Advent Prayers for a Household

 

Please check out the Audio and Video Resources section of the Resources page for this series.

Christian Meditation
Meditation is a Universal Tradition found in all the great religions. As such, it offers an important common ground for inter-religious dialog and a basis for peace in the world. Many Christians have been helped to recover contact with their own tradition of meditation, or contemplative prayer, because of the work of Fr. John Main, who is the inspiration of the World Community of Christian Meditation.

Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship.

Prayer While Moving
Some people do their best and are most comfortable praying while they are moving. Prayer Walking can be a wonderful gift for those who like to get up and move around while intentionally communicating with God. Prayer Walking can be done in any location at any time, sometimes alone or with a group. Examples of praying while moving are: Prayer Labyrinths; praying the Stations of the Cross and Pilgrimages.

Praying for Others
Praying for others is often called intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer invites us into God's care and concern for us, our families and friends, and the entire world. No concern is too trivial for God to receive with loving attention. However, intercession is not a means of manipulating heaven into doing our will. Rather it is a way we become aware of god's will for a person or situation and we join with god in that situation.
Our desire is to turn our concerns and worries into prayer; to enter God's heart for the world and then pray from there.

Pastoral Care and Prayer
Jesus calls all of us to care for and to be “present” to others. Pastoral Care is a ministry of “presence”, based on faith and prayer to provide support and love to those who are in need. Pastoral Care is a journey shared in a concerned relationship, and the journey is equally significant in the lives of both travellers and to God.
Depending on the circumstances, it may be appropriate for a pastoral visitor to pray with and/or for the person being visited. If there is any doubt the visitor should ask the person they are visiting if they would like the visitor to pray for and/or with them. Using familiar prayers is frequently the most comforting to someone who is in distress. Some useful prayers can be found at Traditional Prayers.

Healing Prayer
Healing prayer is perhaps best summarized in the phrase: “Christian healing is Jesus Christ meeting a person at his/her point of greatest need.” Jesus does the healing, not us. Those praying for healing are channels of God’s healing power and love. The “Gift of Healing” is given to those for whom we pray, not to those who do the praying. Christian healing involves the well being of the whole person: body; mind; and spirit. Often spiritual and emotional healing is needed before physical healing can take place. In praying for healing we are praying for wholeness.
Jesus said: “As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.” (Matt. 10:7-8).

Music & Prayer
Music plays a part in most people's lives and can be listened to on various levels of our intellect and emotions. Music can be used in our prayer life in various ways. For some, music can be used as an introduction to their prayer time and maybe to round it off. For others, music is prayer. An excellent example being Taizé music with its repeated phrases.
There are many musical styles that can be used with prayer and in addition to traditional tunes and words 'secular' and even popular styles as well as specifically 'religious' music are often used. Different types of music can be used for different topics in a prayer session, e.g. thanksgiving, penitence, petition, intercession.

Prayer & Art
Throughout history, Christians have used art as a tool of informing and educating people about the Good News of Jesus and the contents of Scripture, particularly in cultures and circumstances where the general population could not read or write. Art has also been used, most notably by the eastern Church as a tool to connect with God in prayer. This is exemplified in the use of Icons in prayer.
Art can also be used as a tool for Christians to express their spirituality and as a form of prayer.
Many churches in the Diocese are decorated with stained glass windows that add to the ambiance and prayer awareness in the buildings.

The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of a little over 100 brothers who come from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. Over 100,000 young people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taizé each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work.
The community, though Western European in origin, seeks to welcome people and traditions from across the globe. This is reflected in the music and prayers where songs are sung in many languages, and increasingly include chants and icons from the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The music emphasises simple phrases, usually lines from Psalms or other pieces of Scripture, repeated and sometimes also sung in canon. The repetition is intended to aid meditation and prayer. Much of the earlier Taizé community music was conceived and composed by Jacques Berthier. Later Joseph Gelineau became a major contributor to the music.

Taizé many places across the world, ecumenical prayers using music from Taizé are organised by people, young and old, who have been in touch with the community. The community's website provides reflections, prayers, and songs for use in local prayers. For information about Taizé worship and music in Ottawa, contact www.ottawataize.ca.

Unlike a maze, the labyrinth is has a single path leading to the center with no loops, cul-de-sacs or forks. They all share the basic features of an entrance or mouth, a single circuitous path and a center or goal. The labyrinth is a universal symbol for the world, with its complications and difficulties, which we experience on our journey through life. The entry to the labyrinth is birth; the center is death and eternal life. In Christian terms, the thread that leads us through life is divine grace. Like any pilgrimage, the labyrinth represents the inner pilgrimage we are called to make to take us to the center of our being.

