God of light and life, as we stand at the beginning of a new year we bring before you the hopes and needs of the world and our own communities.
In Switzerland, we pray for the crowd of 200 partygoers, the vast majority aged between 16 and 25, who rushed to escape up a narrow flight of stairs through a single door. Others tried to smash windows to escape as the fire started spreading to the ground floor.
“We count around 40 people who have died and around 115 injured, most of them seriously,” Frederic Gisler, the local police commander, told reporters.
In our prayers we hold before God all those in regions where there is war or unrest; for those displaced or caught up in violence, and for all who work for lasting peace. May world leaders be guided to act with integrity and concern for the common good as they make decisions and implement policies that affect many lives.
We prayerfully remember the environment, God’s wonderful creation of the natural world, asking that we might be guided in taking collective responsibility for the earth we share, protecting it with care and passing it on to future generations.
Let us pray for our communities, for our families and neighbourhoods; that the start of the new year might revitalise us in a fresh spirit of kindness and cooperation. We ask God to show us how together we can transform our communities into vibrant examples of kingdom living in our world.
We pray for those who have felt sadness over the festive season, for those for whom it has been a time of suffering and stress. May they discern the glimmer of God’s constant, eternally glowing love. And may they turn to see the light, until it shines fully and brightly, dispelling darkness, radiating joy.
God of mercy and hope, receive the prayers we bring before you. Help us to live the year ahead with compassion, courage and trust in your constant presence alongside us. Amen.