like to pray for that day, and
then all say together the Hail Mary or the Our Father, and end with the form tutor
asking Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to listen to all our special intentions, and take our
prayers to God. AMEN

Have a rota in the form for each pupil to choose the prayer for the day from the form
prayer book, or to bring in one of their own.

Only say prayers when you have the time, never rush them. Don’t use prayers as just
a tag on to the end of form time. You can use prayer time during morning registration
or during form time.

Make sure that the form understands that prayer time is special, and is part of our
communication with God. Prayers said, can be asking prayers, thanking prayers,
sorrowful prayers or adoration prayers.

Make sure that if special intentions are used, the form understands what is talked
about in the form, stays within the form. Form prayer time is part of building a form
special relationship between one another, and learning a respect for one another.
At the back of this prayer book there are blank pages for you to stick in prayers, which you
come across, or prayers brought in by your form. You could also ask your form to write their
own prayers and then stick them in to the back, to use during prayer time.
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Traditional Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
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. AMEN
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee,
Blessed art thou amongst women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now, and at the hour of our death.
AMEN
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
That never was it known,
that anyone who fled to your protection,
Implored your help, or sought your
intercession and was left unaided.
Inspired with this confidence,
I fly unto you, O virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and
sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word incarnate,
despise not my petitions,
But in your mercy, hear and answer me.
For The Faithful Departed
Eternal rest, grant unto them/him/her, O
Lord,
And let perpetual light,
Shine upon them/him/her.
May they/he/she, rest in peace. AMEN
Prayer To The Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your
faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your
love. Send forth your spirit and they shall be
created. And you shall renew the face of the
earth. Let us pray, O God, who has taught the
hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy
Spirit, that, by the gift of the same spirit, we
may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in his
consolation.
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Hail, Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, mother of mercy;
Hail our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
To you we send up our sighs,
Mourning and weeping in this vale of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
Your eyes of mercy towards us;
And after this, our exile,
Show to us the blessed fruit of your womb
Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.
AMEN
Prayers To God
God Be In My Head
God be in my head, and in my understanding:
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and my departing.
Book of Hours (1514)
Prayer Of Dedication
Lord Jesus,
I give you my hands to do your work.
I give you my feet to go your way.
I give you my eyes to see as you do.
I give you my tongue to speak your words.
I give you my mind that you may think in me.
I give you my spirit that you may pray in me.
Above all,
I give you my heart that you may love in me,
your father, and all mankind.
I give you my whole self that you may grow in
me, so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and
work and pray in me.
The Lord Our Shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in fields of green grass
and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
He gives me new strength.
He guides me in the right paths,
as he has promised.
Even if I go through the deepest darkness,
I will not be afraid, Lord,
for you are with me.
Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me.
You prepare a banquet for me,
where all my enemies can see me;
you welcome me as an honoured guest
and fill my cup to the brim.
I know that your goodness and love will be with
me all my life;
and your house will be my home as long as I
live.
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The Gate Of The Year
I said to the man who stood at the gate of the
year, ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely
into the unknown’. And he replied – ‘Go out into
the darkness and put your hand into the hand
of God. That shall be to you better than light
and safer than a known way!’ So I went forth
and finding the hand of God, trod gladly into
the night. And he led me towards the hills and
the breaking of day in the lone east.
M.L. Haskins (1875-1957)
Prayer To Our Father
Father, give us your help, whatever life is like.
In difficulty, keep us from discouragement,
and in failure, from despair.
In joy, help us never to forget to
sympathise with others who are sad,
and in sorrow, help us to cope for the
future as well as remember the past.
In success, keep us from conceit,
And when things go well, keep us from thinking
that we do not need you.
Help us to remember that there is no situation
in which you cannot help us,
and no time in which we do not need your help.
Morning Prayers
Morning Prayer
Lord, a new day is beginning
with its joys and difficulties,
with its successes and defeats.
My mind is filled with projects
and my heart is filled with love.
I know, having had it happen so many times,
that I will not realize half my plans
nor will I love half as much as I would like…..
Bless all that I might do
and forgive my indolence
or my too great ambition.
May the love that I’ll give today
be unselfish
and forgive me, in advance,
the weakness of my feelings.
Give me enough faith to see in You,
in my brothers and sisters
and give them enough hope
to seek You in me.
Let me be, today,
an instrument of your peace,
that I may work for You
in all I do and say.
Lord, bless my day.
A New Day
Thank you Lord, for this day;
For the dawn which is a sign of the sureness of
your love,
your presence,
your forgiveness,
your companionship,
All the days of our lives.
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Be With Us Lord
Accompany each of us.
Let us be friendly with everyone we meet.
Let us also be open to you, Lord,
during this day,
because you, Lord,
come to us,
every day of our life!
Reflection For The Morning
From behind the clouds the morning sun
appears, and light begins to shine on a new day.
