Avenue of a Prayer Walk [Updated] · There will be too many prayers for any one walk ... , we thank...
3
FUTURE CALLING - The Avenue of a Climate Prayer Walk These prayers are designed to be used during a short local prayer walk focusing on the environment and climate change. Explain that while we walk, we encourage people to use the time to focus on all they see around them. A prayer walk can be an encouraging time of fellowship and of slowing down to appreciate the world around us. Aim to pause for prayer at particular spots, each time focusing on an appropriate issue. You can use the ideas below to help plan a walk that will take in a variety of places where you can stop and pray on specific topics, whether those below or your own. There will be too many prayers for any one walk – just select those appropriate for your own local area. And remember, these ideas are just a starting point – reorder them for your area and do add your own ideas. This prayer could be used at both the beginning and/or the end if appropriate: Dear Lord, You called your disciples To follow in your way: You are the Way The Truth and the Life ... And so we come, Seeking to follow In your footsteps. Creator of the earth, As we journey Help us to walk lightly, Treasuring the world You have given us And cherishing each other. And grant that our walk May be part of your plan For your people to care for creation Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with you, Seeking the coming of your Kingdom, On earth as it is in heaven. Amen Water Water is such a blessing. We take it for granted that clean, safe water will come out of our taps at any time of night or day. We pray now for those people around the world who may only have water for an hour each day – and for those who have no taps in their home, just a pump or water source that may be far away and dangerous to reach. In many areas access to water is at risk because of climate change. Climate change will bring increased risk of both droughts, which will dry up water sources, and of flooding, which may pollute existing water supplies. We pray for those whose water supplies may be affected and for all who are working to protect their supplies from such risks. And we thank you for life giving water. May we never take it for granted. Allotments or vegetable plots ‘Growing your own’ can be a very satisfying thing to do- though less satisfactory when slugs, mice, pigeons or caterpillars want to share the produce! It increases awareness of the challenges and the joys of growing food crops and helps connect us with God’s gift of the natural world. Lord, we pray for all who work to grow the crops we eat. May they seek to work in harmony with nature, and to adjust to less predictable weather conditions. Playgroup/nursery The impacts of climate change will increasingly affect the generations that follow us. Lord we pray for the babies and young children in our community. May we do all we can to preserve this beautiful world for them to inherit.
Transcript of Avenue of a Prayer Walk [Updated] · There will be too many prayers for any one walk ... , we thank...
![Page 1: Avenue of a Prayer Walk [Updated] · There will be too many prayers for any one walk ... , we thank you for the joy of watching butterflies and their beauty. ... I will sing to the](https://reader031.fdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022022007/5ad229fb7f8b9a86158ccd65/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
FUTURECALLING-TheAvenueofaClimatePrayerWalkTheseprayersaredesignedtobeusedduringashortlocalprayerwalkfocusingontheenvironmentandclimatechange.Explainthatwhilewewalk,weencouragepeopletousethetimetofocusonalltheyseearoundthem.Aprayerwalkcanbeanencouragingtimeoffellowshipandofslowingdowntoappreciatetheworldaroundus.Aimtopauseforprayeratparticularspots,eachtimefocusingonanappropriateissue.Youcanusetheideasbelowtohelpplanawalkthatwilltakeinavarietyofplaceswhereyoucanstopandprayonspecifictopics,whetherthosebeloworyourown.Therewillbetoomanyprayersforanyonewalk–justselectthoseappropriateforyourownlocalarea.Andremember,theseideasarejustastartingpoint–reorderthemforyourareaanddoaddyourownideas.Thisprayercouldbeusedatboththebeginningand/ortheendifappropriate:DearLord,YoucalledyourdisciplesTofollowinyourway:YouaretheWayTheTruthandtheLife...Andsowecome,SeekingtofollowInyourfootsteps.
Creatoroftheearth,AswejourneyHelpustowalklightly,TreasuringtheworldYouhavegivenusAndcherishingeachother.
