5 gold prayer service stewardship 2012

Welcome to the

5 Gold Prayer

Service

Welcome to 5 Gold’s Prayer Liturgy.We begin by acknowledging the traditional

custodians of the land: The Gadigal People of the Eora Nation,

upon whose ancestral land we are privileged to gather.

May we walk gently on this land.

All are welcome in this place in Christ’s name.

Please stand for the National Anthem

Australians all let us rejoice, For we are young and free;

We've golden soil and wealth for toil, Our home is girt by sea;

Our land abounds in Nature's gifts Of beauty rich and rare;

In history's page, let every stage Advance Australia fair!

In joyful strains then let us sing, "Advance Australia fair!"

Beneath our radiant southern Cross, We'll toil with hearts and hands;

To make this Commonwealth of ours Renowned of all the lands;

For those who've come across the seas We've boundless plains to share; With courage let us all combine

To advance Australia fair. In joyful strains then let us sing

"Advance Australia fair!”

This is the historic promise 189 world leaders

made at the United Nations Millennium

Summit in 2000 when they signed onto the

Millennium Declaration and agreed to meet

the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

End poverty by 2015!

It’s up to us to make sure leaders

follow through on these

commitments. The "United Nations

Millennium Campaign" supports and

inspires people from around the

world to take action in support of the

Millennium Development Goals.

Reducing poverty and achieving sustained

development must be done in conjunction with a

healthy planet. The Millennium Goals recognize

that environmental sustainability is part of global

economic and social well-being. Unfortunately

exploitation of natural resources such as

forests, land, water, and fisheries-often by the

powerful few-have caused alarming changes in

our natural world in recent decades, often

harming the most vulnerable people in the world

who depend on natural resources for their

livelihood.

UN MILLENNIUM CAMPAIGN - GOAL 7 -

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

"My hope is that from the current global crisis there may

emerge a shared desire to create a new culture of

solidarity and of responsible participation, which are

indispensable conditions if we are to build the future of

our planet together."

Pope Benedict XVI - January 31st 2009

Prayer for A Just Climate

You created night and day.You separated the sea from the sky.

You gave life to all living creatures

and saw that it was good.

Help us to reconnect

with the majesty of your creation.

God of Love,

Fill us with your love for all

creation.Empty us of

apathy, selfishness and fear.

Inspire us to live simply and in harmony with creation.

Help us to be good stewards,

caring for all creation with self-

sacrificing and nurturing love.

God of Compassion,Breathe into us solidarity with all who suffer

nowand the future generations who will sufferbecause of our environmental

irresponsibility.

Help us to put people before profit

and ‘being’ before ‘having’.

God of Justice,Empower us to work together

as one global community,

To find creative and just solutions to

protect those most vulnerable in our

world, and all of creation for future

generations.

Move us into action for climate justice

and to restore your creation.Amen.

Prayer for

Water

Loving God,

whose son Jesus Christ called all who

were thirsty to come to him, believe and

drink,

Look in mercy on your people living in

dry lands, and struggling to survive

without access to safe drinking water.

Forgive our selfishness in life and

our misuse of our natural resources.

We commit ourselves to value

and care for your gifts to us.

May rivers of living water and practical

compassion for all who suffer flow out from our

hearts.

Refreshed by your Spirit, and following in the

way of Jesus Christ,

We will continue to serve you in the

people and creation entrusted to our

care.

Amen

Prayer for Food

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the blessings of

food, water, shelter, family and well-being.

As we enjoy healthy food, we will think of

those who struggle to feed their families

every day.

You taught us to pray.As we say “Give us today

our daily bread” we make that prayer also for the

millions who go hungry every day.

You fed the hungry.Inspire in us the commitment to follow your example, showing compassion in

action and sharing what we have with those who have less.

You cared for all.Help us to remember your

command

to love one another.

Help us to see you in each of our

brothers and sisters– especially those who are

in need.

You are the Bread of Life.Strengthen us

as we work

for justice in the world.

Help us to stand in solidarity with the poorest of the poor.

You came so that we could have life

and have it to the full.Our prayer is that this might be true for all.

We pray that communities and governments recognise our shared responsibility to be more

just in sharing the world’s resources.

Help us to care more deeply, live more

simply and share more fully.

Amen