Month: November 2022

This Advent, Lord, come to the manger of my heart. Fill me with Your presence from the very start. As I prepare for the holidays and gifts to be given, remind me of the gift You gave when You sent Your Son from Heaven. The first Christmas gift, it was the greatest gift ever. You came as a baby born in a manger. Wrapped like the gifts I find under my tree, Waiting to be opened, to reveal Your love to me. Restore to me the wonder that came with Jesus’ birth, when He left the riches of Heaven and wrapped Himself in the rags of earth. Immanuel, God with us, Your presence came that night. And angels announced, “Into your darkness, God brings His Light.” “Do not be afraid,” they said, to shepherds in the field. Speak to my heart today, Lord, and help me to yield. Make me like those shepherd boys, obedient to Your call. Setting distractions and worries aside, to You I surrender them all. Surround me with Your presence, Lord, I long to hear Your voice. Clear my mind of countless concerns and all the holiday noise. Slow me down this Christmas, let me not be in a rush. In the midst of events and planning, I want to feel Your hush. This Christmas, Jesus, come to the manger of my heart. Invade my soul like Bethlehem, bringing peace to every part. Dwell within and around me, as I unwrap Your presence each day. Keep me close to You, Lord. It’s in Your wonderful Name I pray. (Christianity.com)

God we also praise you in that you call us, you invite us to share in your work of restoration within our world. Give us wisdom to discern your leading, faith and courage to walk in obedience, and as we follow, fill us with your Hope.

O God, we pray for your presence, comfort, and hope in the lives of many in our community of faith as well as in our physical communities who today grieve loss, some through death, others thru loss of health and mobility, relationships etc. Holy Spirit invite all into a deeper relationship with the Father and as such enable them to experience healing and peace. We pray for families where there is discord and conflict. May you open their eyes and hearts to each other so that they too will hear your voice calling them to peace.

We pray for our loved ones who are experiencing limitations due to aging bodies including loved ones in long-term care. Support each family and grant deep measures of compassion and patience.

As Covid and significant cold/flu viruses circulate in our communities and families, we pray for healing, grace and protection over all.

We pray for our Households of Faith.

We pray all this in the Powerful Name of Jesus

Amen

Eternal God, you are our God and we are your people.
You have claimed us as your own and have placed a seal on our hearts.

You nurture and sustain us in the garden of life.

Living God, we thank you for your gift of life eternal

and for all those who, having served you well,

now rest from their labours.

Today we give thanks for those who during the last twelve months

have died and entered into glory

including those whom we hold in our hearts.

We thank you for their life and love,

and rejoice for them “all is well,

and all manner of things will be well.”

Be near to those who are grieving. Hold them.

Fill them with your comfort and peace.

Compassionate God, you attend to the wounded places of our hearts and lives,

You grieve with us in our losses and our fears.
You journey with us in our celebrations and our sorrows

You are close even in the mundane routines of our days.
You delight in us, and you love us.

We pray for our loved ones in need of healing grace ….. we name them before you in the silence of our hearts.

We pray for this world,
for the places and precious people

who are striving to recover from hurricanes,

snow storms, and floods.

We pray for peace among nations.
Make us instruments of that peace.

Eternal God, you are our God and we are your people.

Continue to write your law of love on our hearts.

Give us an unwavering passion for justice,

and a tenacious faith that will not rest

until the hungry are fed,

until the oppressed find relief,

until the outsider finds welcome.

Hear us now as pray as you have taught us:

We pray for our loved ones who are experiencing limitations due to aging bodies including loved ones in long-term care. Support each family and grant deep measures of compassion and patience.

As Covid and significant cold/flu viruses circulate in our communities and families, we pray for healing, grace and protection over all.

We pray for our Households of Faith.

We offer all our prayers in Jesus’ name.

Thank you to Jamie Gerber for today’s prayer:

Holy God. We pray with Gratitude and adoration.

We marvel at your wisdom in creation,

the changing seasons, the bounty of harvest,

You have been so good to us.

We marvel at the grace of Jesus, sent to be your living word among us.

And at the preservation of Scripture through thousands of years… that still tells the story of your transforming love for people of every tribe and nation.

Thank you for Greg and Tracey and their family. … for calling them to serve as translators and developers who offer scriptures to many who would not otherwise hear the gospel

Thank you for your generosity.

Grace us with the same spirit of giving.

Bless the offerings we give

so that what we say about you,

can be a reality for others to experience.

We join our prayers today for members of our congregation

For those who experience life in decline through age or health. Give them hope for a better future and grace to face whatever transitions lie ahead.

For those who find life full of energy, … give them wisdom to use their strength for your glory – blessing humanity.

In silence now we offer unspoken prayers for ourselves and our loved ones.

We pray beyond ourselves for our world

For government leaders ensnared in greed leading to violence and oppression, … open doors of transformation

For those making decisions about global warming, …

may they have courage and common sense.

Free our world leaders from showmanship and posturing.

Forgive us for smug attitudes that we sometimes hold … thinking we are better then the other.

Nudge us with gentle conviction to enact good stewardship for the land.

Thank you now for hearing our prayer

Through Jesus we pray

amen

We pray for our loved ones who are experiencing limitations due to aging bodies including loved ones in long-term care. Support each family and grant deep measures of compassion and patience.

As Covid and significant cold/flu viruses circulate in our communities and families, we pray for healing, grace and protection over all.

We pray for our Households of Faith.

Amen

Oh God, we enter your presence this morning with a prayer for peace on our lips. We pray that your peace would reign in our lives, in our churches and communities, and in our families and our world. Jesus, we acknowledge you as the Prince of Peace and pray that by your Holy Spirit living in and through us we would become peacemakers in our world. You taught your disciples that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons and daughters of God.” (Matt.5:9) Grant us wisdom and strength to live as peacemakers so that the world would see the image of God in us. Jesus, you also taught your disciples saying, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”. (John 14:27) Enable us to live in the assurance of your promise in a world where there is much to fear. Hold us close to your heart and guard our hearts and minds in you, Jesus.

Hearing your call to be peacemakers in our world, we also echo the words of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Oh God, this morning we also lift up many in our congregation and community who need a touch of your healing and grace, and the comfort of your presence.

We pray for our loved ones who are experiencing limitations due to aging bodies including loved ones in long-term care. Support each family and grant deep measures of compassion and patience.

As Covid and a significant cold/flu virus remains active in our communities and families, we pray for your healing, your grace and protection over all. We pray for your physical healing in our communities as well as spiritual healing. May your will be done in all things.

We pray for our Households of Faith.

May they see others through your eyes, may they know your peace and guidance, and may they grow in faith as they live with courage and deep trust.

We ask all this in the beautiful name of Jesus.

Amen