God of the Covenant, I am glad to be able to
start, today, a new task, to start all over again,
in health and good spirits. I bless you, my God,
for the great will to love and because you
accompany me, guide me, direct my steps, and
give me faith. I am grateful to you for the
miracles we discover at each moment that
helps us to live and to use the works of your
creation. Praised be you, my Lord, for this new
day that is born. Give me your help and
guidance. Guide me with your inspiration,
benevolence and blessing. Help me to fulfil my
duties, and to achieve my aims. May your light,
the divine light, continue to shine upon me.
May this new day be for me and for everyone,
another day of your glory and a day of peace
and happiness. Amen.
Good Morning, Lord
Good morning, Lord.
Thank you for bringing me to this day.
I put myself into your hands for today.
Direct all my thoughts, words and actions,
so that they will be in accordance with your
will, and for your honour and glory.
I start this day in trust in you, Lord.
It may be ordinary,
A day of work or study,
I give it to you.
I offer you the hours of this day,
That now, or later, they may be in your service.
I pray for those I meet.
May I bring, in some small way,
A dawning of peace in their lives.
Prayers For The Day
Sent Every Day
In the rushing hours of daily lives,
you send us, Lord, to create the joy,
of being together,
and sharing our friendship.
In our everyday tasks,
you send us to do things and say things,
which bring happiness and do away with
indifference.
In our everyday meetings,
You send us to give a sign of welcome to
everyone, to overcome the pride which divides,
and to build bridges of friendship between
people.
You count on each one of us,
to sow the Good News of your love in people’s
lives today;
you need our hands, our eyes, our lips, our
minds.
With the light of your Word and the strength
of your love,
we are ready to proclaim,
that you are here,
in people’s lives,
like a loving parent.
Prayer
Almighty God,
you are with us always,
though we are often blind and deaf to your
presence.
Help us to see you and hear you in our lives,
through Jesus Christ your Son.
AMEN
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An Everyday Prayer
O Lord, my Father, my Creator, my Friend,
thank you for this new day.
Thank you for those who love me and care for
me. Thank you for the wonder of my being, for
gifts of mind, heart and body. Thank you for
all the good things I enjoy and the trials which
make me strong.
Help me O lord, to make the best of every
hour of this day. Save me from fear,
selfishness and greed. Help me to enjoy the
love I receive, and to share my love with a glad
and generous heart.
May no one suffer today because of me. May
no one go hungry because of my greed. May no
one be lonely because I do not care. May my
heart be open to those who need me. May I
grow in strength, in joy, in love today. May I
seek what is true, noble and pure. May I begin
and end this day in your presence and walk
through my life secure, for I am never alone.
Thank you Lord, for your love, presence and
protection. Thank you for guarding me as the
apple of your eye.
On This Day
Mend a quarrel.
Search out a forgotten friend.
Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.
Share some treasure.
Give some answers.
Encourage youth.
Manifest your loyalty in a word or deed.
Keep a promise.
Find the time.
Forego a grudge.
Forgive an enemy.
Listen.
Apologise if you were wrong.
Try to understand.
Flout envy.
Examine your deeds on others.
Think first of someone else.
Appreciate, be kind and gentle.
Laugh a little more.
Worship your God.
Take pleasure in the beauty of the earth.
Prayers For A School Day
At The Start Of The Term
Father, we ask you to bless us
as we take a new step in our lives today.
Keep in us a sense of wonder at the marvels of
life.
Help us to be keen to explore the world of
knowledge.
Lead us to make good use of our talents and
work well with others.
Bless us that we may grow strong in your love
and in concern for the good of all people.
May we learn from each other and grow in
friendship with Jesus, your Son. AMEN
For Our School Community
Father, we thank you for our school community,
knowing that we can learn from each other and
grow in faith.
We pray for all involved in our school, that all
of us may grow as the people you call us to be.
AMEN
Growing In Faith, Confidence And Respect
For Others
Father, enable our young people
to live the vision that you have for each of
them,
and lead them to grow in confidence in who
they are,
and in the faith that you call each of them by
name.
Show them how to live in such a way that they
respect others for who they are.
Inspire them to be generous in praising other
people, and in showing appreciation for the
efforts and achievements of others. AMEN
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Wisdom, Talents, Service, Priorities
Lord, you have enriched our lives in many ways.
Give us this day the wisdom to recognise which
things are important and which are not.
Show us how best to use the time and talents
you have given us.
Help us to use all opportunities wisely that we
may give in service to others the good gifts we
have received from you. AMEN
Treating People With Respect, Care And
Understanding
Lord, we ask for the power of your spirit in our
school, so that adults and young people alike
may always see the need to treat others
generously, with respect and courtesy, and
care and understanding.
As you cured the people who were blind, lead
us to focus on the positive rather than the
negative, so that we may all bring out the best
in one another. AMEN
Reaching Our Potential
Lord, may we all respond well to your invitation
to live fully and make the best use of our skills
and talents. Show us that rather than draw
comparisons with others, each of us is called to
look at our own potential. Inspire us all to be
generous in praising others for the good use of
their abilities – looking not so much at the
degree of achievement – but at the efforts put
in. AMEN
A Student’s Prayer
Teach me, Lord, how to learn wisely and well.
Help me to master the subjects I need to
study and never give in to despair or boredom.
