Thursday Morning Prayer – 30th November 2023, Readings: Psalm 147; Isaiah 49. 1-9a; John 1. 35-42.
Led by Felicity Scott, Liturgical Assistant at St John the Baptist Anglican Church Bulimba, QLD, Australia. Accompanied with guest reader Olivia Scott.
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 share 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, the Lord 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 147.
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 49. 1-9a.
Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb, he named me.
2He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand, he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
3And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4But I said, “I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.”
5And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
6he says,
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
7Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
8Thus says the Lord:
In a time of favour, I have answered you,
on a day of salvation, I have helped you;
I have kept you and given you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages;
9saying to the prisoners, “Come out,”
to those who are in darkness, “Show yourselves.”
2nd Reading is from the gospel according to - John 1. 35-42.
35.The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples,
36.and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
37.The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38.When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39.He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.
40.One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41.He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed).
42.He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon, son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).
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 is given power to become children of God;
who were born not of blood
nor of the will of the 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.
Prayer of the Week
Stir up, we pray you, O Lord,
the wills of your faithful people,
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may by you be plenteously rewarded;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need.
Let us pray
Ever living God, whose apostle Andrew heard the call of your son and followed, bringing his brother with him: inspire us, like him, to offer ourselves readily for your service and to tell others the good news of your Kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, now and forever. Amen
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 help us all to be accepting of those who follow different roads of faith.
God of grace; Hear our prayer.
God, we ask your blessing for the people listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer:
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