Praying in time of drought and fire

All things look to You, O Lord,
To give them their food in due season:
Look in mercy on Your people,
And hear our prayer for those whose lives and possessions are threatened or have been destroyed by drought and fire.
In Your mercy restore Your creation and heal our land. So guide and bless Your people,
That we may enjoy the fruits of the earth
And give You thanks with grateful hearts,
Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
God our heavenly Father
Through Your Son You promised
To those seeking first Your kingdom and Your righteousness
All things necessary for bodily welfare:
Send us, we pray, in this time of need,
Rain to water the earth,
That we may receive its produce to strengthen and sustain us
And always praise You for Your bounty;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer Book for Australia (1995)
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We pray for the land
we hear the promise you have spoken in Isaiah
of the refreshment of the creation;
of water in the desert
of renewal for the land,
of hope, of life.

We name our simple need – rain for our thirsty land.Our tanks and dams are nearly empty,like our hopes for this season.
Please, loving God, bring us rain to renew the ground, to replenish our dams,
to bring some chance of feed,
to bring the possibility of some reward
to those who have toiled so hard.
We turn to you in faith and hope.

We pray for our community 
We pray for all those whose lives are under the shadow of drought. 
We think first of those who work with the land,for farmers and their families,for those who rely upon the land for their life and relationships.
We pray for contractors, merchants and truck drivers,
for rural counsellors and support workers,
for all our rural community.
May the refreshment of your Spirit,

We pray for our community
We pray for all those whose lives
are under the shadow of drought.
We think first of those who work with the land,
for farmers and their families,
for those who rely upon the land for their life and relationships.

We pray for contractors, merchants and truck drivers,

for rural counsellors and support workers,

for all our rural community.

May the refreshment of your Spirit,

present in miraculous and truly human ways,
be with all of us as we move forward into the days ahead.

We pray, too, for justice;
for fair prices for our stock and our wool and our crops.
We pray for governments, banks and corporations –
to be driven by the wisdom
of community, justice and compassion
not simply the folly of the dollar and the bottom line.

We pray for each other,
keep us aware of the needs of those around us:
for those who are struggling,
who are grieving,
who are ill, who are dying.

Restore those who are far from you

with the knowledge that they are loved and valued.

Give them not just a sense of renewal,

but a sense of hope and purpose for lives

that are finding the journey hard.

Let us see the miracle of healing

in relationships,

in lives,

in communities,

where there is illness

and hope is far away.

Keep us always conscious of the task we have

in ministry and mission in your world.

We offer all these prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Simon Hansford, Moderator of the Uniting Church NSW/ACT

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Our heavenly Father, creator of all things and especially the creator of this land and its original peoples, we call out to you in these desperate times as we see the catastrophic fires across our nation.

Our hearts cry out to you in desperation for those whose properties are affected by ravaging fires and whose very lives are in danger.

Father we pray, in your mercy, restrain the forces of nature from creating catastrophic damage; in your mercy protect human life. Guard those who selflessly step into the breech to fight these fires. Guide police and authorities who help evacuate and shelter those who are displaced.  Bring comfort and healing to all who suffer loss.

Remembering that long ago you extended your hand through your servant Moses to stop the waters and then to return the waters to their normal course, so we pray for rain. 

In your mercy, we pray for drenching rain. We pray that despite the forecasts, in your miraculous power you would bring forth rain to quench these fires and to bring life back into the earth, so that crops may grow and farmers may bring forth the harvest of the land again.

We bring these requests before your throne, in the name of your Son, who died and rose again for our deliverance, Amen.

Glenn Davies, Anglican Archbishop of Sydney (edited)

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Prayer points during times of fire disaster

• Emergency services - to be safe, well resourced and coordinated. That those who are serving in this way would be able to recover well from witnessing and experiencing trauma.

• Displan – that disaster planning will work effectively and compassionately. That food, water, shelter and medical help will get to those who need them.

• Local communities – would band together as they experience fear and shock. That in the aftermath people would not try to avoid grief by moving on quickly from their hardship but stay to face and recover well from their loss.

• Frail and elderly – would be protected as they are displaced in traumatic circumstances

• Helpers – that volunteer help will come with trained compassion and not from voyeurism, unresolved grief, a need to be at the centre of the action or adrenaline.

• Counsellors – that they would be screened and qualified. That the help would help.

• Crime – that criminal opportunism in burnt areas and online would be minimal.

• Media – that traditional and personal media not be greedy or evil in pursuit of stories of trauma. That we would know how to restrain ourselves and that social media would be used to heal and not exacerbate hurt or promote long term divisions amongst people already stressed.