Let us pray for this community; for its officers and elected representatives, magistrates, police and social workers, all who have influence and authority and make decisions that affect the lives of others. Particularly let us pray for those who hold together community life in shops and offices, schools, churches and clinics, in homes and clubs and on the streets.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Let us pray for industrialists and employers coping with financial difficulties and forced to make decisions that affect the lives of so many.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Let us pray for those whose work is dull and monotonous, and for those whose work is dangerous, or threatens their family life by difficult hours or enforced absence for long periods.

Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Above all let us pray for those who cannot find work and for whom redundancy and unemployment undermines their confidence in themselves, and reduces life to dull monotony.

Lord in your mercy,
Accept our prayers and praises for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.