Prayers heard in Harborough district churches for the people of Ukraine

Prayers are being said in churches in Market Harborough and across the district for the people of Ukraine.

Worshippers are uniting in the town and coming together throughout Harborough to pray for innocent men, women and children in Ukraine left fearing for their lives after the devastating Russian invasion.

The Congregational Church at the top of Market Harborough’s High Street opened for special prayer sessions at 11am and 7pm yesterday (Monday).

And the church shared this prayer in their morning service on Sunday:

Eternal God,

We hold before you

the peoples of Ukraine and of Russia.

We pray for those who are in despair today

because they see their homeland invaded

and those they love in danger.

Bind up their hearts, O God,

and give them strength to care for one another.

We pray for those who are in despair today

because their children on national service

have been placed in the front of the Russian advance.

Bind up their hearts, O God,

and give them certainty in your love.

We pray for our own and other nations,

expressing their concern,

but finding it hard to turn that concern

into anything that really helps.

Take from us all, O God,

any desire to lord it over others,

and make us ready to sacrifice what is easy

for the sake of what is good,

so that your lordship over us might be

a witness to the world.

In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace,

Amen

The Methodist Church on Northampton Road, Market Harborough, has also said a heartfelt prayer for Ukraine as the death toll in the war-torn land is feared to run into several thousand already:

Holy and Gracious God

We pray for the people of the Ukraine and the people of Russia; for their countries and their leaders.

We pray for all those who are afraid; that your everlasting arms hold them in this time of great fear.

We pray for all those who have the power over life and death; that they will choose for all people life, and life in all its fullness.

We pray for those who choose war; that they will remember that you direct your people to turn our swords into ploughshares and seek for peace.

We pray for leaders on the world stage; that they are inspired by the wisdom and courage of Christ.

Above all, Lord, today we pray for peace for Ukraine.

And we ask this in the name of your blessed Son.

Lord have mercy.

Amen

Prayers are also being said at the Baptist Church opposite the Co-op shop by the Commons car park in Market Harborough town centre.

Sunday’s service at the church was largely dedicated and devoted to praying for the Ukrainian people and for peace “in light of Russia's actions in Ukraine”.