Prayers

For our Mission:

Most good and gracious God, grant to St. Matthew's Church and all our members wisdom and courage. Help us to grow in grace, discipleship, and numbers. Bless us with the strength to proclaim your gospel and share the love of your son Jesus Christ with all the world. Open our hearts and minds, our lives and love, to those outside our doors so that we may reach out and serve them in your name. We ask this for the sake of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

For St. Matthew:

We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

For the Anglican Communion:

Open our hearts O Lord and kindle in us the fire of your love. Renew in us a zeal for justice, peace and the welfare of all God's creation. Bless all who work in the structures of the United Nations around the world, and make us all worthy of our calling to serve others.

May our own Anglican Communion of churches shine as a beacon of hope and faith in this our broken world and may we all, in our own vocation and ministry, empower others to be instruments of blessing in the nations we represent.

This we pray in the name of the crucified and risen Saviour, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Used at the Zanzibar Mass and Installation of Dr Hellen Wangusa as Anglican Observer at the United Nations
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/42/50/acns4257.cfm

For a Birthday:

Oh God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor on your servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all their days; though Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
page 830, BCP