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First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people . . .
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2: 1-4 ESV
Welcome to our November 2014 First Friday Call to Prayer. Our aim is to provide you with teaching that we trust will enhance your prayer life and will be an encouragement to you. We will also provide you with praise items and prayer requests coming from within ANiC and the Anglican Communion worldwide.
We encourage you to set aside the first Friday, November 7th, as a day of prayer and fasting in these critical days, ideally gathering with other believers in your parish or region for corporate prayer at some point in the day.
Prayer Quote
Prayer is not monologue, but dialogue: God’s voice is its most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret of the assurance that He will listen to mine.
Andrew Murray (1828 – 1917)
Praying for ANiC Synod
This month’s edition of the first Friday Call to Prayer has been sent to you a little earlier than normal because of Bishop Charlie Master’s deep desire that all members of ANiC churches would be praying for our Diocesan Synod, November 5-7, which will be almost completed by November’s first Friday. Please take this privilege and responsibility seriously.
Both the Anglican Network in Canada (our diocese) and the Anglican Church of North America (our province) are beginning new chapters in their short histories because of the new leadership that has recently been set in place. Bishop Charlie Masters and Archbishop Foley Beach have been clearly called by God to lead our Church over the coming years in new initiatives of Gospel proclamation and the making of disciples. In the midst of our gratitude for these new leaders, we are also profoundly grateful for Bishop Don Harvey and Archbishop Bob Duncan who courageously led us through the early, perilous years of our formation.
In the distant past, diocesan synods were not always looked forward to with joyous anticipation. But since the formation of ANiC, there is indeed a growing sense of expectancy to hear what the Lord has been doing in our midst and to receive clear vision for the future. In his first bishop’s charge to synod on Thursday morning, Bishop Charlie will be outlining five specific priorities for his ministry as bishop that we will be able to apply directly to our individual parish lives. I know that his deepest prayer request in this season is that the Holy Spirit would give delegates to synod a clear vision of God’s will and purpose for us as we move forward in him. Please pray for revelation by the Spirit to all who are gathered.
There are two other major events of note. There will be a banquet on Wednesday evening to honour Bishop Don for his years of pioneering leadership, and on Thursday evening there will be the official “Investiture” service for Bishop Charlie led by our primate, Archbishop Beach. Both of these events will be joyous celebrations as we thank God for where we have been and for what lies ahead. May these Godly leaders be duly honoured, and may the Name of the Lord be glorified in all that transpires!
Not all of us can attend synod, but all of us can pray for synod and participate in a very significant way by doing so. As well as the requests that I have mentioned above and the ways that the Lord may specifically direct your prayer, I have included below a more general prayer that could be used daily leading up to synod, and in the Intercessions or Prayers of the People on the Sunday morning prior. May the Lord bless each one of us as we serve him in this strategic and powerful way.
PRAYER FOR ANiC SYNOD 2014
Almighty God, you have demonstrated your favour and covenant faithfulness to your people, both in the accounts of Scripture and in the experience of the Church through the centuries. We thank you for your tender care for ANiC and our local congregations over our brief history.
Visit us, we pray, by your Spirit with Wisdom and Power at our upcoming Diocesan Synod in Ottawa. Preside as Lord and King over all that transpires. Grant discernment and unity to all delegates. Protect us from any snares of the evil one, and may all that is decided be in complete accordance with your perfect will for ANiC. This we ask in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen
Garth V. Hunt+
Thoughts on Revival Prayer
In this feature, we will share thoughts on how we might be praying for revival in our church and in our nation. Do feel free to send me via email any insights you may have on how we might learn to grow in this type of prayer.
"Men are not going to be impressed by our nicely worded sermons or our essays on the ethical interests of human life. We need to pray the prayer of the Prophet: "O that Thou wouldst rend the heavens, that Thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at Thy presence" (Isa. 64:1). Our need is for a demonstration of the supernatural, lifting men from the plane of the ordinary to the realm of the extraordinary — to the higher heights of God-realization."
