Where Have We Been?
Where Are We Going?
AS WE BRING THIS FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY YEAR TO A CLOSE, AN ANNIVERSARY PRAYER–
O God, our Refuge and Fortress, who in Christ has brought us into Your household, the Church, and made us fellow citizens with the saints, fill us with loving gratitude and praise for every grace and gift You have bestowed on us and on all Your people from generation to generation.
For the courage of the prophets we thank You. Give us in this day a similar spirit of loyalty and heroic zeal. For the testimony of the apostles we give You glory. Help us to continue steadfast in their doctrine and example. For the witness of all the martyrs we sing Your praise. Teach us also, O God, to take up our cross daily and follow our Savior with unfaltering steps. For the truth of the Reformers we give thanks to You. Grant us by Your mercy to have the same spirit of wisdom and understanding in the things that pertain to our eternal salvation. For those who brought the light of Your Truth to this land we thank You. Help Your Church today to hold high the light of life that all people may come to know Your love in Jesus Christ.
We give You praise, O Father, for the faith and testimony of those who have gone before us in the history of each of our congregations and of our synod. Of Your glory they have told us. Of Your goodness they have shown us. Of Your love they have spoken to us. A godly heritage they have bestowed on us their children. As You preserved them in faith and life, so preserve us, O God, by Your mercy. As You kept them in the unity of the Spirit and the bonds of peace, so keep us. As You upheld them in their labors and defended them in their trials, so uphold and defend us. As You extended loving-kindness to them in their weaknesses, so forgive us, O God of our fathers.
We pray that You would help Your Church stand firmly on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone. Help us by word and deed, by true faith, living hope, and loving service to show forth Your glory and praise and to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ.
We pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in other congregations and in other lands. Deliver them from all dangers and stretch forth over them the right hand of Your power. We pray for our church’s schools and for all Christian education to prosper. Be with us all, renew our faith, inspire in us obedience, forgive our sins, and hear our prayers, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our one Lord, through whom we are united into one body and possess one sure and certain hope–eternal life in Him. Amen.