Tag Archive: Origin Church

Prayer of the People, 7 April 2019

April 8, 2019 0 Comments

Heavenly Father, you are the Lord of all Creation; You spoke, “Let there be light” and there was light. Your Son Jesus is the Light of the World. And now, by His Spirit, His Word illuminates our lives. Thank you for this grace in which we sit, walk, and stand. 

Speak again Lord, to our dark hearts. “Let there be light.” Awaken us to you. Teach us to walk in Your light and to fellowship with each other in this world according to your grace and truth. 

We confess that having our lives exposed in your light generates fear. First we tremble at the thought of your holiness. Save us according to your Word and not our word. Forgive our sins and may willful sin not rule over us. Second we tremble at the thought of being out of step with our world. Your light invites us into what is unfamiliar and makes us look peculiar. Please replace our fear of people with your perfect love. 

We long for leaders who walk in the light, who lead with wisdom and who pursue justice. We ask that You will bring Your comfort and help to those traumatized by violence, greed, and cold apathy. Both the one who raises the hand in anger and the one who receives it have suffered. It is your revealing light that can usher us all into healing and reconciliation. 

As with every anniversary of violence to which your light has been held we must examine ourselves, so we ask again for your wisdom from heaven today for Rwanda, for Ireland, for the United States, for Canada, for Palestine and for Israel, for Syria, for Yemin, for Cameroon, for Germany, for El Salvador, and for Myanmar. Is there any land in which the toxic rage of ‘adam’s children has not shed blood? Oh Lord help us. Come quickly Lord Jesus – May your light shine. Reveal every lethal treasure we have collected against insecurity and help us surrender our affections to you that we might be free. 

We pray now as you have taught us — (Please join me in the Lord’s Prayer)

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.

 

Church, Prayer

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Prayer of the People, 31 March 2019

April 1, 2019 0 Comments

Heavenly Father, 

We rejoice to be known by you and to approach you as our Father. Your Son, Jesus Christ, has opened the way for us. And your Spirit confirms that we are your children; He has poured out your love into our hearts!

We delight in your church. Thank you for the people you have called from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of your Son. We come from many places and from many different kinds of intersections with your truth and your grace. You saved us from our sin, from despair, from deceit, and from the powers arrayed against the true knowledge of You.

Thank you for the person who showed us Jesus. In all of our original stories, somebody posted up right inside the gates of hell and announced the Good News of your Kingdom to us. They loved us and shared their true life with us. We thank you for these saints. Allegiance to Jesus as Lord became to us the most reasonable act of faith!

Your Church, Lord, is under pressure in many places so we intercede for them this morning. Grant your church Jesus’ courage and His wisdom of forgiveness so they can love under duress in China, Nigeria, Somalia, North Korea, Mexico and Pakistan.

Awaken your church in Canada Lord. Awaken us so that we may watch with you and remember that our sins have been forgiven. Purify us through obedience to you so that we have a sincere love for each other. Help us love each other deeply from the heart in both word and in deed.

Disrupt our self-self-centred stupor. Awaken us to our neighbours. Help us to see so we may love as you love and fulfill the mandate of your Kingdom. You teach us to pray: May Your Kingdom come, so we pray as you taught your disciples:

(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

The Prayer of the People, March 24, 2019

March 28, 2019 0 Comments

Heavenly Father, we come to you just as a thirsty deer comes to a stream of water. We thirst for you and know that you can satisfy. 

We rejoice in the truth and those who tell it. So Jesus your Son has become our Saviour. He has set us free. He is the Saviour of all who believe. His Word is life to us.

We are grateful for the gift of your Holy Spirit who has made us alive to you. We are a new creation, brought into your communion; you are making all things new and beautiful on your schedule.

We praise you for this grace in which we live!

Our prayer though echos the ancient question, “How long?” How long Lord will we groan for the revealing of who we are in Christ? How long will people groan under the oppression of the evil one? How long will you be patient?

We yearn for you. Your Spirit from the beginning has hovered over the deep, bringing order to chaos. Bring order to our hearts.

We yearn for you to be revealed in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi; we ask Father that you would let the waters recede and that your agents of mercy could provide help to many who are stranded in the remnants of Cyclone Idai.

We yearn for you to be revealed in the many villages and communities in Canada that lack clean water. Please grant your provisions and your wisdom to those working to create new water systems.

We yearn for you to be revealed on our campus in the hearts of people stirred up with anxiety, weighed down by lonely ambitions, and darkened by unbelief. You have promised your satisfying presence in the life of all who believe you — a stream of living water that flows from within. May you bring salvation.

