Diocesan
Cycle of Prayer
Holy God, your son called us to wrap the
whole world in your saving embrace. By your Holy Spirit, give
us compassion, purpose and energy to invite into your Church
those who do not yet know the transforming
power of your love.
We ask this through him who has brought us from darkness to light,
your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
December
25xxxCathedral Church of
the Nativity, Bethlehem. The Ven. Richard I. Cluett, interim
dean; The Rev. Anne E. Kitch, canon; The Rev. Joel W. Atkinson,
canon; The Rev. Joseph N. Leo, canon associate. www.nativitycathedral.org
January 1 -- Pray for congregations
in transition in our diocese as they prayerfully consider, in their
search for a new rector, their mission in their communities.
January 8 -- Church
of Epiphany, Clarks Summit, Mr. Rick Little, senior warden, The
Rev. Alan Mead, interim rector www.epiphanyglenburn.org
January
15 -- St. Paul’s Church,
Troy, The Rev. Mary Kisner, rector.
January 22 -- Church
of the Mediator, Allentown, The Rev Maria W.E. Tjeltveit, rector
www.episcopalmediator.org
January 29 -- St.
Brigid’s
Church, Nazareth, The Very Rev. Robert Schenkel, priest in charge
www.stbrigidspa.org
Anytime - Pray for our diocesan
community of 66 congregations in 14 counties and our Bishop,
Paul. Pray for repentance, renewal and mission in all our parishes.
Pray that the Lord will bless us in our lives and ministry.
O God, by your grace you have called us in our Diocese of Bethlehem to a
goodly fellowship of faith. Bless our Bishop, Paul, and other clergy, and
all our people. Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard,
your Sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received. By your
Spirit, fashion our lives according to the example of your Son, and grant
that we may show the power of your love to all among whom we live; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Anglican Cycle of Prayer
This
week's Anglican Cycle of Prayer Online (from Forward
Movement)
December
25 xxx O God, who wonderfully
created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human
nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled
himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ.
January 1 -- Pray for the primate,
clergy and people of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand
and Polynesia.
January 8 -- Pray for the primate,
clergy and people of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil.
January
15 -- Pray for Christian Unity.
January 22 -- Pray for the
moderator, clergy and people of the Church of Bangladesh.
January
29 -- Pray for the primate, clergy and people of
the Anglican Church of Australia.
Visit
the Anglican Communion Web Site
Kajo-Keji
(Episcopal Church of the Sudan)
Give thanks and pray for the Episcopal Church of the Sudan,
especially the people of our partnership Diocese of Kajo Keji in
southern Sudan, one of 24 dioceses of the persecuted Episcopal Church
of the Sudan. Manasseh Dawidi, Bishop.
Northern Sudan, once known as Nubia, was converted
to Coptic Christianity in the 6th century. Arab conquests brought
Islam in the 15th century. The Church Missionary Society arrived
in 1899, in Omdurman in Northern Sudan, to find an overwhelmingly
Muslim population. Their work spread Christianity rapidly among
the black Africans of the South but in the north there was no
such success.
Until 1974, Sudan was a single diocese under the
archbishop in Jerusalem. Today there are 24 dioceses.
Since 1956 when Sudan became independent, the
country and the church have suffered through a series of civil
wars, violent persecutions of Christians and, in this decade,
displacement of almost 5 million people. More than 1.5 million
people were killed during the 1990s. Yet the church experiences
explosive growth.Dominant throughout the south, the Anglican Church
has grown with amazing speed during the period of persecution.
Since all other institutions have been destroyed, the church now
will have a crucial role in helping to rebuild.
Geographical area
of the Republic of the Sudan: 966,757 square miles. Population:
30,120,420 of which 5,000,000 are Anglicans. Other faiths: Muslims,
70-plus percent; traditional belief, 10 percent. Number of clergy:
22 bishops, 2,923 clergy.
God bless Africa. Guard
her people. Guide her leaders. Give her peace.
December
25 xxxOliji Refugee Camp
January 1 --The congregation
at Longhira
January 8 -- The congregation
at Lira
January 15 -- Limi
Displacement Camp
January 22 -- The
congregation at Kenyba
January 29 -- The
congregation at Leikor
Diocese of Meath and Kildare (Church
of Ireland)
Give thanks and pray for the people of the Church
of Ireland, especially those who minister within our partnership
Diocese of Meath and Kildare, Richard Clarke, Bishop. Visit
the Church
of Ireland web site
Pray for all places in conflict: the peacemakers
and the peacekeepers, the victims of starvation and those dedicated
to their relief. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem and Palestine,
Afghanistan, Sudan, Northern Ireland and Iraq. Pray for peace in
our hearts and throughout the world.
God our refuge and strength: we pray at this difficult
time for all who find themselves touched by war and its consequences.
We pray for servicemen and women and their families, for those who
seek to support and to sustain them, for those who have died, the
wounded and captives, for the people of Iraq and the region, and
for all who suffer. Above all we pray that through your mercy and
compassion, peace with justice may come swiftly. We pray in the
name of Jesus, who is our Peace.
