Pray for the GAFCON Primates Meeting in London

Unfortunately, I’ve been offline much of the past 2 days, and have limited internet access today so am not sure if one of my L&B colleagues has already posted a prayer request for the GAFCON Primates meeting in London that started yesterday.  The Living Church reports:

Eight archbishops are meeting in closed-door session at a London hotel this week to review plans for the creation of a new Anglican Communion province to be known as the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

Seven primates: Archbishop Benjamin Nzimbi of Kenya, Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria, Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini of Rwanda, Presiding Bishop Gregory Venables of the Southern Cone, Archbishop Valentino Mokiwa of Tanzania, Archbishop Henry Orombi of Uganda, Archbishop Justice Akrofi of West Africa; along with the Most Rev. Peter Jensen, Archbishop of Sydney (Australia) began talks on April 14 at hotel near Heathrow airport.

The whole story is here.

Please uphold the meeting and all named in your prayers!

GAFCON Lenten Bible Studies “Way of the Cross” available

Shucks. I remember reading awhile back that GAFCON was going to release a Lenten Bible Study series. But the announcement was back in Dec. or Jan. when I was travelling and my mind was far from Lent. So, I’d forgotten all about it. Today, however there is an updated press release / reminder over at Anglican Mainstream. So, even though we’re already well into Lent now, consider checking this out. I’m really eager to have some Lenten materials from a Global South perspective, and am so glad GAFCON has reminded us of this resource!

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Download Lenten Bible studies & notes for the Way of the Cross

Message from Justin Brierley, Premier Christian Radio

I would love to draw people’s attention to the webpage where they can now download the Lenten Bible study audio and notes for “The Way of the Cross” – a collaboration between GAFCON and Premier Christian Radio.

The address is www.wayofthecross.co.uk

The podcast uses original audio from the GAFCON Bible expositions as well as specially recorded material from a couple of contributors that was not available when the material was originally recorded.

The 2009 Lent resource “The Way of the Cross” is a 6-part Bible-study podcast based on the expositions of Scripture given at the historic Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) which took place in Jerusalem, June 2008.

GAFCON called the Anglican church back to its roots in scripture and orthodoxy as 291 Bishops and 900 other Anglican leaders met together to consider a way forward for the Anglican Communion.

These six studies open up the Biblical story of salvation and are accompanied by questions for personal or group use which help to relate current issues of biblical truth to the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ.

The studies are as follows

1. Genesis 12 – The Promise of God – Archbishop Justice Akrofi

2. Exodus 24 – The Presence of God – Canon David Short

3. 2 Samuel 7 – The King of God – Revd Vaughan Roberts

4. Luke 24 – The Son of God – Bishop Michael Fape

5. Revelation 21 – The Throne of God – Archbishop Datuk Yong Ping Chung

6. Jude – The Authority of God – Bishop Wallace Benn

The Anglican Communion

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
John 20:15

Lord, we are weeping for the betrayals and the broken relationships, the death of trust, within the Anglican Communion. We mourn Satan’s destruction. Like Mary Magdalene, we yearn to find that which is lost.
Speak to the GAFCON primates as they meet this week. Call each one by name. We pray that their hearts will be satisfied with nothing less than Jesus. May the love within the Anglican Communion grow like the dawn, as beautiful as the full moon, as pure as the sun, as awesome as an army with banners.
Song of Solomon 6:10, John 20:15-16

Hat tip: Inspiration for this prayer came from a Francis Frangipane devotion.

GAFCON prayer bulletin

Received via e-mail–

To: All GAFCON Participants &

All Church, Diocesan and Provincial Intercessors

PRAYER BULLETIN SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 2008

Grace and peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Praise and
glory be to the One who was, the One who is and the One who sits on
the throne for ever and ever. Amen.

