PRAYER

How are the people who comprise the ELCIC, and others who care, praying for the Vancouver convention coming up in June?

 

If I know how someone else is praying, it sometimes helps and encourages me in my own prayers.  Here are some of the prayers of one, prayers that have to do with the foundation and root system from which Christian life and action grows.  I’m thinking of “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.” (Eph.2:20)

Here are some prayers, and a call to prayer, which to me grow out of the Constitution of the ELCIC, Preamble, and Articles II, III and IV (included in the Bulletin of Reports).

 

Prayer

“In the name of the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”  (Preamble)

The name of God above all is about a relationship with our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier and Lord.  Let us pray for the renewal and growth of our relationship as children of the Heavenly Father.

Let us pray for a deepening, or a new beginning, of our relationship with God-who-became-one-of-us, the man, Christ Jesus. 

Let us pray for renewed life in the Holy Spirit, whose plan and will is to dwell within us as a temple/temples.

 

“This church confesses that the Gospel is the revelation of God’s saving will and grace in Jesus Christ, which he imparts through Word and Sacrament.”  (Art.II,2)

Let us pray for stark clarity in our perception and grasp of the Gospel, as the good news, greater than the world could ever dream, that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may  have eternal life.” 

 

“Through these means of grace, the Holy Spirit creates believers and unites them with their Lord and with one another in the fellowship of the Holy Christian church.” (II,2)

Let us pray that through the means of grace we and many more may come anew and daily into the happy experience of repentance and faith, and oneness with all the re-created.

 

“This church confesses the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God, through which God still speaks…”

Whether we see ourselves as “conservative” or “liberal” or “postmodern”--or whatever, let us pray first for forgiveness for the ways in which we may have forgotten this confession, and pray that we may actually hear God’s voice and word for this time and place.

 

Shall we pray that this church shall encourage and assist every parish in new efforts toward Biblical literacy among the whole membership of the church?

 

This church also confesses this Word “as the only source of the church’s doctrine and the authoritative standard for the faith and life of the church.” (Art.II)  Let us pray that this church shall not give up its mandate to  “study (social and moral) issues in contemporary society in the light of the Word of God, and respond publicly.”  (Art.IV,2,f) 

 

This church shall “establish and maintain seminaries for education and continuing development of ordained ministers and other church leaders.” (IV,2,c)

Let us pray as Jesus himself directs us:  “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few, therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Lk.10:2)  Let us pray for shepherds/pastors and for all other gifted and called workers.  Let us pray that our seminaries may express Jesus’ own heart for gathering people to himself.

 

This church shall “safeguard the faith and life of its congregations and ordained ministers, deciding all questions thereto on the basis of the Word of God and in accordance with its Confession of Faith…” (IV, 2, i.) 

Let us pray for much grace, knowledge, understanding, wisdom and courage for everyone in positions of oversight and shepherding.

 

“Jesus Christ is Lord of the church.  All power belongs to him as its head.  All actions of this church are to be carried out under his rule and authority.”  (Art. III,1)

Let us pray that this church may live and act with Jesus’ lordship as reality, beyond any metaphor, and that we may expect him to reveal his will and plan in everything we do in convention and in congregational life; and if we have significant differences, that it may be clear to us that we are not hearing him accurately or completely.

 

“The Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the church (as “congregations gathered” and as “universal community”)  (Art.III,2)  Let us pray that as church we may realize more fully that Holy Spirit is the one and only source and bringer of God’s life to human hearts, and that we may rediscover the meaning of Pentecost, in this Pentecost season, Anno Domini 2009.

 

“the mission of this church, as an expression of the universal Church and as an instrument of the Holy Spirit, is to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people in Canada and around the world…(through Word, Sacrament and service)”

Let us pray that  God may renew or restore the centrality of the Gospel (cp. John 3:16 et.al.) to the whole life of this church, with every member as the Spirit’s instrument in bringing people into relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

 

Let us pray that the Gospel itself may be this church’s power and motivation “to minister to  human need …in the name of Christ…” (IV, 2, e.)

 

 

 

(Rev.) R. M. Randoy

Abbotsford, B.C. 

 

 

Pray for the Church

Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do. (Jeremiah 42:3)

The Prayer Subcommittee for Solid Ground has developed a couple of prayer resources. The Prayer Subcommittee hopes that these resources will be helpful in encouraging people to be in prayer for the ELCIC. The prayer service outline could of course be adapted. The prayer cards are designed to be easily copied, cut, and distributed; they could be placed around one's house - such as on a mirror - as a simple reminder to be in prayer. The Prayer Subcommittee would especially like to encourage people to volunteer to host prayer services in preparation for the upcoming 2006 synod conventions.

