This is the week set aside by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland to pray for Christian Unity, and for that reason Rev. Tony has asked me to offer some short reflections on this theme.

My name is Rev. Joe Adams and I serve as a Methodist Minister in the Colchester Circuit with responsibility for the congregations at Wimpole Road in New Town, Mersea Island, Lexden, and the missional community at Tollgate here in Stanway.  

The material for our prayers in a little while come from the Churches Together in England and the Church of Scotland; they bear the passion and belief that God calls us to stop building our local empires, our small congregations and denominations, and work together with passion while praying with confidence for the Kingdom of God which will only come in completeness when we work together. Then what Jesus promised in John 13:35 will be true 

By this shall all people know that you are my disciples, 
if ye have love one to another.

I know we do things a bit differently, and sometimes interpret passages a bit differently, I know we do Church Government a bit differently; yet at the end of the day we all believe the core truth that Jesus is Lord. That alone should be enough to bind us together as sisters and brothers and cause us to follow our Lord’s lead, praying for and working for the Church to be one. 

Jesus waits for us tirelessly, hoping that, united to him in love, we will bear fruit that will bring life to all, and we can only do that by following his lead.

Faced with our differences, often we withdraw into ourselves and see only that which separates us, today let us commit to listen afresh to how Christ calls us to abide in his love, and so bear much fruit.

The path of unity begins in our intimate relationship with God. Abiding in God’s love strengthens the desire to seek unity and reconciliation with others. Abiding in God’s love leads us to the place where healing is found for the divisions within us, between us, and in the world.

And so in peace let us seek God’s love as we pray. Please use these prayers slowly and leave space for God to speak to you as well as space for you to speak to God. 

Lord, you are the vinedresser who cares for us with love. You call on us to see the beauty of each branch united to the vine, the beauty of each person.

And yet, too often the differences in others make us afraid and we withdraw into ourselves. © Churches Together in Britain and Ireland

Our trust in you is forsaken. Enmity develops between us.
Come and direct our hearts toward you once again. Grant us to live in the fullness of your forgiveness so that we may be together and praise your name.
We know that we so easily forget your call to live and love, to forgive one another and seek unity.
We confess that we struggle so much to live in unity even with those in our own families and churches sometimes, let alone live in unity with those who praise you differently or live differently.  

Silence

Loving caring forgiving God
don’t judge us as we judge others and ourselves,
instead as we confess our sins
pour out mercy and grace over us
that we might be able to be used by your love again

Silence

1 Corinthians 1:10-13a

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

There is One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. So let us pray. 

Silence

Holy Spirit, you create and continue to re-create the Church in all places. Come and whisper in our hearts the prayer which Jesus addressed to his Father on the eve of his passion: by this shall all people know that they are my disciples, if they have love one for another.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, light the fire of your love in us so that suspicions, contempt and misunderstanding cease in the Church.
May the walls that separate us fall.
Lord we long for the day when they will fall. 

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Holy Spirit, Consoler of all, open our hearts to forgiveness and reconciliation and bring us back from our wanderings.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Lord Jesus, gentle and humble of heart, give us poverty of spirit so that we may welcome the unexpectedness of your grace.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Holy Spirit, you never abandon the men, women and children who are persecuted for their fidelity to the gospel. Give them strength and courage, and support those who help them.

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Great Creator your people are in trouble in our Parish and Community;
we are living in such strange days where death and grief seem to be our constant companions.
We and our loved ones are tired and weary, lonely and alone, sick and sorrowing.
Give us your grace, enfold us in your peace, and be with those we pray for now

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

Silence

Inspire and direct us in our lives that we might hear Jesus calling us to let go of our divisions and seek the unity of God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the name of Jesus we pray
Amen