Brothers,

Thanks for your messages regarding leading our people into prayer together at this time of tragedy.  Prince of Peace will be holding a prayer service on Thursday at 7:30 pm. I'll be using some of the resources you have seen.  Also I have attached a file which contains something I put together and used last night with our Church Council men. We had a meeting scheduled for Tues night which we still held and used this in place of the usual Bible study I have at the beginning of the meeting.  I made comments on the readings as we went along and led (ex corde) prayer following them. The other prayers we prayed together or responsively. (these were taken from the Altar book prayer section). God be with you as you focus troubled minds and souls on the Prince of Peace.

Prayer for our Nation
Prince of Peace Church Council, 
September 11, 2001

Ps 86:1-17  

Hear, O LORD, and answer me, 
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, 
for I am devoted to you. 
You are my God; 
save your servant who trusts in you.
Have mercy on me, 
O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, 
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, 
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, O LORD; 
listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, 
for you will answer me.

1 Tim 2:1-4  
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 

Prayer:

Mt 24:3-6  
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"  4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you.  5 For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

Prayer

Ps 90:1-3  
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.  2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.  3 You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." ....……. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Prayer
Heb 13:14-15 
14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually  offer to God a sacrifice of praise-- the fruit of lips that confess his name.

Prayer

Prayer by all
Sovereign Lord, we bow low before you in this time of national calamity. We confess that as a nation we have deserved your chastening judgment. Yet we also trust your promises that, even when you chasten, you purposes are loving and good. Be present with your strong comfort among those most directly affected by this calamity, and in your mercy make shattered lives whole again. Use this tragedy to make us as a nation deeply aware of our total dependence on you. Give us courage to face whatever the future holds, knowing that it and we are in your hands.

M:	Almighty God, we acknowledge with thanks that all we have and enjoy is a gift from your gracious hand. We come before you today in heartfelt appreciation for our nation and its people.
C:	We thank you for enabling us to worship you in freedom and to serve you without fear.
M:	You have enriched us with the bounties of farm and factory, the beauty of forest and mountain, and the marvels of medicine and science.
C:	For all these blessings, we praise and glorify you.
M:	Look with favor upon our nation, and preserve our cherished liberties. Enable our leaders to govern with wisdom, honesty, courage, and justice. Protect those who serve in the armed forces and those who maintain peace and safety in our communities.
C:	Give us willingness to obey our nation’s laws and to work for the common good.. Teach us not to worry but to cast all our cares on you.
M:	Strengthen the homes of our nation. By your Spirit lead husbands and wives to love each other, parents to nurture their children, young adults to assume responsibility, and children to show respect.
	Hear us, Lord, as we bring you our private petitions.
Silent prayer.

Prayer by all:
Lord God ruler of all we commend our nation and its leaders to your care. Bless our president, the members of Congress, and all officials who serve us in state country, and local government. Impress on all who are in authority the sacredness of the responsibility you have placed on them. Give them the gifts required for leadership, wisdom to make decisions that will bring order and justice to our society, and compassion for the suffering. Purge our land from dishonesty and corruption. Teach us to honor all civil authorities as your representatives. Through stable government provide throughout our land an atmosphere in which your Church can do its work in peace.

Is 55:5-11  
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor." 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.  8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 

Prayer:

Hymn--- CW 620 

To you, our God, we fly For mercy and for grace
Oh, hear our lowly cry  And do not hide your face!
O Lord, stretch forth your mighty hand
And guard and bless our native land.

The pow’rs that you ordained  With heav’nly wisdom bless;
May evil be restrained  Replaced by righteousness.
O Lord, stretch forth your mighty hand
And guard and bless our native land.

Though vain and foolish, still  We are your people, Lord
Oh, bend us to your will; We’ll serve no other God!
O Lord, stretch forth your mighty hand
And guard and bless our native land.

END