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	Articles - Miscellaneous Prayers for Change - February Being used simultaneously this month by the people of Lidgett Park Methodist, St Andrew's and St Edmund's churches. It will be helpful to first read Micah 6: 1-8 and Matthew 5: 1-12 How Wonderful..... How wonderful it would be if the world were turned upside down. How wonderful it would be if my thoughts were upside down. Micah saw that an upside down world would be a place of justice, a place of dignity and a place of the Spirit. Matthew turned human thoughts upside down so that they would be full of celebration for the lives and hopes of others. In the upside down world we would share and not grudgingly; and our upside down thoughts would be generous and not suspicious. We confess to God that we are easily carried away by familiar and powerful scriptures. '........ doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly before God' 'Blessed are............' We confess to you, God, that we say yes, our hearts sing yes, too easily. We are moved simply by the beauty and hope of these words. When our rejoicing is shallow, when we take refuge in guilt which helps no-one, when we refuse your grace. Holy God, dare us to be your people. Holy God, in Jesus you free us radically to turn towards the vision of Micah and the celebration of Matthew. We thank you. In silence, bring before God moments of holding back; from a person in need of friendship, from a situation in need of a word of hope, from a plea in need of justice. In a silence focus on one of these for today - Offer this person ...........; these people ............, this place to God .......... Read again from Micah or Matthew. Ask God to speak to our heart. How does God's loving-kindness, grace and justice reach the person or place in our prayer? Talk it through with a friend. Adapted from 'Kneelers' URC Handbook for 2002. This prayer is by John Humphreys, Wales Moderator in the United Reformed Church

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