Prayer Page
Daily Prayer
Prayers you might like to use in different circumstances of life:
Daily Prayer
Within the Church of England, like most denominations, there has always been a tradition of 'Daily Prayer'. This started in Monastries where the 'Hours' were kept.
In present times Clergy have a duty to observe 'Morning' and 'Evening Prayer' (the Daily Office) on behalf of their parishes. It is becoming more common as well for laity to observe 'Morning' and 'Evening Prayer'. This is something that we would encourage since it is important for all Christians to have quiet times with God during the day.
If you wish to observe Morning or Evening Prayer, or even Night Prayer which is usually observed last thing at night, then to make it easier we have included links below to the Church of England web site's Daily Prayer for today.
If you do observe the Daily Office please include the prayer requests above.
Thankyou
The links below are for Thursday 21st August if, due to where you are in the world, you need the service for the day before, or the day after, please go to the link for the Church of England web site at the end.
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayer
Night Prayer
Contemporary Language
'Traditional' Language
Daily Prayer provided by the official Church of England web site, © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.
Back to Top of PagePrayers you might like to use in different circumstances of life
ThanksgivingFor peace
Bereavement
For those who are ill
For those who care for the sick
In times of trouble
For family life
For children and young people
For other faiths
The earth's resources
Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you most
humble and hearty thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness
to us and to all men.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ,
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And give us, we pray, such a sense of all your mercies
that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful,
and that we show forth your praise,
not only with our lips but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
and by walking before you in holiness
and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
(Alternative Service Book © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.)
How wonderful, O Lord, are the works of your hands!
The heavens declare your glory,
the arch of the sky displays your handiwork.
In your love you have given us the power
to behold the beauty of your world in all its splendour.
The sun and the stars, the valleys and the hills,
the rivers and the lakes, all disclose your presence.
The roaring breakers of the sea tell of your awesome might;
the beasts of the field and the birds of the air
proclaim your wondrous will.
In your goodness you have made us able to
hear the music of the world.
The voices of loved ones reveal to us that you
are in our midst.
A divine song sings through all creation.
(David Adam)
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For peace
Almighty God,
from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed:
kindle, we pray, in the hearts of all, the true love of peace
and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom
those who take council for the nations of the earth
that in tranquility your kingdom may go forward,
till the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
(Common Worship © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.)
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where hate rules, let me bring love;
Where malice, forgiveness;
Where disputes, reconciliation;
Where error, truth;
Where despair, hope;
Where darkness, Thy light;
Where sorrow, joy.
(St Francis of Assisi)
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Bereavement
O God, who brought us to birth,
and in whose arms we die,
in our grief and shock
contain and comfort us;
give us hope in our confusion
and grace to let go into new life;
through Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Common Worship © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.)
Merciful and compassionate God, we bring to you
our grief in the loss of __. and ask for courage
to bear it. We bring you our thanks for
all you give us in those we love; and we bring
you our prayers for peace of heart in the knowledge
of your mercy and love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen
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For those who are ill
We bring to you, O loving Saviour,
those sufferers of whom we think
and whom we name in the silence of our hearts,
especially __, __, __ and __
All healing is with you. We can only bring them to you
and offer our minds in love and tenderness and sincerity.
Grant them healing, if that may be,
but, above all, grant them your peace and joy
that they may know that you are with them,
that they are safe, and that nothing can snatch them
from your hand or finally defeat your purposes.
We ask it for your name's sake. Amen.
(adapted from L D Weatherhead, A Private House of Prayer)
Heavenly Father,
giver of life and health:
comfort and restore those who are sick,
that they may be strengthened in their weakness
and have comfort in your unfailing love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Alternative Service Book © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.)
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For those who care for the sick
Heavenly Father, we know that healing comes from you,
and therefore we ask your blessing on all who are
engaged in the ministry of healing.
We pray for doctors, surgeons and psychiatrists,
for health visitors and community nurses,
for the staff who work in our local hospitals
,
and for those who nurse the sick at home.
Give them, O Lord, all useful wisdom, skill and patience;
may they know that in ministering to the sick they are
ministering to you, as well as being fellow workers with
you in your purposes of love. Amen.
(Anthology of prayer)
Loving Lord Jesus,
you spent much of your time on earth healing sick bodies
and bringing health to troubled minds,
bless, we pray you, all those who are continuing your work
in clinics and hospitals throughout the world
.