The Stations of the Cross is a popular devotion used by individuals or groups who wish through prayer and reflection to follow Jesus Christ on his way to Calvary. Many Christians practice the devotion, but the Stations hold a special significance among some Anglicans and Roman Catholics. It is one of the most important devotions honouring the passion of Jesus.

What matters most in the Stations of the Cross is to follow Jesus Christ in his passion and to see ourselves mirrored in him. To face life's dark side in ourselves and in our world, we need images of hope, and Jesus offers images of hope in his passion. By accompanying him on the Way of the Cross, we gain his courageous patience and learn to trust in God who delivers us from evil.

There are some variations in the stations that are used in various churches and places. In recent years some variations have been introduced into the traditional devotion. One of these is the addition of a 15th station - the Resurrection of Jesus. Another is a series of scriptural stations, which begin with the Agony of Jesus in Gethsemane and omit some of the traditional non-scriptural stations in favour of incidents mentioned in the gospels.

Prayer Attributed to St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow your 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 I 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 pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass again us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Richard
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us; for all the pain and insults You have borne for us. O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may we know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow you more nearly day by day.

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Prayers for various occasions may be found below. However, it is important that we realized that in prayer we are talking to God. Feel free to address God in your own words, don't simply rely on the words of others. If you have found a prayer meaningful to you, and would like to share it with others, please send it us by clicking here and it may be placed in this location (please cite the source, whenever possible, so proper credit can be given).

The Anglican Fellowship of Prayer Partners' Prayer (AFP Representatives' Handbook)

Lord Jesus, give to your church a renewed desire to pray, that together we may know your will, be filled with your love, and experience your grace and power for the healing of your world, to you glory. Amen.

The A.F.P. Representatives' Prayer (AFP Representatives' Handbook)

O Father grant your blessing,
that I may fulfil my ministry as a Diocesan Representative.
I can hope to do this only because you are with me to help me.
Help me to grow in prayer and by your Spirit give me the right words
so that I may encourage and teach others to pray in the knowledge
that they are the children of a loving heavenly Father
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who ever lives to pray for us. Amen

AFP Intercessors' Prayer (AFP Representatives' Handbook VII-1)

Our Father, we pray your blessing
on those you have called to be
Intercessors in the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer.
Help us to persist in prayer,
with an awareness of your loving goodness
and your ability to accomplish abundantly
far more than all we can ask or imagine.
May we know that in your will
all things work together for good
through Jesus who ever lives
to make intercession for us. Amen.

Collects

O Almighty Lord, and everlasting God,
vouchsafe, we beseech thee,
to direct, sanctify, and govern,
both our hearts and bodies,
in the ways of thy laws,
and in the works of thy commandments;
that through thy most mighty protection,
both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through Jesus Christ. Amen

Book of Common Prayer (Canada) 1962 p. 87

Prayers for Canadian Synod

For A Renewed Church
Almighty God give us a new vision  of you, of your love, of your grace and power;
and then, give us a new vision of what you would have us do as your church in this nation at this time,
and an awareness that in the strength of your Spirit we can do it to your glory.
In Jesus’ Name we pray.

For Our Bishop
Heavenly Father, give to our Bishop, in the midst of the stress of his/her position, a daily renewal of your presence, that upheld in your peace, enlightened by your word, and strengthened by your grace, he/she may be a shepherd enabling your church to fulfill the mission you have given us, for Jesus' sake. 

For Synod Delegates, Staff and Leaders
O Holy One, guide all our synod delegates,
That those called to serve in these responsibilities may be men and women living a holy life, seeking to be in your will, able to overcome prejudices, examining issues with care, and that the decisions of Synod may be to the building up of your church and to your glory.
May we be truly unified as one  under Christ.
For A Church Alive To The Lord
O God, we get so caught up with the programs, with the buildings, with raising the finances,  with restructuring and with endless sheets of paper.
Forgive us when we make these things our priority and ignore your presence.
May our priority be to live Christ-like lives and as we look to you in prayer may our words and deeds be a witness to your glory.

For A Church In God 's Will
Eternal God,
You call us to live with faith in a world filled with so many challenges.
Help us remember that Jesus talked of our being in the world, but not of the world.
Teach us through your word, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and in our prayers to learn and understand what you would have us to be and to do, so that we may fulfil our calling as Christ's body here on earth.

