(Download PDF For Today’s Daily Prayer Guide)

Setting aside even a brief time each day to pray helps us create a stable spiritual center in our lives. This guided prayer is largely based on the Morning, Noon and Evening Prayer cycle found in the Book of Common Prayer.

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Online Text Version

INSTRUCTIONS: The underlined text  are headings and do not need to be read. [Brackets] are instructions to be followed but not necessarily read. (Parentheses) are references and not to be read. FOR INDIVIDUAL PRAYER: I suggest you read the prayer sheet aloud, but reading silently is fine too. Don’t pay any attention to the Bold Italic Type. FOR GROUP PRAYER: have one person act as leader. The leader reads the regular print and everyone reads the Bold Italic Type together.

Daily Prayer for December 19

Opening Sentences:

God of all ages, in the birth of Christ your boundless love for your people shattered the power of darkness. Be born in us with that same love and light, that our song may blend with all the choirs of heaven and earth to the glory of your holy name. ^ff

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to …Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you…Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David…of his kingdom there will be no end…Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word.’” (Luke 1:26-33, 38)

Praying Together

O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia.

Confession:*

God’s great gift of love was greeted by shepherds and sages, coming from rough places and foreign lands.  Earth’s people are drawn to the birthplace of God’s chosen One, sent to a weary world to wash away our sins. Let us pray:

God of love, you watch in sorrow as nation rises up against nation, as brothers and sisters live in strife.  Forgive us for tolerating injustice.  Forgive us for the fear that leads to hate. Forgive us when we fail to lead the way to peace.  Guide us by your light to the dawn of Christ’s reign of peace where strangers bearing gifts meet to worship Christ our Lord.

May God’s forgiveness and mercy grant us peace. Amen.
From Psalm 89:

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.

I declare that your steadfast love iRs established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

[Silent Prayer; or Music may be listened to; or a Hymn is sung.]

Prayers of the People:

Lord, bless those whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them and love one another as you love us.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]

Almighty God, expand our world to include those who are not like us, unify us in your love and grace.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.[Silent Prayer]

We pray your peace and good will among the nations.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.  [Silent Prayer]

Heavenly Father, have compassion on those who suffer from any grief or trouble.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]

We pray for a New Year filled with your light and hope.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.  [Silent Prayer]

We praise you and we love you and we thank you Lord, for all of the blessings you bestow upon us.  Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. [Silent Prayer]

In your mercy Lord, hear us as we pray together:

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. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer: (Romans 16:25-27)

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever!  Amen

^ff From Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, Consultation on Common Texts.

* Blair Gilmer. Meeks,  Season of Light and Hope, p. 102

Annunciation, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56722

Music Selection from The Hymnal Project

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