“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.”
― Karl Barth
Why are we praying?
We long to see God move in our community and in our city this year. With Habakkuk we cry: “Lord, we have heard of your fame; we stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known.” The unanimous testimony of leaders of renewal in the church throughout the ages is that great movements of God have always been preceded by great movements of prayer. Charles Spurgeon said that “prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscle of omnipotence.” We pray because we know it is the only way we will see what we long to see.
How will we pray?
We will intercede. Intercession is the act of standing between the needs of earth and the power of heaven and lifting our voices to a God who hears us and responds. We are providing a daily guide for individuals to use at home, as well as a guide for groups to use as they gather throughout the week. These guides have topics to help focus your intercession, but please feel free to pray as the Spirit leads.
“History is the story of God giving away power. After entrusting the human species with the gift of free choice, God invited its representatives to act as partners, even to argue and wrestle with the One who created them. Yet, virtually everyone God picked to lead a new venture – Adam, Abraham, Moses, David – proved disappointing in part. Apparently God committed to work with human partners no matter how inept. Jesus stayed on earth barely long enough to assemble a dozen followers (no less flawed), to whom he handed the keys of the kingdom of God. Against all odds the movement took off, and the human partnership has not stopped since. We are “God’s fellow workers,” the apostle Paul said. We collaborate with God’s actions in the world.* And as God’s coworkers we are encouraged to submit our requests,our desires, our petitions in prayer.” – Yancey
Neighborhood Prayer Schedule
Click here for neighborhood prayer guide
Personal Prayer Guide
SUNDAY 8.28
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
-Psalm 146:1-5
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
- For God to stir up a hunger and thirst for His presence in us this year
- For our Sunday morning worship services to continue to be a space of encounter and empowerment
- For all those on our Sunday teams – worship, volunteer, prayer – to be encouraged and refreshed
CLOSING PRAYER :
God of might, giver of every good gift,
put into our hearts the love of your name,
so that, by deepening our sense of reverence,
you may nurture in us what is good
and, by your watchful care,
keep safe what you have nurtured.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
MONDAY 8/29
FOR OUR VOCATIONS + DAILY WORK
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.
-Psalm 27:4
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
For those returning to work today – that we would honor God in our workplaces and with all that we do
For parents whose primary vocation is parenting – that we would be empowered to raise our children to know and love Jesus
For students returning to school – that God would be glorified in our learning and that we would entrust our dreams to him
For opportunities to partner with God in his renewing work in every sphere where we have influence this week.
CLOSING PRAYER :
Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and in the earth: Deliver us in our various occupations from the service of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
TUESDAY 8/30
FOR OUR OUTREACH + SERVICE TO PVD
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
-Psalm 84:1-4
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
- For the Back-to-School Fair at Fargnoli Park tonight – for our relationships with our neighbors in Elmhurst, our ministry of renewal in the city, and for our partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School
- For the poor and those suffering because of injustice
- For people to come to know Jesus this year because of our ministries and witness
- For Sanctuary North launching weekly Sunday services later this month
CLOSING PRAYER :
O God of all the nations of the earth: Remember the multitudes who have been created in your image but have not known the redeeming work of our Savior Jesus Christ; and grant that, by the prayers and labors of your Church, they may be brought to know and worship you as you have been revealed in your Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
WEDNESDAY 9/1
FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
-Psalm 100
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
- For our church staff : Jason, Lauren, Laura
- For our transitional elder team : Adam, Lonnie, Andrew
- For our pastoral team : Andrew, Rick, and Sarah
- For the leadership collective
- For our volunteer teams
- For our community to be equipped to use our gifts and live into our calling this year
CLOSING PRAYER :
Lord Jesus Christ,
watch over those who are leaders in your Church.
Keep them faithful to their vocation
and to the proclamation of your message.
Strengthen them with the gifts of the Spirit,
and help them to serve those entrusted to their care.
Give them a vivid sense of your presence in the world
and a knowledge of how to show it to others.
Amen.
THURSDAY 9/1
RELATIONSHIPS IN OUR COMMUNITY
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
-Psalm 95:1-7
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
- For home groups launching and re-launching this fall
- For the flourishing and deepening of friendships in our community
- For healing of any broken relationships, discord, or tension in our community
- For the strength and health of all marriages in our community
- For children in our community to know and experience God’s presence and love
CLOSING PRAYER :
Lord Jesus Christ, who makes all the commandments of the law to consist in love towards God and towards neighbor, grant to us so to love You with all our heart, with all our mind, and all our soul, and our neighbor for Your sake, that the grace of charity and brotherly love may dwell in us, and all envy, harshness, and ill-will may die in us. Fill our hearts with love, kindness, and compassion, so that by rejoicing in the happiness and success of others, by sympathizing with them in their sorrows, and by putting away all harsh judgments and envious thoughts, we may follow You, who is Yourself the true and perfect love. Amen.
FRIDAY 9/2
FOR GOD’s POWER & GIFTS
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
-Psalm 36:5-9
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
- For our community to be marked by and known for a culture of conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit
- For gifts of the Spirit to be poured on our community for the sake of the church and the world
- For those in our community afflicted in body, mind, or spirit, that God would heal
- For those in our community wrestling with doubt, that God would reveal himself
- For those in need in our community, that God would provide
- For protection for our community
CLOSING PRAYER :
Generous God,
we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work which you have given us.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Generous God,
you sent your Holy Spirit upon your Messiah at the River Jordan,
and upon the disciples in the upper room.
In your mercy fill us too with your Spirit,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
SATURDAY 9/4
FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH
GREET the LORD : enter God’s presence in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessed are you, creator of all,
to you be praise and glory for ever.
As your dawn renews the face of the earth
bringing light and life to all creation,
may we rejoice in this day you have made;
as we wake refreshed from the depths of sleep,
open our eyes to behold your presence
and strengthen our hands to do your will,
that the world may rejoice and give you praise.
Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God for ever.
Amen.
PRAISE : spend time praising God. You may want to sing or listen to a worship song.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
-Psalm 145:3-7
INTERCEDE : stand between the needs of earth and the power of heaven – and ask.
- For the Sanctuary community to be of one heart and mind as we seek the Lord and live out our mission in the world
- For our relationship with other churches and ministries in the city – for mutual love, respect, and partnership in the gospel
- For the love of Christ to knit us together as one – that our unity would be a striking witness to a divided world
CLOSING PRAYER :
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our only Savior, 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 whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord;
that, as there is but one body and one Spirit,
one hope of our calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of us all,
so we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one soul,
united in one holy bond of peace, of faith and charity,
and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
“History is the story of God giving away power. After entrusting the human species with the gift of free choice, God invited its representatives to act as partners, even to argue and wrestle with the One who created them. Yet, virtually everyone God picked to lead a new venture – Adam, Abraham, Moses, David – proved disappointing in part. Apparently God committed to work with human partners no matter how inept. Jesus stayed on earth barely long enough to assemble a dozen followers (no less flawed), to whom he handed the keys of the kingdom of God. Against all odds the movement took off, and the human partnership has not stopped since. We are “God’s fellow workers,” the apostle Paul said. We collaborate with God’s actions in the world.* And as God’s coworkers we are encouraged to submit our requests,our desires, our petitions in prayer.” – Yancey
Sanctuary Church Providence, Rhode Island 