Morning prayer - that all may be one

At the Ecumenical Centre we often try to follow the daily readings followed by the community at Grandchamps. Their gospel readings for Thursday and Friday 20 and 21 May are from John17 - "that all may be one".
Inspired by this Theodore Gill put together the following order for morning prayer on Friday. This order will also be used for the opening devotions of the WCC staff executive group which meets all day.

Morning Prayer, Ecumenical Centre
Friday 21 May 2010

For Christian worship
Holy God: you call us to worship,
and by your Spirit you prompt us to prayers and praise.
Keep us from responding in prayer and song with ritual disinterest.
Fill us with wonder at the mystery of your unfailing love for all;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the king of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear now to his temple draw near,
joining in glad adoration.

Loué soit notre Dieu, dont la splendeur se révèle
quand nous buvons le vin pour une terre nouvelle.
En Jésus-Christ le monde passe aujourd’hui
vers une gloire éternelle.

Lobe den Herren, was in mir ist, lobe den Namen.
Lob ihn mit allen, die seine Verheissung bekamen.
Er ist dein Licht, Seele, vergiss es ja nicht.
Lob ihn in Ewigkeit. Amen.

Gospel lesson – John 17:11d-26

[When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted his eyes to heaven and said:] “Holy Father, keep them in your name which you have given me, that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name. Those whom you gave me I have kept; and none of them is lost, except the son of perdition so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and you in me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me.

“Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me; for you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known you, but I have known you; and these have known that you sent me. And I have declared to them your name, and will declare it, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Silent meditation
And silent prayer, especially for the people and churches of Malawi and Zambia

Litany for the Unity of Christ’s Church
[adapted from The Worshipbook (Philadelphia, USA: Westminster Press, 1970)]

O God: you welcome us by baptism into one holy church, and join us by faith to Christians in every time and place. May your church on earth be a sign of the loving communion you promise.
Make us one with Christ, and joyful in your kingdom.

Deliver us from evil, Lord: From religious pride that belittles the faith of others, or claims true wisdom, yet will not love…
Good Lord, deliver us.
From mistaken zeal that will not compromise; from honouring tidy doctrines, rather than you…
Good Lord, deliver us.
From a worldly mind that drums up partisan spirits; from division and divisiveness; from preserving systems that have served their purpose and seen their day…
Good Lord, deliver us.

As you sent disciples from every land, O God, gather us now, from the ends of the earth, into one fellowship that responds to your calling and praises your name.
Gather us in one faith, one hope, one love.

Make us one, Lord, in our eagerness to speak good news and set all captives free.
Give us your Holy Spirit.
Make us one, Lord, in concern for the poor, the hurt and the downtrodden, to show your love.
Give us your Holy Spirit.
Make us one, Lord, in worship; help us find the way to break bread together in unity and to sing your praise in a harmony of voices.
Give us your Holy Spirit.
Make us one, Lord, in faithfulness to Jesus Christ, who never fails us, and who will come again in triumph.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

God our Father: Give us your Holy Spirit so that we may have among ourselves the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, and proclaim him to the world. May every knee bow down to him, and every tongue confess him Lord, to the glory of your Triune name.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer
in the language of one’s choice

Blessing

Let us embrace this new day, confident of God’s mercy, grace and saving power.
Thanks be to God: Alleluia! Amen.

Halle-, halle-, halle- luja
Halle-, halle-, halle- luja
Halle-, halle-, halle- luja
Halleluja, Halleluja!