Help me to remember how fortunate I am to
be able to study, to grow in knowledge. Give
me wisdom that I may treasure knowledge.
May I use my opportunities gratefully, develop
my talents responsibly, and put my learning to
the service of truth and justice. Make me to
be wise and strong, that I may learn from life
itself, and never turn away from you. AMEN
Prayers For Exams
When You Are Doing Exams
We pray that in the coming exams you will keep
each of us calm and bring back to our minds all
that we have learnt. AMEN
Dear Lord,
Help me when I feel panicky about my exams.
Help me to realise that it only matters if the
mark is good for me, not for anyone else. Wish
me luck. AMEN
Lord, My heart is pulsating and my tummy is
quivering and my mind is whirring. Oh please,
refresh me with your peace.
I pray, dear God, that as my exams approach, I
may feel calm,
Let your peace shine through me,
that others may glimpse the serenity within
me, and want to discover its source.
Please remove the ominous, depressive cloud
which seems to hover over exams, and replace
it with sunshine.
Let me look forward to my exams, seeing them
as a time when I can share my knowledge of
things.
Please help me not to worry Lord, for worrying
solves no problems.
If my marks are good, please help me not to
rest on my laurels.
If my marks are bad, please help me not to
despair. You love me Lord, and I love you.
That is more important than any exam result.
Thank you for hearing me. AMEN
Dear God,
Please help me in my exams. Help me to
understand the questions. AMEN
Dear God,
Please help me through my exams. Stop me
from cheating which wouldn’t be right. I feel
hopeless at the moment, but would be more
assured if I can send this prayer. AMEN
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Father, I thank you that you are always with
me, especially when I am in difficulty. Guide
and help me through these exams so that I
may do justice to all I have learned. I
dedicate them to you and pray that I do them
for your glory and not my own. I pray for
everyone doing exams and that you may guide
and help all of them. Help us to keep their
importance in perspective Lord, and to use
them to draw closer to you. AMEN
Dear God,
Help us through this difficult time of exams.
Help us to do as well as we can so that we can
obtain qualifications we need to do what you
have in mind for us. We know that even if we
do not do as well as we expected, you still love
us and still have a purpose for us. Perhaps you
are teaching us patience by getting us to
retake them, or perhaps you have something
entirely different in mind. If we do as well, or
better than expected, then we must remember
that without you we would have got nowhere,
whether we acknowledge it or not, because
without your gifts of life, intelligence, a
conscience, and of course, a soul, we are
nothing. We pray that you may relieve the
exam stress that affects so many people so
that we can do our best. Thank you O God.
Dear Lord,
When I take exams, let me go the extra mile
with revision. I know that if I fail, you will be
there to say I haven’t. When I’m feeling down
about exams, help cheer me up. Thank you
Lord. AMEN
Lord, we pray for those about to sit exams
that they may remain calm and at peace so
that they may be able to make the best use of
their talents and the study they have done,
and the education they have been given. Let
nothing prevent them from doing as well as
they deserve, and may they be ready to
support and encourage one another. For our
own talents and the education and support that
we receive, we give thanks. AMEN
Prayers For Making An Important Decision
Eeney meaney miney mo,
Help me find the way to go. AMEN
Father,
You know that I am afraid, and I don’t know
which way to turn. Please Lord, come down
and comfort me, and help me make the right
decisions. Please Lord, help all those who
are going through the same experience as I
am. Give them strength through your Holy
Spirit. Lord, I ask this in your name, AMEN
Lord,
When we have a difficult or important decision to
make, please help us to make the best and wisest
choice. If the decision is going to hurt others, let
us forget about it, or if it is good for others, let
us stick to our decision through to the end.
AMEN
O Lord,
We pray that you will be with us to help and guide
us whenever we have an important decision in our
lives. We know that we can trust you to be by our
sides, to give us the strength and help that we so
often need. We also ask that you will help us to
be grateful and cheerful for all the wonderful
things in life that you have given to us, but we so
often take for granted. Help us to remember
that you are always there when we need help and
that you know which is the right road for each
one of us. Lord hear our prayer and always be by
our side. AMEN
Dear Lord,
Making decisions can be very lonely and difficult.
May we have the courage to use what talents we
have wisely, and live this day to the full. AMEN
Please Lord,
This decision could be a turning point in my
life. Shine your light to show me the right
path to take. I know that you will show me
the way. I know that you will always be with
me, loving me, and I trust you to show me
the right path. AMEN
Lord God,
We are making decisions every day.
Important decisions can often tell you
where your life is going to lead. Help us to
make the right decisions Lord, so that we
may follow you in the ways of your Son.
AMEN
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Choices
Reflection
Lord, in the Bible, you tell me to choose life
and not death. Inspire me in the choices I
make today – that I may choose what is
positive and life-giving and good. So help me to
protect and defend myself from influences
that are not good.
Keep me on the right path
to choose values
that are lasting and beneficial.
Keep my eyes open
whenever there is injustice,
that I may be willing
to stand with those
who are treated unfairly,
and defend those who need support.
