A Call To Prayer
July 27, 2020
“God is Speaking do we hear Him?”
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV)
What We Do
We vow to pray daily for the spread of Christ’s Kingdom, for God’s blessing on the work of our Order, for the spiritual growth of our parish. Let us pray for the many projects in the Church and community.
Prayer for People Infected with COVID-19 or Facing Quarantine
Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need Your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel Your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses.
Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them.
Prayer for Justice
God of justice, in your wisdom you create all people in your image, without exception. Through your goodness, open our eyes to see the dignity, beauty, and worth of every human being. Open our minds to understand that all your children are brothers and sisters in the same human family. Open our hearts to repent of racist attitudes, behaviors, and speech which demean others. Open our ears to hear the cries of those wounded by racial discrimination, and their passionate appeals for change. Strengthen our resolve to make amends for past injustices and to right the wrongs of history. And fill us with courage that we might seek to heal wounds, build bridges, forgive and be forgiven, and establish peace and equality for all in our communities. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
For Our Country
2 Chronicles 7:14 says “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,”
Daughters, we are commanded by God to pray for our leaders so that as a country our collective hearts will turn back to God!
Let us Pray. God our Loving Father, Giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to Your loving care. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation's leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind Your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing Your will and grant us the courage to reject and speak out against all that brings chaos, hurt and pain to all people whether native or foreign. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Daughters, we are commanded by God to pray for our leaders so that as a country our collective hearts will turn back to God!
Let us Pray. God our Loving Father, Giver of life, we entrust the United States of America to Your loving care. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation's leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind Your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing Your will and grant us the courage to reject and speak out against all that brings chaos, hurt and pain to all people whether native or foreign. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
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The Prayer of the Order
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O Eternal Father, you have sent us your Son to teach us things pertaining to your heavenly Kingdom. Give your blessing to our Order wherever it may be throughout the world. Grant that we, your Daughters, ever may discern your truth and bear the cross through the battles of our earthly life. Give us strength to overcome temptation and the grace to work to spread your Kingdom and to gather your scattered sheep within your fold. Pour out upon us the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit that we may always remember it is your work we are called to do, that all we think, do or say may be pleasing in your sight. We ask it all For His Sake, our King and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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Responsorial Psalm 139
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Your works are wonderful and I know it well.
Reflection: “God is speaking do we hear him?”
1 Kings 19:11b-12 “The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
As we maneuver our way through this new life of coronavirus and social unrest, it is easy to convince ourselves that soon things will happen as they did before, but that is no longer so. What we once enjoyed doing, our coming and going at our own whim we cannot do again at least for several months more and we have had to be still whether we liked it or not.
During this time, we find ourselves restless and we are disgruntled and upset because we along with many have prayed for relief from the virus, but now find ourselves watching the civil unrest due to the death of George Floyd.
Tensions are rising, no longer are people accepting the way of old. A new day has emerged and people have taken to the streets to tell this country and the world that a change is not going to come, but a change has come and demand equal rights for all people of God be they black, white or brown and God is speaking, but do we hear Him?
In the scripture reading, Elijah was anticipating God’s speaking to him. Like many of us, Elijah was probably expecting to hear the voice of God in the great and powerful winds, earthquakes, and fires. But God did not appear in any of those. Instead, God’s voice was quiet and tranquil.
Daughters, God has now given us time to be still and listen so that we can hear His voice. Let us now tonight, tomorrow and the tomorrows to come open up our hearts to the unexpected ways God might be speaking.
Let us now pray. Creator God, help us to be still and listen for the unexpected ways you speak to us. May our seeing and hearing, our words and actions be rooted like a strong tree in a silent certainty of your presence and as we grow more in the knowledge and love of You through prayer, service and evangelism, help us to grow more in love with our neighbors whatever color, size or shape they may be. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Extemporaneous Prayer: Kathy will call each Diocese and Bd. member one at a time to share their prayer request if there are any. We will be able to record these requests on our prayer list for continued prayers.
For a Daughter Who Has Died
Dear Heavenly Father, we bless You for all those who have departed this life in Your faith and fear. Through their loving service to others and the Order and their way of prayerful living they endeavored to perfect Your will in their life. May their deep faith be an inspiration to all and so illumine the hearts of women and girls to find You along their earthly pilgrimage. Grant that the light of Your presence and Your eternal peace be their great and everlasting reward.
