Thursday Morning Prayer – 7th December 2023

Thursday Morning Prayer – 7th December 2023

Thursday Morning Prayer – 7th December 2023, Readings: Psalm 90; Isaiah 41. 17-29; 1 Thessalonians 3. C

Led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical Assistant at St John the Baptist Anglican Church Bulimba, QLD, Australia.

The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website.

https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com

Welcome to Thursday Morning prayer from the Anglican ‘A prayer book for Australia’.

We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ:

GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever.

Let us Pray.

 

1

This is the message we have heard from Christ:

That God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all.

   

Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit: 

as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen. 

 

2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God’s Grace

Go up to a high mountain

Herald of good tidings to Zion:

Lift up your voice with strength,

Herald of good tidings to Jerusalem.

Lift up your voice, fear not:

Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’

See the Lord God coming with power:

Coming to rule with his mighty arm.

He brings his reward for the people of God:

the recompense for those who are saved.

God will feed his flock like a shepherd:

And gather the lambs in his arms;

He will hold them to his breast:

And gently lead those that are with young.

Isaiah 40.9-11  

 

3 The Opening Prayer

The night has now passed and the day lies open before us; 

let us pray with one heart and mind. 

  

Silence may be kept.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, 
so may the light of your presence, O God, 
set our hearts on fire with love for you; 
now and for ever. 

Amen.

  

4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.

Psalm 90.

 

 

5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow

Almighty God, who wonderfully created us in your own image and yet more wonderfully restored us in your son Jesus Christ: grant that as he came to share our human nature so we may be partakers in his divine glory; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit caught, one God now and forever. 

Amen.

 

6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.

 

1st Reading is from Isaiah 41. 17-29.

 

17When the poor and needy seek water,

and there is none,

and their tongue is parched with thirst,

I the Lord will answer them,

I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

18I will open rivers on the bare heights,

and fountains in the midst of the valleys;

I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water.

19I will put in the wilderness the cedar,

the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive;

I will set in the desert the cypress,

the plane and the pine together,

20so that all may see and know,

all may consider and understand,

that the hand of the Lord has done this,

the Holy One of Israel has created it.

21Set forth your case, says the Lord;

bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.

22Let them bring them, and tell us

what is to happen.

Tell us the former things, what they are,

so that we may consider them,

and that we may know their outcome;

or declare to us the things to come.

23Tell us what is to come hereafter,

that we may know that you are gods;

do good, or do harm,

that we may be afraid and terrified.

24You, indeed, are nothing

and your work is nothing at all;

whoever chooses you is an abomination.

25I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,

from the rising of the sun he was summoned by name.

He shall trample on rulers as on mortar,

as the potter treads clay.

26Who declared it from the beginning, so that we might know,

and beforehand, so that we might say, “He is right”?

There was no one who declared it, none who proclaimed,

none who heard your words.

27I first have declared it to Zion,

and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good tidings.

28But when I look there is no one;

among these there is no counselor

who, when I ask, gives an answer.

29No, they are all a delusion;

their works are nothing;

their images are empty wind.

 

 

2nd Reading is from – 1 Thessalonians 3.

1Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; 2and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, 3so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for. 4In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. 5For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain.

6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us—just as we long to see you. 7For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 8For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. 9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

The readings may be followed by a period of silence for reflection, a hymn or

May your word live in us 

and bear much fruit to your glory.

 

 

7 The Canticle,

In the beginning was the word:

 and the word was with God,

 and the word was god:

 he was in the beginning with god.

 all things were made through him:

 and without him, was not anything made that was made.

In him was life:

And the life was the light of all the people.

The light shines in the darkness:

And the darkness has not overcome it.

He was in the world:

And the world was made through him

 yet the world knew him not.

 he came to his own home:

and his own people received not.

but to all who received him who believed on his name:

He has given power to become children of God;

who were born not of blood

nor of the will of the flesh:

nor of the will of a man but of God.

And the word became flesh

And dwelt among us full of grace and truth;

we have beheld his glory:

 glory as of the only son from the father

and from his fullness have we all received:

And grace upon grace.

 

8 The Apostles’ Creed may be said.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, 
creator of heaven and earth. 
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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 to the dead. 
On the third day he rose from the dead; 
he ascended into heaven, 
and is seated at the right hand of the Father; 
from there he will come to judge 
the living and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
the holy catholic Church, 
the communion of saints, 
the forgiveness of sins, 
the resurrection of the body, 

and the life everlasting. Amen. 

  

 

9 The Prayers

Lord have mercy. 

Christ have mercy. 

Lord have mercy. 

  

 

10 The Lord’s Prayer and the Collect of the Day

Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done, 
on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our sins 
as we forgive those who sin against us. 
Save us from the time of trial 
and deliver us from evil. 
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours 
now and for ever. Amen. 

 

Collect of a Theologian

Ambrose of Milan, bishop and teacher

Almighty God,

Who gave your servant Ambrose of Milan.

Special gifts of grace

to understand and teach the truth in Christ Jesus:

grant that, enlightened by this teaching,

we may know you, the one true God,

and Jesus Christ whom you have sent;

Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

One God for ever and ever. Amen

Prayer of the Week

Almighty God,

give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness

and put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life

in which your Son 

Jesus Christ came among us in great humility,

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.

Let us pray

Loving God, we pray thanks to you for bringing forward the people needed to create our loving community’s. We ask you to bless the local council workers in their contributions towards providing a safe community.

God of grace; Hear our prayer.

 

Saviour God, we thank you for all you provide to us in our time of need. We ask you to help the persecuted and raise them up to your glory, help us all to be accepting of those who follow different roads of faith while we still maintain justice and peace.

God of grace; Hear our prayer.

 

God, we ask your blessing for the people listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer:

• The Diocese of Barisal – The Church of Bangladesh
• The Diocese of Brisbane: Bishop Administrator – †Cameron Venables, Assistant Bishops -†Jeremy Greaves, †John Roundhill; Clergy and People
• The Parish of Nundah: Rod Winterton, Cathy Laufer
• Retired clergy in the Diocese
• Hillbrook Anglican School, Enoggera: Acting Principal – Mark Herriman; Chaplain – David Adams; Chair of School Council – Robert Seljak; members of School Council; staff & students
• Parishes seeking new incumbents.
• Anglican schools seeking new chaplains
• Prison Chaplaincy Ministry Teams

God of Grace; Hear our prayer

 

 

12 The Morning Collect

Lord and Heavenly Father you have brought us safely to this new day:

Keep us by your mighty power, protect us from sin, guard us from every kind of danger, and in all we do this day

direct us in the fulfilling of your purpose,

Through Jesus Christ our lord. 

Amen.

 

13

The Lord be with you.

And also with you. 

Let us praise the Lord. 

Thanks be to God. 

 

May the God of peace equip us with everything good so that we may do his will, and may he work in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to who be glory for ever.  

Amen.

Hebrew 13.20