Almighty God,
who gave such grace to your apostle Saint Andrew
that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ
and brought his brother with him:
call us by your holy word,
and give us grace to follow you without delay
and to tell the good news of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All four Gospels tell us that prayer was a very important part of Jesus' life. Following Jesus’ example means that praying is an essential part of being a Christian.
Jesus taught us a simple and well known prayer.
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.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
If you are not used to praying, you may find the following suggestion for a simple pattern of daily prayer useful.
Find a place where you can be quiet and alone for a few minutes.
· Make the sign of the cross saying 'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'. This is a simple but profound action - the sign of the cross calls to mind Jesus' saving death on the cross, whilst the words summarise the great truth of the Christian faith, that the one God is three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - the Holy Trinity.
· Reflect on the past day, calling to mind everything that has happened, asking for forgiveness for times when you have done wrong, and giving thanks for everything that is good.
· Call to mind people you have met in the past day, people close to you, and anyone you know to be in need.
· Try and remain quiet for a few minutes more, then say the Lord's Prayer to finish.
The prayer of the Church
The Christian life is not one lived in isolation but as part of a community that stretches across time and space, and also between heaven and earth.
Personal prayer is only one part of the spiritual life of the Christian, and participation in the worship and prayer of the church is also essential.
The most important way of sharing in the life of the Church is through the Sacraments - initiation into the church by Baptism and Confirmation, and regular nourishment and union with Christ through the Eucharist.
Other sacraments have been given by Christ to his Church to sustain us in our journey. For those in need of healing, we offer the Sacrament of Anointing at our bi-monthly healing Eucharist on a Saturday morning, and when visiting the sick at home or hospital. The Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession provides a way of acknowledging our sinfulness and separation from God, and receiving in a personal way the grace and assurance of God's forgiveness - this sacrament is available by appointment.
In addition to the sacraments, each day throughout the
world there is a constant cycle of daily prayer offered by the Church. This is
known as the daily 'office', and each service or 'hour' of the office
(Morning and Evening Prayer being the most important) consists of psalms, canticles
(songs from scripture), one or more readings from scripture, and some
concluding prayers.
A prayer for the beginning of the day: O lord our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (from the Book of Common Prayer 1662)
A prayer for the end of the day: Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen (from the Book of Common Prayer 1662)
click here for
suggestions about how to pray
Invitation to Prayer web site
Click here for the Church of England's morning prayers service for today (CW)
Click here for the Church of England's evening prayers service for today (CW)