As we approach the anniversary of the first lockdown, please join us in offering these special prayers, written by Martyn Payne, BRF volunteer and prayer advocate.
Lord God,
on this anniversary of the first lockdown
we pause and we remember.
So many have died; so many have been bereaved.
So many still struggle; so many lives have been disrupted.
Lord God,
because you too remember,
because you too weep,
because you too have shared in every death,
and because of the resurrection,
we put our hope in you, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Help us, gracious Lord,
as we look back on the sadness of this past year,
to remember names not numbers,
to focus on lives not lists,
to count souls not statistics,
and to respond to human pain not headlines;
knowing that in your sight
every death is precious, every life is mourned,
and that in your compassion
all our tears and tossings are noted by you.
Amen
Father God,
last year was one of terrible loss –
sudden, painful and unexpected loss.
Loving God, it has left us stunned, sad and shaken.
This pandemic has taught us that,
despite what we thought we had achieved,
life is nevertheless fragile and uncertain.
Holy God, we cry to you and we cling to you,
because only in you
is there eternal and inextinguishable life.
Amen
Lord, we bring these last twelve months to you:
Coronavirus
Lockdown
Covid-19
Infections
Symptoms
Washing hands, Cancellation, Rule of six, Masks
Separation, Bereavement, Deaths, Loneliness
Pandemic, Care homes, Social distancing, NHS
Furlough, Key workers, PPE, Bubbles, Briefings
Shielding
Outdoors
R-rate
Testing
Quarantine
Lateral flow
Vaccine
Injections
Online living
Long Covid
Thank you, Father, that nothing is outside your love and your experience.
Have mercy upon us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
