The CCP Prayer Blog Continues....

Many thanks to all of you who joined us in prayer during the 40 Days of GAFCON. Our desire was to offer resources that would aid the pilgrims and those supporting them as we sought our Lord's guidance. We trust that these resources were to the glory of God.

Though the '40 Days' are over, this prayer blog will continue as it had before GAFCON. We will, about twice weekly, offer prayer for the members of Common Cause. There are difficult, glorious, astonishing, marvelous, wonderful, and strange days ahead for the Anglican Communion (yet always under the shadow of His wing)--and we all get to be a part of it.

For the CCP Prayer Blog team,

William Shontz



"Pray frequently and effectually; I had rather your prayers should be often than long."

Bishop Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)
A Letter to a Person Newly Converted to the Church of England

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 40 (final day)

Prayer Intentions

-For an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Concluding Liturgy

-Thanksgiving For the Drafting and Release of the Conference Statement and Prayer for Its Reception and Implementation

-For The Pilgrims' Safe Travel Home

Collect for the Sixth Sunday After Trinity (1928 BCP, USA)

O GOD, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

From the Psalms of Ascent

I WILL lift up mine eyes unto the hills; * from whence cometh my help?

My help cometh even from the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; * and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD himself is thy keeper; * the LORD is thy defence upon thy right hand;

So that the sun shall not burn thee by day, * neither the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil; * yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.

The One Hundred Twenty First Psalm

THEY that put their trust in the LORD shall be even as the mount Sion, * which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.

The hills stand about Jerusalem; * even so standeth the LORD round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.

For the sceptre of the ungodly shall not abide upon the lot of the righteous; * lest the righteous put their hand unto wickedness.

Do well, O LORD, * unto those that are good and true of heart.

As for such as turn back unto their own wickedness, * the LORD shall lead them forth with the evil doers; but peace shall be upon Israel.

The One Hundred Twenty Fifth Psalm

WHEN the LORD turned again the captivity of Sion, * then were we like unto them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with joy.

Then said they among the heathen, * The LORD hath done great things for them.

Yea, the LORD hath done great things for us already; * whereof we rejoice.

Turn our captivity, O LORD, * as the rivers in the south.

They that sow in tears * shall reap in joy.

He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, * shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.

The One Hundred Twenty Sixth Psalm

The Epistle

3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.

Romans 6, NLT

Prayer

Father, may the Anglican Communion, by the power of the Holy Spirit, live as though dead to sin and alive to your Son, Jesus Christ. May the GAFCON pilgrims return to their mission fields, set free to preach the pure Word and baptize many into new life. We pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Gospel

20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

St. Matthew 5, NLT

Prayer

Jesus, help us to hear your warnings. Help the Anglican Communion to seek the righteousness found only in you. Lord, so much distracts from that. Our angry conflicts give Satan many footholds - pray the Father to give us the Holy Spirit and an abundance of the Spirit's fruit. As much as it depends upon these GAFCON pilgrims, let there be peace among Anglicans around the world. Above all, we pray that your will be done, and that your kingdom come. Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

The Nicene Creed

I BELIEVE in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God; Begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of very God; Begotten, not made; Being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, And was made man: And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried: And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures: And ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of the Father: And he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Ghost, The Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the Prophets: And I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church: I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins: And I look for the Resurrection of the dead: And the Life of the world to come. Amen.

Gloria in excelsis

GLORY be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Thank you for participating in 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.

Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

VII Pentecost (for the ordinary CCP prayer cycle)

Let Us Pray For...
Nebraska Chapter, American Anglican Council
Fr. Ray Boeche

Oklahoma Chapter, American Anglican Council
Mr. Charles Newcomb



Special Prayer Petitions
Please continue to pray for all ACC pilgrims at GAFCON as they complete their pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

Pray also for the individual parishes affiliated with these chapters of the AAC.



From the Scriptures
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:3-11 (NIV)

A Guiding Prayer
O God, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's under standing; Pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“The Sixth Sunday after Trinity,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

A Heritage Reflection
“There is no doubt but he always knoweth what we have need of, and is always more ready to give abundance of those things that we lack. Yet, to the intent we might acknowledge him to be the Giver of all good things, and behave ourselves thankfully towards him in that behalf, loving, fearing, and worshipping him sincerely and truly, as we ought to do, he hath profitably and wisely ordained that in time of necessity we should humble ourselves in his sight, pour out the secrets of our heart before him, and crave help at his hands, with continual, earnest, and devout prayer.”

“Of Prayer,” Book of Homilies (1571)

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 39

June 28—The Commemoration of St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Bishop and Martyr


Opening Sentence
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 29:14

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 128
Beati omnes

Blessed are all they that fear the LORD, * and walk in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands: * O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.
3 Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine * upon the walls of thine house;
4 Thy children like the olive-branches * round about thy table.
5 Lo, thus shall the man be blessed * that feareth the LORD.
6 The LORD from out of Sion shall so bless thee, * that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long;
7 Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children, * and peace upon Israel.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who dost enkindle the name of thy love in the hearts of the Saints; Grant to us, thy humble servants, the same faith and power of love; that, as we rejoice in their triumphs, we may profit by their examples; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“A Saint’s Day,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

First Lesson (from Morning Prayer, [Fifth Saturday after Trinity] BCP 1928)
As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”

Luke 11:29-36 (NIV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.


… That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to preserve all who travel by land, by water, or by air, all women in child-birth, all sick persons, and young children; and to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all who are desolate and oppressed;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so that in due time we may enjoy them;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.



Second Lesson (from “Psalms and Lessons for Special Occasions,” Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
“As for me, I would seek God,
and to God would I commit my cause,
who does great things and unsearchable,
marvelous things without number:
he gives rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
he sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
They meet with darkness in the daytime
and grope at noonday as in the night.
But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
and from the hand of the mighty.
So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts her mouth.

“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves;
therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.
For he wounds, but he binds up;
he shatters, but his hands heal.
He will deliver you from six troubles;
in seven no evil shall touch you.
In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword.
You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue,
and shall not fear destruction when it comes.”

Job 5:8-21 (ESV)

Third Lesson (from “Psalms and Lessons for Special Occasions,” Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 7:9-17 (ESV)

A Meditation
Blessed are all they that fear the LORD, and walk in his ways.

Amen.



A Heritage Reflection
“Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced (ridiculous as the expression may seem) more true than the truth itself.”

Irenaeus of Lyons (120-202)
Bishop and Martyr, Native of Asia Minor
Against Heresies

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 38

Morning Bible Exposition - Luke 24 : The Son of God

Pilgrimage Site: Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Opening Verse

The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. St. John iv. 23.

A Psalm of Ascent

OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O LORD; * Lord, hear my voice.

O let thine ears consider well * the voice of my complaint.

If thou, LORD, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, * O Lord, who may abide it?

For there is mercy with thee; * therefore shalt thou be feared.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.

My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch; * I say, before the morning watch.

O Israel, trust in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, * and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel * from all his sins.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

First Morning Lesson

9 Then Boaz said to the elders and to the crowd standing around, “You are witnesses that today I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion, and Mahlon. 10 And with the land I have acquired Ruth, the Moabite widow of Mahlon, to be my wife. This way she can have a son to carry on the family name of her dead husband and to inherit the family property here in his hometown. You are all witnesses today.”
11 Then the elders and all the people standing in the gate replied, “We are witnesses! May the Lord make this woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, from whom all the nation of Israel descended! May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 And may the Lord give you descendants by this young woman who will be like those of our ancestor Perez, the son of Tamar and Judah.”
13 So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. 14 Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. 15 May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”
16 Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. 17 The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.

Ruth 4, NLT

Prayer

Father, the GAFCON pilgrims have called on the Son of David, your Son Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. Through Christ's intercession, may Anglican Christianity be restored and given a new future in your service. We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Second Morning Lesson

14 One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.
17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 18 You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? 19 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 20 But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21 For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.
23 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.
24 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”
27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”
28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Luke 11, NLT

Canticle

BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel; * for he hath visited and redeemed his people;

And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us, * in the house of his servant David;

As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, * which have been since the world began;

That we should be saved from our enemies, * and from the hand of all that hate us.

To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, * and to remember his holy covenant;

To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham, * that he would give us;

That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies * might serve him without fear;

In holiness and righteousness before him, * all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people * for the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God; * whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;

To give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, * and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Prayer

Father, the GAFCON pilgrims have sought your glory in the face of your Son, Jesus Christ. Of your mercy, send them light to pierce the shadow of dying religion, and guide their feet on the mountains so they can be beautiful heralds of Good News. We ask this for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Collect

ALMIGHTY God, who hast promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in thy Son's Name; We beseech thee mercifully to incline thine ears to us who have now made our prayers and supplications unto thee; and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to the relief of our necessity, and to the setting forth of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 37

Opening Sentence
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 29:14

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 133
Ecce, quam bonum!

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, * for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down unto the beard, * even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.
3 Like as the dew of Hermon, * which fell upon the hill of Sion.
4 For there the LORD promised his blessing, * and life for evermore.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For Guidance,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

First Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Meanwhile Boaz went up to the town gate and sat there. When the kinsman-redeemer he had mentioned came along, Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.

Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, “Sit here,” and they did so. Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line.”

“I will redeem it,” he said.

Then Boaz said, “On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property.”

At this, the kinsman-redeemer said, “Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it.”

(Now in earlier times in Israel, for the redemption and transfer of property to become final, one party took off his sandal and gave it to the other. This was the method of legalizing transactions in Israel.)

So the kinsman-redeemer said to Boaz, “Buy it yourself.” And he removed his sandal.

Ruth 4:1-8 (NIV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.


… That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord....



Second Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 10:38-11:13 (ESV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Acts 19:8-20 (ESV)

A Meditation
Help us, Lord, to choose the good portion.
Remind us, Lord, to not just pray give us, but also forgive us.
Encourage us, Lord, with the knowledge that how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.