For the Mission of the Church
God of all,
Draw your church together into one great company of disciples, together following our Lord Jesus Christ  into every walk of life, together serving Him  in His mission to the world, and  together witnessing to His love on every continent and island, particularly in our country of Canada.
(BAS Pg. 676)

Election of a Primate
Almighty God, giver of all good gifts,
look graciously upon your Church in Canada with grace,
and guide the minds of those who shall choose a Primate for us,
that we may receive a faithful servant and leader,
who will care for your people and support us in our ministries;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
(BAS Pg. 676)

Corporate Stewardship Prayers

Prayer #1
Gracious and generous God, Creator and Giver of all that is good, we thank you for our many blessings. We acknowledge that all that we have is from you. We offer you thanks and praise for the beauty of the earth, our work, our family, our loved ones, and all the gifts we have been given.
You are with us always. In each dark hour, you are here. In each bright hour, you are here. Blessed by your grace, may we show gratitude by sharing what we have been given.
By serving our brothers and sisters, we serve you.
We remain ever grateful for your constant love, the gift of your Son Jesus, and the presence of your Holy Spirit with us.
Protect and guide us on our journey, and guide those who are involved in Diocesan, and parish stewardship leadership.
We remain your faithful stewards, Amen

Prayer #2
Generous and loving God, we come to you in thanksgiving, knowing that all we are and all that we have is gift from you. In faith and love, help us to do your will. We are listening. Speak your words into the depth of our souls, that we may hear you clearly.
We offer to you this day all the facets of our lives, whether it be at home, at work, or at school. We seek to be patient, to be merciful, to be generous, to be holy. Give us the wisdom and insight to understand your will for us and the fervour to carry out our good intentions.
We offer our gifts of time, talent and possessions to you as a true act of faith, to reflect our love for you and our neighbours.
Help us to reach out to others as you have reached out to us. Amen

Prayer #3
Lord we pray that we will make stewardship a way of Life. We acknowledge you as the source of all we have and all we are.
Help us to place you, our loving Creator, first in our lives by becoming more prayerful, more focused on loving and caring for our families and our neighbours in need, and by becoming less preoccupied with material things.
Help us to hear your call to be good stewards, caretakers, and managers of all your gifts by sharing them for your purposes.
Help us make your priorities our priorities and to put our faith into action. Help us plan to “give back” the talents, treasures and time with which we have been blessed.
Help us plan to serve our church, our community, and our world with your gifts.
May we serve you and pray with a joyful spirit of mind and heart. Amen

Personal Stewardship Prayers

Prayer #1
Creator God,
Life is your gift to me. Through Baptism, you invite me to share the gift of my life in service to others. Be with me as I choose each day to show your Presence in our world. Give me the courage and generosity to respond to your love, to your call.
I pray especially for those who serve you in ministry throughout the parishes of this Diocese.
May we bring the Good News to those in need. Keep us close to you.
Open the minds and hearts of many others -- men, women, and young people -- that they may accept your challenge to build the Kingdom in our parishes.
We ask this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer #2
Generous God,
I give thanks to you for the gifts you have given me -my life, my family, my friends - time, talents, and material possessions. All that I have comes from you. Help me to remember this and rejoice in your goodness.
Walk with me, my God. Help me on my spiritual journey, so that I may constantly renew my relationship with you and all the good people in our parish and beyond.
Renew in me your Spirit. Give me the strength and courage to become a better follower of Jesus, to be a disciple. Help me hear the call to "Come, Follow Me."
I give glory to you, my God, as I make stewardship a way of life. Amen.

Prayer #3
Creator God,
At Baptism, we accepted the call to follow Jesus.
Be with us as we move along on our faith journey.
Send us Your Holy Spirit, that we might have wisdom for the journey.
Help us to develop and share our gifts as good stewards, that we may use them in love and service in your Kingdom.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer #4
Oh Lord, giver of life and source of our freedom, we are reminded by the Psalmist that Yours is “the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it.”
We know that it is from your hand that we have received all we have, and are, and will be. Gracious and loving God, we understand that You call us to be the stewards of Your abundance, the caretakers of all You have entrusted to us.
Help us always to use Your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously. May our faithful stewardship bear witness to the love of Christ in our lives. We pray with grateful hearts, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Prayer #5
Lord God,
You alone are the source of every gift, of the vast array of our universe, and of the mystery of each human life. We praise You and we thank You for Your great power and Your tender, faithful Love.
Everything we are and everything we have is Your gift, and after having created us, You have given us into the keeping of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Fill our hearts with Christ’s truth and our hearts with His love, that in His Spirit we may be bonded together into a community of faith, a parish family, a caring people.
In the Name and Spirit of Jesus, we commit ourselves to be good stewards of the gifts entrusted to us, to share our time, our talent and our material gifts as an outward sign of the treasure we hold in Jesus. Amen.

