opening prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · web viewand be thankful. 16 let the message of christ...

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Worship Resources: Discipleship, Vocation, Evangelism Opening Prayer Minister: God our Father whose Holy Spirit gives new life: All: Set us free to grow into the full stature of Christ. Minister: Open our ears that we may hear you speak: All: Call us to bold adventures and courageous action. Minister: Open our mouths that we may be your ambassadors: All: Commending the good news of Jesus and translating it into compassionate service. Minister: Open our eyes that we may discern the beauty of your ways: All: Learning to experience the attraction of your divine companionship. 1

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Page 1: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Worship Resources:Discipleship, Vocation, EvangelismOpening PrayerMinister: God our Father whose Holy Spirit gives new life:All: Set us free to grow into the full stature of Christ. Minister: Open our ears that we may hear you speak:All: Call us to bold adventures and courageous action.Minister: Open our mouths that we may be your ambassadors:All: Commending the good news of Jesus and translating it into compassionate service. Minister: Open our eyes that we may discern the beauty of your ways:All: Learning to experience the attraction of your divine companionship.

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Page 2: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

DiscipleshipScripture readings Micah 6 v 8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercyand to walk humbly[a] with your God.

Colossians 3v 12-17

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Alternative Readings: Psalm 19v7-15 The attributes of the law; Amos 5v14-15 The essence of a godly life; Deuteronomy 5v 1-22 The 10 Commandments; Jeremiah 9v23,24 What God delights in. Matthew 5-7 The Sermon on the Mount; Luke 9v23-25 Taking up the cross and following Jesus; Ephesians 5v18 The Spirit filled life; Hebrews 12v 1-14 Running the race; 1 Peter 2v 1-10 An early baptismal homily?

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Page 3: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Minister: Lord, your servant Chad was from a young age prayerful and diligent in his relationship with Jesus Christ.All: Help us to inspire young people today to see the attraction of living as Christian disciplesMinister: Chad always put his friendship with Jesus at the centre of all he did.All: Teach us how to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so that all our priorities are shaped by his presenceMinister: We thank you that Chad would not allow material possessions or status to compromise his freedom to live and proclaim the GospelAll: Give us the same attitude of detachment and humility so that we never allow money or position to cloud our judgements as followers of Jesus.Minister: In Chad we see how a saintly life can act as light in a society darkened by sin and fearAll: Transform our feeble efforts to follow you into lives that shine with your goodness and truthMinister: Chad knew that nothing, not even death, could separate him from your love and so he died in peaceAll: May we learn from his example how to trust you for both life and death so that at the end we may be at peace.

Prayers (individual)Lord Jesus as I adventure with you todaybe the compass that guides me,the light that shines on my path,the one I am resolved to follow.

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MeditationThe essence of discipleship is the willingness to learn and to change. The Greek word, ‘mathetes,’ literally means ‘learner’ and so Christians never remove their ‘L’ plates as they develop their relationship with God. But of course the learning required is not just ‘head’ knowledge - the collection of information about God, though obviously some of that is important. But alongside what we know with our head we need also a certain ‘heart’ knowledge. This second kind of knowledge is what really shapes our attitudes and actions and helps us to grow into Christlikeness. Our aim must be to imitate Jesus Christ in his love for God and neighbour.. It has been said that the journey from the head to the heart is the longest journey in the world and none of us ever reach its end. ‘The perseverance of the saints (disciples)’ said Alexander Whyte, ‘consists of many new beginnings’. As we return again and again to those new beginnings in our life of discipleship we know that God’s patience is infinite and God’s grace sufficient to meet our needs.

Page 4: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

As I adventure with you todaybe the word that encourages,the hand that reaches out,each time I stumble.

As I adventure with you todaylet me glimpse my destination,and appreciate the experiencesthrough which you are leading me.

As I adventure with you today,be the strength I need to follow,and as the day draws to a closelet me rest in your embrace, this night and always.

Amen

Prayer (Corporate)Almighty God, you are Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, spanning all our history and present with us for eternity

Anoint your Church afresh as on the Day of Pentecost so that, clothed with power from on high, we may be a pilgrim people who spread the fragrance of holiness in every place on earth, bringing relief to the needy and despairing, faith to the ignorant and indifferent, and encouragement to the wayward and weak.

Grant this for the sake of him who is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ our Lord

Amen.