A Heritage Reflection
“And whensoever we read, preach, or publish the Gospel as Christ taught it, the Holy Spirit goes along with it, so that it becomes the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”

Bishop William Beveridge (1637-1708)
Works (Vol. I)

UPDATED: Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 36

Today's Programme Includes:
Bible Exposition - The Presence of God (Exodus 24)
Pilgrim Workshops (these will be the source of any GAFCON Statement )
Focus Topic: The Gospel and Religion


A GAFCON Pilgrim's Prayer Request
The lead GAFCON committee is beginning preparations for a statement that will be issued on Sunday evening. They have made it clear that there is no predetermined outcome and that the conference attendees will have significant influence on the shape of the statement. One of the things the North Americans have been pleading for is a statement of action. The North American contingency has begun today to talk about what kind of action would be most helpful to us. Lively discussions are taking place. Please pray that we (North Americans) will be united in what we submit to the committee, for a preferred future is dependent upon a unified voice. This will not be easy but I am confident and filled with hope.
Fr. Jerry Cimijotti of Christ the King Anglican, Spokane, WA, from Jerusalem

Fasting for GAFCON

Preparatory Reading
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
II Corinthians 12:7-10, NIV

Prayer of Oblation
Lord, I am going to deny my desire for (specify what will be given up) for (specify duration of your fast). I believe that your grace, strength and power can be abundant for the needy weakness of my flesh.

I offer this fast on behalf of the GAFCON pilgrims. Make me able to pray for them in accordance with your purposes: let your grace overcome the selfishness of my flesh; let your strength overcome the weakness of my flesh; let your power overcome the limitations of my flesh. I ask this for your sake, Christ Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer of Recollection (From the Psalms of Ascent) - Meditate on this and repeat it througout your fast, especially when in any discomfort or distraction.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.
Psalm CXXX.5

Other Prayers of Recollection
Call these to mind throughout your fast, especially when aware of discomfort.

When fasting from food: "...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4)

When fasting from drink: "But (King David) refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD." (II Samuel 23:16; I Chronicles 11:18)

When husband and wife mutually offer abstention from marital relations (see I Corinthians 7:5 for guidance): "...my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife?" (II Samuel 11:11)

When fasting from other amusements or behaviors: "O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing; * let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, neither let me eat of such things as please them." (The One Hundred Forty-First Psalm).

First Morning Lesson
1 One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. 2 Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. 3 Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.”
5 “I will do everything you say,” Ruth replied. 6 So she went down to the threshing floor that night and followed the instructions of her mother-in-law.
7 After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he lay down at the far end of the pile of grain and went to sleep. Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8 Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet! 9 “Who are you?” he asked.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”
10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter!” Boaz exclaimed. “You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor. 11 Now don’t worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman. 12 But while it’s true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am. 13 Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you myself! Now lie down here until morning.”
Ruth 3:1-13, NLT

Reflection
Thus, to reach union, the soul must enter the second night of the spirit. In this night both the sensory and spiritual parts are despoiled of all these apprehensions and delights, and the soul is made to walk in dark and pure faith, which is the proper and adequate means to divine union, as God says through Hosea: I will espouse you (unite you) to me through faith [Hosea 2:20].
St. John of the Cross (1542 - 1591) The Dark Night of the Soul 2.2.5

Second Morning Lesson

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”
27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”
29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.
31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.
33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.
37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”
Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
Luke 10:25-37 NLT

Reflection

Full of Mercy, full of Love,Look upon us from above;

Thou who taught'st the blind mans night

To entertain a double light,

Thine and the dayes (and that thine too)

The Lame away his Crutches threw,

The parched Crust of Leprosie

Return'd unto its infancy:

The Dumb amazed was to hear

His own unchain'd tongue strike his ear:

Thy powerful Mercy did even chase

The Devil from his usurp'd place,

Where thou thy self shouldst dwell, not he.

O let thy love our pattern be;

Let thy Mercy teach one Brother

To forgive and love another,

That copying thy Mercy here,

Thy Goodness may hereafter reare

Our Souls unto thy Glory, when

Our Dust shall cease to be with men. Amen.

Bishop Jeremy Taylor (1613 -1667), A Prayer for Charity

A Reading to End the Fast
And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:16-18, NLT

Concluding Prayers

V/O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.
R/And grant us thy salvation.
V/O God, make clean our hearts within us.
R/And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 35

June 24—The Commemoration of St. John the Baptist

Opening Sentence
I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the LORD.

Psalm 122:1

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 125
Qui confidunt

They that put their trust in the LORD shall be even as the mount Sion, * which may not be removed, but standeth fast for ever.
2 The hills stand about Jerusalem; * even so standeth the LORD round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
3 For the sceptre of the ungodly shall not abide upon the lot of the righteous; * lest the righteous put their hand unto wickedness.
4 Do well, O LORD, * unto those that are good and true of heart.
5 As for such as turn back unto their own wickedness, * the LORD shall lead them forth with the evil doers; but peace shall be upon Israel.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
Almighty God, by whose providence thy servant John Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching repentance; Make us so to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and after his example constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“Saint John Baptist,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Special Prayer Requests From a GAFCON Pilgrim
1) pray for all who deal with jet lag/lack of sleep
2) pray for the pilgrims as they ponder the questions raised in Bp. Akinola's address -We are being challenged to answer seven crucial questions (found here) the answers to which will determine the direction of the conference. We have difficult work ahead and your prayers are coveted.

Fr. Jerry Cimijotti

First Lesson (from “Psalms and Lessons for the Fixed Holy Days,” Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
“Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.
“Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years.
And I will come near you for judgment;
I will be a swift witness
Against sorcerers,
Against adulterers,
Against perjurers,
Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans,
And against those who turn away an alien—
Because they do not fear Me,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“For I am the LORD, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”

Malachi 3:1-6 (NKJV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.

…We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universal in the right way;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee so to rule the heart of thy servant, The President of the United States [or of this nation and other nations], that he may above all things seek thy honour and glory;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless and preserve all Christian Rulers and Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth, and show it accordingly;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to send forth labourers into thy harvest;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.



Second Lesson (from “Psalms and Lessons for the Fixed Holy Days,” Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord;
make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3 (ESV)

Third Lesson (from Morning Prayer [Fifth Tuesday after Trinity], BCP 1928)
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Luke 10:1-24 (ESV)

A Meditation
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

“For He is like a refiner’s fire….”
Purge away, O Lord, the dross within.

“…And like launderers’ soap.”
Wash out, O Lord, every deep stain.

“He will purify….”
Fulfill, O Lord, this promise in me.



A Heritage Reflection
“Jesus sanctified Baptism by being Himself baptized. If the Son of God was baptized, what godly man is he that despiseth Baptism? But He was baptized not that He might receive remission of sins, for He was sinless; but being sinless, He was baptized, that He might give to them that are baptized a divine and excellent grace.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-387)
Catechetical Lectures

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 34

Please Pray for Today's Programme

• Morning Pilgrimage to the Mount of Olives and Garden of Gethsemane
• Afternoon Holy Communion
• Focus Topic: The Gospel and Secularism

Opening Verse

Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah Ivii. 15.

A Psalm of Ascent - The One Hundred Twenty Ninth Psalm

MANY a time have they fought against me from my youth up, * may Israel now say;

Yea, many a time have they vexed me from my youth up; * but they have not prevailed against me.

The plowers plowed upon my back, * and made long furrows.

But the righteous LORD * hath hewn the snares of the ungodly in pieces.

Let them be confounded and turned backward, * as many as have evil will at Sion.

Let them be even as the grass upon the housetops, * which withereth afore it be grown up;

Whereof the mower filleth not his hand, * neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom.

So that they who go by say not so much as, The LORD prosper you; * we wish you good luck in the Name of the LORD.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Praying The First Lesson, Ruth 2, NLT

1 Now there was a wealthy and influential man in Bethlehem named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi’s husband, Elimelech.
2 One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go out into the harvest fields to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it.”
Naomi replied, “All right, my daughter, go ahead.” 3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech.

Thank you, Father, that GAFCON gathers many brothers and sisters in common labor for your Kingdom.

4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. “The Lord be with you!” he said.
“The Lord bless you!” the harvesters replied.
5 Then Boaz asked his foreman, “Who is that young woman over there? Who does she belong to?”
6 And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.”
8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”

Father, bless the GAFCON pilgrims with many new friendships. Build relationships of respect, kindness and support among your people from many lands.

10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
11 “Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”
13 “I hope I continue to please you, sir,” she replied. “You have comforted me by speaking so kindly to me, even though I am not one of your workers.”

Father, let the GAFCON pilgrims be inspired and refreshed by one anothers' testimonies.

We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Praying The Second Lesson, Luke 9, NLT

46 Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

Lord, teach your GAFCON pilgrims fresh lessons in discipleship this day. Thank you for GAFCON's publication, "The Way, The Truth and The Life." Thank you for reminding us that your message is not for an elite few, but for those who run to you with childlike faith.

49 John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.”
50 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for inspiring Anglicans to respect local forms of worship and service in Jesus' Name. Bless this afternoon's Holy Communion service with true unity in Christ.

51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.

Lord, there is much tension and estrangement between Anglicans today. We give thanks for the prayers and respectful letters between Archbishops Jensen and Williams. Teach and guide the GAFCON pilgrims in all circumstances, Lord.

57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.”
The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”
60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.”
62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Father, there is always the danger that the inspiration of a pilgrimage will cool off in the struggles and labors of daily life. Pour out the Holy Spirit on these GAFCON pilgrims, that they may be like the Apostles at the first Pentecost. Change them and send them to change the world for you. We ask this for Jesus' sake. Amen.

