Welcome to Morning Prayer

Welcome! Consider this your invitation to join our on-line morning prayer group. We gather every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. Central Time.

If you would like to join us, simply  go to our Zoom hangout at the appropriate time.

We use the prayer liturgies below, which you are also welcome to use in your own context. Please note that the dates are primarily for the use of the prayer group. Prayers are not date specific except in terms of following the international prayer calendar from the World Council of Churches.

For more information about me, please see my primary blog, Spacious Faith.

Thanks for stopping by,
Joanna

August 10, 2017

Song: You are Salt
(Can be viewed prior to or after group prayer time.)

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Psalm 18:31-50

For who is God except the Lord?
And who is a rock besides our God?—
the God who girded me with strength,
and made my way safe.
God made my feet like the feet of a deer,
and set me secure on the heights. 
God trains my hands for war,
so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 
You have given me the shield of your salvation,
and your right hand has supported me;
your help has made me great. 
You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,
 and my feet did not slip.
I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
and did not turn back until they were consumed. 
I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise;
 they fell under my feet. 
For you girded me with strength for the battle;
you made my assailants sink under me.
You made my enemies turn their backs to me,
and those who hated me I destroyed. 
They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;
 they cried to God, but were not answered. 
I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;
I cast them out like the mire of the streets. 

You delivered me from strife with the peoples;
you made me head of the nations;
people whom I had not known served me. 
As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;
 foreigners came cringing to me. 
Foreigners lost heart,
 and came trembling out of their strongholds. 

The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock,
 and exalted be the God of my salvation, 
the God who gave me vengeance
 and subdued peoples under me;
who delivered me from my enemies;
 indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;
 you delivered me from the violent. 

For this I will extol you, O God, among the nations,
and sing praises to your name. 
Great triumphs you give to your king,
and show steadfast love to your anointed,
to David and his descendants for ever.

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:33-49

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver 

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for Equatorial Guinea.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

“O God, it is Your will to hold both heaven & earth in a single peace. Let the design of Your great love shine on the waste of our wrath & sorrows, & give peace to Your Church, peace among nations, peace in our homes, & peace in our hearts.” (From New Zealand Prayer Book)

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

August 8, 2017

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Psalm 18:16-30

God reached down from on high and took me;
God drew me out of mighty waters,
delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me;
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity;
but the Lord was my support. 
God brought me out into a broad place;
and delivered me, because God delighted in me. 

God rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands God recompensed me. 
For I have kept the ways of the Lord,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all divine ordinances were before me,
and holy statutes I did not put away from me.
I was blameless before God and I kept myself from guilt.
Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands. 

With the loyal you show yourself loyal;
with the blameless you show yourself blameless; 
with the pure you show yourself pure;
and with the crooked you show yourself perverse. 
For you deliver a humble people,
but the haughty eyes you bring down.
It is you who light my lamp;
the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 
By you I can crush a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
This God—God’s way is perfect;
 the promise of the Lord proves true;
God is a shield for all who take refuge. 

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:14-32

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: “Mercy” by John F. Deane 

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for Cameroon and Central African Republic.

God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

 Holy God, have mercy. Rain down your gentling grace. Amen.

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

August 3, 2017

Song: I will call upon the Lord
(Can be viewed prior to or after group prayer time.)

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Psalm 18:1-15

I love you, O God, my strength.
God is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 
I call upon my God, who is worthy to be praised;
so I shall be saved from my enemies. 

The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of perdition assailed me; 
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
 the snares of death confronted me. 

In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From the temple God heard my voice,
and my cry reached God’s ears. 

Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because God was angry.
Smoke went up from God’s nostrils,
and devouring fire from God’s mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from God.
God bowed the heavens, and came down;
 thick darkness was under God’s feet.
God rode on a cherub, and flew;
and came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. 
God made darkness a covering around,
God’s canopy thick clouds dark with water. 
Out of the brightness before God
there broke through the clouds
hailstones and coals of fire. 
The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
 and the Most High uttered the divine voice. 
And God sent out arrows, and scattered them;
flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. 
Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O God,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. 

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 9:1-13

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: From Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson:

“It has seemed to me sometimes as though the Lord breathes on this poor gray ember of Creation and it turns to radiance—for a moment or a year or the span of a life. And then it sinks back into itself again and no one would know it had anything to do with fire, or light. That is what I said in the Pentecost sermon. I have reflected on that sermon, and there is some truth in it. But the Lord is more constant and far more extravagant than it seems to imply. Wherever you turn your eyes the world can shine like transfiguration. You don’t have to bring a thing except a little willingness to see. Only, who could have the courage to see it?”

