Thank you Heavenly Father for bringing us through and into another year. We thank you for the congregations of your church that shine like Jesus’ city on a hill for the lost, discouraged, or perplexed person. Though we are gathering online we thank you that your grace and truth have drawn us to you and to each other. Thank you for loving us.
Thank you for saving us from the crushing weight of our sin. Thank you for Jesus who has entered into our human condition, bearing the cross for us. You have become for us The Way, The Truth, and The Life. There is no one else for us to go to. You have the words of Life. You are the Word of Life for from you all life and love originates.
As we enter this new term, we commit our lives to you. You know when we sit, when we lie down, and when we rise up. You know the meditations of our hearts. And you know the words of our mouth before we utter them. You know our aspirations and our fears. We surrender these to you and seek to live first for your Kingdom and your righteousness.
Our longing is for you. Help us Lord to number our days aright. Grant us wisdom and the fullness of your Holy Spirit that our hearts may be filled with new songs of your grace.
We lift up our congregation and ask that you would help us grow in love. We pray that you would meet us during the week of prayer coming up and that you would bless all on the Alpha Course.
We lift up churches in our Association for this New Year and pray that their pastors and leaders would be encouraged and fortified for ministry this year. Bless our friends in uVillage Church here at UBC and in The Point Church at SFU.
Heavenly Father we know you love the many peoples of the world and desire to bring them into the family and Kingdom of your Son, so we unite with your heart for people and lift up
the United States — grant clarity for truth, hope in Jesus, and love for neighbours.
we lift up Iran — may your church continue to boldly make the Gospel of Jesus known.
and we lift up Hong Kong — may your church continue to boldly love the poor and express kinship with the oppressed.
We need you Lord and 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.
This prayer was part of the Origin Church Weekend Broadcast on 8 January 2021.