A GAFCON PILGRIM'S TESTIMONY

There have been many seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but as a testimony that the Lord our God is firmly in control of GAFCON, he has graciously removed them. A conference of this magnitude would normally require several years of extensive planning, consultations and fund raising. We had barely five months to put this conference together. The Lord raised men and women who gladly and willingly offered their time, skill and money to make it happen.

Archbishop Peter Akinola (Nigeria), address to GAFCON, 21 June 2008

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 33

Opening Sentence
The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Habakkuk 2:20

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 122
Laetatus sum

I was glad when they said unto me, * We will go into the house of the LORD.
2 Our feet shall stand in thy gates, * O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem is built as a city * that is at unity in itself.
4 For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD, * to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the LORD.
5 For there is the seat of judgment, * even the seat of the house of David.
6 O pray for the peace of Jerusalem; * they shall prosper that love thee.
7 Peace be within thy walls, * and plenteousness within thy palaces.
8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, * I will wish thee prosperity.
9 Yea, because of the house of the LORD our God, * I will seek to do thee good.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God, who makest us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of thy Son our Lord; Vouchsafe us this day such blessing through our worship of thee, that the days to come may be spent in thy service; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For Sunday,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

First Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

The eyes of the LORD are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.

A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

A fool despises his father’s instruction,
but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,
but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge;
not so the hearts of fools.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
but he loves him who pursues righteousness.

There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;
whoever hates reproof will die….

The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD,
But gracious words are pure.

Proverbs 15:1-10, 26 (ESV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.

…By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us….




Second Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3 (NIV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Luke 14:25-35 (ESV)

A Meditation
“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Lord Jesus,
Help my ears to hear your call.
Help my eyes to see my duty.
Help my tongue to speak your wisdom.
Help my back to bear my cross.



A Heritage Reflection
“I should like objectors to Christian missions to the African heathen to say what could have been the worldly inducements held out to these converts, since left by their missionaries for a period of ten years, which made them stand steadfast to the doctrine they had been taught? They had weathered the shock of persecution from relatives and former associates in idolatry, from whom they had separated themselves; no missionaries to comfort, encourage and support them in those trying hours; no superior buildings to boast of, but instead of which they struggle to maintain their new faith, in an humble shed among the very ruins. Can all these be? The fact speaks for itself; the member of the sceptic school, who has witnessed the sight in the interior, must set his seal to the truthfulness of these results of the missionaries' operations, which he has seen in the course of his travels.

“It is no worldly inducements, but the power of the Spirit by the preached word. “My Word shall not return unto Me void; it shall accomplish that which I please, it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Bishop Samuel Adjai Crowther (c. 1806-1891)
Niger Mission

A Notice to Our Prayer Partners

Because Jerusalem is several hours ahead of us (we post from the United States), we will make the posts during GAFCON available at 5:00 AM, Jerusalem Time (that's 10:00 PM the previous night, Eastern Daylight Time). Thank you all for joining us in prayer.

VI Pentecost (for the ordinary CCP prayer cycle)

Let Us Pray For...
Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter, American Anglican Council
Mr. Bill Chapin

Iowa Chapter, American Anglican Council
Ms. Dee Townsend

South Dakota Chapter, American Anglican Council
Mrs. Ingrid Dobrovolny (President)



Special Prayer Petitions
Please continue to pray for all ACC pilgrims as they prepare for GAFCON in the holy city of Jersusalem.

Pray also for the Board of the South Dakota Chapter of the ACC: Gene Makinson, Melissa Fountain, Dale Dobrovolny, Peter Hassenstein, Holli Burke.

Give praise and thanksgiving for God's guidance and support through "growing pains," for fresh growth in participating membership and contacts, for the inspiration and resources to provide monthly financial support to needs beyond our Chapter.

Prayer Requests:
That God bless our upcoming communications efforts to bring truth to people in and out of the Episcopal Church here. For the emergence of praying clusters of Anglicans around this region. For the emergence and growth of Biblical, traditional and reasonable Anglican witness in South Dakota.



From the Scriptures
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

I Peter 3:8-17 (NIV)

A Guiding Prayer
Grant, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“The Fifth Sunday after Trinity,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

A Heritage Reflection
“We receive and embrace all the canonical Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament, giving thanks to our God, who hath raised up unto us that light which we might ever have before our eyes, lest either by the subtlety of man, or by the snares of the devil, we should be carried away to errors and lies.”

Bishop John Jewel (1522-1571)
The Apology of the Church of England

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 32

Today, Saturday, is the eve of the Global Anglican Future Conference
Morning and Night Prayers are posted for Day 32

Opening Verse
Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense; and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice. Psalm cxli. 2.

A Psalm of Ascent
Ecce nunc. Psalm cxxxiv. 1928 Book of Common Prayer, USA

BEHOLD now, praise the LORD, * all ye servants of the LORD;
Ye that by night stand in the house of the LORD, * even in the courts of the house of our God. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, * and praise the LORD.
The LORD that made heaven and earth * give thee blessing out of Sion.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; * As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

The First Lesson
15 “Look,” Naomi said to her, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. You should do the same.”
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 17 Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” 18 When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more.
19 So the two of them continued on their journey. When they came to Bethlehem, the entire town was excited by their arrival. “Is it really Naomi?” the women asked.
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she responded. “Instead, call me Mara, for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”
22 So Naomi returned from Moab, accompanied by her daughter-in-law Ruth, the young Moabite woman. They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.
Ruth 1, NLT

Prayer
Lord, your work is wonderful, even when don't understand it. Even as Naomi struggled with loss and bitter days, you were preparing her faithful daughter-in-law to bring forth the line of King David, the flesh and blood that would be shared by our Savior Jesus Christ.

Thank you for gathering faithful Anglican leaders in these bitter days. We praise you for Global South leaders who have clung to the Gospel rather than return to old gods. We bless you for calling together your workers and making the world is ready for harvest.

ALMIGHTY God, whose compassions fail not, and whose loving-kindness reacheth unto the world's end; We give thee humble thanks for opening heathen lands to the light of thy truth; for making paths in the deep waters and highways in the desert; and for planting thy Church in all the earth. Grant, we beseech thee, unto us thy servants, that with lively faith we may labour abundantly to make known to all men thy blessed gift of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Missions, 1928 BCP, USA

Second Lesson
28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.
32 Peter and the others had fallen asleep. When they woke up, they saw Jesus’ glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials — one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 34 But even as he was saying this, a cloud overshadowed them, and terror gripped them as the cloud covered them.
35 Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” 36 When the voice finished, Jesus was there alone. They didn’t tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
37 The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. 38 A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. 39 An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”
41 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”
42 As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father. 43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power.
While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45 But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
Luke 9, NLT

Prayer
Thank you, Jesus, for taking another group of disciples up on a mountain with you for GAFCON.

We pray for these pilgrims, because their work of prayer will not be easy. The light of your presence can be too much for frail human nature. Clouds of fear and exhaustion can prevent understanding. Words from the Father and you will need to be pondered until the Spirit makes their meaning clear.

But we are praying that you will be present to them as The Way, The Truth and The Life. We pray that they will come down the mountain filled with the Spirit, able to challenge the enslaving powers of sin and death, to set people free, and to carry the cross as you assign to each of them.

Thank you for illuminating the mind of the theological team as it wrote The Way, The Truth and The Life. Thank you for these words to guide the pilgrims' thoughts during GAFCON.

O GOD, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
For Guidance, 1928 BCP, USA

Prayers for the Eve of the Conference

Collect for Sunday (tomorrow is the Fifth Sunday after Trinity)
GRANT, O Lord, we beseech thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by thy governance, that thy Church may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

In te, Domine, speravi. Psalm xxi.
IN thee, O LORD, have I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion; * deliver me in thy righteousness.
Bow down thine ear to me; * make haste to deliver me.
And be thou my strong rock, and house of defence, * that thou mayest save me.
For thou art my strong rock, and my castle: * be thou also my guide, and lead me for thy Name's sake.
Draw me out of the net that they have laid privily for me; * for thou art my strength.
Into thy hands I commend my spirit; * for thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, thou God of truth.

A Hymn
To thee before the close of day,
Creator of the world, we pray,
That, with thy wonted favour, thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our sight,
From fears and terrors of the night,
Withhold from us our Ghostly foe,
That spot of sin we may not know.

O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son,
Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

A GAFCON Pilgrim's Supplication
My prayer is twofold:
1. That the conference will have such a dramatic impact on the Anglican Communion through God the Holy Spirit that it will turn back to its biblical roots.
2. That those of us in Jerusalem can be instruments to help the church we love so much to be revived and embrace the Christ of the gospels.
Claus K. Lenk, Treasurer, Anglican Network in Canada

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 31

Opening Sentence
The LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Habakkuk 2:20

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 131
Domine, non est

LORD, I am not high-minded; * I have no proud looks.
2 I do not exercise myself in great matters * which are too high for me.
3 But I refrain my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother: * yea, my soul is even as a weaned child.
4 O Israel, trust in the LORD * from this time forth for evermore.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call upon thee, and grant us thy help in this our need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“In Time of Calamity,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

A Psalm (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Psalm 143
Domine, exaudi

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and consider my desire; * hearken unto me for thy truth and righteousness' sake.
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; * for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; * he hath laid me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead.
4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me, * and my heart within me is desolate.
5 Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works; * yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.
6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee; * my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land.
7 Hear me, O LORD, and that soon; for my spirit waxeth faint: * hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
8 O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for in thee is my trust: * show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies; * for I flee unto thee to hide me.
10 Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God: * let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.
11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy Name's sake; * and for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, * and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant.



From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.

Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and Commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us....


First Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:18-27 (ESV)

Second Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

Acts 17:1-15 (ESV)

A Meditation
O Lord, keep me from exercising myself in great matters, which are too high for me.
O Lord, teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God: let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness.

