Welcome to the FWW Prayer Guide for March. We hope it will be useful for personal prayer, but also for those who lead intercessions in church. Any feedback from your use of the Guide would be most welcome. Previously we used this at our monthly online prayer meeting. This has now changed to a quarterly meeting with the next being on April 11th 1.00 – 1.30 p.m. For the Zoom link for that, and any feedback please email comms@faithatwork.org.uk
March this year coincides with Lent and Holy Week and our prayer themes reflect this season as we think about the meaning of Christ’s Passion. On March 3rd, if we use the common lectionary, we read of Jesus cleansing the temple. Structurally, in our economy, there is much that needs to be repented of; the exploitation of producers, workers and consumers; the use of resources, without thought to the impact on climate and the environment; increasing inequality in the accumulation of wealth, and the burden of tax.
Yet, to quote well known words from one Gospel passage we read this month (John 3 v16, March 10th Gospel for Lent 4), ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son . . .’. With God’s love constant and endless there is hope, not only that ‘ . . whoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life’, but that through those who do believe, that hope may be shared and inspire change in, amongst other things, the way we go about the business of providing what people need – which at heart is the purpose of work and the economy. It is a love that comes into focus on the Cross, Jesus’s willingness to embrace suffering and rejection, and the new beginnings that the revealing of the resurrection makes possible.
Gracious Father, you gave up your Son, out of love for the world:
Hear our prayers for those at work, and for how we order the economy,
that your love may be known in the work we do,
the care we take of others and your world,
the justice in economic affairs that we strive for.
We pray through Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life.
Amen
Especially we pray for:
- All at work providing the goods and services we need and enjoy (be specific in your prayers, taking time to consider those whose work touches your life, naming before God workplaces near you)
- People who work alone and who do not get support in their work from colleagues.
- Those who are unsettled in their work, and all who seek a better experience of work.
- For wisdom in economic decisions and justice in our economic affairs, as a nation and globally.
- For the ministry of Christians in their workplace, as bearers of Christ’s light for others. (be specific, praying for those in your church in their workplace)
- For FWW workplace chaplains, in their ministry of presence and listening, that they may be beacons of hope, and sharers of God’s love with those they meet.
- New opportunities for chaplaincy in places and sectors of the economy where there are no FWW chaplains as yet.
- For volunteers to help with the running of FWW, supporting the ministry of workplace chaplaincy.
- In our cycle of prayer for chaplains and trustees, this month we pray for:
- Chaplains: In Alvechurch – Sue Brotherton, chaplain, and also Helen Ayling, as she undergoes training to join Sue in the ministry.
- Trustees: Roy Walford, as he retires this month after 6 years as a trustee, giving thanks for his faithful service, including as treasurer and then secretary.