This year Churches Together in Britain and Ireland will be celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity with an Octave of Prayer for St Paul. 8 Days of prayer ending on 25th January, the Feast of Conversion of St Paul. We shall be seeking conversion of our hearts and lives  that we may live out our Unity in Christ. https://ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer

Prayer for Day 1

The Stone

        Risen Lord Jesus,

The stone was no barrier to you;

your resurrection brings love, new life, new challenges.

Give us strength and courage

to allow ourselves to believe this

and so to roll back the stones that imprison us,

embrace the glory of the Easter morning,

and meet the believers from whom we are separated.

In your name, O risen Lord, we pray.  Amen

Good News

Good News!
Lord Jesus, Lord of joy,
the world craves good news;
the world craves your love and joy.
Fill us with that love and joy.
Help us to see the plight of others, to hear the sighs of need, the howls of pain, the cries of despair,
and to respond, always, in the love and joy of you,

our Saviour and our Lord. Amen

Prayer for Day 3

Forgive us our closed ears, forgive us our hard hearts

Lord Jesus, Lord of wholeness,

you prayer for unity amongst your discples

has fallen on closed ears and on hard hearts.

Forgive us our closed ears,

forgive us our hard hearts which perpetuate suspicion, prejudice and division:

forgive us our fractured mission.

Open our hearts, eyes and minds

to your love and truth within all Christian people

and strengthen in us the resolve to work

to restore the unity of your Church and your creation

to the glory of your name. Amen

Prayer for Day 4
Speak words of joy, acceptance and of reconciliation

Lord Jesus, the Word made flesh and sent to live among us,
the Word of truth, of love, of joy,
the Word of compassion, of acceptance, of unity.
Forgive our negative, critical, wounding and divisive thoughts and words.
Inspire us with your Spirit and give us unity which will empower us
to speak words of joy, acceptance and of reconciliation.
Make us life-giving, priestly people in our communities,to your glory. Amen

Prayer for Day 5

Inspire us to work tirelessly to be one

Jesus our suffering Lord,

our disunity as churches compounds your suffering

and causes pain to those who long for your dream of unity to become reality.

Forgive us our part in continuing division;

grant us humility to hear your voice ever urging reconciliation.

Inspire us to work tirelessly to be one

so that the world may believe in your name. Amen