Daily Prayer for Peace
1:00 p.m.
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Sao Tomé and Principe
Would you like to learn
more about Sao Tomé and Principe?
Visit
Lonely
Planet. |
Gathering in Silence
Call to Prayer
Lighting of CandleInvitation |
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Good afternoon, and welcome to
this sacred place of peace and sanctuary. Each day in this Temple
dedicated to the pursuit of peace, we pray to God for peace in our
world. In addition, each day we pray for a different country.
Today we will remember the people of Sao Tome’ and Principe in our
prayers. Sao Tome’ and Principe are located in Western Africa. They are
islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon.
There are two main islands and several smaller ones who were ruled by
Portugal but became independent in 1975. They speak Portuguese as well
as Portuguese Creole.
Greetings in the name of God who calls us to worship. May our ears be
attuned to hear the alleluia chorus of future generations celebrating
the Kingdom of Peace. |
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| Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:33, 34 NRSV |
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This is the covenant that I will make, says
the LORD. I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their
hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer
shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the LORD,’ for
they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. |
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Prayer for Peace by Virginia Bruch, Kansas
City, Missouri |
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Our Lord of Love and Life,
We thank You for our very being, and for the influence of Your son in
our lives.
Your love and continuing tender direction give us joy and hope!
We thank you for the fellowship within the Church,
within the larger fellowship of Christians,
and within the fellowship of our denomination world-wide!
In our hurried and perplexing daily lives, sometimes Peace seems only a
dream.
Not only are the nations of the world lacking in Peace,
but within our own fellowship we lack peace.
We often lack Peace because of our differences.
But Your Love formed us...and Your Love unites us!
Help us to know how great Your Love ...
no matter the differences of our cultures
--no matter the color of our skin
--or the color of our life experiences
Your love surrounds us!
We have names for each other...names of identification or location
We call each other "fundamentalist" or "liberal."
We have barriers of place, and barriers of race, and barriers of
thought.
Our Lord, help us to know that wherever or whatever we are...
You are our Lord!
Help us to realize that it is Jesus who is our latch pin, our way,
our light
...that it is Christ who brings Peace
and it is Christ above all who unites us
Together, unite us in praise and worship, service and love!
In His Holy Name, we pray. Amen. |
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Hymn - Brothers and Sisters of Mine -
Hymns of the Saints #388 |
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Prayers of the People
Please join us now, praying the Prayers of the People. During the
moments of silence, you are invited to pray silently or meditate. |
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We thank you, God, for your many blessings; for friends,
family, and those who give particular meaning to our lives. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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We confess to you our shortcomings. In your mercy, we ask forgiveness
for things which hurt another. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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We ask your blessing for those who are oppressed by poverty, disease,
exploitation, and prejudice. May each of us realize the worth of another
and not add to the distress of anyone. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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We pray for the nation of Sao Tome’ and Principe, their leaders and
their people. May they continue working for peace among themselves and
with the world, and through the wanting, learn peace. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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We lift up for your blessing the special
concerns of those gathered here this day. Be with us and guide us we
pray. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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Please use this space to pray for any
current concern or event in our community, city, state, nation or world
that you feel needs to be held up to God for prayerful consideration. |
| The People Pray in Silence |
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Hear our prayers, O God. Today we offer ourselves as peacemakers in our
world. Amen. |
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| Sending Forth |
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We will conclude our service today with ministry of
music. We invite you to remain in the quiet of this place to pray or
meditate for as long as you may wish.
As we have worshiped peacefully in the safety of this place, may God
forgive us if we have become indifferent to the sufferings and despair
in our world. Let us become a people of peace, reaching out in love and
compassion. Amen. |
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| Ministry of Music |
