ICF - Prayer Focus

Manufacturers and suppliers of fitted bedrooms and kitchens, furniture designers and manufacturers; makers and designers of curtains, blinds, bedding and soft furnishing; tableware, ornaments and paintings; wallpaper manufacturers and makers of floor and wall tiles, carpets and linoleum; painters, decorators and paint manufacturers; interior designers, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom fitters.

Loving God, you decreed that tabernacle and temple should be finely adorned; that your house should be a place of beauty and splendour. Yet we find you born on this earth in a stable and declaring that though foxes have holes and the birds their nests, the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. And so we thank you for our homes, we celebrate that aspect of your likeness in us that enables us not simply to see them as functional, but also to appreciate beauty, design and craftsmanship; and we thank you for those whose ability and skill provide the things with which we furnish them. But we recognise too that there are greater treasures in this world, and so we pray that you will help us to adorn our homes with love, generosity and welcome, and make them places where Your presence is sought and found. We pray to for those who are without homes, or whose housing conditions fall well below the standards of decency that befit our humanity. May our desire to provide safe and attractive dwellings for ourselves never eclipse our sense of responsibility to strive for a world where all people can live in places of safety and comfort. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN

Regular prayer for the world of work can be a significant feature in Sunday services. ICF seeks to provide a variety of resources to help those who prepare these. Prayer of this nature is important because:

It encourages Christians to see their working lives as part of their Christian Identity
It helps those involved in the world of work, particularly when their job makes it difficult to participate in church activities, to feel affirmed and valued.
It is a vital part of our intercessory responsibility to the community around us.
It communicates a faith that is relevant to real issues to those who visit our churches

Each week, we highhlight different groups of workers and encourage our members and followers to particularly pray for people who work in that sector. We also encourage local churches to include regular prayers for the world of work

As you pray, Consider what might be said in the context of thanksgiving, confession and intercession, both for the workers concerned and for those present.

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