Thank you Father for hearing our prayer in the name and grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, so we pray as He taught us…

Please Join me now in the Lord’s Prayer

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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Remembering to Serve People on the Journey to Refuge

April 19, 2018 0 Comments

Origin in Athens

Photo Cred: Reed Eaglesham

Dear Readers,

I’m doing something new, using my blog to ask for help.

 

Origin is headed back to Greece. We will be in Athens in May to serve alongside our friends with Canadian Global Response. Ten of us will be going to “remember the poor.” You can help them too. People on the journey for refuge have had to run, to leave, to survive, to witness. Its not a pretty experience and its worse than most of us can imagine.

 

Artist and activist Ai Weiwei, wants you to know that “Over 65 Million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes.” I watched the film and cried. This is what many of the dear people we met last year have gone through. What will our compassion do? Compassion comes alongside the human flow not to judge but to give hope. Though we are tempted to, I’m learning we must not underestimate the power of a cup of water, a smile, a listening ear, a gift, and a moment of care and kindness in a safe environment. We believe these are the small gestures affirming the incredible worth of each person.

 

Our team of ten is going to Athens but we cannot accomplish this alone. We need your help to extend the ministry of our friends there in city. We will be assisting with what they want to do in order to serve folks who had hoped to pass through the city but have gotten stuck there and who find themselves to be intensely vulnerable. Our strategy for supporting and extending the ministry of our partners on the ground in Athens requires about 1000 euro’s per day in ministry funds.

 

Help us serve people on the refugee journey in Athens, Greece.

Let’s move remembering the poor into real presence and action. Here’s how you can give. By clicking on the Origin in Greece button you will land on our Canadian Global Response project and giving page. Follow the instructions, making sure to to note “Origin in Athens.”

Thanks so much.

Craig

 

 

 

Change, Leadership

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Jump Start Your Church Commitment

August 14, 2017 0 Comments

Jumping into life in your new University community can be exciting and intimidating. We’ve learned that when moving to a new place its tempting to leave our engagement in church community as a “I will get to it someday” kind of thought. But getting involved with a church on campus could be one of the best decisions of your life.

In the first few weeks of University getting involved in a church may seem like something that can wait. But I encourage you,  don’t wait. Your mind and time is soon going to be truly occupied with study, new friends, and incredible opportunities to grow. If you don’t put your engagement in a church community at the front of your agenda you may never get to it.

 

First the Benefits

Maybe you have never really had to think about the benefits of being part of spiritual community charged with following Jesus Christ and fulfilling His mission. When you were with friends and family, “gathering with the church” with just assumed. But now that you are on your own in University — nobody is there to bring you along; its your decision.

But think about it. What have been some of the benefits of being part of your church? Have you

1. Had a community that overflowed with a passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ in worship and mission together?

2. Had a community that challenged you and showed you how to grow in your walk with Jesus?

3. Had a community that laid their lives before Jesus and courageously integrated His Word into all that they do?

4. Had a community that rejoiced in an created opportunities to use the gifts given by the Holy Spirit to men and women?

5. Had a community that cared for you and shared life with you even when things were not going well?

This is what church does. And as a follower of Jesus you are called to be a part of making all these things happen.

 

Choosing a Church

So how do you go about choosing a church? Maybe you have never done that before; it may have been done for you. Maybe you tagged along with friends or were “happily” compelled to go along with your family. But now its up to you. Here’s a few things to do:

  1. Pray. Ask God to help you get situated in a church family.
  2. Search online. Just google it: “churches on campus.” In our case, you can search out “UBC churches” and you will see what’s here.
  3. Make a plan to check out the gatherings — large group and small group.
  4. Settle in quickly. Our suggestion is to get settled in congregation within the first 5 weeks of the term.

 

Some questions to consider as you visit:

  1. Am I familiar with the tradition or network of churches this (new congregation I’m visiting) is a part of?
  2. What’s the environment like here for lifting up Jesus and elevating God’s Word in life?
  3. Are there opportunities for me to serve, get connected, and to grow?

 

A church is Jesus’ people. Its the very movement that Jesus started and He calls the church His. Jesus loves the church and will help you, even call you, to be a part of a church family during your university years. Jesus seems to reserve some lessons and some healing in our lives for what will happen in the fellowship of His people. For example, Jesus didn’t show Himself to Thomas, until Thomas had gathered with other disciples of Jesus (See John 20:24-39). So it is with our growth with Jesus. Some lessons on faith, life, love, and ministry will not be learned unless they are learned in relationship with other followers of Jesus. So I encourage you, plan now to find a church a make commitments there. The lessons you learn there and with that people can serve you for a lifetime of mission and discipleship.

 

If you went off to University and got involved in a church — how did you go about making the decision?

 

Filed under: UBC Churches, church on campus, Origin Church, UBC, Born for More

 

 

Change

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