For All Sorts and Conditions of Men
O God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to thy fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; [especially those for whom our prayersare desired]; it may please thee to comfort and relieve
them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For the Church
Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.
For Clergy and People
Almighty and everlasting God, from whom cometh every
good and perfect gift: Send down upon our bishops, and
other clergy, and upon the congregations committed to their charge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and, that they may truly please thee, pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. Grant this, O Lord, for the honor of our Advocate and Mediator, Jesus Christ. Amen.
For Families
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who settest the solitary in families: We commend to thy continual care the homes in which thy people dwell. Put far from them, we beseech thee, every root of bitterness, the desire of vainglory, and the pride of life. Fill them with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness. Knit together in constant affection those who, in holy wedlock, have been made one flesh. Turn the hearts of the parents to the children, and the hearts of the children to the parents; and so enkindle fervent charity among us all, that we may evermore be kindly affectioned one to another; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Guidance
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and
light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all
our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou
wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Protection
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the
changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be
defended by thy gracious and ready help; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Before Worship
O Almighty God, who pourest out on all who desire it the
spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
After Worship
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the words which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may, through thy grace, be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy holy laws, we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us,spare thou those who confess their faults,restore thou those who are penitent,according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life,to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Glory be to God Gloria in Excelsis
Glory be to God on high,
and on earth peace, good will towards men.
We praise thee, we bless thee,
we worship thee,
we glorify thee,
we give thanks to thee for thy great glory,
O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ;
O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
that takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Thou that takest away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer.
Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father,
have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy,
thou only art the Lord,
thou only, O Christ,
with the Holy Ghost,
art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
We Praise Thee Te Deum laudamus
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud,
the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world
doth acknowledge thee,
the Father, of an infinite majesty,
thine adorable, true, and only Son,
also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints,
in glory everlasting. Amen.
For The Church
O God, the Creator of the world, who established and sustains the Church of Jesus Christ:
C. Have mercy and hear us.
A. O God, in whom we share a variety of gifts and a variety of service, and yet in whom we confess with one voice:
C. Have mercy and hear us.
A. O God, the Source of all truth and goodness, who is the same God working in us all:
C. Have mercy and hear us.
A. We, your servants, pray that you would help us to break down the walls that divide us and to keep us from discord, disunion and division; from the guilt of schism and the sin of separation:
C. O Lord, save your Church
A. Spare us from envy and strife, from pride and prejudice, from sectarianism and stubbornness, and from whatever may hinder godly union and concord:
C. O Lord, save your Church
A. Deliver us from lust of power and friendship with a godless world; and forgive us for forsaking our first love, for unfaithfulness and toleration of untruth, for failure to hold fast to your Word and the things you have committed to us, and for being apathetic in our mission:
C. O Lord, save your Church
A. We humbly pray that you would strengthen us with your uniting love so that in union with you we might purge the Church from all error and unbelief, that it may be the pillar and ground of the truth:
C. Make us one in the likeness of Christ.
A. That your Church may preach the Gospel to every creature, set forth the truth that frees all humanity, and so lift up your love that every nation and people may be drawn together into your glory:
C. Make us one in the likeness of Christ.
A. That your Church may remember the sheep that are not of the fold, seek out the wandering and the lost, proclaim the forgiveness of sins to the penitent, keep a heart of compassion for all people, and defend the cause of the poor and the oppressed:
C. Make us one in the likeness of Christ.
A. That your Church may remember to listen to your Word and to follow your will, so that we may teach what we learn; and that we may follow Christ and be an example of what we would commend to the world:
C. Make us one in the likeness of Christ.
P. Gracious God, heavenly Father, accept this our litany for your Holy Church. You have built the Church upon a rock and promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. You have given to us the gifts of your Spirit and the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Grant, we pray, all that we ask, that your Church may grow and prosper in the good news of the Gospel. And bring us at the last to a perfect union with you in your heavenly kingdom. For we ask it in the name of him who is the Rock and the Cornerstone, Jesus Christ our Lord.
C. Amen
The Litany for the Unity of the Church was taken from The Daily Office, edited by Herbert Lindemann, Concordia 1965, revised and updated by T.L. Weitzel.
The Magnificat
Song of Mary
My soul magnifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy
Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy
health and salvation!
All ye who hear,
Now to His temple draw near;
Sing now in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all
things so wondrously reigneth,
Who, as on wings of an eagle,
uplifteth, sustaineth.
Hast thou not seen
How thy desires all have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully,
wondrously, made thee!
Health hath vouchsafed and, when
heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief
Ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.
Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper
thy work and defend thee,
Who from the heavens the streams of
His mercy doth send thee.
Ponder anew
What the Almighty can do,
Who with His love doth befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that
is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come
now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen
Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Joachim Neander (1650-1680); Translated by Catherine Winkworth
Lord God, Your servant Jeremiah spoke your words in the face of great opposition and at personal cost. He fearlessly obeyed your call upon his life and challenged that which he knew to be wrong. May we be as steadfast in our obedience to you and willing to forsake our own peace and security in the pursuit of your truth and justice.
Lord, in your mercy - Hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, each generation has its wickedness and sin, both personal sins and institutional corruption. May we in our time open our eyes to that which is contrary to your ways and open our minds to your possibilities for our world and our lives.
Lord, in your mercy - Hear our prayer.
Help us to understand Lord God, that transformation and change will not bring about a quiet life. May we be mindful that you challenge us to be prophetic and not popular. As we try afresh to look at your world through your eyes may we recognise that there is no price which is too great for the privilege of serving you. Send us out as your disciples to copy the life of Christ.
Lord, in your mercy - Hear our prayer.
As we gather together today we acknowledge that there are many concerns which trouble our hearts and minds. We recognise Heavenly father that you care for us deeply and know us intimately. So we place into your hands those things which disturbs us.
Lord, in your mercy - Hear our prayer.
We pray for those who are dear to us and who are in any kind of need. In a moment of silence we speak quietly our own prayers as we bring before God those for whom we are concerned.
Jesus Christ is the Light of the World,
a light which no darkness can quench.
We remember before God those who have died and light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ which eternally shines and brings hope.
You turn our darkness into light,
in your light shall we see light.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
