Opening Prayer
O our God, we believe in thee, we hope in thee, and we love thee, because thou hast created us, redeemed us, and dost sanctify us. Increase our faith, strengthen our hope, and deepen our love, that giving up ourselves wholly to thy will, we may serve thee faithfully all the rest of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
—Anonymous
TEXT
John 17:13-19 NRSV
“But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”
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Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed that all your children might be one in you; we pray for the restoration of visible unity to your church. Forgive the pride and the lack of love, which have driven us apart. Take away our narrow-mindedness, our bitterness, our prejudice. May we never consider as normal the disunity, which is a scandal to the world and an offence to your love. Teach us to recognize the gifts of your grace in all those who call upon you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
— Anonymous (French Reformed)