Sisters and brothers, today we greet you in Christ and invite you to pray and rejoice together on the 4th Sunday in Lent, Mothering Sunday. So today is a day for us to think of mothers throughout the world, and mothering, and the presence of their grace, compassion, love and mercy. So, when you hear the words, "God of Mercy", please respond with "Hear our Prayers".

We praise you, our God, for all mothers who have loved and laughed and laboured as they cared for their children, and for all mothers who have wept in sorrow and joy for their children. God of Mercy...    "Hear our Prayers".

Merciful God, we join with others as we pray for all ministries within our Kootenay Presbytery and in particular on this day we pray for St. Andrew's United Church in Kaslo. We pray for our brothers & sisters at Nyanyadzi Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, peacemakers and peacekeepers serving throughout the world, and the peoples of Myanmar,Thailand, named in our World Council of Churches Prayer Cycle. God of Mercy...    "Hear our Prayers".

Lord God we bring to you the needs of those burdened by sorrow, remembering especially those whose illness is terminal, those whose sadness finds no comfort, those far from home and reconciliation. We especially voice our heartfelt concerns for all those named on our Prayer List. Into your care and keeping we commit those whom we have mentioned and those known to us who need that sense of your presence. Bind their wounds we pray as we bring them to you in prayer...    ...God of Mercy...    "Hear our Prayers".

We pray for mothers everywhere but especially known to us and around us. We seek your blessing in their lives and the satisfaction of knowing the honour and love due to them. God of Mercy...    "Hear our Prayers".

Eternal God we thank you for all those dear to us, especially those our mothers who through the gateway of death to this world, have moved on to life in the next. Let us not forget them or the lessons they have taught us through you; nor think of them as being far away. But make real to us now the fellowship we share with them and with you. Until you see us from afar coming in our turn to you, to share in the celebration of our own homecoming in the kingdom of Heaven. God of Mercy...    "Hear our Prayers".

Amen