Good morning everyone!

In a short while I will be training chaplains, so let’s cut to the best part.  Here is today’s prayer service.

Tomorrow I will be posting the morning prayer service and also  link the CCCC community’s Sunday online worship on blogtalkradio.  And all this while I am off to do a live service in Wellandport.  The magic of technology!

Blessings in your day!
Deb

Morning Prayer for Saturday in Advent

An Order for Morning Prayer
(Note: this is intended as a form of private prayer but when doing with another or as a group, work through it responsively)

We greet the Day

O Lord, open our lips:
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever.
Amen.

Hear, O Israel

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

This is the first and the great commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.

There is no commandment greater than these.

Kyrie
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Collect
Make us, we beseech thee, O Lord, our God, watchful and heedful in awaiting the coming of thy Son, Christ our Lord; that when he shall come and knock, he may find us not sleeping in our sins, but awake, and rejoicing in his praises.

Seek the Lord  Isaiah 55.6–11
Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; *
call upon him when he draws near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways *
and the evil ones their thoughts;
And let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, *
and to our God, for he will richly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, *
nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, *
so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as rain and snow fall from the heavens *
and return not again, but water the earth,
Bringing forth life and giving growth, *
seed for sowing and bread for eating,
So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; *
it will not return to me empty;
But it will accomplish that which I have purposed,
and prosper in that for which I sent it.

Reading: Luke 1: 26–38,

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.

The Magnificat Luke 1.46-55

1    My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

2    From this day all generations will call me blessed;  the Almighty has done great things for me  and holy is his name.

3    He has mercy on those who fear him, from generation to generation.

4    He has shown strength with his arm  and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

5    Casting down the mighty from their thrones  and lifting up the lowly.

6    He has filled the hungry with good things  and sent the rich away empty.

7    He has come to the aid of his servant Israel,  to remember his promise of mercy,

8    The promise made to our ancestors,  to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

Reflective Prayer
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, ruler of the universe! You led your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ.
May his word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for you are full of loving kindness for your whole creation, and we, your creatures, glorify you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Intercessory Prayers
We  offer to God the prayers of our hearts-

Gracious God source of all love and fount of all blessing, your Son Jesus Christ promised that you will hear us when we ask in faith.  Confident in his word, we offer you our prayers.

We pray for our world, for the leaders of nations and all in authority, that everyone may live in peace and mutual trust, sharing with justice the resources of the earth. May your love guide each heart.
(offer personal prayers for the world, leaders, the planet)

We give thanks for our church and every faith community across the world. Encourage clergy and religious leaders to lead with compassion, mirroring your love and grace by their lives and teaching.

We offer to your care, merciful God, all who are in sorrow, sickness, discouragement or any other trouble. Give them patience and a firm trust in your goodness. Change lives today through your mighty healing touch and bring to know your loving presence at work in their lives.

We pray for our own needs and concerns, giving thanks that answers and resolution are already on their way to us.  Especially, we offer these concerns to you…….

We give thanks for those who have died and for those who mourn their passing. May they find comfort and hope in the joy of your promise that you will greet us at the last and take us to your Father’s house.

Hear us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power,
and the glory,
now and for ever.
Amen.

Concluding Prayers
Thank you God for the love you give us.  We ask that as we wait for all your promises to come true, and for Christ to come again, that you would remain present with us.  Help us today, and everyday to worship you, to hear your word, and to do your will by sharing your love with each other. We ask it in the name of the one who was born in Bethlehem.  Amen.

May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds upon that radiant love which manifested at Christmas with the gift of the Christ-Child.  And may the Divine blessing  of Christmas nurture us this day and always. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!