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Christian Aid Week

15-21 May 2011

Order of service

Call to worship

Creator God,in you we believe,maker of thought and music,maker of the wind,maker of peace and love.

Jesus our Lord,in you we trust,friend of the poor,companion of the lonely,shepherd of the lost.

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Holy Spirit of life,in you we find our belonging,source of our unity,disturber of our complacency,bringer of our transformation.

Blessed Trinity,gather us in to your community,in the power of your justice,in the conviction of your promise,in the glory of your vision.

Blessed be God forever!

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Prayer

Let us draw near to the God of life.

Merciful God, we give thanks that love is making all things new.So we ask your forgiveness for turning away from love.

(Silence)

‘You had wandered away like sheep.Now you have returned to the one who is your shepherd and protector.’ (1 Peter 2:25)

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You called us to follow you along the paths of righteousness, but we wandered away like sheep.Forgive us. We wandered away from the paths of righteousness.Now we have returned to the onewho is our shepherd and protector.

Diminished by the practice of injustice,Wounded by our lack of peace,We dream of a common righteousness.

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We had wandered away like sheep.Now we have returned to the onewho is our shepherd and protector.

Renew us in the image of Christ,the good shepherd, who gave his life for us.

So that we may live in such a waythat your world will be freed from poverty,and all your children will have life,and have it fully.

Amen.

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Intercessions

Lord Jesus,we love your picture of abundant life,of growth and plenty, good harvests and full stomachs; hope, justice and the wellbeing of communities.

So we celebrate the work of Soppexcca,and pray for the people of Jinotega, Nicaragua,who have put themselves firmly in the picture.Through our praying, our acting and our giving

May we be a part of that.

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Across the world, there are millions of people in your picture.Many are Christian Aid partnersand we pray for them, and celebrate the dignity, courage and faith with which they work for change.Through our praying, our acting and our giving

May we be a part of that.

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But we know that for many, the picture is sombre and shadowed by failed harvests, dry river beds, earthquakes and floods.We pray for them, and pray also that governments, policy-makers and those who hold power in financial systemsmay be moved to see a bigger picture of life in all its fullness.Through our praying, our acting and our giving

May we be a part of that.

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This Christian Aid Week,as we pray for organisers, collectors and supportersmay we always see your bigger picture before our own eyes.And through our praying, our acting and our giving

May we be a part of that.

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A prayer from NicaraguaMay it come soon to the hungry,to the weeping,to those who thirst for your justice,to those who have waited centuriesfor a truly human life.Grant us the patience to smooth the wayon which your Kingdom comes to us.Grant us hope, that we may not wearyin proclaiming and working for it.Grant us a clear vision, that in this hour of our history, we may see the horizon and know the way on which your Kingdom comes to us.

Amen.

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Hymn For the world and all its people

For the world and all its people, we address our prayers to God.Confidently, all can worship in the presence of the Lord.

All the powerless, all the hungry are most precious to their God.Confidently....

For the poor, God has a purpose, for the desperate, a word.Confidently...

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Christ is here, and Christ is stronger than the strength of sin or sword.Confidently, all can worship in the presence of the Lord.

God will fill the earth with justice when our will and his accord.Confidently...

(from Misa Popular Nicaraguense, English version John L Bell)

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Affirmation

Let us say the Christian Aid Week prayer together:For laughter where there were tears,Thanks be to God.We are a part of that!

For resilient communities more able to withstand natural disasters,Thanks be to God.We are a part of that!

For voices speaking out against injustice, which were previously silenced,Thanks be to GodWe are a part of that!

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For feasting where there was hunger,Thanks be to God.We are a part of that!

For all the ways that Christian Aid is helping to transform communities, enabling our sisters and brothers to live fuller lives,Thanks be to God.We are a part of that!Thanks be to God.Amen.

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Blessing Living God, bless what we have offered:our prayer and our commitment,our money and our names,that they may bring fullness of life to many.

Living God, bless what we will offer:as together we go out,empowered by our longing,strengthened by our solidarity,humbled by our need,to love and serve the world.

Amen.

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15-21 May 2011

www.caweek.org

Christian Aid Week