As we quieten our hearts and minds, we invite you Holy Spirit, to continue your presence in and among us. Keep our hearts and minds focused on you and on what you want to say to us.
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Heavenly Father, you are our creator, you are God, you are the great I AM. We approach you with a humble heart and a submissive spirit. You alone are worthy to be praised, for you created the heavens and the earth, and all that is in it.
We also approach you with a joyful heart, for even though we rebel and turn away from you time and time again, your faithfulness endures. As the Apostle Paul says, “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us”, and this was a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to you, our God (Eph 5:2). Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross. We acknowledge with thanksgiving that true reconciliation with creation, one another, and God, is only possible through you.
Lord Jesus, we want to be imitators of you. We want to walk in love (Eph 5:2), steer away from darkness, and walk instead in your light (Eph 5:8), so that we too may inherit your kingdom (Eph 5:5). Awaken us from our slumber, so that Christ may shine on us (Eph 5:14).
Help us be better stewards of time; keep us from idleness and foolishness (5:4, 16). Grant us wisdom and discernment in our daily tasks, in our actions and our conversations.
Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!
On a hot and sunny day like today, in this beautiful city, it is easy to think that all is well elsewhere too. But, “the days are evil” (Eph 5:16), and this is so evident in the conflicts and brokenness in so many places. We intercede for your intervention.
May your church act boldly and wisely.
Protect your people from harm.
Reveal your ways to those in positions of power and influence.
Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!
We are grateful for your church, and in particular, this evening congregation. Guide and protect this service from the Evil One, who seeks to distract and divide us. I pray especially for Neil, the musicians, the prayer team, the greeters, ushers, the Evening Service Committee, the planning committee, and the many people who serve you here on Sunday nights. Grant wisdom and the guidance of your Holy Spirit as they shepherd your flock.
And our congregants we entrust to you also, Lord Jesus. Awaken in us a desire and commitment to know you and one another better. May we see the eyes of Jesus in the person who sits beside us in the pews. Give us grace and patience as we walk our Christian life together and help us to be genuine and real. May we “walk as children of light”, discerning what is good, right, true, and pleasing to you (Eph 5:9-10).
Grant peace to those who could not be here tonight: restore the sick or the hurting, direct the hearts and minds of the distracted, refresh those that are on vacation, and and give us all a single-minded heart intent on loving and serving you and your church.
Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!
And finally, Lord, we silently entrust to your loving care those people you’ve placed on our hearts and minds.
We give thanks to you, our God and Father, and ask that you would guide us into the new week with humble and joyful hearts. And as it pleased you that Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, may our walk in love also be a fragrant offering to you, our God. This we pray in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Eph 5:20).
_____
Heavenly Father, you are our creator, you are God, you are the great I AM. We approach you with a humble heart and a submissive spirit. You alone are worthy to be praised, for you created the heavens and the earth, and all that is in it.
We also approach you with a joyful heart, for even though we rebel and turn away from you time and time again, your faithfulness endures. As the Apostle Paul says, “Christ loved us and gave himself up for us”, and this was a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to you, our God (Eph 5:2). Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross. We acknowledge with thanksgiving that true reconciliation with creation, one another, and God, is only possible through you.
Lord Jesus, we want to be imitators of you. We want to walk in love (Eph 5:2), steer away from darkness, and walk instead in your light (Eph 5:8), so that we too may inherit your kingdom (Eph 5:5). Awaken us from our slumber, so that Christ may shine on us (Eph 5:14).
Help us be better stewards of time; keep us from idleness and foolishness (5:4, 16). Grant us wisdom and discernment in our daily tasks, in our actions and our conversations.
Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!
On a hot and sunny day like today, in this beautiful city, it is easy to think that all is well elsewhere too. But, “the days are evil” (Eph 5:16), and this is so evident in the conflicts and brokenness in so many places. We intercede for your intervention.
May your church act boldly and wisely.
Protect your people from harm.
Reveal your ways to those in positions of power and influence.
Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!
We are grateful for your church, and in particular, this evening congregation. Guide and protect this service from the Evil One, who seeks to distract and divide us. I pray especially for Neil, the musicians, the prayer team, the greeters, ushers, the Evening Service Committee, the planning committee, and the many people who serve you here on Sunday nights. Grant wisdom and the guidance of your Holy Spirit as they shepherd your flock.
And our congregants we entrust to you also, Lord Jesus. Awaken in us a desire and commitment to know you and one another better. May we see the eyes of Jesus in the person who sits beside us in the pews. Give us grace and patience as we walk our Christian life together and help us to be genuine and real. May we “walk as children of light”, discerning what is good, right, true, and pleasing to you (Eph 5:9-10).
Grant peace to those who could not be here tonight: restore the sick or the hurting, direct the hearts and minds of the distracted, refresh those that are on vacation, and and give us all a single-minded heart intent on loving and serving you and your church.
Lord, in your Mercy, hear our prayer!
And finally, Lord, we silently entrust to your loving care those people you’ve placed on our hearts and minds.
We give thanks to you, our God and Father, and ask that you would guide us into the new week with humble and joyful hearts. And as it pleased you that Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, may our walk in love also be a fragrant offering to you, our God. This we pray in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Eph 5:20).
Amen.
_____
Evening Service Prayer at St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church, based on Ephesians 5:1-20.
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