Praying Together 2021

29 Week Gather Light a candle as a sign of God’s presence and sit quietly. Ring a bell or chime to start the prayer. The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. COLLECT Let us pray in the freedom of God’s children. (pause) God our Father, keep us safe from death and disaster and draw us into the circle of your life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. SCRIPTURE A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 2:13-16 Not long before the Jewish festival of Passover, Jesus went to Jerusalem. There he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves in the temple. He also saw moneychangers sitting at their tables. So he took some rope and made a whip. Then he chased everyone out of the temple, together with their sheep and cattle. He turned over the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins. Jesus said to the people who had been selling doves, “Get those doves out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. RESPONSE In the light of this new day, let us pray for the needs of the world. For love where there is hatred or violence: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For harmony where there is disagreement: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For respect where there is bullying: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For comfort where there is fear: (pause) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. For the prayers in our hearts today: (pause while students offer their prayers aloud) We pray as one. Gracious God, hear our prayer. DISMISSAL May God bless us and protect us and bring us to eternal life. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Ring the bell or chime to signal the end of the prayer. Extinguish the candle. “Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace.” Friday Week 2 Lent 5 March 2021