Church offers prayers for redundant workers -- and those who stay on

The Church of England today responded to the economic downturn and growing fears of job losses by issuing prayers for people made redundant and their colleagues remaining in the workplace.

The church said it wanted to provide comfort to people, with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development predicting that at least 600,000 workers could lose their jobs this year.

The prayer on being made redundant is an attempt to put into words "the anxieties of those who are losing – or who have already lost – their job in the wave of recent redundancies," the church said. The poem pleads: "As I look to the future, help me to look for fresh opportunities, for new directions."

For those remaining in the workplace, another prayer focuses on the guilt and increased workload associated with redundancy. "Who will be next? How will I cope with the increased pressure of work?" it asks.

The prayers feature in the matter of life and debt section of the Church of England's website, which includes advice for people with financial worries. Other prayers address the current financial situation, wise financial stewardship and people who are worried about debt.

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