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Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2008
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:12a, 13b-18)
“L” refers to the leader(s) of worship and are chosen from the churches present at worship.
“A” refers to the assembly gathered for worship.
All in attendance should receive an unlit taper/candle on entering the church.
Opening Hymn and Procession
The worship leaders and participants in the service enter. An oil lamp or a lighted candle may be carried in and placed in view of the congregation on the altar/communion table bearing the Bible.
Welcome
The worship leader or the pastor of the host congregation welcomes the assembly and briefly introduces the 2008 celebration, placing it within the framework of the centenary of the establishment by Fr. Paul Wattson, SA in 1908, of the Church Unity Octave, forerunner of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Invocation of the Holy Spirit
L: We start our prayer by invoking the triune unity of our God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let us welcome God into our hearts, as God welcomes us into his own through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
A: Amen
L: Together let us call upon the Holy Spirit, light of our hearts, breath of life and power of the Father made manifest in the death and resurrection of Jesus. May he continue today his work of reconciliation and communion as it began with the preaching of the apostles. Do we not recognize this work of the Spirit in every step towards fuller communion in love, towards reconciliation and justice, in the ecumenical movement and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity over this last one hundred years?
L: Let us pray to the Father to send us the gifts of his Holy Spirit: that our hearts may open to his presence, that he may be present in our prayers and lead us into his communion. The unity of the church is the work of the Holy Spirit. We can never succeed by our own means. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may descend upon each of us, that he may bless the church of God with his grace and unite us in Christ.
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Fill our hearts with grace!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Free us from doubt and mistrust!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Give us faith to go forward!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Transform our hearts of stone!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Bring God's justice to our world!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Help us to understand that we are sisters and brothers!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Break down the walls between us!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Give us your gifts that we may share them!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Intercede for us, Spirit of the Father, whose profound sighs go further than our words!
A: Come, Holy Spirit!
L: Unite all Christians in Christ our Lord!
Hymn: A hymn to the Holy Spirit is sung.
L: May there be a new and ongoing Pentecost. May our churches commit themselves once more to pray for the full unity of all Christians, and our prayers be added to a century of prayers “that all may be one.” We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
A: Amen
Proclamation of the Word of God
Lector: Isaiah 55:6-9
Psalm 34: This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord.
The psalm may be sung or read responsively.
Lector: 1 Thessalonians 5:12a, 13b-18
Alleluia: Sung.
L: The Gospel is proclaimed.
John 17:6-21
The Sermon
It is customary to invite a guest to preach in the host church's pulpit.
Lighting of candles
From the worship space, the candles/tapers of the people are lit. The symbolism of the light recalls the celebration of Easter: Christ, our Passover, present and working through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, is the light of the dawning of a new day for the world, a world henceforth called to renounce the shadows of sin, division and hatred. Is it not in the power of the Risen Christ, and at the prompting of the Spirit of the Father, light of our hearts and inspiration of our lives, that we are called to cooperate with other Christians in making visible the unity of the church of Christ?
Thanksgiving
A: Truly our God is great, Our hearts are filled with wonder!
L: We give thanks to you for Jesus your Servant whose name is called upon by the multitude among the ‘nations’.
Lector 1: We give thanks to you for the Christ, your envoy, he who gathers your scattered children.
Lector 2: We give thanks to you for your Holy Spirit; he is our communion and leads us into the unity of one faith.
Lector 1: We give thanks to you for all who were pioneers in the search for Christian unity, be they well known like Father Paul Wattson and the Abbé Couturier or quite unknown - faithful lay people, monks and nuns, all the servants of Christian unity who have responded to your call.
Lector 2: We give thanks for the abundant fruits of this unceasing prayer for unity in Christ, rising up from all the continents.
L: During one whole century you have heard this constant prayer which has brought forth so much fruit.
A: May your Spirit encourage us to persevere in prayer and may we ever keep alive the memory of active faith of all the ‘saints’ — pioneers, theologians and those who have been faithful in prayer for the ecumenical movement, in their love of the gospel and of the church.
L: Now, O God our Father, from the depth of our memory and of our hearts we turn towards you and praise you with all those whom your Word has illumined and called, that your Holy Spirit might move us: those whom you desire to bring together in one baptism, one faith and one communion, in praise of your glorious name.
Ecumenical Commitment: (Lighted candle in hand.)
A: Lord we have glorified you for the grace you have given us in the ecumenical movement. In the joy of being called to serve you in the one search for Christian unity, we acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit and the admirable diversity of gifts and talents of the Spirit destined to be shared. We commit ourselves to persevere in constant prayer for Christian unity, and through concrete gestures of reconciliation, to seek to bring forth perfect unity in your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Offering
The host leader of worship designates the recipient of the offering and invites all to participate in giving. A hymn or musical selection may be sung during the collection.
Prayers of Intercession
L: Let us pray to the Father, through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, for the needs of our churches, our world and ourselves.
L: We pray without ceasing for the unity of all Christians.
A: Lord, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: We pray without ceasing for the leaders of our churches and faith communities, that they may persevere in the task of pursuing Christian unity.
A: Christ, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: We pray for all the baptized, that they may ever pray that “all may be one” so that the world may believe.
A: Lord, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: For the churches and faith communities which risk further division and schisms, that their unity might be preserved.
A: Christ, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: For the councils of churches throughout the world at national and local level, and that the work which they accomplish together might be a witness to the gospel in the world.
A: Lord, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: For the ecumenical dialogues between and among our churches, communions and faith communities, so that whatever divides us might be overcome through wisdom, love and truth.
A: Christ, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: That all Christians might witness to the gospel, turning away from all that is destructive, to embrace justice, peace and solidarity. For the poor, the oppressed, victims of war and of violence. For the broken hearted and for those who are hated and maltreated.
A: Lord, have mercy on us and hear us!
L: We pray that the Lord may hear and respond to our constant prayers, through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen
The Lord's Prayer
For the Lord's prayer, members of the congregation are invited to leave their places and to either come to the front of the church or into the worship space. If this conforms to local custom, the participants could hold hands while praying.
L: Let us join our minds, hearts and voices with all Christians throughout the world, as we pray together in the words Jesus gave us:
A: Our Father...
The Sign of Peace
L: Peace be with you.
A: And also with you.
L: Having prayed to God for the forgiveness of our sins, and as we ourselves forgive each other, let us now exchange a sign of peace and seal our unity in prayer, in faith, love and in the hope of full communion.
Participants exchange a sign of peace.
At the conclusion of the sign of peace the congregation returns to their seats and the congregation's candles are again lit.
Final Blessing
L: Let us leave this place glad to have worshiped together and been called to pray without ceasing while we wait for that great day when we shall all be perfectly united in Christ.
L: The Lord Jesus Christ be with you
A: And with your spirit
L: (The worship leaders can say these words together).
May the Lord bless you/us and keep you/us. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you/us and keep you/us. May the Lord be gracious unto you/us and give you/us his peace.
A: Amen
L: May the Lord bless us in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
A:Amen
L: Let us go in peace, praying constantly and rejoicing in hope, while never ceasing to thank God
A: Let us give thanks to God
Closing Hymn:
The leaders of the local churches, pastors, ministers, readers and other participants in the worship process out of the church with the lit candles. A hymn or song may be sung during this concluding/retiring procession, underlining the commitment of Christians in the mission of unity.
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