Thursday 24th November 2022

Meeting details

Morning prayer is hosted by Graham on weekday mornings at 07:30 when it is not a public holiday. If you want to recall a particular day's liturgy you can add the date to the end of the web address (YYYY-MM-DD). Here is a real-world example https://morningprayer.torrix.uk/2020-11-16.

Join via Zoom

Meeting ID: 886 6182 8034
Passcode: morning

You can join by telephone if you wish:

+44 203 901 7895 (United Kingdom)
Passcode: 5521199

Meeting expectations

This is a short service that you are welcome to invite anyone to. It will last no more than 20 minutes.

There will be opportunities for you to contribute by saying some of the prayers or reading scripture. There is no obligation to participate.

You are welcome to join with your camera off and to keep your microphone muted.

Opening

One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek Him in His temple.

Call: Who is it that you seek?
Response: We seek the Lord our God.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your heart?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your soul?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your mind?
Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Call: Do you seek Him with all your strength?
Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Declaration of faith

We believe in God who celebrates and affirms every person and does not discriminate.

We will allow ourselves to be challenged and will not discriminate against people on grounds of

disability or economic power,
ethnicity or gender,
gender identity or mental health,
neurodiversity or sexuality.

We believe in a Church that:

welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ;
Listens to the scriptures and learns from them;
seeks to share the stories of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit;
And allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.

Scripture reading

Proverbs 21

21The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
   he turns it wherever he will.
² All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,
   but the Lord weighs the heart.
³ To do righteousness and justice
   is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart
   the lamp of the wickedare sin.
⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
   but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.
⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
   is a fleeting vapour and a snare^* of death.
⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
   because they refuse to do what is just.
⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked,
   but the conduct of the pure is right.
⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
   than in a house shared with a contentious wife.
¹⁰ The souls of the wicked desire evil;
   their neighbours find no mercy in their eyes.
¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;
   when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.
¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
   he casts the wicked down to ruin.
¹³ If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,
   you will cry out and not be heard.
¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger;
   and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.
¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,
   but dismay to evildoers.
¹⁶ Whoever wanders from the way of understanding
   will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;
   whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
   and the faithless for the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
   than with a contentious and fretful wife.
²⁰ Precious treasure remains^* in the house of the wise,
   but the fool devours it.
²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
   will find life^* and honour.
²² One wise person went up against a city of warriors
   and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.
²³ To watch over mouth and tongue
   is to keep out of trouble.
²⁴ The proud, haughty person, named Scoffer,
   acts with arrogant pride.
²⁵ The craving of the lazy person is fatal,
   for lazy hands refuse to labour.
²⁶ All day long the wicked covet,^*
   but the righteous give and do not hold back.
²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
   how much more when brought with evil intent.
²⁸ A false witness will perish,
   but a good listener will testify successfully.
²⁹ The wicked put on a bold face,
   but the upright give thought to^* their ways.
³⁰ No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel,
   can avail against the Lord.
³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
   but the victory belongs to the Lord.

NRSV

Prayers for others

Canticle

Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks to me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

Acknowledgements

Structure, Opening, Canticle and Blessing:: Taken from Morning Prayer from Northumbria Community’s Celtic Daily Prayer published by Collins.
Declaration of Faith: Adapted from http://inclusive-church.org/.
Scriptures: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.