The Primate of all Nigeria, the Most Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola has
been moved in his spirit to call on all intercessors throughout the
world to seek God’s face fervently, spending nights and days on our
knees, praying earnestly for our Anglican Communion. At his
instigation, we therefore bring before you the first of a series of
quarterly Prayer Bulletins, and ask that you join us in praying for
the following:

1. Pray for a Spirit-led, united leadership for the GAFCON Primates
Council, that they may remain faithful to the teachings of the Bible,
steadfast in promoting the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
uncompromising in the pursuit of the truth of the word of God and the
love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also pray for the GAFCON Theological
Resource Group and the GAFCON Leadership team that they may remain
faithful, focused and not distracted.

2. Lift up before the throne of grace the Jerusalem Statement, which
represents the collective mind of the participants at GAFCON, as
revealed by the Holy Spirit, that this statement may be a guide in
the pursuit of the two fundamental resolutions of GAFCON, i.e.:

a. that the Bible be upheld as the final authority for the life,
faith and conduct of all believers;

b. that mission and evangelism, saving the lost, bringing life and
health to the poor and needy, remain the main tasks of the church.

3. Pray earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit powerfully to
bring about renewal, revival and transformation of lives, communities
and environments.

4. Pray for a clear focus for the Anglican Church to pursue God’s
agenda from Scripture, God’s authority as given by Jesus Christ, and
God’s mission in saving sinners and turning them to saints through
the work of the Holy Spirit. Pray sincerely that all other agendas be
lost, and Jesus alone be Lord.

We count it a privilege to be called upon for this great task in the
vineyard of the Lord.

The Lord be with you,

+Most Rev. Dr. Benjamin A. Kwashi

Archbishop of Jos

Co-ordinator GAFCON Prayer Teams

Benedictus: Luke 1:68ff

Benedictus.
St. Luke i. 68.
BLESSED be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people;
LORD, please come and visit your people today with your Holy Spirit.

And hath raised up a mighty salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
Father, thank you for sending your son to us; thank you for sending your prophets and evangelists to us; thank you for all the witnesses you have raised up among us.

As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began;
Holy Spirit, please continue to speak by the mouth of your servants in our generation.

That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us.
Jesus, please save us from the hand of all who hate your gospel and your faithful people.

To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant;
Father, please do your works of mercy in our day. Thank you for the new covenant you made with us through the blood of your son Jesus.

To perform the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham that he would give us;
Holy Spirit, thank you for making us children of Abraham and heirs to the promises made to him by faith in the name of Jesus.

That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear;
Jesus, you have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Thank you. (2 Timothy 1:7)

In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
Father, you are a holy God and you have called us to holiness. Please help us answer your call to holiness. Thank you. (Leviticus 19:2)

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;
Holy Spirit, thank you for sending John to prepare the way for Jesus; please help the Episcopal Church hear his call to repent of our sins.

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people for the remission of their sins,
Holy Spirit, please bring the leaders and teachers and people of the Episcopal Church to a saving knowledge of Jesus for the remission of their sins. Thank you.

Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us;
Jesus, thank you for your tender mercy towards us and for the light you give us day by day.

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.
Thank you, Father, that there is no darkness dark enough to hide us from the light of your love for us. (Psalm 139:1-12)

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.
So be it.

A word received: Don’t be afraid, I AM with you.

Thursday: 134, 135; Numbers 23:11-26; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 22:1-14
Friday: 141, 143:1-11(12); Numbers 24:1-13; Romans 8:12-17; Matthew 22:15-22

Notes from the Front Line

***** Check out Bishop Dave Bena’s comments on GAFCON at http://transfigurations.blogspot.com/2008/07/cana-bp-david-bena-writes-to-his-clergy.html

***** A Novena for Vocations to the Community of St. Mary

Prayers to be Said Daily

St. Mary’s Convent, 242 Cloister Way, Greenwich, NY 12834-7922
(518 ) 692-3028, www.stmaryseast.org e-mail: melizcsm@aol.com

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8 )

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Amen.