O Lord, grant me grace to receive the word with all readiness of mind, and search the scriptures daily, whether these things are so.

O Lord, reveal to me that Jesus is the Christ of God that I may deny myself, and take up my cross daily, and follow him.



A Heritage Reflection
“The Country Parson, if there be any of his parish that hold strange Doctrines, useth all possible diligence to reduce them to the common Faith. The first means he useth is Prayer, beseeching the Father of lights to open their eyes, and to give him power so to fit his discourse to them, that it may effectually pierce their hearts, and convert them.”

George Herbert (1593-1633)
A Priest to the Temple, Or, The Country Parson

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 30

A Special Intention
Please ask God's blessing and protection on the pilgrims as they travel. Here's a perspective on the journey:

"We will gather to seek God's way forward, not by human wisdom, but by spiritual discernment as spiritual people taught by the Holy Spirit. We are convinced that God has made His truth known to His people and that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. We will seek God's guidance as we pray and study His Word together in order to identify His future directions for us....Claudia and I leave for Israel on Thursday, June 19 from LAX at 8:35 a.m., changing planes in New York before arriving in Tel Aviv at 2:55 p.m. on June 20. We very much covet your prayers for us and for all who will be participating in the conference. Remember that Israel is ten hours ahead of the West Coast as you pray. The Conference actually starts on the evening of Saturday, June 22 and ends at noon on June 29. Claudia and I will then be departing on June 30 at 11:25 p.m., changing planes in Atlanta, and arriving at LAX at 10:17 a.m. on July 1. Your prayers will mean a great deal to us and to all the others who will be attending."
The Reverend Bill Thompson, Dean, Anglican Communion Network (ACN)

Opening Verse
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 2.

The Morning Psalm
The One Hundred Thirty Sixth Psalm
O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious: * and his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of all gods: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O thank the Lord of all lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who only doeth great wonders: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who by his excellent wisdom made the heavens: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who laid out the earth above the waters: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who hath made great lights: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule the day: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
The moon and the stars to govern the night: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who smote Egypt, with their firstborn: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And brought out Israel from among them: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
With a mighty hand and stretched-out arm: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who divided the Red Sea in two parts: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And made Israel to go through the midst of it: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
But as for Pharaoh and his host, he overthrew them in the Red Sea: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who led his people through the wilderness: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who smote great kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
Yea, and slew mighty kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon, king of the Amorites: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And Og, the king of Bashan: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And gave away their land for an heritage: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
Even for an heritage unto Israel his servant: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us when we were in trouble: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And hath delivered us from our enemies: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;
AS it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

The First Lesson
23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!”
24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!”
25 Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof.
26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them.
28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.
31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.
Judges 16, NLT

Prayer
Lord God Almighty, we pray that your GAFCON pilgrims will be blessed to build up, and will be spared from any tearing down you must do in the Anglican Communion. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Second Lesson
1 One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. 4 Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. 5 And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
7 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8 Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead.
9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.
10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.
12 Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”
13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” 14 For there were about 5,000 men there.
Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 So the people all sat down. 16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. 17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!
Luke 9, NLT

Prayer
We praise you, Heavenly Father, for calling together your GAFCON pilgrims. Provide for their every need. Protect them from every threat. By the power of the Holy Spirit, make them faithful and fruitful witnesses to your Son Jesus Christ. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Heritage Reflection
Every day before cockcrow all the doors of the Anastasis are opened, and all the monks and virgins, as they call them here, go thither, and not they alone, but lay people also, both men and women, who desire to begin their vigil early. And from that hour to daybreak hymns are said and psalms are sung responsively, and antiphons in like manner; and prayer is made after each of the hymns. For priests, deacons, and monks in twos or threes take it in turn every day to say prayers after each of the hymns or antiphons. But when day breaks they begin to say the Matin hymns. Thereupon the bishop arrives with the clergy, and immediately enters into the cave, and from within the rails he first says a prayer for all, mentioning the names of those whom he wishes to commemorate; he then blesses the catechumens, afterwards he says a prayer and blesses the faithful. And when the bishop comes out from within the rails, every one approaches his hand, and he blesses them one by one as he goes out, and the dismissal takes place, by daylight.
Egeria, 4th century pilgrim to Jerusalem, describing Matins at the Holy Sepulchre.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 29

Opening Sentence
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

The Psalms of Ascent (these are also appointed for Wednesday Evening after Trinity IV, 1928 BCP, USA)
Psalm 132
Memento, Domine

LORD, remember David, * and all his trouble:
2 How he sware unto the LORD, * and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob:
3 I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, * nor climb up into my bed;
4 I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eyelids to slumber; * neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
5 Until I find out a place for the temple of the LORD; * an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob.
6 Lo, we heard of the same at Ephratah, * and found it in the wood.
7 We will go into his tabernacle, * and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
8 Arise, O LORD, into thy resting-place; * thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; * and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
10 For thy servant David's sake, * turn not away the face of thine anointed.
11 The LORD hath made a faithful oath unto David, * and he shall not shrink from it:
12 Of the fruit of thy body * shall I set upon thy throne.
13 If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimonies that I shall teach them; * their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore.
14 For the LORD hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself; * he hath longed for her.
15 This shall be my rest for ever: * here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
16 I will bless her victuals with increase, * and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17 I will deck her priests with health, * and her saints shall rejoice and sing.
18 There shall I make the horn of David to flourish: * I have ordained a lantern for mine anointed.
19 As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame; * but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

* * *

Psalm 134
Ecce nunc

Behold now, praise the LORD, * all ye servants of the LORD;
2 Ye that by night stand in the house of the LORD, * even in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, * and praise the LORD.
4 The LORD that made heaven and earth * give thee blessing out of Sion.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength; By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For Quiet Confidence,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Luke 8:40-56 (ESV)

From the Great Litany
O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy Name's sake.

O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us, the noble works that thou didst in their days, and in the old time before them.

O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thine honour.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
From our enemies defend us, O Christ.
Graciously look upon our afflictions.
With pity behold the sorrows of our hearts.
Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people.
Favourably with mercy hear our prayers.
O Son of David, have mercy upon us.
Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ.
Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.

O Lord, let thy mercy be showed upon us;
As we do put our trust in thee.

Let us pray.

We humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of thy Name, turn from us all those evils that we most justly have deserved; and grant, that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living, to thy honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Second Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin. And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis: Simon; called Thassi: Judas, who was called Maccabeus: Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus. And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,

He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?
Her temple is become as a man without glory.
Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.
What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils?
All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave.
And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.
To what end therefore shall we live any longer? Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.

I Maccabees 2:1-14 (Apocrypha, KJV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Acts 16:16-24 (NIV)

A Meditation
LORD, remember David, and all his trouble….

Like the woman with the flow of blood, some of us have been afflicted for what must feel like a lifetime. Like Jairus’s daughter, some of us feel cut off in our prime. Whether we be Cradle Anglicans or converts to the Anglican Way, whether we reach out our hand to touch the fringe of his garment, or he takes us by the hand, the power goes out from our Lord to heal and to restore.

The LORD that made heaven and earth give thee blessing out of Sion.



A Heritage Reflection
Christian! seek not yet repose,
Hear thy guardian angel say;
Thou art in the midst of foes;
“Watch and pray.”

Principalities and powers,
Mustering their unseen array,
Wait for thy unguarded hours;
“Watch and pray.”

Gird thy heavenly armor on,
Wear it ever, night and day;
Ambushed lies the evil one;
“Watch and pray.”

Hear the victors who o’ercame;
Still they mark each warrior’s way;
All with one clear voice exclaim,
“Watch and pray.”

Hear, above all, hear thy Lord,
Him thou lovest to obey;
Hide within thy heart His Word,
“Watch and pray.”

Watch, as if on that alone
Hung the issue of the day;
Pray that help may be sent down;
“Watch and pray.”

Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871)
Hymns for a Week

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 28

A Psalm for Early Morning (Lauds)
Antiphon: The Lord is King * and hath put on glorious apparel: he hath girded Himself with strength.

Dominus Regnavit. Psalm xciii.
THE LORD is King, and hath put on glorious apparel; * the LORD hath put on his apparel, and girded himself with strength.
He hath made the round world so sure, * that it cannot be moved.
Ever since the world began, hath thy seat been prepared: * thou art from everlasting.
The floods are risen, O LORD, the floods have lift up their voice; * the floods lift up their waves.
The waves of the sea are mighty, and rage horribly; * but yet the LORD, who dwelleth on high, is mightier.
Thy testimonies, O LORD, are very sure: * holiness becometh thine house for ever.

Antiphon: The Lord is King * and hath put on glorious apparel: he hath girded Himself with strength.

Thanks to commonprayer.org

The Psalms of Ascent (these are also appointed for Tuesday Morning after Trinity IV, 1928 BCP, USA)

The One Hundred Twenty Third Psalm

UNTO thee lift I up mine eyes, * O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, * even so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until he have mercy upon us.
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us; * for we are utterly despised.
Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, * and with the despitefulness of the proud.


The One Hundred Twenty Fourth Psalm

IF the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.
The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.
But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.

