Introduction and First Prayer
This part should take approximately 20 minutes.
Read by Leader
First, who will be the “Note” reader? You butt in and read the “Note” when it shows up.
Who has the courage to be the gong person? You will help us to only give thanks and praise. So if any of us digresses into supplication, you hit the gong to remind the pray-er to only praise or give thanks.
Read by Designated Note Reader
The Gong person will need grace to take reproach.
Read by Leader
This one hour session is unique in that we will only praise and give thanks (except in our opening prayer). We won't make any requests. We will learn how to overcome by just praising God. So let us start this session by saying one of the prayers that we are told to pray from 1 Chronicles 16:35. It begins with "and say ye" so let's say it together...
All Together
And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and triumph in thy praise. 1 Chronicles 16:35 (Portfolio of Scriptures Told to Pray, page 2, #15
Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. (Psalms 106:47)
Read by Leader
Now we all will read from Book of Common Prayer #6.
All Together
ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we thank thee, for giving us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end.
Notes
Pause for those who desire now to offer up their praises and thanksgivings for God's late mercies vouchsafed unto them. Amen.