Morning Prayer during Covid-19

Inspired by PCA pastor friend, I've been inviting people to join me in morning prayer and among those who do there have always been some I know and some I don't. We meet for 15 minutes daily from 07:45-8:00 (EST). Everyone is muted while I go through a prayer liturgy, and some have their video turned off. 

You can join us at: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/77174600919

I've long been an enthusiast for traditions of morning prayer (Matins) which derive from the canonical hours of medieval spirituality and prayer practices from the earliest centuries of Christianity. I generally recommend the Daily Office in the Anglican tradition, and I've found this site and their app to be the best resource:  www.missionstclare.com. You will also be introduced to amazing hymns to which you can sing along!

I don't slavishly follow any particular lectionary or prayer book but draw on a variety of resources. Here is a sample from this morning's prayer. In the meeting, I share my screen so people can read along. 

Liturgy of Morning Prayer

Led by

Pastor Bill (pastorbill@blessingshamilton.ca)

Blessings Christian Church

The Season of Easter (Day 4)

April 15, 2020

Invitation

We have come together in the presence of Almighty God, our heavenly Father, to praise his name, to hear his holy Word, and to ask, for ourselves and for others, those things necessary for our life and our salvation.

1 Peter 1:3

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Theme

The Christ who is resurrected in glory is the same one who was put to death in shame. By his death and resurrection we are saved. Trust in him and no other.

           -- from Robert Webber, The Book of Daily Prayer (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993).

Prayer of Confession

O my Savior, help me. I am slow to learn, prone to forget, and weak to climb; I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights; I am pained by my graceless heart, my prayerless days, my poverty of love, my sloth in the heavenly race, my sullied conscience, my wasted hours, my unspent opportunities. I am blind while the light shines around me: take the scales from my eyes, grind to dust my heart of unbelief. Make it my highest joy to study you, meditate on you, gaze on you, sit like Mary at your feet, lean like John on your breast, appeal like Peter to your love, count like Paul all things but dung. I believe, help my unbelief. Amen

                -- from Arthur Bennett, ed., The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers                                                                   (Banner of Truth Trust, 1975)

Scripture Reading

Luke 24:13-34 (NIV)

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Free Prayer

Silence (15 seconds)

For our national and local communities

For the continent of Africa

For national leaders and local government

                        From Phil Reinders, Seeking God’s Face (Grand Rapids: Faith Alive, 2013).

For Covid-19 related things

            -- the elderly, those in long-term care facilities

            -- frontline nurses, doctors

            -- students

            -- bus drivers

Psalm of Response

Psalm 118:1, 22-29 (NIV)

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

²² The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
²³ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.

²⁵ Lord, save us!
    Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.
²⁷ The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light shine on us.
    With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
    up to the horns of the altar.

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God, and I will exalt you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Prayer

O God, whose blessed Son revealed himself to his disciples in the breaking of bread, open the eyes of our faith, that we may see him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

                         -- Easter Collects, The Book of Common Prayer.

You have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose.

                        -- A Collect for Grace, The Book of Common Prayer.

             

Risen Lord, you laid down your life for me. Come and live in me as Lord and friend, and turn me toward you in love.

                        -- Robert Webber, The Book of Daily Prayer (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993).

We now pray the words you taught us to say . . .

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, the power, and the glory,

forever,

Amen

Blessing

Ephesians 3:20-21

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

This concludes the daily morning prayer! 

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord

Pastor Bill (pastorbill@blessingshamilton.ca)

Resources

The Book of Common Prayer (Anglican, various editions)

The Book of Daily Prayer by Robert Webber

Seeking God’s Face by Phil Reinders