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| Bishop Adam de Pencier |
The following prayers come from a special form of Service for Intercession for Missions authorised by His Grace Bishop Adam de Pencier, Third Bishop of New Westminster, Canada. A noteworthy feature is that His Grace saw the Advent "O" Antiphons as a declaration of the missionary calling of the Church of Jesus Christ for the evangelisation of all peoples.
The volume of services was published in 1911 with a quotation from the Lambeth Council of 1897: “We think it our duty to affirm the right of every Bishop within the jurisdiction assigned to him by the Church, to set forth or sanction additional services and prayers when he believes that God’s work may be thereby furthered, or the spiritual needs of the worshippers more fully met: and to adapt the prayers already in the Book to the special requirements of his people.”
O WISDOM, that camest out of the mouth of the Most High, mightily and sweetly ordering all things come to deliver us. Amen.
O Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the burning bush, and gavest the law on Sinai; come to deliver us with outstretched arm. Amen.
O Root of Jesse. Who standest for an ensign to the people; whom nations shall entreat; come to deliver us; tarry not. Amen.
O Key of David and Sceptre of Israel, Who openest and no man shutteth; Who shuttest and no man openeth; come to deliver the prisoners out of the prison house, who lie in darkness and the shadow of death. Amen.
O Day-spring from on high, Splendour of Eternal Light, and Son of Righteousness; come to enlighten us. Amen.
O King of Gentiles Whom they long for, and Corner Stone, Who makest both one, send forth Thy servants to the work whereto Thou hast called them. Amen.
O Emmanuel, our King and Saviour: come to deliver us, O Lord our God. Amen.
Open, Lord, Thy heavens; from thence let Thy gifts come down; and may our hearts return to Thee. Behold and visit the vine Thy hand hath planted. Remember not our old sins. Strengthen the weak, relieve the contrite, confirm the strong. Lord Jesus, Who didst lay down Thy life for the sheep, incline the hearts of many to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to seek for the lost, to bring the wanderers to Thy fold, to bind up that which is broken. Put forth Thy hand from heaven, and touch our hearts from above. Provide Thy Church with faithful and true pastors, who shall feed Thy flock with knowledge and understanding; and may we see the fruit of their labours in the repentance and conversion of ourselves, and all to whom Thy word shall come.
Grant this, O Blessed Jesus, Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, world without end. Amen.
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Almighty God, Who by Thy Son Jesus Christ didst give commandment to Thy holy Apostles that they should go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature; grant to us, Whom Thou hast called into Thy Church, a hearty desire to make Thy way known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations. Look with compassion on the heathen who have not known Thee, who are scattered abroad as sheep that have no shepherd. Have respect, O Lord, unto the united intercessions of Thy Church, and send forth more labourers into Thy harvest. Prepare them by Thy grace for the work of the Ministry; give them the spirit of power, and love, and of a sound mind; strengthen them to endure hardness; and by their life and doctrine may they set forth Thy glory, and set forward the salvation of all men, through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.
O Lord, save the World.
