Sunday Morning’s Congregational Prayer
Prayer guided by Luke 1 and incorporating prayer from Daily Liturgy Devotional by Doug O’Donnell.
Missionary: We will be praying for Tim & Carol Avery and their four daughters. They live in Nairobi, Kenya, where Tim serves in theological publishing and education. Tim is the publishing director of a local ministry, Ekklesia Afrika, and also teaches at the Nairobi Institute of Reformed Theology.
On this second Sunday of Advent, our prayer is guided by the words of Mary’s Magnificat. Please join me in prayer…
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
(Luke 1:46-49)
O Heavenly Father, we join in the words of Mary as we magnify and praise you. We rejoice that you have looked upon us in favor, despite our own sins and failures. We can only respond in thanks and awe as we proclaim your holiness.
[From Book of Common Prayer]
Yet in spite of all that you have done for us, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbor as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent…as we confess our sins in this time of silence….
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways to the glory of your Name.
[Paraphrased from Daily Liturgy Devotional]
Heavenly Father, you have called us to pray for the church and the world, and so we bring our requests to you:
- For those in need – the poor and the hungry, the homeless and the unemployed, the sick and the lonely – that they may receive help in their distress, we pray to the Lord.
- For those who do not yet believe, and for all those in spiritual need, that they may find faith, hope and comfort, we pray to the Lord.
- For our nation and for all who govern, that justice and freedom may be preserved for citizens and that we may dwell in peace, so as to give a greater opportunity for the spread of the gospel, we pray to the Lord.
- For the church throughout the world and especially for the missionaries from NCC, help these brothers and sisters to remain faithful to their calling and so prove to be the light of Christ among the nations, we pray to the Lord.
- We pray specifically for our missionary partners, Tim & Carol Avery and their daughters, M., D., S., and E.
- We thank you for the positive experiences Tim has been having as he teaches at the Nairobi Institute of Reformed Theology and pray for him as he prepares for next year’s Greek and Hebrew classes. We pray that the students would be gaining a solid theological foundation that translates into pastoral love for those they will eventually serve.
- We also pray for his work with Ekklesia Africa and in particular pray that their efforts in combatting false teachings like the “prosperity gospel” will be effective.
- We also thank you for the homeschool co-op that has blessed Carol and the girls.
- We pray that during this holiday season they would make happy memories with their family, even as they miss family back in the U.S. May they be able to share the good news of your birth with their Kenyan neighbors.
- We also pray for the needs of our church members. We pray for Bob M.’s mother, Judy, whose health is declining. Please provide peace and comfort for them in this time. We continue to pray for those with long-term illnesses, including Bob O., for those recovering from injuries, for those dealing with the challenges of aging, for those grieving the loss of loved ones, particularly in this holiday season.
- Heavenly Father, grant grace to your people to live as faithful followers of Christ the Lord and as worthy witnesses of your gospel. Have mercy on the peoples of the earth, and draw the lost into your gracious kingdom.
- Finally, I pray for Pastor David Sunday that he would be guided by your Holy Spirit as he preaches today. I pray that you would give us eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to feel and a will to be active in obedience to how you would teach us today.
As we conclude our time of prayer, please join me as we corporately pray the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day 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 evil.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever, Amen.