Follow these links to download and print side A and side B of the "prayer card" and the prayer service outline.

Spreading the Net of Prayer

Often, high-wire circus performers stretch out a safety net during their aerial stunts. With that image in mind, we invite our Christian brothers and sisters to join in spreading the net of prayer beneath God’s holy Church in these uncertain times. As often as you can throughout the week, please set aside time for prayer.


Know that in these moments of prayer, you will be joining with others who are like-minded in their desire to see God’s will be done and God’s kingdom come in our Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.

Please pray ...

A Prayer for the Church and God's People

Almighty and eternal God, full of grace, mercy and love, we turn to you in the midst of sorrow and despair over what is happening in your Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and particularly in your Eastern Synod.

We watch our leaders and councils and conventions as they bring us closer and closer to the edge, on a road that leads away from your Holy Scriptures and your will that has been so clear throughout the ages.

We are being encouraged to embrace ideas which are foreign to your revealed Word. We cannot do these things, but our church seems determined to go this way, Lord, and our hearts are breaking they are filled with sadness, even despair.

We feel so helpless, caught in the tide which is pulling us away from you. Is there no turning back? We plead with you, O God, to bring a spirit of repentance upon your church. We cry out for a renewal of our obedience to your will and your Word.

We ask you for hope and peace, and the leading of your Holy Spirit. We desperately desire to know what to do. Show us how to stand firm in love and remain loyal to you at all times.

But help us to be respectful of those who lead us, even when we cannot agree with them, because you have placed them in authority over us. Fill our hearts with love love for you, love for your church, even love for those who are misleading your people, but especially, Lord, love for those who are living in violation of your will and are being encouraged to continue to do so. You teach us that love covers a multitude of sins. May your love and truth be seen in your church.

Through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, we pray. Amen.

(Thanks to Rev. Peter Hincke, Pastor, St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, Cornwall, Ontario, for this prayer offering.)



“if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray”
(2nd Chronicles 7:14)

Dear Fellow believers,

Grace and peace to each one of you from God our Father and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

As I travel and visit many different Lutheran churches, I always hear the sorrow in the hearts of people who express their concern for the direction the ELCIC is going. Our Church reminds me of a great ship in the ocean. It has hit a hidden reef and was damaged and since then has been slowly and steadily drifting off course.

Our letters, emails and telephone calls to Bishops see little result. Even at convention the voice of the average parishioner cannot be heard. But we do have a voice, and God will hear it and see the cry of our hearts. He says in 2nd Chronicles 7:14, Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land. Prayer is the most powerful weapon that the Christian has. I challenge you to come on board and pray for our Bishops, our professors at the seminary, our students, our Pastors and for one another.

I believe God is calling us to a time of prayer and fasting. Can you imagine the response from our Lord if thousands of Lutherans would set aside time within the 24 hours of every Monday to pray for our beloved Church? If we would take this time to seek God for healing for our church. Some of you may want to pray on your way to work; some can sit quietly with the Lord and make your requests known. God would honour your commitment.

Pray for our Bishops

That God would give them a new freshness of his spirit.
That He would open their eyes to see and ears to hear His truth and the direction that He would have them go.
That He would hold them in the palm of His hand.
That He would strengthen them, encourage them, lead and direct them in His path so that they would not waver.

Pray for our seminary professors

That God would enlighten them and give them direction.
That God's word would be taught in truth.
That they would not be swayed by worldly trends but would stand firm on God's word.

Pray for the students

That God would hand pick them that they would be truly chosen by Him.
That He would open their minds to receive His truth.
That God would guide them, direct them, and envelope them in His love.
That when they are ordained that they would be so confident in their walk with the Lord and in His truth that they would be great leaders of our church.

Pray for our Pastors

That God would give them a fresh anointing of His spirit.
That they would lead and direct their people in God’s truth.
That they would live a life according to God's word and would not desire to be politically correct but would always prefer to be Godly correct.

And pray that our Bishops, professors and our pastors would stand for God and his righteousness.

Pray for one another

That each one can walk in His love. Make us really brave, strong and courageous that we would always walk upright and that each one us would say like Jesus, I have come to do the will of my Father.

Jesus embraced the people in love and truth but didn't embrace the ways of the world. God wants to revive our church and wants to get that great ship back on course. So please come on board.

Norma James, Golden Lake, Ontario

We would be happy to receive your prayer offerings or requests for situations where you would like to have us compose a prayer.