Devoting Ourselves to Prayer
Ascension Day to the Day of Pentecost
May 25 to June 4, 2017
St. Luke writes that following the Ascension of the Lord, the disciples were gathered in an upper room “constantly devoting themselves to prayer”. A number of women joined them including Mary, the mother of Jesus. (Acts 1:14).
In response to a global initiative by the Archbishop of Canterbury, called “Thy Kingdom Come”, parishes, prayer groups, families, and individuals are asked to answer a call to prayer between Ascension Day and the Day of Pentecost, 2017 (May 25 to June 4).
Responses to this call can be done in a variety of ways during the 11 days. Some will respond through the daily round of morning and night prayers and some in a round of prayers in the early evening of these eleven days. Some may be in the quiet of a chapel or the chancel of the church, and some in the space of a circle of friends gathered in prayer in one of their homes. Some may choose to walk a labyrinth, and some may organize walks in the community with prayer at various locations. The important thing is that, like those first followers of Christ, ‘we devote ourselves to prayer’ for the Church and our faithfulness to God’s mission in the world. In participating, we are asked to pray for fresh outpourings of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in a variety of ministries to which we are deeply committed in local contexts and across the country.
Suggested Prayer Focus
Thursday, May 25th – Ascension Day. Pray for Congregational Health and Vitality.
Friday, May 26th. Pray for initiatives in evangelism nurturing people for life long discipleship.
Saturday, May 27th. Pray for the protection and nurture of children, for youth and young adult ministries
Sunday, May 28th – The Sunday after Ascension Day. Pray for all our partnerships in the Gospel – within our own Church and with other Churches.
Monday, May 29th, Pray for healing and reconciliation within our Church and our country in responding to the Calls to Action from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Tuesday, May 30th. Pray for the work of the Anglican Healing Fund and for recovery of language and culture, for celebrating aboriginal identity.
Wednesday, May 31st. Pray for all efforts in partnership with Indigenous elders, youth, bishops and clergy in building a truly Indigenous Church within The Anglican Church of Canada.
Thursday, June 1st. Pray for ministries with those caught in the grip of poverty, and for initiatives to eradicate poverty.
Friday, June 2nd. Pray for ministries devoted to addressing violence of every kind, and for all ministries grounded in commitments to dignity and justice for all people.
Saturday, June 3rd. Pray for ministries focussed on the care of creation, for our calling to be “healers” of the earth.
Sunday, June 4th – the Day of Pentecost. Pray for a celebration of the many languages in which the Gospel of Christ is proclaimed and for our common witness to the Gospel.
Find Out More
To help with encouraging prayer activities, information, suggestions and materials are available at www.thykingdomcome.global, and at the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer website, www.anglicanprayer.org.