Prayer

Prayer of the People, Advent, 28 Nov 2021

November 29, 2021 0 Comments

Heavenly Father — We rejoice in your presence. We have arrived at your throne of Grace ushered in by the Spirit and given access by your Son, Jesus. We thank you for the joy of your salvation and your eternal communion — the communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

On this first Sunday of Advent we are grateful that Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith has entered into our situation and the frailties of our flesh. Though, we may find our selves asking, “How long?”

How long Lord shall the wicked prosper? How long Lord shall our hearts be tested? How long will the push and pull of climate and gravity create troubles? How long will we feel torn between the old and the new?

For some in our congregation today these questions are not theoretical. Our brothers and sisters groan under the weight of anxiety and we lift them up to you Lord. 

Come now, Holy Spirit and breathe peace.

For some in our campus the pursuit of security and the conviction of their conscience weighs heavily on them. Come now Lord Jesus and be their Saviour.

For some in our Province the destructive powers of nature and storms have displaced them and is exacting a terrible toll. Oh Father, be their comfort and help.

As leaders assemble and people are mobilized across this land we pray that you would grant wisdom for rebuilding. We ask that you would move hearts to release resources. In the neighbourhoods that are hosting people we pray that you would fortify them with hospitality. We pray that You would create spaces of welcome, healing and refuge. 

We need You and so we pray as Jesus teaches us.

(Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.)

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one;

for yours is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory, forever. 

Amen.

Prayer

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Prayer of the People, 14 Nov 2021

November 15, 2021 0 Comments

Prayer of the People, 14 Nov 2021

Heavenly Father, 

You have brought us into your communion — the communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We praise you for this grace. You have brought us from darkness and into your light. Our souls have been made alive by you. In fact — you woke us up.

Praise to the Father. Praise to the Son. Praise to the Spirit.
Praise to our God — the great Three in One.

Our souls glorify You; You are magnificent!

Thank you! Jesus when we heard of your great love for us — faith in you rose up in us. Finally there is someone worthy and fully able to heal our souls. 

You delivered us from slavery and into freedom from sin at such great cost. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for taking up flesh. Thank you for laying down your life for us at the cross. 

Our senses we so numb — we did not know were slaves to sin till the good news quickened our conscience and we grieved the death we could not shake off. Now you are making us new creations. Now our trust is in you. Now we have a hunger for your Word and a desire to do your will.

Come Lord Jesus. Have mercy on us. Grant us the joy of your salvation.

Heavenly Father, we are concerned — for the tasks we have taken up weigh on us. Help us with our studies. Help us with our work. This world you have made is so beautiful! There’s more to it than facts and figures — yet there are a lot of those to learn! Help us develop the skills to steward what you have entrusted to us, help us develop the character needed for courageous love.

Lord we lift up people whose dignity and glory as dearly loved and precious creations of God has been forgotten. We lift up people on the journey for refuge who are stuck between Belarus and Poland. Grant them safe passage. Lift up their hearts. Speak to them in the night and minister to them.

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one;

for yours is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.

Prayer

Prayer of the People, 7 Nov 2021

November 8, 2021 0 Comments

Heavenly Father, 

We are looking to you for wisdom and for power to love well. Your perfect love casts out fear. We praise you for the Mighty power displayed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ your Son! You have defeated all the powers of death. May your Holy Spirit enliven us for life in your communion— the communion of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Give us grace to join in the pursuit of your will by aligning our affections with the character and name of Jesus. In baptism we have been united with Him in His death, burial and resurrection! Oh Lord speak to us by your Word and Spirit that we might truly live.

We are opening our hearts to you. Forgive us for being hardhearted, shallow, and so easily distracted from the word you have planted in us. We acknowledge that there is a spiritual battle for our fully hearted surrender to you as Lord.

We lift up your servants serving under pressure in Belarus, Ethiopia, Israel, Iran and Mexico. Empower your church to share their lives and the Gospel. 


In Canada and here at UBC we pray that you would raise up people who are ready and willing to share their lives in discipling relationships. Lord we ask you bring this  generation of students the grace of salvation and life in You. We pray that your Kingdom would come here and so we pray as Jesus taught us…


Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever. 
Amen.

Prayer

Prayer of the People, 31 Oct 2021

November 2, 2021 0 Comments

Heavenly Father, 

By your word you have raised up for yourself sons and daughters born of the blood of Jesus and the breathe of the Spirit. We rejoice in our adoption into your covenant family. You have brought us into the communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and so we say

Hallelujah!

By your grace we heard your invitation and so we are here. Life in your Kingdom is full of surprises and groaning. We are carried along by the Wind of the Spirit, yet we have tasted and seen that the Lord — He is good! And so we say

Hallelujah!

By your Presence among us we have joined hands with sisters and brothers gifted for service that your Church can storm the gates of Hell with You. May your Word break through to hearts closed by trauma, to minds closed by unbelief, and to bodies beset by insecurities.

Lord we lift up to you the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti who are holding 17 people hostage in demand for ransom. We pray that you would change hearts and bring about safe release. We pray for these missionaries and ask that you would fortify their hearts with the gospel love of Jesus. May your light shine from the fellowship of all your churches across Haiti so they become centres of hope.

We lift up to you the people of Sudan and ask that you would bring a true peace and the pursuit of the common good even as they suffer through the opposition of wills and vision for the country. Empower your church to love well and to set the pace for transformation of lives and communities.

Lord we need you in every area of our lives and so we pray as Jesus taught us…

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one;
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever. 
Amen.

Prayer

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Prayer of the People, 24 Oct 2021

October 25, 2021 0 Comments

Heavenly Father, 

Your Spirit hovered over the deep and brought life forward at your word. You breathed life into people and by the call of your Son Jesus we have gathered as your children. Thank you for this grace that has brought us into your communion — the communion of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

You have broken the chains that bound us and delivered us into the freedom of your Kingdom. Now may love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control be formed in our characters.

We bring all that is opposed to the life of the Holy Spirit to the Cross of Christ and contemplate His crucifixion. We drop these deathly ways, so inadequate for the way of Jesus, and ask that you would forgive us and reshape us in your image.

Your grace abounds.

Come Lord Jesus.

You have lifted us up out of the slimy pit and set our feet on a secure rock.
You have lifted up our heads. You are our Shepherd.

You are our glory and our delight.

Praise the Lord!

We lift up to you the people in conflict in Myanmar, and Ethiopian and Tigray, and Syria. Oh Lord would you raise up men and women with hearts full of peace toward you and each other. Disable the war machine that looks for markets to ply their weapons of death. May we set our minds and our economies on how to do good.

We know how fragile neighbourly love and generosity can be. Our hearts are desperately deceitful. So, may your good news keep bearing fruit in your church across the world. And may your Spirit apply your power to change in us. So we pray…

Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one,
for yours is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever. 
Amen.

Prayer