Pray the Story Volume 2

Out now!

A new collection prayer and poetry for the breadth of the Christian year, and the depth of our lived experience. New hymns and new versions of Sarah's 'Story Eucharist' also feature in this new volume. 

Pray the Story offers evocative and provocative invitations into prayer for the individual and the community. 

 

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it is good for us to be here

Luke 9:28–36 

Oh, Holy One,

may our communion with you

change us so others see 

us shining with your light 

Oh Holy One, 

may your presence with us

envelop us close as a cloud 

so we drip with your holiness 

Oh, Holy One, 

may we listen to Jesus,

your son, your chosen,

and become more like him 

Amen. 

to be merciful, like God

Luke 6:27–38

We pray for those who oppose us,

who hurl hate our way,

who curse our name,

who hurt, who attack, who abuse. 

We pray for the inner turmoil

that lies behind such harm,

self-loathing turned on others,

insecurities turned to venom,

pain, sorrow, abuse suffered themselves. 

We pray for those who cause harm,

for all in pain, not knowing how

to heal or to forgive. 

May we, your people,

be agents of love that heals,

living your grace that restores. 

We pray for those who act

with violence towards others,

with disrespect for property and person,

with greed, entitlement, selfish disdain. 

We pray for victims of violence

who learn no other way,

for poverty's angry outcomes,

wealth's insatiable appetite for more. 

We pray for those who cause harm,

for all in pain, not knowing how

to heal or to forgive. 

May we, your people,

be agents of love that heals,

living your grace that restores. 

We pray for those who pass judgement,

and for our own tendencies

toward self-congratulation. 

We pray from and for the messiness

of life lived alongside others

different and sometimes oh, too, similar

to ourselves. 

We pray for those who cause harm,

for all in pain, not knowing how

to heal or to forgive. 

May we, your people,

be agents of love that heals,

living your grace that restores. 

Hear our prayers, Holy One; 

may we live love for each other

that will transform enemies

into friends. 

Amen. 

Jesus begins

Three haikus with the story in Luke 

throw him back

Luke 4:14–30 

the valley would not 

receive him, returned, mountain

prophet home no more 

gather them in 

Luke 5:1–11 

he calls: fish sink boats

we fall to knees unworthy

then rise – gasp – he calls! 

come to the light

Luke 6:17–26 

he warms, he restores, 

riddles blessings into woes, 

woeful become blessed 

Song of the ages

Psalm 148 and John 1 

This One commanded

This One created

This One now here with us 

We praise the Word

We praise You, Wisdom,

Jesus, we praise Your Holy being 

Sun and moon and shining stars

Heavens and waters and earth

praise You, present through all creation 

Promise and presence

Prophet and Messiah

Your song is sung through time 

the Word became flesh

Christmas Blessing with John 1:1–14 

Word at the beginning,

Word without end;

Light in the darkness,

Light that God sent; 

born among us long ago,

born again, anew, now! 

This Jesus is born in you,

today/tonight, new life again and always: 

may his light guide your way,

beginnings, new beginnings, 

to the end. Amen. 

a multitude of the heavenly host

Christmas Praise with Luke 2:8–20 

angels fill our sky with gold:

our eyes blink with wonder! 

angels fill the air with music:

our hearts sing a song long awaited! 

angels fill the sky with light:

our souls dance, amazed! 

angels fill the air with life:

our lungs expand and – sigh! 

Praise to You, our Holy One,

Source of Life and Love,

born again in the wondrous story,

born again in us tonight / today! 

No place for them

Christmas Intercessions with Luke 2:1–7 

We remember Joseph and Mary,

displaced

and we pray for our neighbours, 

displaced 

silence 

We remember Joseph and Mary,

uprooted

and we pray for our neighbours, 

uprooted 

silence 

We remember Joseph and Mary,

expectant

and we pray for our neighbours, 

expectant 

silence 

We remember Jesus,

born 

and we pray for our neighbours, 

and ourselves 

silence 

Amen 

Held Safe. Haikus for Advent

1. Hope 

Jeremiah 33:14–16

rooted in Holy

Land produces harmony

promise branches forth 

2. Peace 

Baruch 5:1–9 

carried on the breeze

fragrant whisper: tingles, sighs,

remembered, we breathe 

3. Joy 

Zephaniah 3:14–20 

horizon's morning glow

dew-tipped leaves and God's loud singing

birds, exultant, free! 