Hymns May the mind of Christ my Saviour for a heart to praise my God As pants the hart for flowing streams for a closer walk with God Take up thy cross the Saviour said

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Page 5: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Vocation Scripture readings – the Voice of God Psalm 29 v 1,2 and 4

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;worship the Lord in the splendour of his[a] holiness.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;the voice of the Lord is majestic

Revelation 320-22

20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Alternative readings Genesis 12v 1-3 The Call of Abraham; Exodus 3v 1-12 The Call of Moses; Genesis 28v 10-17 The Call of Jacob; 1 Samuel 3v 1-11 The Call of Samuel; 1 Samuel 10v 20-26 The Call of Saul; Isaiah 6v 1-8 The Call of Isaiah; Jeremiah 1v5-10 The Call of Jeremiah; Mark 3v 13-19 The Call of the Disciples; John 1v 43-end The Call of Nathanael; John 4v 7-30 The Call of the Woman of Samaria; John 9v 1-38 The Call of the Man born blind; John 20v 19-29 The Call of Thomas the Apostle; Acts 9 v1-22 The Call of Paul the Apostle; Acts 16v 11-34 The Call of Lydia and the Jailer.

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Meditation God’s voice is to be heard at all times and in all places. At the beginning God called creation into being: the words ‘And God said’ occur nine times in Genesis chapter one as the work of shaping and securing the divine order goes forward. God communicates with the first human beings gently guiding and then chastising them, expressing God’s mercy and God’s judgment.

God has called Patriarchs, Priests and Prophets to lead, to instruct and to revive God’s people. The people of Israel are called into a covenant relationship with God and to become a light to all the nations. David and his lineage were called to kingship, paving the way for the Messiah. In Jesus we see the perfect fulfilment of obedience to God expressed as delight in the Father’s will. Even in the face of the Cross he says, ‘Not my will but your will be done.’ Jesus is the paradigm and pattern of all vocation.

God calls the Church to be a chosen race, a holy nation, a royal priesthood and indeed God’s own people. Its corporate vocation is the context of all individual callings.

We have many examples in the Bible of God calling individuals. Moses at the burning bush; Samuel during the night watches; Elijah on the mountain-top. Each disciple received an invitation to follow Jesus; Paul heard his voice on the

Page 6: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Minister: O God we thank you for Chad who listened to you within the daily discipline of monastic silenceAll: Help us to make space for silence each day so that we may learn to hear your voiceMinister: We bless you that Chad did not shy away from the difficult challenges to which you called himAll: Give us the courage to say ‘yes’ even when we are apprehensive about your callMinister: We remember that Chad shared with his brothers and the family of God his call to follow and obey you.All: Teach us to value the encouragement and support of our sisters and brothers in the Church as we try to discern your will. Minister: We praise you that when he found himself in the wrong calling as Bishop of York, Chad had the humility to step back and find a new direction All: When we need to reconsider our calling guide us in the decisions we have to take.

Prayer (The Call of the Individual) Teach me to listen, O God. Give me a heart that is attentive and receptive to your guidance and calling. Help me to recognize your voice in the wisdom of others and in the whispers of my heart. Show me, and those who support me, how to discern your voice and then grant me the courage to trust and obey you. Bestow your peace which passes all understanding to guard my heart and mind. Teach me, Lord, to listen.

Amen.

Prayer (The Call of the Church)Lord God, in past times you led your people by cloud and fire. Today you show us the wounds of humanity and all who are crushed or silenced by oppression and hatred. You also challenge us with the scars of a created order that has been neglected and exploited.

Fill our hearts with compassion for all who are hurting, both near and far. Release our gifts and ministries to work for their relief; strengthen our hands and hearts when our efforts seem weak and hopeless; enable us to take up our cross daily and to believe that through us your life and love can be made known to the world. We ask all of this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Selection of Songs/Hymns

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Meditation God’s voice is to be heard at all times and in all places. At the beginning God called creation into being: the words ‘And God said’ occur nine times in Genesis chapter one as the work of shaping and securing the divine order goes forward. God communicates with the first human beings gently guiding and then chastising them, expressing God’s mercy and God’s judgment.

God has called Patriarchs, Priests and Prophets to lead, to instruct and to revive God’s people. The people of Israel are called into a covenant relationship with God and to become a light to all the nations. David and his lineage were called to kingship, paving the way for the Messiah. In Jesus we see the perfect fulfilment of obedience to God expressed as delight in the Father’s will. Even in the face of the Cross he says, ‘Not my will but your will be done.’ Jesus is the paradigm and pattern of all vocation.

God calls the Church to be a chosen race, a holy nation, a royal priesthood and indeed God’s own people. Its corporate vocation is the context of all individual callings.

We have many examples in the Bible of God calling individuals. Moses at the burning bush; Samuel during the night watches; Elijah on the mountain-top. Each disciple received an invitation to follow Jesus; Paul heard his voice on the

Page 7: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Guide me O thou great redeemer Lead kindly light Be still and know that I am God God moves in a mysterious way Lead us, Heavenly Father lead us

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Page 8: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Evangelism Scripture readings Isaiah 52 v7-10

7 How beautiful on the mountainsare the feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace,who bring good tidings,who proclaim salvation,

who say to Zion,“Your God reigns!”