Intercession for GAFCON
Almighty God, pour your refreshing Holy Spirit on the GAFCON pilgrims. They have suffered scorn, contempt and wrath from false religion and irreligion alike. Let your pilgrims praise you as they go up to Jerusalem, and return to their labors in the power of the Spirit. We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

First Lesson
4 Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.”
6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely.”
7 Samson replied, “If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.”
8 So the Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them. 9 She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.
10 Afterward Delilah said to him, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely.”
11 Samson replied, “If I were tied up with brand-new ropes that had never been used, I would become as weak as anyone else.”
12 So Delilah took new ropes and tied him up with them. The men were hiding in the inner room as before, and again Delilah cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But again Samson snapped the ropes from his arms as if they were thread.
13 Then Delilah said, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely.”
Samson replied, “If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your loom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else.”
So while he slept, Delilah wove the seven braids of his hair into the fabric. 14 Then she tightened it with the loom shuttle. Again she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson woke up, pulled back the loom shuttle, and yanked his hair away from the loom and the fabric.
Judges 16, NLT

Intercession for GAFCON
Father, your leaders need guidance. They want to do what Christ commands. They want all His disciples to be one, and they want to love all their brothers and sisters in Christ. But this is so difficult today - there are so many entanglements that are destructive and that weaken the proclamation of the Gospel. Set your pilgrims free to serve Jesus Christ in perfect freedom. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Second Lesson
26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside the town.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
Luke 8, NLT

Intercession for GAFCON
Father, protect your pilgrims from every spiritual enemy sent against them. Give your pilgrims the freedom and boldness to return to the mission field, proclaiming all the great things that Jesus has done for them. In His Name we pray. Amen.

A GAFCON Pilgrim's Perspective
I’m sure there’ll be many stories of struggles, of martyrdom, of great perseverance under great trial. So for us, I think we’ll be greatly, in some ways chastised by those examples, chastised that we are not bold enough in our witness for Christ, that we don’t push the envelope hard enough and greatly encouraged by the struggles of all of our brothers and sisters in countries where gospel preaching is very difficult.
Dr. Karen Sowada, Standing Committee, Diocese of Sydney (Australia)

The Collect
Fourth Sunday after Trinity
O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy, that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 27

Opening Sentence
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 124
Nisi quia Dominus

If the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
2 They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
3 Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.
4 The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.
5 But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6 Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
7 Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O LORD, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.

“At Night,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Luke 8:16-25 (ESV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us….

…Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world;
Grant us thy peace.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.
Neither reward us according to our iniquities.

Let us pray.

O God, merciful Father, who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as are sorrowful; Mercifully assist our prayers which we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us, may, by thy good providence, be brought to nought; that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Second Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days: And pollute the sanctuary and holy people: Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts: That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation: To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.

In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city. Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land; And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.

I Maccabees 1:41-53 (Apocrypha, KJV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Acts 15:36-16:5 (NIV)

A GAFCON Pilgrim’s Perspective
“My prayer is twofold:

1. That the conference will have such a dramatic impact on the Anglican Communion through God the Holy Spirit that it will turn back to its biblical roots.

2. That those of us in Jerusalem can be instruments to help the church we love so much to be revived and embrace the Christ of the gospels.”

Claus K. Lenk
Treasurer, Anglican Network in Canada

A Heritage Reflection
“In the meanwhile, let it not seem strange to us that such enemies there are, for Sion will never be without them, and the best men on earth have been put to their trial with them. It is some adversity that we suffer from them…it hath been the lot of many a saint of God before us, and of far more worth and dignity than any we are, to be in adversity, to be persecuted, afflicted, tormented, to be robbed of goods, and lands, and lives and all. Nor did they love Sion, either Church or kingdom, ever a whit the worse for it all the while.”

Bishop John Cosin (1594-1672)
Works, Vol. I

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 26

Opening Sentence
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

Psalm 96:9

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 123
Ad te levavi oculos meos

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, * O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2 Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, * even so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until he have mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us; * for we are utterly despised.
4 Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, * and with the despitefulness of the proud.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God, the King eternal, who dividest the day from the darkness, and turnest the shadow of death into the morning; Drive far off from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep thy law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that having done thy will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when the night cometh, rejoice to give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“In the Morning,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him.
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.
He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.
For the LORD will not cast off for ever:
But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

Lamentations 3:22-33 (KJV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us….

… That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort, all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to preserve all who travel by land, by water, or by air, all women in child-birth, all sick persons, and young children; and to show thy pity upon all prisoners and captives;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all who are desolate and oppressed;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so that in due time we may enjoy them;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negligences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the grace of thy Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord….


Second Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

"I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

Genesis 12:1-9 (NIV)

Third Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
[And Jesus said] “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Matthew 10:24-39 (ESV)

A GAFCON Pilgrim’s Perspective
“I look forward to being in the presence of these godly people who have come from six continents to worship together. My prayer is that this will be an oasis from the discouraging and frustrating politics and doublespeak that seems to have overtaken many dioceses and much of the national church. I pray that there will be a very clear and unambiguous gospel-centred vehicle established that will allow orthodox Anglicans to remain fully engaged in the worldwide Anglican Communion.”

Rev. Don Hamilton
Rector from New Brunswick, Canada

A Heritage Reflection
“And therefore, whether we minister unto Him in the public Liturgy of our Church, read or preach His Holy Word, or administer His blessed Sacraments, let us all be persuaded to have an especial care that we do it, not after a careless or perfunctory manner, but with all that reverence and godly fear—with that earnestness and devotion—with that seriousness and intention of mind, as becomes those who believe that our Lord Himself is always present with us, not only to take notice of what we do, but to bless and sanctify it to the salvation of men’s immortal souls.”

Bishop William Beveridge (1637-1708)
Works, Vol. I

V Pentecost (for the ordinary CCP prayer cycle)

Let Us Pray For...
Diocese of Springfield, ACN
The Rt. Rev. Peter H. Beckwith

Springfield Chapter, AAC
Mr. Winn Pardee


Special Prayer Petitions
Please continue to pray for all AMiA, FiFNA, and ACN pilgrims as they prepare for GAFCON in the holy city of Jersusalem.

Also, in the Diocese of Springfield, pray for this summer’s “Kingdom” event in Decatur Conference Center, Decatur, IL (August 8-9, 2008) focusing on the topic, “Thy Kingdom Come.” Also, in conjunction with this conference there will be a Youth Conference presented by ACTS 29 Ministries.


From the Scriptures
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:18-23 (ESV)

A Guiding Prayer
O God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“The Fourth Sunday after Trinity,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

A Heritage Reflection
“He is the head, therefore, not only of the Church, but over all things, to or for the Church; so that nothing is exempted from His dominion,--nothing in Heaven, in earth, or hell, but what is subject to His power; and, therefore, nothing but what He can do for His own Catholic Church, which He hath purchased with His own blood. He can assist it with His grace, sanctify it by His Spirit, protect it by His power: He can make all things in Heaven and earth work together for its present peace and future glory—maugre* all the opposition that men or devils can make against it.”

Bishop William Beveridge (1637-1708)
Works, Vol. I

___________________________
*Maugre is a now archaic preposition, meaning “in spite of,” or “notwithstanding.”

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 25

Prayer Focus
GAFCON Pilgrims' Spouses and Families

Opening Verse
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
St. John iv. 23.

A Psalm of Ascent
BLESSED are all they that fear the LORD, * and walk in his ways.
For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands: * O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.
Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine * upon the walls of thine house;
Thy children like the olive-branches * round about thy table.
Lo, thus shall the man be blessed * that feareth the LORD.
The LORD from out of Sion shall so bless thee, * that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long;
Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children, * and peace upon Israel.
The One Hundred Twenty Eighth Psalm, 1928 BCP (USA)

The First Lesson
17 When the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites. 30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."
32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.
34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."
36 "My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."
38 "You may go," he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite custom 40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
Judges 10 & 11, NIV

Prayer

Deliver us, Lord, from sacrificing our families to our vocations in the church. Teach us and inspire us to love them as the Bible teaches. We pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Second Lesson
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'
11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Luke 8, NIV

Prayer

Thank you, Lord God, for your word to spread throughout the world. Thank you also for those who love, support, encourage and refresh us as we do the work you have assigned. Bless them abundantly and always turn our hearts to them, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Collect
ALMIGHTY God, our heavenly Father, who settest the solitary in families; We commend to thy continual care the homes in which thy people dwell. Put far from them, we beseech thee, every root of bitterness, the desire of vain-glory, and the pride of life. Fill them with faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness. Knit together in constant affection those who, in holy wedlock, have been made one flesh; turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers; and so enkindle fervent charity among us all, that we be evermore kindly affectioned with brotherly love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Spouse's Perspective

Malcolm and I are pleased and honoured to be a part of the Canadian delegation to GAFCON. A lifelong dream will be brought to life as we visit sacred places, and spend time with brothers and sisters in Christ. The Anglican Network in Canada has become a refuge for us, a place where we can wholly depend on our leaders to live by and speak the Truth of the Gospel, and we expect to experience the same at this Conference.

Marylou Harding, wife of Bishop Malcolm Harding, Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC)

May GAFCON be a Global Gathering of Praise to the Savior

(Note: this worship song was offered at the installation of Martyn Minns as CANA's missionary bishop).

From this morning’s Psalter (1928 BCP, USA)

Psalm 102 gives a prophetic description of the suffering, abandoned Savior. And in the middle of the Psalm, there is a wonderful outpouring of praise, as the people he saves all across time and place come to Jerusalem to worship:

18 Let this be recorded for future generations,
so that a people not yet born will praise the LORD.
19 Tell them the LORD looked down
from his heavenly sanctuary.
He looked down to earth from heaven
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners,
to release those condemned to die.
21 And so the LORD’s fame will be celebrated in Zion,
his praises in Jerusalem,
22 when multitudes gather together
and kingdoms come to worship the LORD.

May GAFCON be a gathering of global praise to the Savior!

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 24

Theme
God is our Savior.

Opening Verse
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil. i. 2.