Deliver me from evil. AMEN
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sight
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood,
And I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The Rich Young Man Mark 10:17-22
And there was a man who came to him and
asked, ‘Master, what good deed must I do to
receive eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why
do you call me good?’ Jesus asked him. ‘No one
is good except God alone. You know the
commandments: do not commit murder; do not
commit adultery; do not steal; do not accuse
anyone falsely; do not cheat; respect your
father and your mother.’ ‘Teacher,’ the man
said, ‘ever since I was young, I have obeyed all
these commandments.’ Jesus looked straight
at him with love and said, ‘You need only one
thing. Go and sell all you have and give the
money to the poor, and you will have riches in
heaven; then come and follow me.’ When the
man heard this, gloom spread over his face,
and he went away sad, because he was very
rich.
Prayer
Lord,
I want to be responsible for my own life,
and I want to make positive choices each day.
Inspire me
to get my priorities right
and be generous
in my care and concern for others.
In busy days and casual days
remind me, too,
of my basic human need
for personal time
and quiet space,
and lead me to respect
the personal needs
that others also have.
AMEN
Father,
Inspire us to make our choices well and
understand our responsibilities and the
consequences of what we do. Help us to make
good use of the opportunities that come to us.
Let us be positive in our attitude,
that we may work well with others
and live this day to the full. AMEN
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Our Hopes and Dreams
Believe It, Achieve It
In the Star Wars movie, ‘The Empire Strikes
Back’, Luke Skywalker flies his X-Wing ship to
a swamp planet on a personal quest. There he
seeks out a Jedi master named Yoda to teach
him the ways of becoming a Jedi warrior. Luke
wants to free the galaxy from the oppression
of the evil tyrant, Darth Vader.
Yoda reluctantly agrees to help Luke and
begins by teaching him how to lift rocks with
his mental powers.
Then, one day, Yoda tells Luke to lift his ship
out from the swamp where it sank after a
crash landing. Luke complains that lifting
rocks is one thing, but lifting a star-fighter is
quite another matter. Yoda insists. Luke
manages a valiant effort but fails in his
attempt. Yoda then focuses his mind, and lifts
out the ship with ease. Luke, dismayed,
exclaims, “I don’t believe it!” “That’s why you
couldn’t lift it,” Yoda replied. “You didn’t
believe you could.”
Prayer
Dear Lord,
When we are worried and afraid of the future,
not knowing where we are going to go, or what
we are going to do, please guide us along the
right path and reassure us that you will look
after us, whatever happens in the dangerous
road of life. Help us to keep faith in you, and
know that we will always have a place in your
heart. AMEN
Dear Lord,
Please help us when we are afraid of the
future, to be guided by your word to walk
ahead with confidence into the darkness. Give
us the courage to carry on and the strength to
take step after step until we emerge on the
other side with a greater love of you. AMEN
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I Have A Dream M.L.King
The following is an extract from a speech
made by Martin Luther King on 28 August 1963
about his dream for the future.
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of
Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons
of former slave-owners will be able to sit down
together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that my four little children will
one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the colour of their skin but by the
content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall
be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be
made low, the rough places will be made plain,
and the crooked places will be made straight,
and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
When we are afraid of the future, strengthen
our hearts and minds, and give us courage to
face up to whatever lies ahead. Let us
remember that you will always be there with us
shining your light before us. AMEN
Friendships
Prayer
God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are the example of perfect love.
Help us to learn from you,
the meaning of true friendship.
Thank you for the friends we have,
and help us to be loyal
and caring toward them.
Give us the courage to be kind and gracious
even to those we can’t call ‘friend’.
Always be with us to guide us. AMEN
Friendship
The greatest happiness we can experience is to
know that we are loved for ourselves, just as
we are, with all our faults and oddities. When
someone is our friend we feel completely at
home with them; we know we haven’t got to
pretend to be someone else – we can just be
ourselves. To have friends is a great gift and
happiness; and, conversely, to be without
friends can be a very great suffering.
Sometimes we are not friendly because we are
impatient, or unsympathetic, or prejudiced, or
selfish, or insensitive, and so on. It takes two
people to make a friendship. In a friendship
the two people both give and receive, and by
sharing with each other, come to appreciate
each other more and more.
Thank You For Friends
Friends are to be trusted,
Friends try to be kind.
I thank you Lord for friends.
Friends are to be treated nicely,
and not to be hurt or insulted.
I thank you Lord for friends.
Friends are more important,
than personal belongings.
Friends are worth more than money.
I thank you Lord for friends.
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A Few Good Friends
Thank you God,
for all the gifts you have given us,
especially the gift of friends.
Some of us have many friends,
and some of us have only a few.
Remind us that the numbers are not important,
But that the quality of friendship is.
We need to learn how to be loyal and generous
friends,
And how to give only good example.
Those of us who are quiet and shy
need to learn how to make new friends.
Help us not to miss the opportunities you give
us.
To reach out to others in love and friendship.
Thank you for loving us and believing in us.
Scripture Reading
(various Proverbs, paraphrased)
Friendship is a great gift,
One we should never take for granted.