Give inspiration to those who are seeking to discover new
drugs and treatments to combat crippling and mortal diseases.
Give courage and endurance to those who care for the
chronically sick.
Give skills to the hands and brains of surgeons as they
perform delicate operations.
Give discernment to all in their use of new knowledge.
Give stamina and compassion to the nurses who play such
a valuable part in the comfort and recovery of all sick people.
Give patience, understanding and comfort to all relatives
and friends of those who are ill.
In your name we ask it . Amen.
(Anthology of prayer)
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In times of trouble
Almighty God,
you know us to be set in the midst
of so many and great dangers,
that, because of the frailty of our nature,
we cannot always stand upright.
Give us such strength and protection
as may support us in all dangers
and carry us through all temptations;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Alternative Service Book © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.)
Dear Father,
we thank you for sustaining us in difficult times,
when everything seems uncertain and our future unknown.
We know that you love us and care about our whole life,
that you alone have a plan and purpose for each of us.
Open our hearts to your voice,
and then give us courage and a real desire to do your will;
we ask this in your Son's name. Amen.
(Elizabeth Cotton)
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For family life
Heavenly Father, maker of all things,
you enable us to share in your work of creation
.
Bless us in the gift and care of children,
that our homes may be places of love, security and truth,
and our children may grow up to know and love you in
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Adapted from Common Worship © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2002-2003.)
Lord, you have experienced the pattern of family life,
and so we ask that our families may learn to live together
in love, respect and forgiveness.
In times of difficulty, strengthen us;
in times of perplexity, bring us wisdom;
in times of happiness, make us thankful. Amen.
(Intercessions for use with Alternative Service Book)
Let your Spirit, O Christ, fill our human life,
that your Kingdom may be shown forth
in the homes of your people.
Have mercy on those whom war or famine or oppression
has robbed of homes and friends.
Bless all homeless children and those whose homes are broken
by conflict and lack of love;
prosper all who seek to help them.
Where love has failed let your divine compassion heal. Amen
(New Every Morning)
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For children and young people
Lord Christ,
we bring before you the world of children,
we bring their openness and friendliness,
their sense of enquiry and curiosity,
their creativity and freshness.
Forgive our readiness to classify and divide,
to label and separate.
Forgive our voices of experience,
our demand for their conformity.
Help to stimulate and encourage and cheer,
to inspire and understand;
that their spirits may be lifted,
their imaginations quickened,
their vision broadened,
for your world's sake. Amen.
(J Dickinson Pope)
Lord, give us patience!
We know that our children will have different tastes
from us in their friends and pastimes, in music, clothes
and many other things; and yet it is so hard to accept
that our own ways are not always better than theirs.
Help us to recognize and affirm all that is good and
positive in them; and give us wisdom to know when to
speak and when to be silent.
And while we know that they must learn from their
own mistakes, save them from mistakes that will hurt
them or others spiritually;
for your great love's sake. Amen.
(Andrew Warner)
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God of peace, look in mercy on all your children, and
increase the spirit of sympathy and understanding
between different races and creeds. Strengthen the love
of justice and liberty among all peoples, and bring the
whole earth to acknowledge your sovereignty of love and truth.
(adapted from Anthology of Prayer)
Let me not wander in vain.
Let me not labour in vain.
Let me not mingle with the prejudiced.
Let me not leave the company of the virtuous.
Let me not fly into anger.
Let me not stray of the path of goodness.
Let me not seek for this day or for the morrow.
Give me such a wealth, O Almighty!
(Pattinatar, 10th century)
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Lord of the harvest,
we rejoice in the bounty of your world;
we thank you for the rich harvest it produces.
We remember those who do not have enough,
the thousands who are dying of hunger each day.
We pray for those who have more than they require.
we pray for ourselves and our churches:
show us what needs to be done,
and how to share the world's harvest more fairly.
Teach us to value people more than things.
Above all, help us to set our hearts
on your kingdom of love and justice,
and to seek to do your will here on earth,
as servants of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Adapted from Christian Aid)
Almighty God,
you have provided the resources of the world
to maintain the life of your children,
and have so ordered our life
that we are dependent upon each other.
Bless us in all our daily work,
and as you have given us the knowledge to produce plenty,
so give us the will to bring it within the reach of all;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(adapted from a Rogation Day Collect)
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