AndgrantthatourwalkMaybepartofyourplanForyourpeopletocareforcreationDojustice,lovemercyandwalkhumblywithyou,SeekingthecomingofyourKingdom,Onearthasitisinheaven.Amen
WaterWaterissuchablessing.Wetakeitforgrantedthatclean,safewaterwillcomeoutofourtapsatanytimeofnightorday.Wepraynowforthosepeoplearoundtheworldwhomayonlyhavewaterforanhoureachday–andforthosewhohavenotapsintheirhome,justapumporwatersourcethatmaybefarawayanddangeroustoreach.Inmanyareasaccesstowaterisatriskbecauseofclimatechange.Climatechangewillbringincreasedriskofbothdroughts,whichwilldryupwatersources,andofflooding,whichmaypolluteexistingwatersupplies.Weprayforthosewhosewatersuppliesmaybeaffectedandforallwhoareworkingtoprotecttheirsuppliesfromsuchrisks.Andwethankyouforlifegivingwater.Maywenevertakeitforgranted.Allotmentsorvegetableplots‘Growingyourown’canbeaverysatisfyingthingtodo-thoughlesssatisfactorywhenslugs,mice,pigeonsorcaterpillarswanttosharetheproduce!ItincreasesawarenessofthechallengesandthejoysofgrowingfoodcropsandhelpsconnectuswithGod’sgiftofthenaturalworld.Lord,weprayforallwhoworktogrowthecropsweeat.Maytheyseektoworkinharmonywithnature,andtoadjusttolesspredictableweatherconditions.Playgroup/nurseryTheimpactsofclimatechangewillincreasinglyaffectthegenerationsthatfollowus.Lordweprayforthebabiesandyoungchildreninourcommunity.Maywedoallwecantopreservethisbeautifulworldforthemtoinherit.
![Page 2: Avenue of a Prayer Walk [Updated] · There will be too many prayers for any one walk ... , we thank you for the joy of watching butterflies and their beauty. ... I will sing to the](https://reader031.fdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022022007/5ad229fb7f8b9a86158ccd65/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
CemeteryCemeteriesremindusthatlifeisshortandprecious.Mayweuseourtimewellandbeablessingtoothers.Cemeteriesareincreasinglysanctuaries-notonlyprovidingplacesforpeopletopauseawhileandprayforlovedones,butalsoforwildlife.WegivethanksfortheCaringforGod’sAcrecharityandthesupportandinspirationitprovidesforchurcheswantingtodeveloptheirchurchyardswithnatureinmind.SchoolOuryoungpeoplearekeytothefuture.Weprayfortheirteacherswhoseektoshapeandguidetheirthinkingaboutwidersocialissues,andpraythatallyoungpeoplegainaglobalperspective.Weaskforforgivenessforourgenerationwhichhasstruggledforsolongtoreachglobalagreementonhowtorespondtothemassiveissueofclimatechange.Wepraythatthenextgenerationwilltakeforwardtheneedtocareandsustainthispreciousearth.FarmlandFarmersworkveryhardtoproducethefoodweeat,copingwithunpredictableweatherandoftenbattlingwithsupermarketsthatpayunfairlylowprices.Climatechangeisalreadymakingweatherpatternsevenmoreunpredictable,affectingpeople'sabilitytogrowtraditionalcrops.Weprayforfarmers–bothinthiscountryandaroundtheworld.Prayforprotectionagainstclimatedisaster.Andweprayforafairerfoodsystem,whichwillpayfarmersappropriatepricesandenablethemtoearnagoodlivingandwhichwillsupportthoseonlowincomestoaccesshealthyfood.ButterfliesandbeesButterfliesandbeesarealwaysajoytosee-flutteringaroundflowersandgrasslandorgatheringpollentomakehoneywheneverthesunshines.Theyappeartobecarefree,butactuallylifeisquitetoughforthem.IndeedtheUK’sbutterfliesandbeesareintrouble.OvertwothirdsofBritishbutterflieshavedecreasedinnumbersinthepast10years.AfewmigrantslikePaintedLadiesandRedAdmiralsappreciatethewarmingclimate,butmostspeciesaresuffering.AndaccordingtoDEFRA,theUKhassufferedthegreatestdeclineinwildbeesofanywhereinEurope,losing20speciessince1900withafurther35underthreatofextinction.Lord,wethankyouforthejoyofwatchingbutterfliesandtheirbeauty.Wethankyouforthebusynessofbees,sovitalforpollinatingourcrops.Wethankyoufortheorganisationsworkingtopreservespecialareasandreserves.Andwepraythatwemightdoallwecanbyplantingappropriateflowersinourgardensandleavingwildflowerareasinourchurchyards,vergesandgardens. SupermarketWegivethanksfortheeasewithwhichwecanbuywholesomeandvariedfoods.Maywenevertakethisforgranted.Wepraythatyouwillmakeusconsciousofthewayourchoicesinfoodaffecttheenvironmentandotherpeople.Mayweuseourshoppingasanopportunitytosupportlocalproducers,buyingorganicandfairtradeproductsandsupportinganimalfriendlypractices.Weprayforfamilieswhostruggletofindenoughmoneytofeedtheirfamiliesandaskforyourblessingonfoodbanksandallthosewhosupportthispracticalsupport.