These passages from Proverbs praise this
great gift.
One who is a friend is always a friend,
and is like a brother or sister to us when times
get hard.
Some friends bring ruin on us,
but a true friend is more loyal than our closest
relatives.
Many try to be friends with those who are
popular or rich,
and they try to avoid those who have nothing
to give them.
The person who is a true friend, is always a
friend, and such a one is like a brother or
sister in times of stress.
A good name is better than the greatest
riches, and the esteem of friends is better
than silver or gold.
Do not become friends with bad tempered
persons, or with ones who do evil things. You
might soon imitate them and cut yourself off
from what is right and good.
Friendships
Friends
A friend is like a tower strong;
a friend is like the joyous song
that helps us on our way.
When golden ties
of friendship bind
the heart to heart,
the mind to mind,
how fortunate we are!
For friendship is a noble thing;
it soars past death on angel’s wing
into eternity.
God blesses friendship’s holy bond
both here and in the great beyond:
a benefit unpriced.
Then may we know,
that wondrous joy,
that precious ore without alloy;
a friendship based on Christ.
When We Are Grateful To Our Friends
Lord, thank you for my friends. Thank you
that they are always there when I am in
trouble and need help, or when I need a
shoulder to cry on. Help me to be loyal to my
friends and to give them as much love and
support as they give me.
Lord, I thank you for my friends.
When I am confused
they give me wisdom.
When I feel sad
they help me smile.
When I feel worthless
they share their love.
Lord above all this,
I thank you that you are my friend forever.
Sorry
Dear Lord,
When we are spiteful and nasty to our friends,
help us to tell them how sorry we are, for
where would we be without friends?
We would be lonely and unhappy.
Jesus had lots of friends, even the outcasts.
As you will always be our friend, let us love you
as we love ourselves.
And let us be happy. AMEN
Prayer
Lord God,
because you love us,
you invite us to be your friends
and to share in your life;
help us to realise
that our friendships will only ring true
if we give ourselves unselfishly to each other
as your Son gave himself to us.
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Dear Father,
I thank you for all the friends you have
blessed me with. I am grateful for their
witness of you, their support, and love in times
of suffering and despair, and for their
presence to share in times of joy.
Thank you God for friends. Friends who stand
by us in times of trouble, who guide us through
difficult decisions. Friends who tell us things
that we should not do, and tell us when they
don’t like the things we are doing.
Lord, help us to accept our friends as they are,
with all their faults. Help us Lord to forgive
our friends who have wronged us or hated us.
Help us to share the gifts and things we have,
with others, as well as our problems, as friends
can prove very helpful and understanding. O
Lord, help us not to be jealous of others and
the friendships they have. Make us grateful
for what we have. AMEN
Dear Lord,
We thank you for the friends we have and all
the love and joy we share. May we learn how
to be the best friends possible, and never
expect too much from others. Thank you for
being our greatest friend, Lord.
Prayers For Young People
Clothes
You do understand, don’t you God,
that kids can’t be happy these days
unless they have a lot of clothes and other
things.
Our parents don’t understand.
They think that we should make do
with the clothes, the jewellery, the shoes,
the haircuts, the CDs, and the computer games
that we already have.
But things keep changing so fast,
and we need to keep up –
at least we think we do.
Maybe that’s just the problem.
How can we learn to feel comfortable with our
lives the way they are?
How can we learn to feel content
with the little things all around us,
without wanting more and more?
This is a real problem for us
and we really need your help, God.
Instead of judging people by their clothes,
their shoes or their haircuts,
help us to notice their smiles
and to listen to what they are saying.
Help us to believe, God,
that we don’t need more things in our lives.
Help us to see the beauty all around us.
Instead of choosing friends
based on the clothes they wear,
help us to listen to their interests and
concerns and to share and enjoy them.
Help us to believe, God,
that we don’t need more things.
Help us to see beauty all around us.
AMEN
Prayer
You remind us, loving God,
that you give us many gifts,
but we forget to look for them.
Keep reminding us from now on.
Remind us that there are many beautiful things
that money can’t buy.
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God Fashions Us Into Something Beautiful
A woman dropped a beautiful orange vase on
the kitchen floor; it splintered into dozens of
tiny pieces. She swept the pieces up and threw
them into the bin.
An hour later, she discovered her little
daughter had retrieved the pieces from the
bin and had pasted them on a piece of white
card. Then, using a green crayon. The little girl
had drawn stems and leaves on each piece,
converting them into a beautiful bouquet of
orange flowers.
The woman was moved to tears. Her daughter
had seen something in the broken pieces that
she had not seen. Where she had seen trash,
her daughter had seen treasure. From what
she had considered to be something ugly, her
daughter had fashioned something beautiful.
God does the same thing with people. God
retrieves us from the wastebasket of sin and
fashions us into something beautiful.
St Teresa Of Avila
Christ has no body on earth now but ours:
no hands but ours, no feet but ours.
Ours are the eyes
through which Christ’s compassion
is to look upon the world.
Ours are the feet
with which he is to go about doing good.
Ours are the hands
with which he is to bless others now.