4. Love 

Micah 5:2–5a 

to time and story

born, fed, protected: mothered

God, Immanuel 

Be the kin-dom

Rev 1:4b–8 

Grace to you, and peace to you,

from the One who is and was

and is to come; from Christ

who lived and died and lived

again; from Beginning and End

and all between. 

Take that grace, take that peace,

be the kin-dom Christ called us

to be; the priesthood of the faithful,

the family of God; and so may

all eyes see our freedom 

and wonder – and wonder! 

Amen. 

with the distressed

1 Samuel 1:4–20 

to ask of God, in great distress;

to pray, and pray again 

Hannah got her prayed-for child,

but, God, what about the others? 

we ask of you, with the much distressed: 

we pray, and pray again 

whether we get our prayed-for gifts,

or, God, if we receive much else. 

we come to you with the world's distress,

to pray, and pray again – 

for war zones

and refugee camps,

detention centres,

trains and deserts of pilgrims

fleeing for peace 

silence 

for empty homes

and the homeless,

boxes and trolleys,

broken hearts and shattered

dreams of hope 

silence 

for the dying

and the grieving,

hospitals and homes,

beds and chapels 

and rooms of waiting 

silence 

for children 

for disabled folk

for teachers

for essential workers

for our world reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic 

for hope and opportunity,

peace, justice, healing, love 

we ask you, God, for all distressed: 

we pray, and pray again 

Hannah got her miracle, but

ours is to live the prayers we speak 

Amen. 

Faithful Saints

Wisdom of Solomon 3:1–9 

for All Saints' Day 

the souls of the faithful

are in the hand of Holy One

to the foolish they seemed

to have died - but they are at peace! 

the souls of the faithful

have their hope in Holy One

they are worthy, they are accepted,

they shine like sparkling stars! 

the souls of the faithful

abide in love with Holy One

for the faithful, Holy One,

is Mercy, is Grace, is Life everlasting, Amen! 

Taking Part

to follow the reading of Ruth 3–4 

We thank you for Ruth,

her love, her loyalty,

her obedience, her trust; 

and we wonder, was 

it blind, or open-eyed? 

and we pray for all the Ruths,

loving, loyal, obedient

and trusting: may their eyes

see clearly, may they 

always understand. 

We thank you for Naomi,

her care, her protection,

her creative manoeuvre for safety: 

and we wonder, was she there

if reward did not follow the dare? 

and we pray for all Naomis,

on unprotected journeys home,

holding only risky cards to play: 

may our motives, however jumbled,

include each other in our care. 

We thank you for the Story,

for your part, between the lines;

for the Story of your people,

their welcome of the 'other' 

and the part they play – up-front. 

and we pray for our hearing

of your Story, and our part

as people of your Story, open 

to each other and the parts

we all will play. 

Amen. 

Praise to our hope and help

Psalm 146 

We praise you Holy One! 

We sing our praise to you alone,

may the song endure,

your praises never end! 

You live, give life, 

you are always; 

Holy One, you endure,

your praises never end! 

You are our help,

you are our hope,

Creator of sea and land and sky, 

faithful through all of time. 

You are Justice,

you, Liberation,

you, help and hope

for the poor. 

Your way is release

for captives, sight

for the blind and home

for stranger, widow, orphan. 

You lift up,

you open gates,

you are Mercy

and Lovingkindness. 

We praise you Holy One;

we sing praise to you alone; 

may the song endure,

your praises never end! 

faith on the outskirts of Jericho

Mark 10:46–52 

cloak, dust, flicked in eyes

liberation unsettles

perspective revolves 

Sharing his cup

Mark 10:35–45 

Do we know

for what we ask

from Jesus, our

own saviour? 

Do we know

what he will give,

to those who walk

his Way? 

The cup he drinks

is sour wine, is

rejection, betrayal,

is love even unto death! 

