Guided Daily Prayer (Series 2)

December 23, 2023
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Instructions: The underlined text are headings and do not need to be read. [Brackets] are instructions to be followed but not necessarily read. FOR INDIVIDUAL PRAYER: I suggest you read the prayer sheet aloud, but reading silently is fine too. FOR GROUP PRAYER: have one person act as leader. The leader reads the regular print and everyone reads the Bold Italic Type together.

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Opening Sentences:
Watch , for you know not when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning; lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. (Mark 13:35, 36)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection of your son and our Lord and savior; giving thanks for the newness of life Christ gives us today; and everlasting life you promise to all those who believe in you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (adapted from BCP,1979)

Praying Together:
Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise;
we give thanks to him and call upon his Name. Amen. (from Psalm 100)

Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, you have given us all we need, and yet we always want more.
We repent of our selfish and indulgent ways. We repent that we put our own wants and needs above the needs and the safety for the greater good. We repent that we often care more about things than we do about people. Forgive us Lord, repair our hearts and turn us toward your loving and merciful ways. Lord in your mercy hear our confession and forgive. Amen

Words of Assurance:
Be assured of God’s righteousness. In confessing our sins with a humble heart, God is merciful, just and kind.

Scripture Reading – Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

[Silent Prayer / or Music may be listened to / or a Hymn is sung.]

Prayers of the People:
“With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying “O Lord, hear our prayer.”

For peace and goodwill among all people, we pray for justice and unity. Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.] *

We pray, O Lord, for deliverance for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the oppressed and those in the prisons of their own making. We pray for all in need or trouble, come Christ Jesus, come, let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.]

Bless our community, and let your light shine through our works. Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.] *

Grant us humility this Advent, that we may walk in the way of your Word. Let us pray to the Lord. O Lord, hear our prayer. [Silent prayer.] *

For our individual and special prayers this day, we lift them up to the Lord. [Silent Prayer]

The Lord’s Prayer:
“Hear us, O Lord, as we pray together:”

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 this day our daily bread. And 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, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing Prayer:
As we wait with earnest longing and eager expectation for the labor to begin, we pray your steadfast love that we prepare with joy and hope to welcome the child, conceived of the holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. “Let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing.” Amen.