Prayers for 22nd November

Prayers for Sunday 22nd November 2009, prepared and read by Cheryl Montgomery.

CHRIST THE KING

Daniel 7:9-10 & 13-14
Revelation 1:4-8
John 18:33-37

O Christ our King, the beginning and the end:
who is and who was and who is yet to come,
who rules the rulers and the speech of the nations,
hear us as we pray for your Dominions in heaven, on earth and in our hearts.

We thank you Lord for the Dominion of heaven which enfolds us in a spiritual past, present and future. We remember with gratitude your faithful witnesses who touched our lives and brought us into your glory. We lift up to you the work of our Cornerstone Volunteers who demonstrate your reign through their ministry of welcome. We give thanks for the Hospice Movement and especially our own hospice here at Willen where respite and care are generously given. Give us all beautiful language and meaningful action which will testify to your Truth.

Give us grace to cherish and respect your Dominion of earth. Strengthen the people in the northwest with hope and determination as they come to start again after the flood. Bless the rulers of this world with courage to give meaningful pledges of hope for the earth as they prepare to meet in Copenhagen. Bless us with awareness of our own impact on the earth and help us to live with responsibility.

Look, Lord, into the Dominion of our hearts as we prepare to celebrate the birthday of our King. Compel us to take a prayer from the basket and hold close by an anonymous someone asking for aid. Touch the hearts of our church leaders with true thirst for an ecumenical tomorrow and send your spirit to seek out and call a new minister for our congregation. On the brink of Advent, help us to put aside resentment and throw off our old ways like rags. Let us drink in the power of your testimony that WE are the royal priesthood of the most high, our God.

O Christ our King, the beginning and the end,
whose glorious kingdom will never fail;
O faithful witness, firstborn of the dead,
Who loves us and freed us and made us your own,
In your name we pray.

AMEN