8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;together they shout for joy.

When the Lord returns to Zion,they will see it with their own eyes.

9 Burst into songs of joy together,you ruins of Jerusalem,

for the Lord has comforted his people,he has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The Lord will lay bare his holy armin the sight of all the nations,

and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

Acts 2v4,7 and 11b

4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? In our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power

Alternative readings: Psalm 48v 12-14 Ps 78v4, Deut 6v20-end Sharing the good news with the next generation; Psalm 19v1-6 The witness of Creation; Isaiah 49v 1-6, Psalm 67 Israel’s call to be a light to all nations. Luke 4v 16-22 Jesus models the proclamation of a social and spiritual salvation; John 4v 39ff The Samaritan women shares her new-found faith with her village; Luke 10v 1-12 The mission of the Seventy; Matthew 28v 16-end The Great Commission; John 13v 34,35 The Witness of a loving church; John 20v 1-18 Mary Magdalene become the first to proclaim the Resurrection.

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Page 9: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Minister: We rejoice with Chad that the fount of his evangelistic zeal lay in his worship of and personal devotion to you, Lord Jesus Christ. All: May our desire to evangelise also be rooted and grounded in the knowledge of your love for us and all creation.Minister: We give thanks that Chad was prepared to leave the protection of the cloisters to face danger and inconvenience so that the Gospel might be proclaimed.All: Grant us a willingness to leave the familiarity of church circles so that we can connect with people needing to receive the good news of the Gospel.Minister: Chad matched words of passionate proclamation with a life of self-forgetful service. All: May our verbal assurances of God’s love be accompanied by a practical demonstration of kindness and care. Minister: Even in the face of death, Chad pointed people away from himself to the beauty of heaven and the God who is eternal.All: May we never refrain from sharing the Gospel of your unfailing love which promises fullness of life both now and forever.

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Meditation The messenger of Isaiah 52 ‘announces’ peace and salvation. The Spirit-filled apostles of Acts 2 ‘tell’ their hearers of God’s deeds of power. The Gospel message is good news, not views. It gains its momentum from God’s initiative, God’s action in the world, which impacts and changes the course of human history and human lives. To evangelise is to make a report of what God has done – supremely in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus – and to invite others to be part of God’s renewal of creation. It is to spell out how great is the Father’s love for us and for all creation. The qualities of that love are reflected in the reliability of the created order; in the remarkable faithfulness of God towards Israel as they wavered in their loyalty to their covenant-partner; in the unfathomable forgiveness of Jesus as he suffers rejection and a holocaust of suffering on the cross; in the raising of Jesus from the tomb on the first Easter Day giving assurance that the power of death and annihilation cannot thwart God’s love for us; and finally in the outpouring of the Spirit who is the harbinger of the completed new heaven and earth. So we have a lot to tell!

But in conjunction with this report of God’s deeds of power we need:

a) to say what difference this knowledge of God’s love has made to us personally, and can make to others

b) to show by deed not just word what difference knowing Jesus has made to our lives because in the end actions speak louder than words.

Page 10: Opening Prayer - lichfield.anglican.org  · Web viewAnd be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through

Prayer (individual)Blessed are you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all that you have done for us in our creation, preservation and salvation. Help us to recount your wonderful deeds in ways that will draw others to know you and love you. Inspire us and uphold us as we try to live in Christ-like ways that glorify you and demonstrate the power of your salvation. Forgive us when we fall short of our commission to be your witnesses but never let us give up hope and resort to silence when so much good news is to be told. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.Amen.

Evangelism (Church)We pray, O God, for the Church in the world of today;that it may be true to its gospel and responsive to the needs of humanitythat it may conserve what is good in the past and reach our boldly to the futurethat it may care for the individual and help change societyand that it may have a growing unity without sacrificing all variety of response to your grace.We ask it in the name of Jesus Christ out Lord.

Amen

Selection of Hymns/Songs We have a gospel to proclaim Tell out my soul Make me a channel of your peace Make me a channel of your peace To God be the glory How lovely on the mountains

Conclusion Leader: Go into the world:

Dance, laugh, sing and createPeople: We go with your encouragement, O God.Leader: Go into the world:

Risk, explore, discover and love. People: We go with your encouragement, O God.Leader: Go into the world:

Believe, hope, struggle and rememberPeople: We go with your encouragement, O God.

Thanks be to God

A provision of Blessings may be found on page 299 of Common Worship and Seasonal Provisions on pages 300-329

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