Peace
Prayer For Unity
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to
you”, look not upon our sins, but upon the faith
of your Church, and grant her that peace and
unity which is according to your will; who lives
and reigns for ever and ever.
Poppies For Peace
Poppies covered the killing fields of the First
World War as a result of the bombing and
fighting. The poppy seed has a hard shell,
which needs to break to germinate. The
violence and vibrations of the fighting helped
to break the seeds. The red field poppy is a
frail flower. If picked, it quickly dies. It
grows in the poorest of conditions, at
roadsides and where the soil is thinnest. Yet
this flower has the loudest voice. It is worn
every year. It cries PEACE!
John 14:23-27
We would all want to banish fear, ignorance,
hunger, thirst and pain, and would want
goodness and justice to rule men’s hearts, so
that there should be peace. But peace in the
world is only brought about by peace in
ourselves, so let us begin our prayer by
reflecting on the peacefulness – or lack of it –
in our own lives.
Moreover, peace and happiness spread from
one person to another; they are contagious
qualities of life. Jesus promised to pass on his
peace to his friends; he called it his own peace,
‘A peace the world cannot give.’ What is
special about it? It is the peace that comes
from the perfect relationship of the Son with
the Father. We will find that sort of peace if
we are able to accept God as Father, from
whom all our gifts come. In other words, it
comes from having complete trust and
confidence in God. If we are like that, it is
unbelievable what peace and happiness we can
bring to others.
Philippians 4:4-9
Justice is a hard word because we tend to
associate it with a strict balance. It would be
better to see it as that which enables us to be
happy with God and our fellow men. Happiness
is the key, and in this reading from St. Paul’s
letter to the Christians at Philippi, we hear
Paul’s recipe for happiness and peace –
tolerance, lack of worry, gratefulness and
truth. It is a recipe worth thinking about.
Peace Is Jesus’ Easter Message
Later on, on the same day that the friends had
discovered the empty tomb, they locked
themselves in, because they thought the
soldiers might come looking for them.
During the evening, Jesus came into the room
and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ The friends were
really pleased! Jesus said again, ‘Peace be with
you.’
Taken from Welcome! By Jenny Pate
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Prayer
Lord God, our Father,
it is your will that justice and peace should
embrace.
We pray that we may discover
the thirst for justice
that brings peace in its train.
We make this prayer
with the Man of Justice and Peace,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Peace
Prayer
Let there be peace on earth
and let it begin with me.
Let there be love on earth
and let it begin in my heart.
Let there be miracles on earth
and let them begin with my faith.
Let there be a future
and let it begin with my action.
I Had A Paint Box
I had a paint box
but it didn’t have the colour red
for the blood of the wounded,
nor white
for the hearts and faces of the dead.
It didn’t have yellow either
for the burning sands of the desert.
Instead it had orange
for the dawn and the sunset
and blue
for new skies
and pink
for the dreams of young people.
I sat down and painted peace.
Thought
We do not always choose the peaceful way of
life. We can pass on gossip, make unhelpful
remarks, and do something that we know will
offend.
Two small sisters had an argument, which
developed into a fight. Their mother pulled
them apart and sent them to separate rooms.
Later that day when one of the sisters saw the
television news and saw the awful pictures of
people injured in a war, she asked why
countries fought one another. Her mother
replied, ‘For the same reason you and your
sister fight.’
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A Courageous Response To Violence
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called the children of God.” Today, it is
very difficult to be a peacemaker. Violence
surrounds us on every side
Jesus asked his followers to love their enemies
when the enemy was Rome and Roman soldiers
marched in the streets of Jerusalem. He told
Peter to forgive those who harmed him as
often as forgiveness was sought. He included
in his command to love even those who consider
us as enemies. By his death and resurrection,
he renounced the power of violence in favour
of the power of sacrificial love.
Prayer
Teacher of peace, we live in a world of
violence. Free us from the need to control and
dominate one another. Free us from the poison
of revenge, from the failure to find
acceptance, which leads to violence. Free us
from the need to hate and support us in our
efforts to love. We pray, seeking your peace.
This prayer was left beside the body of a child
in the women’s concentration camp at
Ravensbrook.
O Lord, remember not only the men and women
of good will, but also those of ill will. But do
not remember all the suffering they have
inflicted on us; remember the good that has
come – thanks to this suffering – our
comradeship, our loyalty, our courage, our
generosity, the greatness of heart, which has
grown out of all this. With Jesus we say –
Father Forgive Them.
Pope John Paul XXIII
Peace must be based on truth, built on justice,
supported by love and created in an
atmosphere of freedom.
Prayers Of Sorrow
When You Want To Say Sorry
Lord,
Help me to know when I am wrong and give me the
strength and courage to say that I am sorry –
three words that so often we find hard to say, but
can make such a difference to both our lives and to
those we love. Help me to realise that our life on
earth is far too short to argue with those we love
and care for and that we should all have the
compassion for others that you have for us.
