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Sacrifice
'For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings.'
(Hosea 6:6)

Into your presence we come, Father God as your children have done throughout the centuries. In vast Cathedrals, parish Churches, Chapels, homes, warehouses, converted cinemas, in lonely isolated places. Alone or gathered together with others, your Church is wherever your people meet together in worship, in fellowship and in prayer.
Your presence is discernible wherever your Spirit is allowed to enter
All: Be with us now, loving Father

Into your presence we come, Father God, mindful of our own failings; our thoughts, words and actions that have shown nothing of your love
All: Forgive us, loving Father

Into your presence we come, Father God; remembering the sacrifice of your Son on a cruel cross so that we might know freedom from the guilt of sin, and be made right again with our Creator.
All: Thank you, loving Father

'Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
All: He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him.'
(Psalm 91)

Thank you, loving Father that you are with us in our joys and our sorrows, the peaks and troughs of our lives, because you understand our human nature. You know our hearts, feel our pain, know our anguish and enfold us with your love that we might know daily your forgiveness and healing.

We say together the words of the Lord's Prayer.
All: Our Father…

'He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world.'
(1 John 2:2)

For your love which breathed this world into being, and daily sustains it
All: We give you thanks
For your love which granted mankind free will and choice
All: We give you thanks
For your love which never fails as we do, but stretches to eternity
All: We give you thanks
For your love, sacrificed upon a cross for our sake
All: We give you thanks
For your love which rose triumphant from the grave and lives within us
All: We give you thanks
For your love which encircles us as we meet together in your presence
All: We give you thanks
For your love which extends to all mankind
All: We give you thanks

We spend a moment or two in quiet meditation, thinking of the sacrifice of Jesus; pure Love freely given and poured out for our Salvation
(Silence)
And for the challenge of the sacrificial life that Jesus calls us to live
(Silence)

In a world of self-seeking, of self-sufficiency
there is often very little space for love
Little time for giving, or receiving
In the midst of living, the bustle of the shopping centre
the noise of office or workspace, the party small-talk
there is real loneliness
unnoticed by all but you
Give us discernment, Father to see people as you see them
to be your love in this world
to be willing to give sacrificially of time, and self
that others might know the depth of your love
All: In our busy lives, Lord help us to be your love in the world

All these things we ask through your glorious name, loving heavenly Father