God,
we never thought it would be like this,
we can’t think straight.
Yet blinded by your radiance
we know that
you alone make all things new,

God, 
in our loneliness and hunger of heart, 
you restore us to new life 
in Christ Jesus, 
and we bless you.

May his risen power be strong within us
and bless us with his peace,
that we may face adversity with courage
and grow in love for you and for each other.

Amen.

^{The Revd Fleur Houston, retired minister and member of Macclesfield & Bollington URC}

God of towels and jugs and dirty feet
you revealed your glory
in the apparent foolishness of service.

God of towels and jugs and dirty feet
I reveal my foolishness
in my all too obvious thirst for glory.

God of towels and jugs and dirty feet
wash my feet, wash my hands, wash my heart
then send me out with fool’s towel
to wipe your glory into our Covid-stained world.

Amen.

^{By the Revd Phil Nevard, a URC Minister in Devon}

Gracious God
as we journey through this pandemic,
watching its effect, fearing its progress, 
we turn to you in hope and expectation.
By restraining ourselves 
from greeting others as we would wish for over a year, 
we have learned to value human contact as never before.
Let your Spirit’s touch upon our lives encourage and sustain us 
in these days of promise and recovery.
We commit to you those who grieve. 
We thank you for all who sustain us.
Amen.

^{By the Revd John Young, retired minister of the Scottish Synod URC and member of Giffnock URC}

Lord, so many people who have died.
So many families left grieving.
We struggle to understand.
A pandemic and a loving God?
We rail at the suffering and injustice;
When death counts obscure the sorrow of each individual;
Each precious person lost; each loved one left behind broken.
Our eyes blur with tears …and through them a figure takes shape:
of another agonising and weeping;
the crucified Christ aching to embrace and share our sorrow.
Be with us, Lord.
Amen.

_{By Professor Graham Handscomb, member of Christchurch URC, Chelmsford}

Lord, 
We give thanks for the scientists tackling the pandemic;
for their curiosity about your world;
for their commitment to finding rigorous answers.
We pray for those who nurture young minds;
for teachers who open up new possibilities; 
for those who make it safe to ask hard questions.
May your Church be somewhere where we wonder anew at Creation, 
hold out hope for a better world for all your children 
and take action to make that world a reality.

Amen.

_{By Gordon Woods - Elder, St. Columba’s URC, Oxford}

Dear and glorious God, we cry to you.
At the moment, love seems both deeply hidden and alive like never before. 
Selfishness is alarmingly exposed, numbing us to the fear which feeds it. 
Selflessness is gloriously and exhaustingly alive, restoring our faith in you and in humanity. 
In this Lenten time, stir in us, waking your love, enriching us with grace to be gracious. 
Comfort us to know that our small steps made well are your active, powerful love.
Amen. 

_{By the Revd Elizabeth Gray-King, URC Education & Learning Programme Officer and member of St Columba’s URC}

O God,
as we journey through these long Lenten days,
give us both respite and food for the journey.
Help us grieve with those who have lost loved ones to this plague.
Help us support those who nurse and care for the critically ill.
Help us to show love by keeping our distance.
And help us, O God, to rejoice 
as the vaccine is rolled out, 
lives are saved, 
and our world starts slowly to spring to life again.
Amen.

_{By the Revd Andy Braunston who works with four churches in and around Glasgow}