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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Collect for the Community of St. Mary:
Almighty God, who chose the blessed Virgin Mary to be the Mother of your Incarnate Son, grant to us your servants who bear her name so to yield ourselves to the operation of the Holy Spirit that we may be acceptable in your sight and may bring forth to you the fruit of good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fourth Day: For Vowed Life as Type of the Church as Bride
Lord Jesus, even as we await eagerly the revelation of the whole Church Triumphant as your spotless and holy Bride, so we ask that you call women in our age to live the particular vocation of a vowed life, given wholly to the love of God. Prepare the hearts of these women by trimming and replenishing their interior lamps with the oil of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Albany Intercessor

Traveling Mercies for GAFCON Pilgrims

We pray for all GAFCON participants returning  to their homes throughout the world. 

Ezekiel 2: 1-7 (from the readings for the transferred Feast Day of St. Peter and St. Paul)

And he said to me, “Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you.” And when he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me upon my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels, who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The people also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them; and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that there has been a prophet among them.  And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit upon scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house.

Father, send guardian angels to watch over the Anglican pilgrims as they return from the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem.  May their travels be on time.  May they not be beset by lengthy delays, lost luggage, or missed connections.  May they be safe from foul weather and other travel dangers.  May they be faithful witnesses of your Gospel to other travelers they encounter. 

Father, may they speak your word without fear to those who are in rebellion against you.  May they have no fear of those who have turned away from you.  May your Holy Spirit speak through them.  May those who hear their words know that they have heard your utterances. 

Father, thank you for the gift of this conference to these pilgrims, and to those of us back home.  May your name be glorified as a result. 

Amen.

GAFCON Primates’ Council

The primates’ council will initially be formed by the six Anglican primates participating in the GAFCON from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Southern Cone, Uganda and West Africa. Also the Anglican Church of Tanzania delegation to GAFCON is in agreement with the statement but will need the endorsement of their House of Bishops before their archbishop join the council.

Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. You change times and seasons; You set up kings and depose them. You give wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. You reveal deep and hidden things; You know what lies in darkness, and light dwells with You. We thank and praise You, O God of our fathers.
We desire Your mercies, O God of heaven, for Benjamin, Peter, Emmanuel, Gregory, Henry, Justice, and Valentino. Grant them wisdom and might. Make known to them the desires of Your heart for the Anglican Communion. May they help to establish Your kingdom and Your will in the Communion as it is in heaven. Amen.
Daniel 2:17-23

Final Day of GAFCON

We pray for those pilgrims in Jerusalem as they return to the Lord’s table for a final time together and prepare to return home.

ACTS 17: 26-28

And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Father, your church is scattered throughout the earth, but we are all your children.  Be with our Jerusalem pilgrims as they worship together, dine together, and say good-bye to one another.  May they show the face of Jesus to one another.  May the Holy Spirit fill their hearts.  May they be joyful at the outcome of this meeting.  May they continue to seek you.  May they continue to seek your honor and glory. 

Thank you, Father, for this conference.  Thank you for the hope it has provided to those of us at home.  May we never forget that you are sovereign, and that all that occurs is part of your divine plan.

Amen.

GAFCON

Pray for those praising the Lord in Jersusalem.

Matthew 21: 9-11

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Father, bless those who have come in the name of Jesus.  May they sing hosannas.  May they shout for joy.  May they answer your further call with boldness knowing that they can rely on your strength.  Bless them Lord.  Guide their deliberations as this conference winds down.  Be a part of their sessions.  And, please, Father, prepare them to leave the mountaintop and return to the demon-infested valley to continue your work.  Arm them with spiritual weapons, Father.  Grant them courage.  Grant them wisdom.  Grant them purity.  Let the light of Jesus shine in their faces.  Make them your instruments of peace.  Make them your instruments of salvation. 

All honor, praise, and glory are due you, Father.  May we seek not our own glory, but instead seek only to one day see your glory.  Amen. 

GAFCON

We pray that the Light of the world may illuminate the Anglican pilgrims in Jerusalem.

Matthew 20: 29-34

And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”  The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent; but they cried out the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”  And Jesus stopped and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?”  They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”  And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Lord, have mercy on us.  Open our eyes.  Have pity on us and give us eyes to see your light. 

Our church has been blinded by the world, Father.  We can no longer discern good from evil.  We no longer recognize evil as evil, and sometimes even proclaim evil to be good.  We have preferred darkness to the light for so long that we are now are lost in the dark. 

