Invocation
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Good morning, heavenly Father.
We worship you, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Good morning, Holy Spirit.
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek Him with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that You are the Holy One of God.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Hebrew Bible reading
Psalm 95:1-7a
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
New Testament Reading
Acts 2:29-36
“Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.
32 “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.
Clean out, O God, the inner stream of my life:
all the duplicity,
all the avarice,
all the falsity.
Search out, O Lord, the hidden motives of my life:
all the conceit,
all the anger,
all the fear.
Root out, Divine Master, the destructive actions of my life:
all the manipulation,
all the scheming,
all the guile.
May the operations of faith, hope, and love increase
in everything I am and in everything I do.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.
We are thankful for:
- the cultures and foods distinctive here, yet enjoyed around the world
- indigenous and other groups who have resisted injustice and human rights violations
- church leaders who have spoken out and acted on behalf of the poor and marginalized
- developments that improve life for all, while also caring for the environment.
We pray for:
- stable, democratically elected governments committed to the peace and wellbeing of all
- comfort and healing for the families and loved ones of those who have been killed or disappeared, and for those responsible to be brought to justice
- stopping corruption, drug traffic, and violence, and those who profit from such activities
- improved economic life and trade policies so that people will not be exploited and can pursue livelihoods in these countries rather than migrating elsewhere for work.
We pray for:
- all those whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace
- our federal, state and local politicians
- our senior church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- our denomination, ministers, staff and volunteers
- all the churches of our city or region
- our local congregation and its ministries
- our local communities, businesses, and schools
- the needs of our families and friends
- our own personal needs, challenges and opportunities
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
Ah! Cement me to you, O true love.
I offer you my love because you are altogether sweet and pleasant,
my Lord full of delight. I vow obedience to you
because your fatherly charity allures me,
your loving-kindness and gentleness attract me.
In observing your will, I tie myself to you
because clinging to you is loveable above everything.
Amen.
–Gertrude the Great
Contemporary Prayer
Faithful God, you made an extravagant promise to David and kept it through generations of rebellion and failure, until you sent your Son as David’s true descendant. Keep us from ever thinking that we can build your kingdom by our programs or efforts, but call us to live out of the kingdom you have built in the death and resurrection of the son of David, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Sending Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray
that we may live this day in your presence
and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, we pray that this day
we may take up our cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, we pray that this day
you will fill us with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
three persons in one God,
have mercy upon us. Amen.
Canticle
Christ, as a light, illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield, overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sources:
– John Stott, quoted in Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (Downers Grove: IVP, 2010).
– Northumbria Community Trust, Celtic Daily Prayer (London: HarperCollins, 2015), https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/
– Philip F. Reinders, Seeking God’s Face: Praying with the Bible Through the Year (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2013), https://seekinggodsface.org
– World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle
– “Prayers of Confession/Prayers of who we are,” https://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/?p=400
– Arthur Bennett (ed.), The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1975).
– Trevin Wax, Psalms in 30 Days (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2021).
– Jeanie Gushee & David P. Gushee, A Morning and Evening Prayerbook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012).
– Richard J. Foster, Prayers from the Heart (New York: HarperOne, 1994), 10.
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