Amen.
Prayer For Members Who Are Ill
O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers, mercifully accept our prayer and grant to all the help of your power, that their sickness may be turned to health and our sorrow to joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer For Healing
Our Heavenly Father, by whose loving kindness and mercy our souls and bodies are renewed, look upon your children for whom we pray. Knowing you are interested in personal needs, we bring to your altar those who are perplexed or afraid, as we ask you to take away fear; those who face physical suffering, as we ask you to give them courage to endure; those who seem burdened with indecision, as we ask you to lift the pall of confusion. We also bring those who are lonely, for whom we ask companionship. We ask guidance and comfort for those to whom death has brought sorrow and despair.
Amen.
Prayer For Peace
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father, to whom be dominion and glory, now and forever. Amen.
Prayer For Faithfulness in Service
O Lord, Jesus Christ, head of the mystical body of the church of which we are members, cleanse our eyes to see you, quicken our ears to hear you, open our lips to show forth your praise, give our hands skill to do your bidding, and make our feet swift to go where you guide, that your Kingdom may come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, all for your dear sake. Amen.
The Holy Cross
Almighty God, whose beloved son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow Him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
The Motto of the Order
For His Sake...I am but one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do.
What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.
Lord, what will you have me do?
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do.
What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.
Lord, what will you have me do?
Prayer of Hope
Leader: In hope that the arc of history bends toward justice, we lift up our prayers for racial healing, saying: Bind us together, O God of love.
For the Church, that its prophetic voice may proclaim to all the challenge to break the hopeless cycles of poverty, ignorance, prejudice, and despair which degrade the sacred dignity of humankind, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For our country, that we might celebrate our racial diversity and the distinctive and rich contributions of every fiber of our cultural fabric, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For wise and decisive action on the part of local and national leaders, that the scandal of racism may be eradicated from our society, we pray:
For the Church, that its prophetic voice may proclaim to all the challenge to break the hopeless cycles of poverty, ignorance, prejudice, and despair which degrade the sacred dignity of humankind, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For our country, that we might celebrate our racial diversity and the distinctive and rich contributions of every fiber of our cultural fabric, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For wise and decisive action on the part of local and national leaders, that the scandal of racism may be eradicated from our society, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For an end to the subtle racism of economic oppression which permeates our society’s structures and resides in many hearts, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For our faith communities, that they may not succumb to indifference or accept the status quo, but press on for fundamental change, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For the victims of racial discrimination, that they may be filled with hope for a more just future, healing from wounds received, courage to advocate for change and for peace, and the grace to overcome hated with love, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For those who work for racial justice, that they may be sustained in hope, empowered with courage, and filled with the grace to persevere in love, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For an end to the subtle racism of economic oppression which permeates our society’s structures and resides in many hearts, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For our faith communities, that they may not succumb to indifference or accept the status quo, but press on for fundamental change, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For the victims of racial discrimination, that they may be filled with hope for a more just future, healing from wounds received, courage to advocate for change and for peace, and the grace to overcome hated with love, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
For those who work for racial justice, that they may be sustained in hope, empowered with courage, and filled with the grace to persevere in love, we pray:
Bind us together, O God of love
Blessing
Blessing: Jesus, as we encounter you today in the faces of those whom society has pushed to the margins. Guide us, through the love you revealed, to establish the justice you proclaimed, that all peoples might dwell in harmony and peace, united by that one love that binds us to each other, and to you. And Though we don’t know all the challenges we continue to face, be it the virus or a protest march, we know that You will be with us and that You are our hope and our strength and will give us wisdom as we seek Your perspective in Your Word.
We pray for those who are hurting or lonely today—that you will comfort them. we pray for those who are ill—that you will heal them. We pray for those who are concerned about what may come in the next uncertain hours that you will grant them peace as they trust You. Thank you for being our safe haven and solid refuge because of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit working in us. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.
May our lives always reflect peace as we walk this journey with Jesus. Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
We pray for those who are hurting or lonely today—that you will comfort them. we pray for those who are ill—that you will heal them. We pray for those who are concerned about what may come in the next uncertain hours that you will grant them peace as they trust You. Thank you for being our safe haven and solid refuge because of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit working in us. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.
May our lives always reflect peace as we walk this journey with Jesus. Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
