Our Shared Prayers
March 26
God of Shalom,
The winds are beginning to blow, the waves are growing higher.
We hear of wars and rumour of wars near and far, and panic is rising.
Everywhere, we hear the word, “threat.”
Yet, instead of turning to you, the Creator, we so often turn to created things;
strong, tangible and alluring things that promise security,
or wealth,
or expertise.
For we don’t want to pray for our enemies.
We want to defeat them.
O God of Shalom,
Have mercy on us.
Break our hearts.
Grant us the terrifying grace of undeniably holding our sins before us.
So that we may come to know ourselves as we truly are:
both sinner and saved;
forgiven and claimed;
loved and sent to love.
O great and holy God of Shalom,
Grant us the peace, not as the world gives,
but that only you can give.
So that we may be not afraid.
In the name of the crucified and risen one, Amen.
Written and shared by Pastor Caleb Kowalko, Calgary First Mennonite Church
March 19
A Prayer: Learning to Follow
To our Creator God, to Jesus the Saviour and to the Holy Spirit,
This year, as we celebrate Anabaptism’s 500 years,
we remember all those who went before.
The Israelites who wandered in the wilderness,
learning how to follow you.
The prophets who shared their thoughts, dreams, and visions,
learning how to follow you.
The early Christians, struggling with new identities and promises,
learning how to follow you.
The early Catholic Church, engaged in a faith journey and a political journey,
learning how to follow you.
The Reformers of the Protestant Churches, looking to revive the zeal of their faith,
learning how to follow you.
The early Anabaptists, challenging the status quo, engaging in the Bible,
learning how to follow you.
The Christians throughout the centuries, witnessing, debating, giving up, encouraging, discouraging, challenging,
learning how to follow you.
This year, as we celebrate Anabaptism’s 500 years,
we remember all those who are here and now.
The Anabaptists of today, across the world, in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, South America,
learning how to follow you.
The churches of today, small and struggling, large and growing, and all those in between, learning how to follow you.
The leaders of today, challenging, encouraging, praying, offering vision,
learning how to follow you.
Mennonite Church Alberta, working together to share the good news, working together to create safe and healing spaces, working together to provide fellowship,
learning how to follow you.
This year, as we celebrate Anabaptism’s 500 years, we look to the future.
To the Anabaptists of tomorrow, who will lead and shape,
as they learn how to follow you.
Who will work on the issues that have not yet been resolved and those not yet known,
as they learn how to follow you.
This year, as we celebrate Anabaptism’s 500 years, we look at Mennonite Church Alberta.
We give thanks for the 96 years of the faith and work of this group of Jesus-followers,
as we continue learning how to follow you.
We give thanks for the work that has been done, while also acknowledging our shortcomings, as we continue learning how to follow you.
Creator God, Jesus the Saviour, Holy Spirit, we are thankful for your blessings, for your forgiveness, for your mercy, and for your love. Please give us the courage to love in your name, as we continue learning how to follow you.
Amen
Written and shared by Adela Wedler, First Mennonite Church Edmonton, Community Building & Program chair, following The Courage to Love: An MCA March Gathering
March 12
Savior, grant us courage.
Courage in the face of adversity
Courage in defiance of apathy
Courage for radical and creative peacemaking
Courage to extend welcoming, comforting and helping hands, regardless of the outcome
God, grant us courage.
Courage through the stories in scripture
Courage through the stories of our ancestors
Courage through the promises You have made
Courage through the faithfulness You’ve shown
Spirit, grant us the strength:
To hear uncomfortable truths
To be redirected
To humble ourselves and to keep trying
Lord, grant us
The kind of conviction that leads to courage
The knowledge and the encounters that lead to that conviction
Open hearts that seek true knowing
You have spoken throughout the ages:
Don’t be afraid.
I am with you.
We pray for confidence in You and Your actions, that we may become strong and courageous.
Amen.
Written and shared by Laura Wiebe, Trinity Mennonite
March 5
A Community Prayer for Ash Wednesday
We give thanks to you, O God, Creator of all that is,
That we can freely come to You
That Your mercy extends to us
That You hear our prayers
You know each of us by name- you know when we stand and when we sit down, you have numbered the very hairs on each head
…….and yet, You remind us that we come from dust....and to dust we will return.
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
As we enter this Lenten season your call to each of us is to turn….
Search us and examine us, individually and collectively
…..that your divine Light would pierce the darkness and that we may turn again to You.
And as we return may we be encouraged
….that as the Father waited for the prodigal, You wait for us, you wait for me,
…. and run out to meet me, embrace me and ……celebrate my return.
May it be so in us as we walk toward the Cross.
In the name of our Lord Jesus
Amen
Written and shared by LaVerna Elliot, Foothills Mennonite