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 27:7-14
7 Lord, hear my voice when I call;
be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you:
‘Seek his face.’
Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me;
do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper;
do not leave me or abandon me,
God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord cares for me.
11 Because of my adversaries,
show me your way, Lord,
and lead me on a level path.
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing violence.
13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart be courageous.
Wait for the Lord.
New Testament Reading
Luke 1:67-79
67 Then [John’s] father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited
and provided redemption for his people.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 just as he spoke by the mouth
of his holy prophets in ancient times;
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of those who hate us.
72 He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors
and remembered his holy covenant –
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,
to grant that we,
74 having been rescued
from the hand of our enemies,
would serve him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called
a prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare his ways,
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the dawn from on high will visit us
79 to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
Loving God, help us.
When we have run away, when we have turned our backs on love,
when we have sought immediate satisfaction
and not long-term healing, help us.
Merciful God, forgive us.
When we have been selfish, when we have been mean,
when we have closed our ears to the cries of others, forgive us.
Powerful God, heal us.
When we are so broken we cannot move,
when we don’t know how to stem the bleeding of our wounds,
when we are too ashamed to seek community, heal us.
Give us the courage, the strength, and the hope to accept your grace and hear your call in Christ. Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for Cyprus, Greece, and Türkiye.
We are thankful for:
- the 2,000-year presence and witness of the church in Asia Minor (now Türkiye, Cyprus, and Greece) – the region in which St Paul and other apostles first planted the seeds of the Christian faith – and for how Greek culture influenced the early church
- the Church Fathers who came from this area, along with many men and women who were Christian martyrs, and where seven ecumenical councils were convened
- the pioneering work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in quest of Christian unity and for protection of the environment
- those who have reached out to assist people who have fled to, and through, these lands.
We pray for:
- the healing of memories and wounds inflicted by early 20th century genocides of Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian communities, and for current tensions in these lands
- enhanced respect for all minority groups and their claims,
- those who work for justice and reconciliation
- the people who struggle because of economic and political crises in these countries
- more stable democratic governments that further the good of all.
In our own place in the world, we pray for:
- all whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace
- federal, state and local politicians
- church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- 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 personal needs, challenges and opportunities
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
Almighty God, we beseech Thee
to hear our prayers for all who sin against Thee,
or neglect to serve Thee, all who forget Thee,
all who leave Thee out of their lives.
O Lord, have mercy upon them; bestow upon us all
true repentance and an earnest longing for Thyself.
Vouchsafe, we beseech Thee,
O Lord, to strengthen and confirm all Thy faithful people,
and to lift up the light of Thy face upon them,
giving them continually heavenly desires;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Contemporary Prayer
Creator God
who breathed this world into being,
who is discernible within
the harmony of nature,
the perfection of a butterfly’s wing,
the grandeur of a mountain range,
the soaring eagle and humming bird,
thank you for this world
which you have created.
Thank you for summer sun,
which reminds us
that your creative breath
is still alive and active.
Thank you for the warmth of your love,
sustaining this world,
your garden.
John Birch
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.
iDigress 