A Psalm of Ascent
WHEN the LORD turned again the captivity of Sion, * then were we like unto them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, * and our tongue with joy.
Then said they among the heathen, * The LORD hath done great things for them.
Yea, the LORD hath done great things for us already; * whereof we rejoice.
Turn our captivity, O LORD, * as the rivers in the south.
They that sow in tears * shall reap in joy.
He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, * shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.
The One Hundred Twenty Sixth Psalm, 1928 BCP (USA)

The First Lesson
16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.
17 "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.' "
19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" 21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah." So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25 They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.
Judges 7, NIV

The Second Lesson
36 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
48 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
49 The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
50 Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Luke 7, NIV

From the Penitential Office (1928 BCP, USA)

v/O Lord, save thy servants;
r/That put their trust in thee.
v/Send unto them help from above.
r/And evermore mightily defend them.
v/Help us, O God our Saviour.
r/And for the glory of thy Name deliver us; be merciful to us sinners,for thy Name's sake.
v/O Lord, hear our prayer.
r/And let our cry come unto thee.

Let us pray.

O LORD, we beseech thee, mercifully hear our prayers, and spare all those who confess their sins unto thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O MOST mighty God, and merciful Father, who hast compassion upon all men, and who wouldest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn from his sin, and be saved; Mercifully forgive us our trespasses; receive and comfort us, who are grieved and wearied with the burden of our sins. Thy property is always to have mercy; to thee only it appertaineth to forgive sins. Spare us therefore, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed; enter not into judgment with thy servants; but so turn thine anger from us, who meekly acknowledge our transgressions, and truly repent us of our faults, and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A GAFCON Pilgrim's Perspective
I hope and pray that:
GAFCon will be a time of prayer and witness of the unity and belief of the Global Orthodox Anglicans in the uniqueness of Christ Jesus the only Saviour.
Our pilgrimage will bring to life the events of the Bible and bolster our faith in Christ bringing about an even closer relationship with our God and with one another.
The Conference will discern and set “concrete actions” to take to ensure our Anglican future and mission both in the world and in our parishes
Each delegate attending will be set on fire and that they will bring that fire back to their parishes and places of ministry and that each member of the people they minister to will catch that fire from them and pass is on.
Rev. Simon C. V. Chin
St. Matthias and St. Luke Anglican Church
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 23

Theme
God is our strength.

Opening Verse
O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.
Psalm xliii. 3.

A Psalm of Ascent
EXCEPT the LORD build the house, * their labour is but lost that build it.
Except the LORD keep the city, * the watchman waketh but in vain.
It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness; * for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Lo, children, and the fruit of the womb, * are an heritage and gift that cometh of the LORD.
Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant, * even so are the young children.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; * they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
The One Hundred Twenty Seventh Psalm, 1928 BCP (USA)

The First Lesson
1 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 3 announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."
5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." 6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
7 The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." 8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.
Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.
Judges 7, NIV

The Second Lesson
18 John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" 20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?' "
21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosyare cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 23 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
24 After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' 28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
31"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: " 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.' 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners." ' 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children."
Luke 7, NIV

Collect
O GOD, who art the author of peace and lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defence, may not fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 22

Theme
God is our help.

Opening Verse
Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Isaiah Ivii. 15.

A Psalm of Ascent
IF the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;
They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.
The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.
But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.
Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.
The One Hundred Twenty Fourth Psalm, 1928 Book of Common Prayer (USA)

First Lesson
1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
15 "But Lord , " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

Judges 6, NIV

Second Lesson
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15T he dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judeaand the surrounding country.
Luke 7, NIV

Collect
ALMIGHTY God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A GAFCON Pilgrim's Perspective
My hope and prayer is that GAFCON will advance Christ’s Kingdom by promoting unity, mission, and realignment among faithful Anglicans around the world.
Professor George Egerton, University of British Columbia, Canada

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 21

Opening Sentence
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

Psalm 96:9

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 121
Levavi oculos

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills; * from whence cometh my help?
2 My help cometh even from the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; * and he that keepeth thee will not sleep.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD himself is thy keeper; * the LORD is thy defence upon thy right hand;
6 So that the sun shall not burn thee by day, * neither the moon by night.
7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil; * yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, * from this time forth for evermore.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
Almighty God, who pourest out on all who desire it, the spirit of grace and of supplication; Deliver us, when we draw nigh to thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with stedfast thoughts and kindled affections, we may worship thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For the Spirit of Prayer,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Luke 7:1-10 (NIV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us….

… That it may please thee to give us an heart to love and fear thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure affection, and to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up those who fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord….



Second Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

Acts 14:8-18 (NIV)

A Heritage Reflection
“When we have received any favour from God, we ought to retire, if not into our closets, into our hearts, and say, ‘I come, Lord, to restore to Thee what Thou hast given; and I freely relinquish it, to enter again into my own nothingness. For what is the most perfect creature in heaven or earth in Thy presence, but a void capable of being filled with Thee and by Thee; as the air which is void and dark, is capable of being filled with the light of the sun, who withdraws it every day to restore it the next, there being nothing in the air that either appropriates this light or resists it? O give me the same facility of receiving and restoring Thy grace and good works! I say, Thine; for I acknowledge the root from which they spring is in Thee, and not in me.’”

John Wesley (1703-1791)
A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 20

Opening Sentence
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

Psalm 96:9

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 134
Ecce nunc

Behold now, praise the LORD, * all ye servants of the LORD;
2 Ye that by night stand in the house of the LORD, * even in the courts of the house of our God.
3 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, * and praise the LORD.
4 The LORD that made heaven and earth * give thee blessing out of Sion.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God, who hast made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the whole earth, and didst send thy blessed Son to preach peace to them that are far off and to them that are nigh; Grant that all men everywhere may seek after thee and find thee. Bring the nations into thy fold, pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten thy kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For Missions,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Luke 6:39-49 (NKJV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us….

…We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, O Lord God; and that it may please thee to rule and govern thy holy Church universal in the right way;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee so to rule the heart of thy servant, The President of the United States [or of this nation], that he may above all things seek thy honour and glory;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless and preserve all Christian Rulers and Magistrates, giving them grace to execute justice, and to maintain truth;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to illuminate all Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge and understanding of thy Word; and that both by their preaching and living they may set it forth, and show it accordingly;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to send forth labourers into thy harvest;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to bless and keep all thy people;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

That it may please thee to give to all nations unity, peace, and concord;
We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord….



Second Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there.

Acts 13:44-14:7 (NKJV)

A GAFCON Pilgrim’s Perspective
“My prayer for our time in Jerusalem is first for each participant, be they Primatial, Ordained or Lay, to have a holy encounter with the living God. I hope that we can see, hear and feel His presence as we worship, pray, fellowship and deliberate together about the future of this communion that God has called us into. I am personally praying for this conference to be the beginning of an awesome revival and reformation in the Anglican church, for the Holy spirit to be so present and so active in our midst that we can do naught but fall on our faces before Him in humility and thanksgiving. That is the seed and the foundation for any decisions that we might make towards reformation.”

Barclay Mayo, priest at Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, Pender Harbour, BC

A Heritage Reflection
“Perfect, O God, what Thou hast begun in me; inspire me with such a lively sense and clear knowledge of Thy love, that I may be able to convince others of the blessedness and the necessity of holiness, and the way to attain it, through Jesus Christ. Amen.”

Bishop Thomas Wilson (1663-1755)
Works (Vol. II)

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 19

Holy Communion Propers for The Third Sunday after Trinity

(1928 Book of Common Prayer, USA)

The Collect

O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle
5 And all of you, serve each other in humility, for
“God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.
10 In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 11 All power to him forever! Amen.
Peter’s Final Greetings 12 I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas,whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
13 Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet each other with Christian love.
Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.

I Peter 5, NLT

A GAFCON Value

"Uniti means united which is the horizontal relationship between all believers found in the body of Christ."

Prayer

Mighty God, give your GAFCON pilgrims "uniti" - make them brothers and sisters in humble service to one another, in patient suffering as they resist the devil, in encouragement, in love and finally in sharing the eternal glory of your Son Jesus Christ, in whose Holy Name we pray. Amen.

The Gospel

1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

Luke 15, NLT

A GAFCON Pilgrim's Perspective

It is not long now before I leave for the Jerusalem Conference. I am immensely grateful for the support and prayers of so many of you. I'm looking forward to meeting with the leaders representing 35 million Anglicans across 27 different countries and it is my hope that God will give us wisdom during our time together. As we look to the future of this great communion of churches, I am praying that we will maintain the highest level of unity possible. I have just written to the Archbishop of Canterbury to assure him of my prayers for him and for the success of the Lambeth Conference. We have different views on how best to see the future of the Anglican Communion at this time. But we are at one in seeking its good health and doing what can be done to make sure that the turmoil created by those who have set aside fundamental Christian teaching does not destroy it. On the contrary, our aim should be to see it united as never before in the service of Christ in this world. I am praying that both the Lambeth Conference and the Jerusalem Conference will help achieve that goal. Will you join me in your intercessions?

Statement from Archbishop Peter Jensen (Sydney, Australia)

6/6/08

Prayer

Amen! God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, unite your church around the world in service to the Gospel. Fill the GAFCON pilgrims with your love for lost people, and give them the gifts they need to unite Anglican Christians in Christ's true work. Send the GAFCON pilgrims to bring many sinners to repentance, and to ignite constant joy in the presence of your angels. We pray in the Name of Jesus, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

IV Pentecost (for the ordinary CCP prayer cycle)

Let Us Pray For...
Little Rock Network, AMiA
The Honorable David Young

St. Louis Network, AMiA
The Rev. Dr. Paul Walter

Diocese of Quincy, AAC/ACN/FiFNA
The Rt. Rev. Keith L. Ackerman, SSC, DD

Special Prayer Petitions
Please continue to pray for all AMiA, FiFNA, and ACN pilgrims as they prepare for GAFCON in the holy city of Jersusalem.


From the Scriptures
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

I Peter 2:11-17 (NKJV)

A Guiding Prayer
O LORD, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us; and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“The Third Sunday after Trinity,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

A Heritage Reflection
“For the Church of Christ, according to St. Paul, is Christ’s Body, and he who is entrusted with its care ought to train it up to a state of healthiness, and beauty unspeakable, and to look everywhere, lest any spot or wrinkle, or other like blemish should mar its vigor and comeliness.”

