An order for morning prayer from Theodore A. Gill

Morning Prayers in the Ecumenical Centre Geneva 6 December 2007
We pray for the churches and people of Liberia and Sierra Leone through the ecumenical prayer cycle. In addition, we remember those whose lives have been touched by violence, and people and churches living with HIV and AIDS.

We approach God together

Let us pray.
Heavenly Father: you have filled the world with beauty.
Open our eyes to see love in all your works,
so that, while enjoying the whole creation,
we may serve you with gladness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We sing together – Thuma Mina 69. Je louerai l’Eternel (in French)

We hear from the Gospel Matthew 21:33-46
33"Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. 37Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' 39So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" 41They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time."
42Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes'? 43Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. 44The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls."
45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 46They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet. (copyright NRSV)

Response: Thuma Mina 69. Ich lobe meinen Gott (in German)

We join in common prayer
This week in the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle we remember the people and churches of Liberia and Sierra Leone. We also pray for families who have been caught up in acts of violence – including the family of Naomi and Mark Beach in South Africa and those in Guyana who have loved and respected the late pastor Ian David. We pray, too, for all who live with HIV and AIDS.

We pray for:
those we have just described, and those whom they love: may all share in your grace
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
those who work to create just communities: may we discover the way to peace
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
those who serve Christ in the Pentecostal movement, the Lausanne movement and the
Roman Catholic Church: may they remain ever faithful to you, and worthy in stewardship
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
and bless, O Lord, all who bear witness through the ministry of minority churches
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

Let us also pray for:
the work of the ecumenical movement encouraged and supported from this place
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
the elected leaders and staff of the organizations represented in the Ecumenical Centre
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
the spread of the good news of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit acting in and
through each of the churches
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
our family members, friends and colleagues who especially need our prayers at this time
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
ourselves, especially in all that troubles us today
Silence followed by Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

We pray the Lord’s Prayer together (each in our own language)

Closing response: Thuma Mina 69. Praise, I will praise you, Lord (in English)

We ask God’s blessing on Creation
O LORD, have compassion on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as we have been afflicted,
and for as many years as we have known evil.
Let your work be made known to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
May the favour of the LORD rest upon us.
O God, cause the work of our hands to prosper:
may the work of our hands prosper in your sight.

We are sent out, to love and serve the Lord
Declare God’s glory among the nations,
the marvellous works of the Lord among all peoples.
For God is great, and greatly to be praised;
the Lord is to be revered above all gods.
Bless the Lord our God.
The Lord’s name be praised! Amen.

We exchange signs of Christ’s peace

(This morning prayer service was compiled by Theodore A Gill, in part based on prayers by Simon Oxley)