"O Our Lord and Our God" - 27 December 2015 AM and PM


Sunday morning:

O our Lord and our God, who has reconciled us to yourself and to one another by the death of your Son, having taken away the dividing wall of hostility thru his cross (Ephesians 2.14-16), we pray for your World and your Church.

We pray for the wrecked and the poised nations of this world; safeguard your Church in every land by granting each country a wholesome tranquility and a proper affluence.

Almighty God, hear our spoken and unspoken discomforts, worries and fears about the fiscal, political and governmental future of our country, and bestow what is best for the good of the populace of this nation and the health of your Church.

We ask for you to watch over all our U.S. Military personnel, specifically the deployed. Preserve them that they may return to their families in one piece both emotionally and physically.

O our God, we remember these who are in need….restore them body and soul, give them peace of mind and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We pray for the people in our lives and on our hearts who are drifting into perilous places, and those who are thoughtlessly tripping along harmful ways that may well lead them astray; … please restrain them and draw them out of danger.

We also pray for those who have never repented of their sins and trusted in Christ Jesus your Son, especially any who are here now, and those in our families…..grant them to call on the name of the Lord and be saved.

We pray for your Church throughout the world, The Syro-Malankara and Syro-Malabar Catholic Churches; The Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church; The HapDongBoSu Il and HapDongChunTong Presbyterian Churches in Korea; The Traja Church; and the Reformed Church of France: guide your people in all places, by your holy Word and Holy Spirit along the way of your truth and righteousness. For those that have stumbled off the mark, may they remember that those you love you rebuke and discipline, may they be zealous and repent. And take care of all of your peoples’ financial, physical and fellowship needs.

For this congregation we implore you: strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, restore the repentant, restrain the reckless, reclaim the wayward, steady the tottering, protect the children, embolden the cowardly, heal the wounded, encourage the discouraged, calm the worried, give peace to the troubled, comfort to the afflicted, and joy to us all.

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Sunday evening:

We add our voices to the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders who worship you who lives forever, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! … “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4.8b, 11). Glory to you, Lord God, Most High!

Lord Jesus, who loves your church, and cherishes your local, particular congregations; we pray for your church in all places, including our congregation; Trinity Lutheran Church; Messiah Lutheran; Joy Mennonite Church; Memorial Road Mennonite Brethren Church; and Acts 2 United Methodist Church. Bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in you who created all things; and through your church (including these we’ve mentioned) may your manifold wisdom be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. And may we be a display of your eternal purpose that is realized in Christ Jesus our Lord; in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. (Ephesians 3.9-12). O Lord, hear our prayer.

Father, we ask your preserving care to be over all of our folks, and our family who are travelling now to get back to their homes… O Lord, hear our prayer.

And, Father, there are some who are sick; some recovering from surgery; and others quietly dealing with growing physical limitations…in all of these you remind us that we are mortal, and not gods or supermen. Thank you, Father, for the reminder. In all of the discomfort and displeasure of it, we know it is a good reminder from you, our loving Father. O Lord, hear our prayer.


Lord, who resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4.6); we recall your good words and healthy writings that remind us (often, in many ways and in many places) that “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2); also, that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud” (Proverbs 16:18-19); and that you “dwell … with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15). Therefore, may we all be known as your humble people, gentle and lowly in heart like our Lord Jesus (Matthew 11.29). And may our politicians and political candidates be humble rather haughty and hoity-toity. O Lord, hear our prayer.

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