Loving God,
we know that nothing can separate us from you.
Surround us with your love during this time of crisis.

Be with every member of the Western Heights community;
give us the courage, the patience, and the kindness we will need in the weeks ahead.

Reassure us that we are still gathered together through you,
even when we cannot meet.

We pray for all those still working in the community through this crisis,
all the medical staff, the emergency services workers,
the supermarket employees and freight workers;
and those who have to find new ways of working from home.

We pray for those who have lost their jobs,
who are facing an uncertain future.

We pray for the homeless and those in insecure housing,
for whom ‘self-isolation’ will be almost impossible;
and for those whose homes are not safe places,
and who will face domestic violence during this time.

We pray for our leaders,
for Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews,
for Chief Medical Officers Brendan Murphy and Brett Sutton,
and all those who have to make the difficult decisions to keep us safe.

Loving God,
we know that ‘we, who are many, are one body in Christ,
and individually we are members one of another’.
Help us to continue to be that ‘one body’ in this difficult time.

In the name of your Son,
our Lord, Mother and Friend, Jesus Christ, we pray,
Amen.