Two Very Particular Prayer Requests
We are taking Friday, November 2, 2018 as a day of prayer and fasting. Read below for details about two prayer requests we’d like to focus on.
Bishop Stephen Leung, his wife, Nona, and their daughter, Grace.
As many of you will know, Janice Leung, Bishop Stephen and Nona’s younger daughter, passed away unexpectedly on October 18thin Edmonton, where she had been studying. In the words of Bishop Charlie, “We are heartbroken with them and cry out for the mercy and comfort of the Lord which he has promised. And as we pray, let us allow the Holy Spirit to send his comfort found in the promises of God in his Word.”
“I AM persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38,39
This is a profound loss for our whole ANiC community. Please continue to uphold the Leung family and the people of Church of the Good Shepherd in prayer throughout these most difficult of times.
Synod 2018, “For the Harvest”
Every year at this time we ask for concerted prayers for our upcoming synod. This year, our eleventh, is no exception. The difference, this time, is that there are weighty decisions to be made that will affect our future; decisions around diocesan structures that may impact our effectiveness as bold witnesses. Our bishops’ profound desire is that none of these such issues distract us from the real purpose of our existence – to be bold witnesses for the Gospel of Christ.
With that most important outcome in mind, let’s undergird our synod with fervent prayer. Here are some suggestions:
1. Pray that each attendee, whether they be a bishop, priest, deacon, lay delegate or observer, might be deeply refreshed and strengthened in both their knowledge and experience of the grace that is in Christ Jesus for them.
2. Pray for those at the ANiC office and the host church, St. Matthews, Abbotsford, who have responsibility for all the logistics and details of synod, that they, too, might remember the Harvest as our highest priority in the midst of their tasks. Pray that they would remember and believe His promise that “My Grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness”. (2 Cor. 12:9)
3. Pray for those delegates for whom the past year may have been difficult or disappointing, either personally or in their parish ministry. Ask the Lord to give them a fresh vision of Jesus’ approval of them and His purpose for them. May they grasp that they are His beloved and in whom He is well pleased.
4. Pray for a clear and unified word by the Holy Spirit from all who teach, whether at clergy day, workshops, or morning Bible studies and worship services, that all might return to their respective parishes with renewed passion that, despite whatever circumstances, “the Word of God is not bound” and that the power of the Gospel of Christ is still able to bring transformation to the darkest life.
5. Pray for the unity of the Holy Spirit that, in all that we say or decisions that we make, all may be done in the bond of peace. At the conclusion of synod, may we all be able to say, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us!” (Acts 15:28)
You can continue reading about our day of prayer and fasting on Friday, November 2, 2018 with this brief article about fasting:
