Prayer for Australia from the National Council of Churches

Gracious God.
You brought light out of darkness.
You formed the beauty of creation from the waters of chaos.
You raised us from the very dust of the earth and brought life from death.
We thank you for your grace, your faithfulness, and your strength to restore.
Unite your people to bless all who suffer in darkness, chaos, grief and loss.
Grant us your guidance and strength, to serve faithfully as people of hope.
For your sake, and that of all you love, we pray,
Amen

‘The Disaster Recovery Chaplain’s Prayer’, 
by Rev Stephen Robinson, 
National Disaster Recovery Officer 
of the Uniting Church in Australia

Creator God,
We pray for this land, our culture, our customs,
our languages, our people and our nation.
Gather us together to look after this land,
so that the beauty of our mother earth
may be preserved for all future generations.

Jesus our brother, give us your grace,
To be united in one mind, one heart, and in one
action so that we can continue the journey of
reconciliation,
to solve the divisions of our growth
and enable all Australians to work together
in love, peace and joy.

We ask you God the Holy Spirit,
Overshadow us with your presence
Especially this our nation.
We ask you to guide all people whether black,
white or yellow so we can truly learn
and have better understanding in the the knowledge
of language and culture of this land Australia.

Amen

We who have come from every land give thanks for Australia;
this earth that feeds us; the shores that bind us;
the skies that envelop us in freedom.

We stand together, united as one people proud of our ability
to work together; grateful for our gifts;
nourished by our diversity and our harmony.

Yet we turn to the original owners of our land, and see, too,
what we have taken. We weep for their loss of freedom,
of country, of children – even of their very lives.
We stand in awe at their survival, and in debt to their land.

We have shadows in our history which if unfaced diminish us.
We have taken without asking; Lives are wounded.
We see the pain, feel the sorrow and seek forgiveness.

Let us look back with courage; see the truth and speak it.
Let us look around with compassion; see the cost and share it;
Let us look forward with hope; see what can be done and
create it.

Give us courage to face the truth; compassion to share the
burden, strength to play our part in the healing – and hope
to walk forward to a place of justice.

With courage, compassion, strength and hope, we will walk
together on the journey of Healing.