St. John Chrysostom (347-407)
On the Priesthood

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 18

Opening Sentence
LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Psalm 26:8

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 133
Ecce, quam bonum!

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, * for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down unto the beard, * even unto Aaron's beard, and went down to the skirts of his clothing.

3 Like as the dew of Hermon, * which fell upon the hill of Sion.
4 For there the LORD promised his blessing, * and life for evermore.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace; Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions. Take away all hatred and prejudice, and whatsoever else may hinder us from godly, union and concord: that as there is but one Body and one Spirit, and one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For the Unity of God's People,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
After a long time had passed and the LORD had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then old and well advanced in years, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them: "I am old and well advanced in years. You yourselves have seen everything the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the LORD your God who fought for you….

“So be very careful to love the LORD your God.

"But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you.

"Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. But just as every good promise of the LORD your God has come true, so the LORD will bring on you all the evil he has threatened, until he has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. If you violate the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the LORD's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you."

Joshua 23:1-3, 11-16 (NIV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us….

…By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation; by thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Good Lord, deliver us.

In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Good Lord, deliver us….



Second Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Luke 6:27-38 (NIV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
"Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

"We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

" 'You are my Son;
today I have become your Father. 'The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words:
" 'I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.'
So it is stated elsewhere:
" 'You will not let your Holy One see decay.'

"For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

"Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you:
" 'Look, you scoffers,
wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
that you would never believe,
even if someone told you.'"

As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 13:26-43 (NIV)

A Meditation
Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity!

United, may we be very careful to love the LORD our God.
United, may we not allow the unbelieving ‘nations’ to become snares and traps for us.
United, may we love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us.

United, may we forgive, and be forgiven ourselves.
United, may we be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful.

United, may we tell all the good news, that what God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed, and that through him everyone who believes is justified.

United, let us talk with them and urge them to continue in the grace of God.

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity!



A Heritage Reflection
“For the method of godliness consists of these two things, pious doctrines, and virtuous practice: and neither are the doctrines acceptable to God apart from good works, nor does God accept the works which are not perfected with pious doctrines. For what profit is it, to know well the doctrines concerning God, and yet to be a vile fornicator? And again, what profit is it, to be nobly temperate, and an impious blasphemer?”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-387)
Catechetical Lectures

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 17

Opening Verse
Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. Isaiah Ivii. 15.

From the Psalms of Ascent
I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.

OUT of the deep have I called unto thee, O LORD; * Lord, hear my voice.
O let thine ears consider well * the voice of my complaint.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.

If thou, LORD, wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, * O Lord, who may abide it?
For there is mercy with thee; * therefore shalt thou be feared.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.
My soul fleeth unto the Lord before the morning watch; * I say, before the morning watch.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.

O Israel, trust in the LORD; for with the LORD there is mercy, * and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he shall redeem Israel * from all his sins.

I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him; * in his word is my trust.

GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;
AS it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

From The One Hundred Thirtieth Psalm, 1928 Book of Common Prayer (USA)

A Prayer for Guidance
O GOD, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of Wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Second Morning Lesson
12 One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. 13 At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:
14 Simon (whom he named Peter),
Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot),
16 Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.
20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,
“God blesses you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
21 God blesses you who are hungry now,
for you will be satisfied.
God blesses you who weep now,
for in due time you will laugh.
22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.
23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.
24 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich,
for you have your only happiness now.
25 What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.
sorrow awaits you who laugh now,
for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
26 What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,
for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
Luke 12, NLT

Prayer
Ah Lord Jesus! We try to wait, but our flesh is so impatient. We pour the new wine into any old skin, and both are wasted. Help our souls to wait for you!

Help the GAFCON pilgrims to be like you, praying in the Father's presence all night before facing the daybreak of decision.

Help them to be like the crowd from all regions, waiting at the foot of the mountain for you to come down and heal them.

Help them to be like your disciples, waiting close by so that you can turn and teach them.

Help your whole church to wait expectantly in our "now" of poverty, weeping and curses, and bring us to rejoice in the New Jerusalem. We pray in your Name. Amen.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 16

Opening Sentence
LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Psalm 26:8

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 132
Memento, Domine

LORD, remember David, * and all his trouble:
2 How he sware unto the LORD, * and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob:
3 I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, * nor climb up into my bed;
4 I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eyelids to slumber; * neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
5 Until I find out a place for the temple of the LORD; * an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob.
6 Lo, we heard of the same at Ephratah, * and found it in the wood.
7 We will go into his tabernacle, * and fall low on our knees before his footstool.
8 Arise, O LORD, into thy resting-place; * thou, and the ark of thy strength.
9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; * and let thy saints sing with joyfulness.
10 For thy servant David's sake, * turn not away the face of thine anointed.
11 The LORD hath made a faithful oath unto David, * and he shall not shrink from it:
12 Of the fruit of thy body * shall I set upon thy throne.
13 If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimonies that I shall teach them; * their children also shall sit upon thy throne for evermore.
14 For the LORD hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for himself; * he hath longed for her.
15 This shall be my rest for ever: * here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.
16 I will bless her victuals with increase, * and will satisfy her poor with bread.
17 I will deck her priests with health, * and her saints shall rejoice and sing.
18 There shall I make the horn of David to flourish: * I have ordained a lantern for mine anointed.
19 As for his enemies, I shall clothe them with shame; * but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favour, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

from “Collects,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it." And he ordered the people, "Advance! March around the city, with the armed guard going ahead of the ark of the LORD…."

So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the people returned to camp and spent the night there….

So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury."

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.

Joshua 6:1-7, 11, 14-20 (NIV)

From the Great Litany
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us.

Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: Spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for ever.
Spare us, good Lord.

From all evil and mischief; from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting damnation,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all blindness of heart; from pride, vainglory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all inordinate and sinful affections; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From lightning and tempest; from earthquake, fire, and flood; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death,
Good Lord, deliver us.

From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and Commandment,
Good Lord, deliver us....



Second Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart."

I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

The king said to me, "What is it you want?"

Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.

Nehemiah 2:1-8 (NIV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,

"You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun."

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Acts 12:25-13:12 (NIV)

A Meditation
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Even after the Holy Spirit had revealed that the believers were to set aside Paul and Barnabas, they still waited on the Lord. After God had revealed to Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour, the people—for six days—waited on the Lord. Nehemiah was asked by the king for an answer to what troubled him, and he waited on the Lord—So I prayed to the God of heaven—before answering. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

May God grant us the grace to wait upon Him.



A Heritage Reflection
Christian! dost thou see them
On the holy ground,
How the powers of darkness
Rage thy steps around?
Christian, up and smite them,
Counting gain but loss;
In the strength that cometh
By the holy cross.

Christian! dost thou feel them,
How they work within,
Striving, tempting, luring,
Goading into sin?
Christian! never tremble;
Never be downcast;
Gird thee for the battle,
Watch and pray and fast.

Christian! dost thou hear them,
How they speak thee fair?
“Always fast and vigil?
Always watch and prayer?”
Christian, answer boldly:
“While I breathe I pray!”
Peace shall follow battle,
Night shall end in day.

“Well I know thy trouble,
O my servant true;
Thou art very weary,
I was weary, too;
But that toil shall make thee
Some day all Mine own,
At the end of sorrow
Shall be near my throne.”

St. Andrew of Crete (c. 650-740?)
Translated by John Mason Neale (1818-1866)
from The Hymnal Revised and Enlarged as Adopted by the General Convention of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America in the Year of Our Lord 1892

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 15

Fasting for GAFCON
The Ekklesia Society has some brief, practical information about fasting here.

Opening Verse

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be alway acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm xix. 14.


From The Psalms of Ascent
He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, * shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.


LORD, remember David, * and all his trouble:
How he sware unto the LORD, * and vowed a vow unto the Almighty God of Jacob:
I will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, * nor climb up into my bed;
I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep, nor mine eyelids to slumber; * neither the temples of my head to take any rest;
Until I find out a place for the temple of the LORD; * an habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob.

He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed, * shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.



From the One Hundred Twenty Sixth and One Hundred Thirty Second Psalms (1928 Book of Common Prayer, USA)


Preparatory Reading
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
II Corinthians 12:7-10, NIV


Prayer of Oblation
Lord, I am going to deny my desire for (specify what will be given up) for (specify duration of your fast). I believe that your grace, strength and power can be abundant for the needy weakness of my flesh.

I offer this fast on behalf of the GAFCON pilgrims. Make me able to pray for them in accordance with your purposes: let your grace overcome the selfishness of my flesh; let your strength overcome the weakness of my flesh; let your power overcome the limitations of my flesh. I ask this for your sake, Christ Jesus. Amen.

Specific Prayers for GAFCON
Specific areas to pray for include courage, strength, vision and wisdom for the Primate and other faithful Anglican leaders in the global church; that God may speak to His church, give clear direction for the Anglican Church worldwide and glorify His Name.

Church of Nigeria

For Study and Contemplation: From the Second Morning Lesson
One day some people said to Jesus, “John the Baptist’s disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?”
Jesus responded, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”
Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is just fine,’ they say.”
Luke 5:33-39, NLT


Prayers of Recollection
Call these to mind throughout your fast, especially when aware of discomfort.

• When fasting from food: "...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4)


• When fasting from drink: "But (King David) refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD." (II Samuel 23:16; I Chronicles 11:18)


• When husband and wife mutually offer abstention from marital relations (see I Corinthians 7:5 for guidance): "...my lord's men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife?" (II Samuel 11:11)


• When fasting from other amusements or behaviors: "O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing; * let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness, neither let me eat of such things as please them." (The One Hundred Forty-First Psalm).

