Together we pray.

We wanted to have a daily gathering together but this is not possible for many of your congregation. This is an online community of prayer. Please share your comments as if you were with us.
There are Four elements to each day- Prayer & Praise, Conversations at the Crossroads- reading and response,God & Me and Prayers to continue during the day.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

God with Us

Prayer & Praise


       O God, make speed to save us.


O Lord, make haste to help us.
Gladden the soul of your servant,

  for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Praise

The head that once was crowned with thorns
is crowned with glory now;
a royal diadem adorns
the mighty Victor's brow.

The highest place that heaven affords
is His, is His by right,
the King of kings and Lord of Lords,
and heaven's eternal light.

The cross he bore is life and health,
though shame and death to Him:
his people's hope, His people's wealth,
their everlasting theme.


Psalm 29

Refrain:The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
1Ascribe to the Lord, you powers of heaven, 
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2Ascribe to the Lord the honour due to his name; 
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
3The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; 
the Lord is upon the mighty waters. R
4The voice of the Lord is mighty in operation; 
the voice of the Lord is a glorious voice.
5The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; 
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;
6He makes Lebanon skip like a calf 
and Sirion like a young wild ox. R
7The voice of the Lord splits the flash of lightning;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; 
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
8The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe
and strips the forests bare; 
in his temple all cry, 'Glory!'
9The Lord sits enthroned above the water flood; 
the Lord sits enthroned as king for evermore.
10The Lord shall give strength to his people; 
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
Refrain:The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.
Open our ears, glorious Lord Christ,
to hear the music of your voice
above the chaos of this world;
open our eyes to see the vision of your glory,
for you are our King, now and for ever.
Reading 
Response
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.

Prayers may include these concerns:


God's royal priesthood, that it may be empowered by the Spirit

Those who wait on God, that they may find renewal
All people that they may acknowledge the kingdom of the ascended Christ
All who are struggling with broken relationships
Our city of Brussels 

O King enthroned on high,

Comforter and Spirit of truth,
you that are in all places and fill all things,
the treasury of blessings and the giver of life,
come and dwell with us,
cleanse us from every stain
and save our souls, O gracious one.

Amen.



The Lord's Prayer


May the grace of the Holy Spirit enlighten our hearts and minds.

Alleluia, Amen

Conversations at the Crossroads.
The Visitation of Mary



God and Me 

Faith Journey

Take a blank sheet of paper, it is for you to draw your faith journey as a river. I have deliberately left the paper blank, so that you may choose how your journey runs.  Does it go the whole width of the paper, or does it fit in with other people’s journeys, your grandfather, Abraham, those to come?  Perhaps it starts in the very middle, and gradually spirals out. Whether you run it from top to bottom or bottom to top may depend on how optimistic you are feeling.
It runs within the landscape of your life. Bear in mind that your river will be shaped by the landscape, but will also have changed the landscape.  It will carve rock and water trees and plants.
It may wind, twist, grow. At times it will run smoothly, other times will be rocky.
There may be tributaries joining it, impassable boulders diverting it.  At times it may seem to disappear from sight as it flows underground/cuts through a mountain.
At times, for good or bad reasons, others may have diverted your river and you feel angry that you lost control.
You can add landmarks that you have gone past, points that have shaped and influenced your journey. (Does Brussels feature?)
If you have left space for a tentative future, you may like to draw in different possibilities, of how it could go (how much can you do to shape the future?)
Does your river have a goal towards which it leads?  Or perhaps a guiding star, that gives you true North?
Is there much light, or is the future hidden in darkness?
What do you do for rest and drink on the way?  Are there blackberry bushes, mushrooms; or inns where others provide support?
Is it a unique river for you?  Do others follow you? Can you see other rivers?  Or is it a lonely river?
Your faith journey will not be the same as your biography.  Some events that were of crucial importance in your life will have had little bearing on your faith; sometimes very minor events will figure here as major points.  For example, you may see your marriage as a major confluence of two great rivers of faith, or it might involve two rivers flowing in parallel, supportive but not mixed. Or something else.
Do not be limited to pencil, you may like to add colour!

Closing Liturgy -Prayers to take away for the day.
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Lord of Life, Hear our prayer.
Pause, reflect on God with you.

Our Father....

The Lord be with you The Lord bless you.
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go Lord be with us
Do not be afraid, for I am with you   Thank you that you are with us
Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ Thank you that you are with us
‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ Send us Lord


God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.

The Blessing

God the Father, who has given to his Son the name above every other name, strengthen us to proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord. Amen

God the Son, who is our great high priest passed into the heavens, plead for us at the right hand of the Father. Amen

God the Holy Spirit, who pours out his abundant gifts upon the church, make us faithful servants of Christ our King. Amen

And the blessing of God almighty, the father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us and remain with us always. Amen


Copyright material is included from Common Worship: © Archbishops' Council

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