The Prayer for Zambia / Bath & Wells Sunday 2023

Loving God and Father of us all, today we pray for our brothers and sisters in the Zambia Anglican Church.

We give thanks for the 45 years in which we have celebrated life and faith together through our Diocesan Companion Link.

We give thanks for the prayers, for the friendships, for the joys and for the concerns that we have shared.

And we give thanks for all that we have learned from each other as we have sought to live and tell the Good News of Jesus Christ.

We ask for your continuing blessing on us as together we strive to “come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ”.

Amen.

Optional Prayers of Intercession

On this Zambia / Bath & Wells Sunday, we pray for the Anglican Church in Zambia and for our links to them, that through our faithful response to our mutual calling, the Kingdom of God may grow in both nations.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

and we pray for your blessing, heavenly Father,

on the people and clergy of the Zambia Anglican Church, the Bishops of Central, Eastern and Luapula Dioceses and on Archbishop Albert, Primate of the Province of Central Africa. Also for Lusaka Diocese, currently without a bishop.

on the clergy and people of Bath & Wells, on Bishop Michael and Bishop Ruth.

On the work of the Zambia Anglican Council and on Revd Canon Rogers Banda, General Secretary.

We give you thanks for the life and ministry of Bishop David Njovu, commemorated in April in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Lusaka.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We give thanks for personal contacts and deep friendships within Link relationships and for the blessing of visits and virtual meetings. We pray for all bishops in Zambia and Bath & Wells that you will enrich their common witness in unity, cooperation and fruitful dialogue. We pray for the new Link coordinator in Bath & Wells and for growth in all of our link relationships.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for those in government in both our countries, for wisdom, integrity and honesty in political leadership, the will to overcome divisiveness and a desire to serve the good of the whole people, especially those in poverty or need.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for justice and fairness for those worst hit by changing patterns of climate. Open our eyes to our impact on the climate and our hearts to those most affected. We ask for your mercy, Lord, acknowledging when we have used and abused your creation, discarding our waste and polluting the environment. In both countries, direct our stewardship of the precious earth that you created and have given to us to tend.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We give thanks for those who have worked hard to overcome the effects of the Covid pandemic and pray for all who died or have been severely impacted by Covid. We ask for an increase in generosity and fairness in the sharing of resources and in cooperation for the future.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for your blessing, Lord, as we strive to transcend our differences, and share our responsibility for peace and unity. We pray for sacred friendships to grow and flourish in our common desire to live holy lives as
disciples of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.