A Reading to End the Fast

And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Matthew 6:16-18, NLT

Concluding Prayers and Collect of the Day

V/O Lord, show thy mercy upon us.

R/And grant us thy salvation.

V/O God, make clean our hearts within us.

R/And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.

O LORD, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Second Sunday after Trinity

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 14

Opening Sentence
LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Psalm 26:8

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 124
Nisi quia Dominus

If the LORD himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say; * if the LORD himself had not been on our side, when men rose up against us;

2 They had swallowed us up alive; * when they were so wrathfully displeased at us.
3 Yea, the waters had drowned us, * and the stream had gone over our soul.
4 The deep waters of the proud * had gone even over our soul.
5 But praised be the LORD, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6 Our soul is escaped even as a bird out of the snare of the fowler; * the snare is broken, and we are delivered.

7 Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, * who hath made heaven and earth.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

from “Collects,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."

Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them….

And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Joshua 3:1-6, 13-17 (NIV)

From the Great Litany
O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thy Name's sake.

O God, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us, the noble works that thou didst in their days, and in the old time before them.

O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us for thine honour.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
From our enemies defend us, O Christ.
Graciously look upon our afflictions.
With pity behold the sorrows of our hearts.
Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people.
Favourably with mercy hear our prayers.
O Son of David, have mercy upon us.
Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us, O Christ.
Graciously hear us, O Christ; graciously hear us, O Lord Christ.

O Lord, let thy mercy be showed upon us;
As we do put our trust in thee.

Let us pray.

We humbly beseech thee, O Father, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of thy Name, turn from us all those evils that we most justly have deserved; and grant, that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living, to thy honour and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Second Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days….

There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer….

On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days.

On the fourth day, in the house of our God, we weighed out the silver and gold and the sacred articles into the hands of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest. Eleazar son of Phinehas was with him, and so were the Levites Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. Everything was accounted for by number and weight, and the entire weight was recorded at that time.

Then the exiles who had returned from captivity sacrificed burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs and, as a sin offering, twelve male goats. All this was a burnt offering to the LORD. They also delivered the king's orders to the royal satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who then gave assistance to the people and to the house of God.

Ezra 8:15a, 21-23, 31-36 (NIV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Acts 11:19-30 (NIV)

A Meditation
After three days, Joshua and the wandering Israelites followed the Ark of the Covenant through the Jordan, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

For three days, Ezra and the returning exiles camped outside the city and proclaimed a fast, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

And because of the greatest of all “Three Days,” those scattered by the persecution continued to spread the gospel, And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Even in the midst of wanderings, exiles, and when scattered by persecution, let us not lose heart, for Our help standeth in the Name of the LORD, who hath made heaven and earth.



A Heritage Reflection
“Appropriately, it is added that when those who came up from Babylon arrived at Jerusalem, they remained there for a period of three days and only then offered and weighed out in the Lord’s house the silver and the gold and the vessels that they had brought. For the three days of tarrying in Jerusalem are the excellent virtues of faith, hope and love that all the faithful should possess. Teachers, therefore, must first of all manifest these in themselves and only then offer those whom they have taught and educated in these same virtues to the Fathers who have preceded them in Christ for their approval. For when the holy church finds that those whom we are catechizing are sound in faith and action, it is as if, on weighing the vessels that we offer in the temple through the hands of the priests, [the church] discovers them to be both of pure metal and of perfect weight.”

The Venerable Bede (673-735)

On Ezra and Nehemiah

[NOTE: This ‘Heritage Reflection’ comes from Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, V: 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Marco Conti (Ed.), Thomas C. Oden (Gen. Ed.).]

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 13

Opening Verse

O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling. Psalm xliii. 3.

A Psalm of Ascent

BLESSED are all they that fear the LORD, * and walk in his ways.

BLESSED are all they that fear the LORD, * and walk in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands: * O well is thee, and happy shalt thou be.

Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine * upon the walls of thine house;

Thy children like the olive-branches * round about thy table.

BLESSED are all they that fear the LORD, * and walk in his ways.

Lo, thus shall the man be blessed * that feareth the LORD.

The LORD from out of Sion shall so bless thee, * that thou shalt see Jerusalem in prosperity all thy life long;

Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children, * and peace upon Israel.

BLESSED are all they that fear the LORD, * and walk in his ways.

The One Hundred Twenty Eighth Psalm, 1928 Book of Common Prayer (USA)

From this Morning's Psalm
Let the mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad, * because of thy judgments.
Walk about Sion, and go round about her; * and tell the towers thereof.
Mark well her bulwarks, consider her palaces, * that ye may tell them that come after.
For this God is our God for ever and ever: * he shall be our guide unto death.
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;
AS it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.
The Forty-Eighth Psalm, 1928 BCP (USA)

Prayer
Let your GAFCON pilgrims delight in your judgments, O Lord. As your pilgrim sons and daughters walk about Jerusalem, fill them with your knowledge and wisdom. Inspire them with your eternal glory. Make them teachers and guides for your people around the world. We ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

From the First Morning Lesson
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:6-9, NLT

Prayer
Lord God, you raise up chosen leaders in every generation. Prepare the GAFCON pilgrims to be leaders in your church around the world. Give them with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Give them love for Sacred Scripture and fill their mouths with your Word. Let them go out from Jerusalem in the stregth and courage of your presence. We ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

From the Second Morning Lesson
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
Luke 5:1-11, NLT

Prayer
Lord Jesus, make you GAFCON pilgrims instantly responsive to you and make them leaders in a church that "fishes for people" for you. In your Name we ask. Amen.

A GAFCON Value
"Veritas means truth which is the vertical relation between God and humanity which is Christ."

Prayer
Father, fill the GAFCON pilgrims with the truth of Christ. Make them true to you through faith in your Son and faithful to Gospel leadership by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 12

Opening Sentence
The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

John 4:23

A Psalm of Ascent
Psalm 131
Domine, non est

LORD, I am not high-minded; * I have no proud looks.
2 I do not exercise myself in great matters * which are too high for me.
3 But I refrain my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother: * yea, my soul is even as a weaned child.

4 O Israel, trust in the LORD * from this time forth for evermore.

(USA, The Book of Common Prayer, 1928)

Collect
O Almighty God, look mercifully upon the world which thou hast redeemed by the blood of thy dear Son, and incline the hearts of many to dedicate themselves to the sacred ministry of thy Church; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“For the Increase of the Ministry,” The Book of Common Prayer (USA, 1928)

Lesson (from Morning Prayer, BCP 1928)
Along the way someone said to Jesus, "I'll go anywhere with you!"

Jesus said, "Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man doesn't have a place to call his own."

Jesus told someone else to come with him. But the man said, "Lord, let me wait until I bury my father." Jesus answered, "Let the dead take care of the dead, while you go and tell about God's kingdom."

Then someone said to Jesus, "I want to go with you, Lord, but first let me go back and take care of things at home."

Jesus answered, "Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn't worth a thing to God's kingdom!"

Luke 9:57-62 (CEV)

From the Great Litany
O GOD the Father, Creator of heaven and earth;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, Redeemer of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Ghost, Sanctifier of the faithful;
Have mercy upon us.
O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God;
Have mercy upon us….

…Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world;
Grant us thy peace.
O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world;
Have mercy upon us.
O Christ, hear us.
O Christ, hear us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

O Lord, deal not with us according to our sins.
Neither reward us according to our iniquities.

Let us pray.

O God, merciful Father, who despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as are sor-rowful; Mercifully assist our prayers which we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities, whensoever they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us, may, by thy good providence, be brought to nought; that we thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



Second Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
Samuel served the LORD by helping Eli the priest, who was by that time almost blind. In those days, the LORD hardly ever spoke directly to people, and he did not appear to them in dreams very often. But one night, Eli was asleep in his room, and Samuel was sleeping on a mat near the sacred chest in the LORD's house. They had not been asleep very long when the LORD called out Samuel's name. "Here I am!" Samuel answered. Then he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. What do you want?"

"I didn't call you," Eli answered. "Go back to bed."

Samuel went back.

Again the LORD called out Samuel's name. Samuel got up and went to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you want?"

Eli told him, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to sleep."

The LORD had not spoken to Samuel before, and Samuel did not recognize the voice. When the LORD called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, "Here I am. What do you want?"

Eli finally realized that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel. So he said, "Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, `I'm listening, LORD. What do you want me to do?' "

Once again Samuel went back and lay down.

The LORD then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, "Samuel! Samuel!"

"I'm listening," Samuel answered. "What do you want me to do?"

The LORD said:

Samuel, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock everyone who hears about it! I will punish Eli and his family, just as I promised. He knew that his sons refused to respect me, and he let them get away with it, even though I said I would punish his family forever. I warned Eli that sacrifices or offerings could never make things right! His family has done too many disgusting things. The next morning, Samuel got up and opened the doors to the LORD's house. He was afraid to tell Eli what the LORD had said. But Eli told him, "Samuel, my boy, come here!"

"Here I am," Samuel answered.

Eli said, "What did God say to you? Tell me everything. I pray that God will punish you terribly if you don't tell me every word he said!"

Samuel told Eli everything. Then Eli said, "He is the LORD, and he will do what's right."

I Samuel 3:1-18 (CEV)

Third Lesson (from Evening Prayer, BCP 1928)
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

"All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever."

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

I Peter 1:17-25 (ESV)

A Meditation
Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth,
Even though Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth,
Even if it means that I must Let the dead bury their dead.

Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth,
Because I know that No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Throughout the time of our exile,
Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.


A Heritage Reflection
“I testify to every man who is confessing Christ and denying God, that Christ will profit him nothing; to every man that calls upon God but rejects the Son, that his faith is vain; to every man that sets aside the Spirit, that his faith in the Father and the Son will be useless, for he cannot even hold it without the presence of the Spirit.”

St. Basil the Great (c. 329-379)

A Treatise On the Holy Spirit