Intercession (BCP Holy Communion)

[I’ve updated the language, and added a couple of explanatory comments on the way through]

Let us pray for the whole state of Christ's Church militant here in earth.

[Historically, Christians have held the idea that Christians who die become part of the ‘Church Triumphant’. They have finished their race, and have arrived at their destination. They are now waiting with Christ for the Day of Resurrection. Those of us who are still living in this fallen world are part of the Church militant. We are still in the midst of the fight against sin, the world and the devil]

ALMIGHTY and everliving God,

by your holy Apostles, you have taught us to make prayers and supplications [earnest or humble request], and to give thanks for everyone:

We humbly beseech You to most mercifully to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto Your Divine Majesty;

[This really captures much we were thinking about in our term’s study on the Lord’s Prayer. Our approach to God is characterised by reverence and awe. We apprapoch God as our Father, yes, but our Father, in heaven. That is not something to be taken lightly, and this introduction sets the tone. Now - onto what we actually pray for:]

We plead with you to inspire continually the universal Church with the Spirit of truth, unity, and concord [peace & agreement]:

And grant, that all who sincerely confess Your holy Name may agree in the truth of Your holy Word, and live in unity, and godly love.

We also earnestly request that you would save and defend all Christian Rulers and Governments; and especially that you would save our own King, Your servant CHARLES so that under him we may be goverened in a way that is informed by your vision for human society:

And grant unto his whole Council and Government and to all that are put in authority under him, that they may truly and impartially administer justice: that they would punish wickedness and vice, and maintain justice and virtue. And that they would govern in a way that would maintain the freedom of the Church to worship and evangelise in accordance with your Word.

Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all Bishops and Clergy, that they may both by their life and doctrine set forth Your true and living Word, and rightly and duly administer Your holy Sacraments

And to all Your people give Your heavenly grace. We pray that especially for this congregation here present; that, with meek heart and due reverence, they may hear, and receive Your holy Word; and that by your Spirit, we would learn how to truly serve You in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.

And we most humbly beg taht in Your goodness, O Lord, You would comfort and help / support all them, who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.

We also bless Your holy Name for all Your servants who have lived faithfully through this life, and who have now died in the fear [reverence] of Christ; Lord, in your mercy, would you give us grace to follow their good examples in life and in death, so that with them we may be partakers of Your heavenly kingdom:

Grant this, O Father, for Jesus Christ's sake,

for He is our only Mediator and Advocate.

Amen.

Taking notes on Sermons & Bible Studies

OK - so this guy has some detailed ideas about taking and filing notes in a way that means you can keep track of them, and find them easily… It’s pretty old school (pen and paper). You may well find that using a phone / tablet takes a lot of the hassle out the system! The second video is a Ted-x talk on visual / sketch noting, which gives a different angle on the whole thing, that you might find more helpful

the unspoken desire of any authentic congregation:

We need help in keeping our beliefs sharp and accurate and intact. We don’t trust ourselves; our emotions seduce us into infidelities. We know we are launched on a difficult and dangerous act of faith, and there are strong influences intent on diluting or destroying it. We want you to give us help. Be our pastor, a minister of Word and Sacrament in the middle of this world’s life. Minister with Word and Sacrament in all the different parts and stages of our lives: in our work and play, with our children and our parents, at birth and death, in our celebrations and sorrows, on those days when the morning breaks over us in a wash of sunshine, and those other days that are all drizzle. This isn’t the only task in the life of faith, but it is your task. We will find someone else to do the other important and essential tasks. But this is yours: Word and Sacrament.

One more thing: We are going to ordain you to this ministry, and we want your vow that you will stick to it. This is not a temporary job assignment but a way of life that we need lived out in our community. We know you are launched on the same difficult venture in the same dangerous world as we are. We know your emotions are as fickle as ours, and your mind is as tricky as ours. That is why we are going to ordain you and why we exact a vow from you. We know there will be days and months, maybe even years, when we won’t feel like believing anything, and won’t want to hear it from you. And we know there will be days and weeks, and maybe even years when you won’t feel like saying it. It doesn’t matter. Do it. You are ordained to this ministry, vowed to it.

There may be times when we come to you as a committee, or delegation and demand that you tell us something else than what we are telling you know. Promise right now that you won’t give in to what we demand of you. You are not the minister of our changing desires, or our time-conditioned understanding of our needs, or our secularised hopes for something better. With these vows of ordination we are lashing you fast to the mast of Word and Sacrament, so you will be unable to respond to the siren voices… even when they are ours.

There are many other things to be done in this wrecked world, and we are going to be doing at least some of them, but if we don’t know the foundational realities with which we are dealing - God, Kingdom, Gospel - we are going to end up living futile, fantasy lives. Your task is to keep telling the basic story, representing the presence of the Spirit, insisting on the prriority of God’s Word, speaking His command and promise and invitation…

taken from: Eugene Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor, 138-139