Forgive me Lord for all my wrongdoings, and help
me to be a better person. AMEN
Dear God,
I’m sorry for all the times I do the things that I
know you wouldn’t want me to do. When I think or
say something to hurt someone; when I fail you and
fall short of your expectations. Help us to be more
like your son, Jesus, every day. AMEN
Oh Lord,
It is so difficult to say sorry to anyone, and even
more so to say sorry to you. It is impossible to
find the words to express exactly what we feel,
but I pray that you will read our hearts, rather
than our words, and hence discover our true
sentiments, so that you may know how sorry we
are, Lord, for everything sinful in our lives.
AMEN
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Difficult To Live With
O God, forgive us for the faults, which
make us difficult to live with.
If we behave as if we were the only people
for whom life is difficult;
If we behave as if we were far harder
worked than anyone else;
If we behave as if we were the only people
who were ever disappointed, or the only
people who ever got a raw deal;
If we are far too self centered or far too
full of self pity:
Forgive us, O God.
If we are too impatient to finish the work
we have begun;
If we are too impatient to listen to
someone who wants to talk to us, or to give
someone a helping hand;
If we think that other people are fools,
and make no attempt to conceal our
contempt for them:
Forgive us, O God.
If we too often rub people the wrong way;
If we spoil a good case by trying to ram it
down someone’s throat;
If we do things that get on people’s
nerves, and go on doing them, even when
we are asked not to:
Forgive us, O God.
Help us to take the selfishness and the
ugliness out of life and to do better in
days to come.
For The World
The Environment
Lord,
Help us to be more sensible about how we
travel. Give wisdom to those who are in
positions of power, so they can do something to
help. Stop us polluting the atmosphere even
more, just because we are too lazy to think of
an alternative.
Dirty footmarks spoil the seat on the train.
An empty beer can rolls sadly around as the
train rattles along.
Graffiti splatters the vast grey buildings
outside.
Bulging dustbins spill their contents on to the
grimy streets. Children and dogs play amongst
the filth and litter.
Please Lord, help us to clean up our towns and
cities. Give people respect for where they live.
Let’s clean up the world.
AMEN
Psalm 8:3-9
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
mankind that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly
beings and crowned him with glory and honour.
You made him ruler over the works of your
hands; you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the
field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the
sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O
Lord, Our Lord, how majestic is your name in
all the earth!
In Thanks Of Creation
Thank you, Lord God,
for the stunning colours of nature.
Thank you…..
for the rich brown of the earth
and the soothing greens
of grass and leaves.
Thank you……
for the vibrant, golden yellows
of flower petals and the gentle pink
of frothy blossom.
Thank you……..
for the clear, cool blue of the sky
and the warm glow of a red sunset.
Thank you……
for the inky blackness of the night sky
and the sparkling white light
of the twinkling stars.
Thank you, Lord, for your glorious creation.
Prayer
Grant that, this day and every day,
we may keep our shock of wonder
at each new beauty that comes upon us
as we walk down the paths of life.
AMEN
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Prayers For The Poor
Survival
Women fetching water
always look full of grace,
creating an idyllic picture
of rural calm.
This is not leisure, but survival;
so is the graceful posture.
Water must be found,
dug for, lifted, carried far,
and its essential weight
will break the back of those who do it wrong.
God give the women strength
each day to carry survival to their homes.
Children Who Work
Below the level of my sight,
We find the lowly tasks are done
not just by those who are poor,
but by the children –
responsible, serious,
shouldering the adult burden
before they are fully grown.
God give them time to play,
and live, and dream,
as we are free to do.
Landmines
God our protector,
watch over us all,
and set our feet on the right path.
Walk with the children
who cannot trust the ground beneath them;
give courage to those
who seek out the hidden danger;
and strengthen the injured
to live and work again.
Children
Christ Our God,
you too were born a child
not free into our world:
subject to poverty,
harassment by foreign powers,
and dangers to your health.
In your name
Let us cry freedom for your children
Now, at this time,
And through all generations
Harvest
Let us bless the Lord,
who has not given all places
the same ground,
or all plants the same growth:
for seeds that know their soil,
poor as it is;
for fruits that can flourish
where they best belong;
for the harvest that can be gathered
around a settled home.
Education
O God, deliver our world
from the recurring conflicts
that close borders,
close schools,
close minds,
and shut off the future.
Give the children freedom
to learn from their heritage,
read their own language,
and take pride in their people.
Forgotten Communities
God give strength
to those who are passed over
for the necessities of life.
For you have always chosen
those who are called to nothing,
of no account,
officially not there –
and with them
fashioned your will for our world.
War
God of peace and plenty,
you cherish all that gives life.
May we see our instruments of war
rust with irrelevance,
our children dream their future,
the earth produce its food,
and the people flourish.
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Prayers For The Poor
Water Wells
Come to the waters,
all you who are thirsty:
children who need water
free from diseases,
women who need respite
from labour and searching,
plants that need moisture
rooted near the bedrock,
find here a living spring.
O God, may we thirst
For your waters of justice,
And learn to deny no one the water of life.
A Simple Tap
A simple tap.
Water that is reliable, clean, there.
