Our Congregation at Prayer
An Order of Meditation and Prayer
(If you are a family meeting together, say the words in bold together.)
Invocation
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(At the sign each Christian may make the sign of the cross over their heart, remembering this is the name into which we are baptized. Or the family leader may make the sign of the cross.)
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.
From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
(Everyone says the verse together. Spend up to two minutes learning the verse by heart. Little children may learn only the underscored words. Then continue with prayer and the Bible reading.)
Weekly Prayer: O merciful Creator, Your hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every living creature. Make us always thankful for Your loving providence; and grant that remembering the richness of Your grace, we may be stewards of all Your good gifts; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and rules with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer
Petitions for Daily Prayer:
Sunday: Heavenly Father, thank You for all the reasons I have to be confident in You. When You sent Your only-begotten Son to be my Savior, it closed the case for me. I am Your child because You loved me beyond all other love I’ve ever seen.
· Monday: We ask that You give us the power to live confidently as Your redeemed children, fearing neither death nor deprivation, public trouble nor personal turmoil. You have given us the Kingdom.
· Tuesday: As citizens of the Kingdom, empower us to works of mercy. Chiefly, let us show mercy to those who do not yet know that Jesus is their Savior by telling them the sacred truth and sending others to go where we cannot be.
· Wednesday: Help us confidently to give to those who are in physical need around us. In the faces of the hungry and homeless, the depressed and the lonely, those who have ruined their own lives up to this point, let us see the opportunity to serve as You have served us in our needs.
· Thursday: Thank You, Lord Jesus for the Sacrament of Holy Communion. In receiving Your body and blood, we also receive Your promised forgiveness. Your work is distilled to us in this holy Sacrament, and we praise You that each time we receive it in remembrance of You, we receive the blessing of life and salvation.
· Friday: Jesus died on a Friday. Your love to us is beyond our imagination. Let me look only to You, always to You, confidently to You as my Savior and Lord.
· Saturday: As we end this church year and look to the beginning of Advent tomorrow, we ask Your blessing on our congregation at prayer. Keep us watchful, give us true repentance, bless us through the preaching of Your Word this year and every year. We ask this in Jesus’ name.
Bible Readings
Date / The Gospel of LukeNovember 26 / Worship at Lord of Love
Monday / Luke 7:18-35
Tuesday / Luke 7:36-50
Wednesday / Luke 8:1-15
Thursday / Luke 8:16-25
Friday / Luke 8:26-39
Saturday / Luke 8:40-56
December 3 / First Sunday in Advent: Worship services at 8:00 or 10:30. See you in church!
A Saint from the Past: Noah – Wednesday, November 29
Noah, the son of Lamech (Gen 5:30), was instructed by God to build an ark, in which his family would find security from the destructive waters of a devastating flood that God warned would come. Noah built the ark, and the rains descended. The entire earth was flooded destroying “every living thing that was on the face of the ground, both man and beast” (7:23). After the flood waters subsided, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. When Noah determined it was safe, and God confirmed it, he and his family and all the animals disembarked. Then Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for having saved his family from destruction. A rainbow in the sky was declared by God to be a sign of His promise that never again would a similar flood destroy the entire earth (8;20). Noah is remembered and honored for his obedience, believing that God would do what He said He would.
Catechism for the Week
The Apostle’s Creed – Article 3
(This the first of two weeks on Article 3.)
I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen. / All learn
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him. / Grade 1+
But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with His gifts,
sanctified and kept me in the true faith. / Grade 2+
In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. / Grade 3+
In this Christian Church He daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers. / Grade 4+
On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. / Grade 5+
This is most certainly true. / All
Let’s talk about the Catechism:
Why does the explanation say “I cannot by my own thinking or choosing”?
· This confesses our inability. Any human, left alone, would make up their own god or their own plan of salvation (probably, “behave and god will love you”).
· We start by confessing what we can’t do, so that we can see what God does do. And what is that?
· He uses the Gospel – the Word written and preached, and the Sacraments (pure Gospel!) to call us to faith and sustain us in faith
Is this a big deal?
· This gives us certainty of faith, for our faith is not created by what we have done, but by what God has done in us