His baptism – 

that, too, is death,

the life to come

still more dying 

to self and wealth,

as we come last,

we serve not gain

more power. 

Know for what

you ask, and still – 

ask, and stay

the path. 

Drink and serve,

come last and see – 

that's first, and death

is life! 

a disciple's prayer

Mark 10:17–31 

look at me with love,

Jesus, tell me I am home 

look at me with love,

Jesus, tell me I am known 

I have kept God's Way,

Jesus, faithful all my life

I would follow you, Jesus,

if you would tell me how

must I give it up? 

Jesus, this is hard – 

harder than imagined,

Jesus, more than I can bear 

I will follow you, Jesus,

leave it all behind – 

the wealth, the home,

the people even – all, yes, all 

but Jesus, this is hard,

please meet me with your love

look at me with love, that

I may love with you 

help me love your Way,

Jesus, your people as my kin

help me give my all,

Jesus, all in love for you 

Family, fracture, healing, home

Mark 10:2–16 

Holy One, we pray for families,

for children, siblings, offspring,

growing and learning who they 

will be and with whom they belong;

for parents – mums and dads,

step parents, adoptive, fostering, in-laws,

balancing nurture of self and spouse,

balancing freedom and boundaries,

balancing their roles as children

themselves, and siblings, aunts

and uncles, cousins and friends.

We pray for grandparents,

godparents, grandchildren,

nephews and nieces and family friends. 

Holy One, we pray with thanks

for families, for love, for nurture, for home! 

Holy One, we pray for fractures

in family relationships: 

for separations caused by wars

and battles, rejections 

and misunderstandings;

for departures and divorces,

re-marriages and single-parenting,

grandparents parenting

the children of their children;

for fostered children, adopted

children, orphaned, abandoned, 

neglected children, and those

adults who harm and who heal. 

Holy One, we pray with hope 

for healing of fractures for love

to be known in every family. 

Holy One, we pray for families 

unconventional, bonded by choice 

breaking the rules society imposes; 

for rainbow families, blended

families, childless couples, singles,

religious, platonic partners

and feathered, finned, and furry friends. 

Holy One, we pray with joy

for the diverse ways we find

ourselves home, part of a family

and we pray that all

may somehow find their way home.

Amen. 

Let our lives be given us

artist: Matthew Stuart

Intercessions with Esther 7 

We pray for women

who through the ages

have had recourse only

through their wiles,

through the stomachs of men,

the pleasure of men,

in order to be heard. 

We pray for peoples

oppressed and persecuted,

life in constant threat

from empire builders,

dehumanised, victimised,

yearning for a saviour. 

We pray for leaders

inebriated to blindness

by their own power, 

by position; deceived,

undermined, undone, 

and their people with them. 

We pray for women

who find a way 

to break the silence;

for the disempowered

who find the strength

to endure, to survive, to live;

for our leaders

to find their way back

into integrity, and their 

people waiting, 

waiting 

Amen 

Inexplicable Paradox

Mark 9:30–37 

Confession 

Forgive us when we do not understand; 

help us understand. 

We don't understand your death,

or our death with you;

how, so to live, you say, 'die'; 

how, if to die, still with you – life! 

Forgive us when we do not understand; 

help us understand. 

We don't understand your life,

or our life with you, 

rising out of the tomb, 

shining, light in the dark. 

Forgive us when we do not understand; 

help us understand. 

We don't understand greatness,

that with you, it hardly matters 

as much as littleness, or little ones;

that, to you, all matter, all, and each. 

Forgive us when we do not understand; 

help us understand. 

We don't understand your way,

the taking nobodies as somebodies,

putting them in your arms,

turning life upside down: 

Forgive us when we do not understand; 

help us understand. 

We don't understand welcome

or humility or servanthood;

the paradox of first and last,

of grace not merit, home not position. 

Forgive us when we do not understand; 

help us understand. 

Assurance of grace 

Welcome, all you children

into the embrace of Jesus,

which is the embrace of Holy One – 

welcome home, each

and every one. 

Be at peace:

we are forgiven, 

and we will never understand. 

Amen.