Prayers of Intercession 
First Sunday of Advent (Year B)
St Francis Xavier's Church, Lavender Bay
Author: Sr Lynne Green
General Intercessions
As we begin our Advent journey towards Christ's coming to be with us, let us pray for strength share his work of making love real in our world, in practical, simple ways with people we know or will meet on that journey . . . (pause)
Lord, hear us
All: Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for others, on a more heartbreaking journey, with a much less certain destination than ours - like the people of Somalia, and the peace-keeping forces trying to protect crews on ships delivering urgently-needed food to them . . . (pause)
Lord, hear us,
All: Lord, hear our prayer
During Coastcare Week, which begins tomorrow, let us pray for the clear-sightedness we need to focus our own and others' attention on developing ways to take proper care of our beaches and waterways - now and into the future . . . (pause)
Lord, hear us,
All: Lord, hear our prayer
In a week when the international community observes a day for people with disabilities, let us also remember their carers . . . (pause)
and, in light of the current crisis in childcare centres, and recent examples of apparent failures in duty-of-care for young children in some of them, let us also pray for those entrusted with keeping them safe . . . (pause)
Lord, hear us,
All: Lord, hear our prayer
