Office for Christian Unity,
Thursday, September 15th, 2022
Word of introduction
(to be read at the beginning of the office)
The 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (W.C.C.) met in the heart of Europe, in Karlsruhe, Germany, from August 31 to September 8.
The Assembly is a crucial moment in the life of the World Council of Churches. It meets every eight years. It is the only time when the entire fellowship of member churches comes together in one place for prayer and celebration.
The Fellowship of Churches gathered around a theme inspired by the second letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor 5,14) “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity”
The texts and the intercessions are inspired by the prayer booklet of the participants in the Assembly
Suggested Biblical Text
Mark 3:31-33
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then, glancing at those who were seated around him: Behold, he said, my mother and my brothers.
Meditation
Sit around the table of Jesus Christ again
You, whose lives have been quickened by the Spirit and born of the Gospel, sit down again at the table, around Jesus Christ. Whatever your gifts and qualifications, widen the circle around Jesus Christ still further. With your crutches and your stigmata, with the enigmas of your cultures, gather around Jesus Christ. Love teaches us that skin colour or status cannot separate us as long as we are around Jesus Christ.
Failing families, adrift humans, all are accepted around Jesus Christ. We belong together because we are around Jesus Christ. My mother, my brethren are all that are gathered together by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Intercessions
To be used as appropriate
The World Council of Churches brings together 352 denominations. We sometimes find it difficult to imagine this diversity. By naming some of these Churches, we want to broaden our prayer, to go beyond our stereotypical images. Jesus invites all believers to his table, around him.
(Intercessory Chorus)
1 / For the Philippine Baptist Convention,
For the Anglican Communion of Japan,
For the African Church in South Sudan and Sudan,
For the Assyrian Apostolic Church of the East,
Here are our brothers and sisters gathered around Jesus Christ. For them we invoke the Spirit.
(Intercessory Chorus)
2/For the Christian Church of Java,
For the Christian Reformed Church of Serbia and Montenegro,
For the Free Pentecostal Mission Church of Chile,
For the Mennonite Community of Congo,
Here are our brothers and sisters gathered around Jesus Christ. For them we invoke the Spirit.
(Intercessory Chorus)
3/ For the Lutheran Synod of El Salvador
For the Evangelical Church of Vaud
For the Methodist Church of Peru
For the Moravian Church of Surinam
Here are our brothers and sisters gathered around Jesus Christ. For them we invoke the Spirit.