Duncan Campbell
"It is my conviction that we are never going to have revival until God has brought the church of Jesus Christ to the point of desperation. As long as Christian people can trust religious organization, material wealth, popular preaching, shallow evangelistic crusades and promotion drives, there will never be revival. But when confidence in the flesh is smashed, and the church comes to the realization of her desperate wretchedness, blindness and nakedness before God, then and only then will God breathe in. Yes, there must be the point of desperation but there must also be the point of intercession. Oh, that God would bring us to this place of intercession! We cannot think or talk, let alone taste of revival, without intercessory prayer. Indeed, the reason for an unrevived church in the last analysis is the sin of prayerlessness."
Stephen Olford
Praise God …
That He reigns supreme. Despite the chaos and evil in the world, God is working out His purposes for His glory and our good!
For the privilege of interceding on behalf of those around the world who are in desperate need.
For the incredible gift that God has given us in prayer – immediate access to our Father at any time of day or night. Thank Him for the incredible privilege of participating with him through prayer in his grand redemption plan.
For faithful Anglican primates, bishops, clergy and laity – throughout the Communion – who are standing for truth even when their stand for Christ and His Word makes them targets of attack.
Confess if needed…
Times where we have grown weary and allowed doubt and apathy to erode our fervour in prayer for renewal in the Church and revival to sweep across our land.
Our complacency in praying for Christians who are being persecuted and terrorized for the sake of Jesus’ Name. Ask the Lord for forgiveness for our preoccupation with “self” and our own needs at the expense of others in enormously greater need.
Please pray…
For our new primate Archbishop Foley Beach. Pray for great wisdom, courage and strength as he gives leadership too our province. May God glorify Himself through the ACNA.
For Bishop Charlie Masters (& Judy) – Pray for our new diocesan bishop as he leads ANiC. May God grant him vision, spiritual protection, and spiritual and physical renewal.
For Bishop Don Harvey (& Trudy) – Pray for Bishop Don in his new role as senior chaplain to the ACNA College of Bishops.
For ANiC’s suffragan bishops: Stephen Leung (& Nona) and Trevor Walters (& Dede). Pray for discernment, energy and grace as they care for their clergy and congregations. Also for Bishops Ron Ferris and Malcolm Harding.
For our Archdeacons: the Venerables Ron Corcoran (Vancouver Island), Dan Gifford (BC), Paul Charbonneau (Ontario), Tim Parent (Ottawa Valley), Paul Crossland (Prairies), Michael McKinnon (New England, USA), and Darrell Critch (Atlantic Region & Quebec) – and our Dean of Multicultural Ministries, the Very Rev Dr Archie Pell.
For all ANiC clergy and families, especially those experiencing spiritual and physical attack.
For the ANiC congregations that have lost their places of worship and are meeting in temporary facilities. May God comfort and pour out His blessing on them. Pray especially for the rector, Canon Tom Carman, the leadership, and the people of St Aidan’s, Windsor, ON, as they work through the financial impact of a surprisingly unfavourable legal decision.
For the Anglican Relief and Development Fund Canada (ARDFC) as it raises funds for a pediatric ward for a busy health care centre in Yei, South Sudan. Pray also for peace in that troubled country.
For Canon Andrew White and the staff of St. George’s, Baghdad, in their courageous witness in the face of such overwhelming adversity. Pray for courage, safety and the provision of basic needs for them and the people that they serve.
For those who serve us and are in authority over us – our police forces, our armed forces, our emergency responders, our municipal elected officials, our provincial MLAs and premiers, and our federal MPs and Prime Minister.
For God’s wisdom for the world’s leaders with regard to the Ukraine, Syria and Iraq. Pray that the evil one’s agenda for violence, hatred and bloodshed would be averted. Pray for protection of innocent civilians – adults and children – who so often are the victims in today’s urban warfare.
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