ASCENSION PRAYER SERVICE

 

Celebrant:   "The reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 1, verses 6 to 11 - THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST INTO HEAVEN."

Congregation: "May Your Name be praised, O Lord."

6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when He had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, Who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Celebrant:   "Today we celebrate the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today we confess that all power and authority are His, and that He lives and makes intercession for us. We gather in His Name and offer our prayers to the Father through Him.

We pray that throughout the world the Church may witness, in the power of the Spirit and with the perseverance of faith, to the victory of Christ."

Congregation: "We pray to the Lord."

Celebrant: "We pray that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened, so that we may perceive and hold fast to the mystery of God's love revealed in Christ."

Congregation: "We pray to the Lord."

Celebrant: "We pray that through the faithful ministry of believers, the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father, may come upon all."

Congregation: "We pray to the Lord."

Celebrant: "We pray that all who are under undue power, the power of pride or resentment, the power of hatred or fear, may be liberated to the freedom of the living God."

Congregation: "We pray to the Lord."

Celebrant: "We pray that those who have died in Christ may live with Him in the Kingdom of the Father."

Congregation: "We pray to the Lord."

Celebrant: "O Lord our God, You lead us gently to put our hope in the reality of things our earthly eyes do not see. Give us, we pray, eyes of love to perceive that our Lord Jesus, Who has ascended beyond our physical sight, truly lives in our midst by the Spirit He has poured out upon us.

We make our prayer in Jesus' Name,"

Congregation: "Amen."