O God, whenever we drink
or clean our teeth, or take a bath,
water the garden,
wash vegetables or clothes,
remind us to give thanks,
wholeheartedly,
for the freedom that surrounds us –
and we hardly notice it.
Communities
Let us bless the Lord
for strong communities,
battered by war,
deprived of the basics,
but connected by courage and hard work,
determined to live.
Let us celebrate those who had nothing,
but put their backs into it
to renew their water,
to renew their health,
to renew their children’s hope.
Nutrition
God of the desert places
be with those who wait,
queuing for water and food
watching their little children
lose energy to play,
looking for rain,
for work and health and harvest.
In their time of waiting,
Be their hearts’ courage
And their souls’ hope;
Make their desert bloom.
Fair Trade
God of the just weight
and the fair measure,
let us remember the hands
that harvested our food, our drink,
not only in our prayers
but in the marketplace.
Let us not seek a bargain
That leaves another hungry.
The Homeless
O Lord,
you had nowhere to lay your head.
Remember all those on this earth
who sleep by the roadside,
who have no place to stay,
no patch of ground to call their own.
Give them a secure space,
where no one may remove them:
a place to work and raise children,
hang out the washing, and be at home.
Fundraising
Let us find it in us
to give our money
as we do in hospitality –
courteously:
wanting to treat our guests
the best we can afford,
finding pleasure in providing,
hoping to build up a friendship;
learning to give as God gives,
with all our heart.
- 20 -
Love
St Paul (First Letter To The Corinthians)
Love is always patient and kind;
it is never jealous;
love is never boastful or conceited;
it is never rude or selfish;
it does not take offence, and is not resentful.
Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins
but it delights in truth;
it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope,
and to endure whatever comes.
Dear God, the source of all love,
you have shown us that true love
exists in serving others,
and commanded us to love each other
with your selfless love.
Give us, we pray, that same love
with which Jesus served humanity,
and in which he lived and died.
AMEN
Mother Teresa
Let no one ever come to you without going away
better and happier. Let there be kindness in
your face, kindness in your eyes.
Prayers
Father,
pour into our hearts such love towards you,
that we, loving you above all things,
may obtain your promises
which exceed all that we can desire.
AMEN
Lord, help us today, to be aware
of other people’s need for love,
just as we need love ourselves.
Help us to remember
that we cannot treat people as objects,
without both them and us becoming less than
human.
AMEN
Lord, grant us your love,
that we may rejoice with the glad,
and sympathise with the sad;
That we may always look for the best in people,
and never become too wrapped up in ourselves.
Help us to become more loving,
by sharing our love with others.
AMEN
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Love From God
Kindness, loving kindness, motivated by my
love, is a mark of my grace in you. Be kind to
one another and let others show kindness to
you.
I am kind to you all without favour or reserve.
My wonderful kindness to you is like the blue
of a fair day, like the soft rain in the growing
season. It is the touch of one who loves you,
the smile of one who cares for you.
In my kindness there is nothing violent, nothing
abrasive, but I give out my kindness with open
handed gentleness.
Kindness is at first in your hearts, then in your
words and deeds. Be kind to one another. Be
open to give and receive kindness.
Christmas
Luke Chapter 2
Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a
decree for a census of the whole world to be
taken. This census – the first – took place
while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and
everyone went to his own town to be
registered. So Joseph set out from the town
of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to
Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem,
since he was of David’s house and line, in order
to be registered together with Mary, his
betrothed, who was with child. While they
were there, the time came for her to have her
child, and she gave birth to a son, her first
born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger because there was no
room for them at the inn.
Thought
If our greatest need had been information,
God would have sent us an educator.
If our greatest need had been money,
God would have sent us an economist.
If our greatest need had been technology,
God would have sent us a scientist.
If our greatest need had been pleasure,
God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness,
So God sent us a Saviour.
Prayer
Father,
We praise and thank you this Christmas time,
for your love towards us and that you have
shown your love in the gift of your Son Jesus,
who came to be our Saviour.
Help us to show our gratitude and our love for
you as we behave in a loving, caring, thoughtful
way to other people.
May the love which came down at Christmas, be
spread throughout the whole world.
AMEN
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Thought
If Jesus was born today
it would be in a downtown motel
marked by a helicopter’s flashing bulb.
A traffic warden, working late,
would be the first upon the scene.
Later, at the expense of a TV network,
an eminent sociologist,
the host of a chat show
and a controversial actor
would arrive with their good wishes –
the whole occasion to be filmed as part of the
‘Is this the Son of God?’ one hour special.
Childhood would be a blur of photographs and
speculation
dwindling by His late teens into
‘Where is He Now?’ features in Sunday
magazines.
Steve Turner
Prayer
Lord,
Help us to look beyond the tinsel and the
presents,
to the true meaning of Christmas.
AMEN
Lord,
Just as all people were welcome into the
stableshepherds and wise men –
help us to remember that it is in the
ordinary things in our lives where we meet you.
And just as you were approachable,
help us to be more approachable this
Christmas.
AMEN
Lord,
help us to think today
of what we can do
to make Christmas special
to those around us.
AMEN