![Page 3: Avenue of a Prayer Walk [Updated] · There will be too many prayers for any one walk ... , we thank you for the joy of watching butterflies and their beauty. ... I will sing to the](https://reader031.fdocuments.us/reader031/viewer/2022022007/5ad229fb7f8b9a86158ccd65/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Viewpoint,park-oranyattractiveplacePsalm104:24,31and33-34(NIV)“Howmanyareyourworks,Lord! Inwisdomyoumadethemall; theearthisfullofyourcreatures. MaythegloryoftheLordendureforever; maytheLordrejoiceinhisworks.IwillsingtotheLordallmylife; IwillsingpraisetomyGodaslongasIlive. Maymymeditationbepleasingtohim, asIrejoiceintheLord”. ChurchesandmeetingplacesItisablessingtomeettogetherinprayerandworship–andoneforwhichwegivethanks,awarethattherearemanypeopleforwhommeetingopenlyisnotapossibility.WeprayforthemandforallourbrothersandsistersinChristaroundtheworld. ChurchesalsohaveavitalroletoplayinhelpingpeopletothinkhowweliveinrightrelationshipwithGod,ourneighbourandtheplanet.Weprayformore‘prophets’tostandupandspeakoutclearlyanddecisivelywithinthechurches,sothatmorebelieversarespurredtoprayerandaction.WegivethanksforallthegroupswhichhaveprayedtogetheroverthepastyearandcelebrateansweredprayerswiththeformationandsigningoftheParisClimateAgreementby175countriestodate.AchemistTheWorldHealthOrganisationisveryconcernedabouttheimpactofclimatechangeonhealth.Olderpeopleandyoungchildrenandbabiesareparticularlyvulnerabletotimesofveryhightemperatures.We’regratefultoliveinacountrywherewehaveaccesstocoolwaterandicecreamsduringhotweather.Butweprayformanycountriesaroundtheworldwhererecentsearinghightemperatureshaveresultedinmanydeaths.Over2,500diedfromheatstrokeandrelatedhealthissuesduringtheIndianheatwavelastsummer.BusstoportrainstationWegivethanksforthevarioustransportoptionswehaveavailabletous.Mayweremembertosupportourpublictransportoptionstoensuretheirfuturesustainability.Helpustotakethelowercarbonoptionofwalkingandcyclingwheneverpossible–andtoshareliftsorcarsateveryopportunity.CaféorrestaurantLord,wethankyoufortherichvarietyoffoodsthatwecanenjoyfromallaroundtheworld.Thankyouforthepeoplewhogrowourfoodandthosewhoprepareit.Weprayforfarmerswhodon'tmakeenoughmoneytofeedthemselvesandtheirfamilies,andaskyourblessingonallwhoseektohelpthem.Helpustoeatinwaysthatarefriendlytopeopleandtheplanet.TreesLordwegivethanksfortrees.Trees‘rootus’aswereflectontheirbeauty,theirageandthe‘homes’theyprovideforwildlife.Scientistsknowofthemanybenefitsthatlivingneartreescanbring,suchasimprovingairqualityandairmoistureandprovidingshade.IntheBibletreesareusedasasymbolofwell-being,faithandhealing(Psalm1:3,Jeremiah17:8andRev22:1-2).Solet’sgivethanksfor,appreciateandenjoythetreesinourarea,learningmoreabouttheirnamesandqualitiesanddoingallwecantoprotectthemandtoplantnewtrees.Andprayforpeoplewhoarefightingloggingthatthreatenssomeoftheworld'soldestandmostdiverseforests.
IfyoudecidetoexplorethisAvenuefurther,recordthisonthe'FutureCalling-MyCommitments'sheet.
WiththankstoIsabelCarterand‘Pray&FastfortheClimate’forthesenotes
