Liturgical Morning Prayer - Day 1

Welcome to morning prayers. We are going to use the same liturgy each day this week. We hope that as it becomes more familiar it will help us to place God in the centre of our hearts and thoughts. It has been translated into French, Spanish and Indonesian. I will lead in English but feel free to read it in whichever language is easiest for you. 

The blue parts are the parts we read together. The reader will read the Scriptures. After the Psalm, you are welcome to pray silently or speak your praises out loud in whatever language you prefer to pray.

Opening sentences (all)

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 (all)

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.

Scripture reading:

(Leader) Joining with God’s people around the world we worship God with the words of Psalm 40

Psalm 40:5-6 (NIV) (Reader)

Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods

Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.

Pause to pray either silently or out loud

Ephesians 2:14-18 (NLT) (Reader)

14 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.

17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.

Meditation (Leader)

Let’s consider the concepts of peace and unity. Christ has brought us peace. Have you noticed the relationship between peace and unity in these verses? Disunity is often both the cause and the result of conflict, therefore when Jesus brought us peace he also brought unity. His death destroyed the “dividing wall” that separated the Jews and the Gentiles and now those of us who have accepted Jesus’ gift of salvation are one body. He brought us from hostility to peace. Unity has come to us because Christ’s death brought the possibility for both groups to be reconciled to God.

Are there any “dividing walls” in your life? We have a choice to continue to build them taller or to start to take them down. Ask God to show you what step you can take today to start the process of reconciliation in that situation.

Pause for silent prayer

Pray now for people or places in conflict, that you know of personally, to be first reconciled to God and second with their enemies. That conflict could be physical but it could also be relational, emotional or spiritual.

Pause for silent prayer

Prayers for others

Let us offer our prayers for our families (Leader)*

Lord, we pray for the safety and protection of our family members. Keep them safe from harm and lead them in the paths of righteousness. Shield them from any danger and guide them through life's challenges.

Heavenly Father, we lift up any family members who are going through difficult times, whether it be illness, emotional pain, or other challenges. We ask for your healing touch and comfort to be upon them.

Pause to allow prayer for our families

Let’s offer prayers for those presenting today and the staff team in all their responsibilities (Leader)**

Our gracious God and Father. We approach your throne today, knowing that it is only through the name of Jesus that we can stand before you. We thank and praise you for your goodness. We come before you to seek your blessing on the Global Gathering 2024.

Grant that Pastor Simon who will bring your Word to us this week may do so with power and with great freedom. May he and the other presenters be filled with the Spirit. Speak to us, we pray. Speak to our hearts through the words of each person presenting and facilitating sessions today. May our lives be transformed.

Be present with the men and women who will lead us in worship. Grant that in all things they may seek to serve you. “Let everything that has breath” in this place praise the Lord together. May our worship be a sweet and fragrant offering to you.

Be with the men and women who are responsible for organising the Global Gathering and all those who are serving on the staff team. Thank you for the servant hearts you have given to them. We ask that you help them to be a blessing to many of your people this week. We ask that the Gathering will run smoothly and that your hand will be evident throughout.

We thank you for the staff and management of the hotel. We pray that we all can be a blessing to them, sharing your love, demonstrating your kindness and honouring them throughout the Gathering.

May we all seek your presence and glory in it together as we gather to meet you and each other this week. Amen

Offer your prayers for all those participating in the Global Gathering (Leader)***

Great God in heaven, you are in perfect union with your Son and your Spirit and so we pray that you would give us unity. A unity of one mind, one purpose, and of one spirit so that we can agree upon the one, true purpose for which we are meeting. We recognise that we all need you. Send us your guidance through your Spirit so that we can more easily be joined together in a common purpose and that all things would be done in a way that would bring you glory, Amen.

Pause to allow silent prayer for participants

Canticle (all)

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 (all)

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.

Acknowledgements:

The liturgy and closing prayers are taken from the Northumbria community morning prayer. https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/

* Prayer taken from https://www.christianity.com/wiki/prayer/prayer-for-family-pray-for-healing-and-protection-of-family.html

**Prayer adapted from https://www.challies.com/articles/a-prayer-for-a-conference/

***Prayer taken from https://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2016/03/15/5-prayers-for-staff-meetings/