Prayer #6
God, Creator and Giver of all that is good, we thank you for our many blessings. Mindful of your generosity, we acknowledge that all that we have is from you. Daily, we offer you thanks and praise for the beauty of the earth, our work, our family and our loved ones.
In the dawning of a new day, You are with us. In each dark hour, You are here. Blessed by Your grace, we show gratitude by sharing what we have. By serving our brothers and sisters, we serve You.
As You protect and guide us on our journey, we, Your stewards, remain ever grateful for Your constant love.
Amen

Prayer #7
Life is Your Gift
Creator God, Life is Your gift to me.
Through Baptism, You invite me to share the gift of my life in service to others. Be with me as I choose each day to show Your Presence in our world. Give me the courage and generosity to respond to Your love, to Your call.
I pray especially for those who serve You in ministry throughout our Diocese. May we bear the “Good News” to those in need. Keep us close to You.
Open the minds and hearts of many other men, women and young people that they may accept Your challenge to build the Kingdom in our parish, our community and our world.
For if not us, who?
If not here, where?
If not now, when?
If not for Your Kingdom, why?
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer #8
Dear Jesus,
I thank you for everything You have given me. My gifts of time and talents are precious gifts, enable me to use them to do Your will.
I offer you this day all my words, actions and good intentions to reflect my love for You and my neighbour.
Please help me realize that I need to share these gifts and all my gifts with the Church and others, help me to be generous, patient, forgiving and holy. Amen

Prayer #9
Loving God, I come to you in thanksgiving, knowing that all I am and all that I have is gift from you. In faith and love, help me to do your will.
I am listening, Lord God. Speak your words into the depth of my soul, that I may hear you clearly.
I offer to you this day all the facets of my life, whether it be at home, at work, or at school – to be patient, to be merciful, to be generous, to be holy.
Give me the wisdom and insight to understand your will for me and the fervour to carry out my good intentions.
I offer my gifts of time, talent and possessions to you as a true act of faith, to reflect my love for you and my neighbour.
Help me to reach out to others as you my God have reached out to me. Amen

Prayer #10
O Lord, giver of life and source of freedom, I know that all I have received is from your hand.
Gracious and Loving Father, You call us to be stewards of Your abundance, the caretakers of all.
You have entrusted to us. Help us to always use Your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously.
Send the Holy Spirit to work through us, bringing Your message to those we serve.
May our faithful stewardship bear witness to the love of Jesus Christ in our lives. We pray with grateful hearts, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila
Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet
with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands
with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands,
yours are the feet.
Yours are the eyes,
you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Amen

Prayer Service - Stewardship, A Way of Life
PRESIDER: Let us pray that we will make stewardship a way of Life with God.
ALL: Because of our faith in You, O Lord, we acknowledge You as the source of all we have and all we are.
ALL: Help us place You, our loving Creator, first in our lives by becoming more prayerful, more focused on loving and caring for our families and our neighbours in need, and by becoming less preoccupied with material things.
ALL: Help us, Lord, find the true source of happiness and fulfillment that we all seek and that You, alone, can provide.
ALL: Help us to hear Your call to be good stewards, caretakers, and managers of all Your gifts by sharing them for Your purposes.
ALL: Help us make Your priorities our priorities.
ALL: Help us challenge each other, as disciples of Jesus Christ, to put our faith into action.
PRESIDER: Let us pray that as good stewards we will plan our sharing.
ALL: As we plan the things in our lives that are most important to us, Lord, help us plan our sharing of time with those in need.
ALL: Help us plan how to “give back” the talents with which we have been blessed.

ALL: Help us plan how to share our treasure to do Your work.
ALL: Our planning and sharing demonstrates the great importance that You and the truth of the Gospel has in our lives.
ALL: Help us plan to serve our church, our community, and our world with Your Gifts.
PRESIDER: Let us pray that we will share in proportion to what has been given us.
ALL: Help us, Lord, return a portion of all You have given us.
ALL: We do this, O Lord, as a sign of our love and in thanksgiving for the many blessings we have received.
ALL: We offer not only the “first fruits” of our financial resources, but a generous portion of our time and talents as well.
ALL: Giving proportionately means it is equal for all of us according to what You have given us. You ask the same of each of us.
ALL: As we give proportionately, help us to put our trust, security and faith in You.
ALL: As good Christian Stewards, we pray we have a joyful spirit of mind and heart.
All: Amen

A Stewardship Reflection
“The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it.” - Genesis 2:15
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.

“For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them…” - Romans 12:4-6
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.

“This is what the Lord then said to Moses: ‘Tell the Israelites to take up a collection for me. From every man you shall accept the contribution that his heart prompts him to give to me.’” - Exodus 25:1-2
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” - Luke 12:48
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.

“Give and gifts will be given to you: a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” - Luke 6:38
All: Lord, help me to do all that you ask, in the way that you ask, for as long as you ask, simply because you have asked it of me.
All: Amen

 

Prayers for Vestry or Annual Meeting
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Prayers for Church Administrators
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Parish Anniversary Prayers
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