Prayers for Special Synod 2022

Lord, Have Mercy … on our Special Synod

Our first-ever “Special Synod” is just a month away. As for previous Synods, we are all invited to pray for Archbishop Lynne and the delegates on October 1, 9 am – 3 pm (Pacific). It will be a busy day of on-line business: reviewing financial statements, discussing resolutions, hearing from the Structures Working Group, worshipping together, and making decisions. And through these deliberations, God will continue to plant the seeds for our collective future. Water them. Nurture them. So, indeed, let’s ALL pray!
Aside from “Lord, have mercy,” some may wonder what to pray, so here are some ideas.
That the Synod may:

• “seek first God’s glory and honour” (Book of Alternative Services, p. 676).
• For delegates to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit and to each other.
• “To save [them] from all error, ignorance, pride and prejudice” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 54).
• To discern our role in growing the “new thing(s)” God is doing.

Here’s another idea: Pray the evocative Prayer for Renewal written by Andrew Stephens-Rennie for the Diocese on behalf of the Structures Working Group and printed here. Pray it ever so slowly on October 1! Pray it with your parish every Sunday leading up to the Special Synod and afterwards too.

Also, be sure to look out for “the list.” If you are like me, it is often easier to pray if the details are concrete. God, of course, knows the specifics and exactly what is needed, but (spoiler alert) we are not God. So to help us better understand what is on the hearts of parishes in the Diocese, the Spiritual Development Committee will be asking each congregation what it is thankful for and what is its deep desire or dream. This “list” of thanksgivings and desires/dreams will then be circulated to the delegates and the regional prayer contacts just before the October 1 Special Synod.

Your prayers are needed. Find out what your region is doing during its assigned prayer slot and join in. The regional time slots are: East Kootenays—9 to 10 PST, West Kootenays—10 to 11 PST, South Okanagan—11 to 12 PST, Central Okanagan—1 to 2 pm PST, and North Okanagan—2 to 3 pm PST. Or just pray all day! May an abundance of prayers rain down on the Special Synod for the Diocese of Kootenay!

Prayer for Renewal

O God who knows the needs of the Church in every place:
by the light of your Holy Spirit,
guide us as we seek to respond faithfully to you in this time.
May we open our hands to the future you call us to;
May we open our hearts to those you are calling us to serve;
May we open our minds to new insight and new knowledge;
May we open our doors to go out towards those you would have us meet.
Lead us into your future together;
Help us to build trust and resilience in our common life;
Help us to anticipate and celebrate new possibilities.
We pray these things in the name of Jesus,
The one who invites us into the newness of life. Amen