December 8, 2019 – Second Sunday of Advent
The following prayers have been adapted for congregational use by Rebecca Garber
We invite you to include the Anglican and the Roman Catholic Bishops of your region in your prayers.
Anglican Bishops:
- Bishop Logan McMenamie, Diocese of British Columbia
- ArchBishop Melissa Skelton, Diocese of New Westminster
- Bishop David Lehmann, Diocese of Caledonia
- Bishop Lynne McNaughton , Diocese of Kootenay
- Bishop Barbara Andrews, Diocese of The Territory of the People
Roman Catholic Bishops:
- Archdiocese of Vancouver – Archbishop Michael Miller
- Diocese of Kamloops – Bishop Joseph Nguyen
- Diocese of Nelson – Bishop Robert Bourgon
- Diocese of Prince George – Bishop Stephen Jensen
- Diocese of Victoria – Bishop Gary Gordon
Prayers for December 8, 2019 – Second Sunday of Advent
With the words “Fling wide the door and let compassion come in,” you are invited to respond:
Hear our prayer.
As we prepare the way of the Lord, we pray for the life of the church, the world, and all who yearn for wholeness and spiritual wealth.
A moment of silence
Stir up our hearts with your Divine creativity that we may both see and participate in your work of peace and justice. May our suffering, our insights, and our work be made holy through you—and a highway of help and beacon of faith in dark times.
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Stir us awake from our habits and assumptions that have imperilled the earth. We pray for the wolf and the lamb, the lion and the calf, and all species whose lives are entangled in the business of living. Repair and protect ecosystems—as we celebrate the re-emergence of once extinct turtles in the Galapagos Islands.
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Stir us from the slumber that lets us ignore injustice and greed run amok in the world. Involve us in taking back the power to engage and guide our political leaders, and move us to use our powers and privilege to serve those who are so vulnerable in a wealthy world.
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Stir up in us the strength to deal with life’s adversities, knowing they shall always be with us. Teach us to reach out to others in need, learning how to sit and share their situation even when there are no words. Let us lean into one another, trusting that together we find meaning and joy. We pray especially for those we name aloud or quietly in our heart….
(include those listed in the bulletin for prayers)
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Stir us up and open our eyes to the abundance of life, just waiting to be shared. Remind us that no one is hungry, thirsty, or homeless because we lack resources but because we have yet to demand fair distribution of wealth.
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Stir us up and rekindle our child-like faith and joy in ordinary and the extraordinary. Help us all learn to stay present in this moment provided by the Giver of all Life. Guide us to build relationships within this church and outside its walls in our walks in other circles.
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Stir us up to join with other believers in faith as we do in our partnership with the Anglican Church of Canada. Bless Bishop (name bishop in your region), the Roman Catholic churches and Bishop (name bishop in your area), and our own Bishops Greg and Susan. We offer prayers for the churches of our synod, especially Grace in Burnaby and Pastor Nathan Fong and Mount Zion in Smithers.
Fling wide the door and let compassion come in. Hear our prayer.
Move our days and our nights closer to you as we contemplate all that is “not yet.” AMEN.
