May 15, 2020

"Lord, teach us to pray..."


Dear Friends,

When Jesus was asked by his disciples how they should pray, he responded, 

“When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come. 
Give us each day our daily bread. 
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial."

Day after day, week after week, generation after generation, we echo this prayer that our Lord Jesus taught his disciples.  It is the heartbeat of our tradition as followers of the Risen Christ.

Since 2016, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have invited Christians from around the world to join in praying these profound words, ‘ Thy Kingdom Come ,’ in an intentional way during the ten days from Ascension until Pentecost.  A year ago, as we prepared to begin our new relationship as priest and people, I invited us to join this movement.  Again this year, I invite us to unite our prayers with those of Christians around the world, beginning on Ascension Day, May 21, and continuing through the Day of Pentecost, May 31.  Some resources to aid us in our prayers are included at the bottom of this e-mail and are also available online at thykingdomcome.global .

There is so much for which we need to pray in these days – for our own needs and desires, for those we love and hold dear, for those from whom we are separated in these days, for the lonely, for the sick and the suffering, for those who work ministering to the needs of those who are ill, for the healing of divisions and prejudices that continue to separate us, one from another.  The list goes on and on and on.  

As we draw nearer to the conclusion of this Easter season, for ten holy days, let us pray fervently that the ways of God’s kingdom might be revealed more fully on this good earth. 

Faithfully,


The Reverend Andrew J. Hege
Rector