Father, send forth your Spirit to the Anglican pilgrims in Jerusalem and give them wisdom and knowledge and eyes to lead us out of this dark place.  Create a path for them, Father, and lead them to your path and along your path.  May they not stumble.  May they not falter.  May thy will be done.

Amen. 

GAFCON

We give thanks and praise for the faithful witness of the participants at this event.  We pray that God will continue to shower blessings upon them.

Romans 5: 1-5

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.

Father, may we rejoice in the turmoil in our church, knowing that you are there all along, leading us, guiding us, giving us strength and courage.  Use this turmoil to produce in us endurance, and character, and the great Christian virtue of hope.  May we see your hand at work.  May we have faith in your providence when we fail to see your hand at work.  Pour your love into the hearts of those representing us in Jerusalem, Father.  Give them the undiluted Holy Spirit.  May they not waver from finishing the race they have begun, which will surely end with them beholding your glory if they do not flag. 

We give you thanks and praise, Father, for the powerful witness of those who have already made themselves heard at this conference.  May we not care what the world thinks of this conference, but care only what you think of it, Father.  May you be pleased.  May you be pleased.

Amen. 

GAFCON

We pray for our leaders in Jerusalem.

Romans 4: 20-25

No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “reckoned to him as righteousness.” But the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Father, you have promised that the Church militant shall become the Church triumphant.  We believe you will keep your promise.

Father, you have promised eternal life to those who confess that Jesus is Lord and King.  We believe you will keep your promise.

Father, you have promised that the body and blood of Christ will cleanse us of all sin.  We believe you will keep your promise.

Father, you have promised us a place at the feast celebrating the wedding of King Jesus and his church if we will repent of our sins and return to you with contrite hearts.  We believe you will keep your promise.

Father, strengthen yet more the faith of our brothers and sisters who have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.  Kindle their hearts with the fire of your Holy Spirit.  Come to their meeting, Father.  Bless them for the work you have called them to do.  Revive your church, Father.  Sweep through your church with  a revival of faith.  Set us free Father.  Set us free to worship you and to seek your honor and glory.     Amen. 

Special Prayer Requests from a GAFCON Participant

Today’s post on the GAFCON prayer blog contained a few special prayer requests for GAFCON.  I thought they deserved highlighting and posting here on Lent & Beyond too:

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.
In order to stay in touch with the GAFCON news and prayer needs, here are a few links:

The GAFCON website is here.

Stand Firm’s Matt Kennedy+ is providing outstanding coverage.  Look for all the posts highlighted in red over at Stand Firm.

Titusonenine has a helpful list of links where you can find many firsthand reports from those attending GAFCON.

Keep praying!

GAFCON Continues

Please pray that those attending GAFCON will abide in the Lord throughout their meeting.

Matthew 19: 28-30

Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many that are first will be last, and the last first.

Father, we pray for those who have left their homes and families to come to Jerusalem to answer your call and to follow our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.  May they be certain that in your economy it matters not who is first in this world.  May they not be ensnared by the desire to conform themselves the world’s culture and fashions.  May they simply believe that your are faithful to your promises and that you have the power to keep your promises.  May they have the faith that is reckoned as righteousness. 

Father, may Jesus be their honored guest throughout their time together. 

Amen.

GAFCON Continues

We pray for a Spirit-led meeting in Jerusalem.

Romans 3: 21-25a

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Father, we give you thanks for the gift of faith which has led so many leaders of our church to Jerusalem for the Global Anglican Future Conference.  Please send your Holy Spirit to this meeting, Father, and infuse the hearts of those attending with a burning desire to proclaim the authentic gospel, to spread abroad the great good news of the incarnation, the stupendous achievement of the atoning sacrifice, and the death-defeating resurrection.  May the indwelling Spirit grant them passion so powerful that others may see and be transformed to a state of saving faith. 

Bless our leaders in Jerusalem.  Be a part of their proceedings. We doubt not that thy will prevails there.  We await with fervent hope its outcome.  Thank you, Father, for hearing our prayers.

Amen.