Rejoice despite the gloom!

My colleague Theodore Gill has prepared prayers on Monday with prayers calling us to rejoice rather than dwell in gloom. The theme of "rejoice in the Lord always" from Philipians 4.4 and I'm looking forwards to Theo's meditation on Monday morning . The idea that even in the terirble financial crisis gripping the world there is much to rejoice about. You can find the order of service in the docs section. In the meantime here is part of the prayer of intercession - I particularly liked the idea of lifting "our lives out of their accustomed ruts and our minds out of their comfortable rants"

Eternal God, you call us to rejoice. Forgive our tendency towards gloom.
Remind us that your good news is glorious, and lead us into your courts with joy.

La ténèbre n’est point ténèbre devant toi; la nuit comme le jour est lumière.

Lift our lives out of their accustomed ruts, our minds out of their comfortable rants.
Lift our hearts into your presence through the revelation of your gracious will for us.

La ténèbre n’est point ténèbre devant toi; la nuit comme le jour est lumière.

Teach us how to love you, and to worship you in joyousness of spirit.
Teach us joyfully to love one another, to bring your light into one another’s existence.

La ténèbre n’est point ténèbre devant toi; la nuit comme le jour est lumière.

Wherever practical difficulties lie as snares in our neighbours’ paths,
wherever the forces of markets obscure hope for people’s futures,
wherever war or natural catastrophe amplify the temptation to despair,
shed your light upon our world, and grant that we may reflect your goodness.