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for Sao Tome and Principe.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

God of transfiguration, give us the courage to see your shining extravagance in this world. Amen.

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

August 1, 2017

Song: Open the Eyes 

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Psalm 17

Hear a just cause, O God; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. 
From you let my vindication come;
 let your eyes see the right. 

If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,
if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.
As for what others do, by the word of your lips
 I have avoided the ways of the violent. 
My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped. 

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
 incline your ear to me, hear my words. 
Wondrously show your steadfast love,
O saviour of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at your right hand. 

Guard me as the apple of the eye;
 hide me in the shadow of your wings,
from the wicked who despoil me,
my deadly enemies who surround me.
They close their hearts to pity;
with their mouths they speak arrogantly. 
They track me down; now they surround me;
they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. 
They are like a lion eager to tear,
 like a young lion lurking in ambush. 

Rise up, O God, confront them, overthrow them!
By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
from mortals—by your hand, O Lord—
from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.
May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;
 may their children have more than enough;
may they leave something over to their little ones. 

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 8:22-38

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: From Dorothy Fortenberry (quoted in Los Angeles Review of Books, June 8, and Christian Century)

“Church is a group of broken individuals united only by our brokenness traveling together to ask to be fixed. . . . My family and I don’t go to church to deny the existence of the darkness. We go to look so hard at the light that our eyes water.”

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for the Republic of Congo and Gabon. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

Holy God of light, we bring our brokenness into the circle of your radiance. Enlighten us. Enfold us. Empower us to share your light with the world. Amen.

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

June 29, 2017

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Song: Psalm 16—The Path of Life

Psalm 16

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say ‘You are my God; I have no good apart from you.’
As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;
their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.

God is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage. 

I bless my God who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me. 
I keep God always before me;
because God is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure. 
For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit. 

You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 8:1-21

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: “Poetry Like Bread” by Roque Dalton 

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for Uganda.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

God, in you we take refuge. You show us the path of life. In your presence there is abundance of bread and fullness of joy. And we give you thanks. Amen.

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

June 27, 2017

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Song: “Open My Eyes” by Jesse Manibusan 

Psalm 15

O God, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill? 
Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors;
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honor those who fear you;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 7:24-37

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: From “Why I Stay: A Prayer” by Debbie Thomas (in Christian Century)

I stay because . . . I love stories, and I cherish the ones I first learned in your book. Because I am Eve and the apple makes sense to me. I’m Rachel and I won’t surrender my sacred objects. I’m Leah and I long to be loved. I’m Hagar, and I will name you in the desert. I’m Miriam and I am ever watchful. I’m the bleeding woman and I need the hem of your robe. I’m Mary Magdalene and I must bear witness by your tomb. I’m Junia and my story aches to be told. . . .

Because the path is winding, and you are a God worthy of perilous journeys. Because I need to wrestle, and you meet me at the river. Because this is no ordinary hunger, and your manna alone will suffice. Because you know the loneliness of the desert, and so do I. Because I will drown unless you part this water. Because the world is dark, but it shimmers at its edges.

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for Sudan and South Sudan.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

God of compassion and imagination, Greatest Storyteller, give us the courage to speak your truth and the grace to hear it. Amen.

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

June 20, 2017

O God, let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning
for in you I put my trust.
Teach me the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.

Glory be to the Creator, and to the Christ, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Psalm 14

Fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is no one who does good. 

God looks down from heaven on humankind
 to see if there are any who are wise,
who seek after God. 

They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;
there is no one who does good,
no, not one. 

Have they no knowledge,
all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread,
   and do not call upon God? 

There they shall be in great terror,
for God is with the company of the righteous.
You would confound the plans of the poor,
but God is their refuge. 

O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!
When God restores the fortunes of the people,
Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Silence

Gospel Reading: Mark 7:1-23

The word of life.
Thanks be to God.

Silence

Reading: “A Dream of Trees” by Mary Oliver 

Prayer

Holy One, we cry out to you: in the morning our prayers come before you.
Along with the worldwide fellowship of churches, we pray this morning for Malawi.
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Individual prayers may be spoken with the above response given.

Lord’s Prayer

Holy One, let us bend our hearts; let us be involved; let us make music that is your goodness and light pouring out of us and into this world. Amen.

Blessing

I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may have power together with all the saints
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge,
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.