Prayers of Intercession - The Ascension of Christ

The Ascension of Christ, Salvador Dali, 1958

Prayers written for the Choral Eucharist on the Feast of the Ascension at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 26th May 2022 based on text from Luke 24.44-end  references from the hymn ‘Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise’ by Charles Wesley  and God is Gone Up by Gerald Finzi, text by William Croft based on Psalm 47.

Let us lift up our prayers to the ascended Lord, who ever intercedes for us. 

 

Risen Lord, 

Send down your blessing on your church; your broken body on earth. 

Lift up our heads towards the guiding light of your power and glory; 

open the gates of our minds, by your grace, that we might understand the scriptures;

may all who hear them become living witnesses to your Word. 

We lift up in prayer all bishops, priests and deacons; all who proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to the nations; all who take great risks when they worship and praise your name. 

 

Lord in your mercy

Hear our prayer 

Further Prayers for Morning Prayer on Wednesday 25th May 2022

Almond Blossoms, Vincent van Gogh, 1890

Further prayers written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 25th May 2022, based on readings from Psalm 119, Numbers 17 and Luke 7.1-10. 

From Psalm 119 : Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes * and I shall keep it unto the end.

 

O Lord, our Great Teacher,

Teach us to love you and one another. 

Teach us to pray in thought, word and deed.

Teach us to forgive those who have wounded us.

Teach us to listen for your Word this day.

Teach us to care about those who suffer.

Teach us to work for your peace and justice.  

Teach us to hope for the coming of your eternal kingdom.

Teach us, O Lord, the way of thy statues; and we shall keep it unto the end.

Amen. 

Further Prayers for Morning Prayer on Wednesday 18th May 2022

Richard Hambelton, Shadowman

Further prayers written for Morning Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer at St Stephen Walbrook on Wednesday 18th May 2022, based on readings from Psalm 92, Numbers 12 and Luke 5.12-26

From Psalm 92 :  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord * and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most Highest; To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning * and of thy truth in the night-season.

Good Lord, help us;
To tell the truth of thy loving-kindness amidst all we see and hear this day.
To tell the truth of thy peace in our thoughts, words and deeds. 
To tell the truth of thy providence from claims of earthly pride.
To tell the truth of thy transforming power as living witnesses to your glory.
Amen.

Start:Stop - The Pride Busters Raid

The Flood, Norman Adams, 1961

Introduction

You can hear an audio recording of this reflection at this link. 

Hello and welcome to Start:Stop in the beautiful surroundings of St Stephen Walbrook. Every Tuesday morning we start the day by stopping to reflect for a few moments inspired by an event from this week in history, through the lens of a reading from scripture, with time for reflection and prayer - all lasting no more than ten minutes. You’re welcome to stay for as long as your schedule allows. 

In the early hours of 17th May 1943, 617 Squadron RAF Bomber Command executed “Operation Chastise”. The mission was immortalised in the film “The Dam Busters”.

On being awarded ten thousand pounds after the war in payment for his design, the inventor of the famous "bouncing bombs", Barnes Wallis, refused to accept the cash; reputedly explaining his decision by quoting this passage from scripture:

Sermon - Six impossible things before breakfast

Breakfast at Dawn, Mike Moyers, 2012

A sermon preached at St George’s Bloomsbury on Sunday 1st May and at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 5th May (Year C, Easter 3) based on readings from Acts 9.1-6 and John 21.1-19.

"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things." "I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Start:Stop - I saw a new heaven and a new earth

Good morning and welcome to Start:Stop, when we start the day by stopping to reflect for a few moments here in the beautiful surroundings of St Stephen Walbrook. This reflection will last about ten minutes and you are welcome to come and go as your schedule dictates. 

We begin with a short Bible reading, from the Book of Revelation, Chapter 21 verses 22 to 27. In it, we are shown a vision of the heavenly city. If you want to follow along you will find it on page 281 of the New Testament.