1st MARCH WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER ADDRESS

Deacon Chris Saccali

 

1^st MARCH WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER ADDRESS

1. WELCOME TO YOU ALL, KALOSORISATE STO ST PAUL’S FROM ALL THE TEAM HERE , I AM THE DEACON OF THE PARISH, A RATHER EXTENSIVE PARISH COVERING ATHENS AND BEYOND.

 

2. WE ARE DELIGHTED TO BE HOSTING THE WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER 2019. WE BELONG TO THE EASTERN ARCHDEACONRY WITHIN THE DIOCESE IN EUROPE AND SLOVENIA, AND THE SMALL WORSHIPPING GROUP IN LUBIJIANA, IS PART OF THAT SERVED BY THE CHAPLAIN IN VIENNA.

 

3. THIS IS A HOUSE OF PRAYER; WE WORSHIP HERE SUNDAY BY SUNDAY AND DURING THE WEEK.

 

4. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A PRAYING COMMUNITY AND ONE SITUATED HERE IN THE HEART OF ATHENS?

 

5. WELL, WE INTEND TO OPEN UP THE CHURCH ON A REGULAR BASIS RATHER AS WE DID DURING THE ATHENS OLYMPICS SO PEOPLE CAN COME IN TO SIT, PRAY, LIGHT A CANDLE OR WANDER AROUND.

 

6. PRAYER DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE BUT A POWERFUL PRESENCE AND AN ON- GOING ONE IN OUR LIVES.

 

7. HOW CAN WE SUSTAIN A PRAYERLIFE AND HOW DOES THAT IN TURN SUSTAIN US AS INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, COMMUNITY AND THE CHURCH?

 

8. LET US HEAR FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE AND OTHERS ABOUT PRAYER

THE PSALMIST SAYS “CAST YOUR CARES ON THE LORD AND HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU.” JESUS” MINISTRY IS SUSTAINED BY PRAYER AND HE TEACHES HIS DISCIPLES AND US TO PRAY BY WITHDRAWING FROM THE WORLD. PAUL IN HIS LETTER TO THESSALONIKI DISCIPLES URGES THEM TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

 

9. MOTHER TERESA SAYS ON PRAYER: “ I used to pray that God would feed the hungry or do this or that but now I pray that he will guide me to do whatever I am supposed to do, what I can do. I used to pray for answers now I pray for strength. I used to believe that prayer changes things but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things.” AMEN TO THAT GOD ACTING AND INTERACTING IN RELATIONSHIP WITH US AND HIS CREATED WORLD THROUGH PRAYER

 

11. THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PRAYER FOR EVERYONE SO WE CAN EXPERIMENT AND SEE WHAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH OR MAYBE CONSIDER GOING BEYOND OUR COMFORT ZONE: CONTEMPLATIVE, SILENT, IN TONGUES, EX TEMPORE, TAIZE CHANTS, FORMAL AND INFORMAL INTERCESSIONS , COLLECT FOR THE DAY OR SEASON.

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12. INVITE ALL TO JOIN IN PRAYER WHICH IS INCLUSIVE NOT EXCLUSIVE JUST AS THE PARABLE WE HEARD OF THE INVITATION TO THE WEDDING BANQUET. IN MY EXPERIENCE AND MINISTRY NO ONE HAS EVER TURNED DOWN THE OFFER OF PRAYER SUPPORT EVEN OR ESPECIALLY NON BELIEVERS AND MANY REQUEST IT. SOMETIMES IT IS HARD FOR US TO ASK.

13.  FINALLY THERE WILL BE A SCROLL WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT TODAY’S THEME “ALL ARE INVITED” AVAILABLE TO TAKE HOME AND CONSIDER PRAYFULLY AS WE STEP INTO LENT TOGETHER IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS.

PLEASE ALSO COME UP TO THE ALTAR AT TO END TO SEE THE BANQUET LAID WITH SPECIAL DECORATIVE BREADS OF SLOVENIA, SALT, WINE AND WATER SYMBOLISING  OUR COMMON FAITH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT IS PRAYER ? ACROSTIC

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