Pre-Convention Prayer Retreat Resources Preparing for the Mennonite Church USA convention in Kansas City requires attention to the details of registration and making arrangements for hotels and transportation. Preparation includes reading reports, agendas, and resolutions and reflecting on the content with other others. The most important, yet often neglected, preparation is prayer. We, the leaders of the Convention Prayer Team and leaders of the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary Kansas Center, invite members of Mennonite Church USA to initiate prayer retreats in local areas across the country. It is our hope that local prayer retreats will allow for pastors, delegates, and congregational leaders to come together before the Mennonite Church USA Convention in Kansas to join in prayer to praise and worship the One in whom we all live, and move and have our being. It is our hope that this prayer retreat will allow for us as a denomination to name our fears and anxieties, as well as our hopes and visions. Above all, prayer is an invitation to open our hearts to transformation through the power of God's Spirit, and to invite us as a church to listen to God's leading toward outcomes that are far beyond what we could ask or image. The suggested order of the retreat is in four parts: a gathering worship, a time of open prayers that engage multiple prayer styles, a time of praying through song, and a time of eating together. The envisioned time allotment for each section is about 30 minutes, but feel free to increase or decrease the time as would work best for your own group. The Scripture is taken from the New Revised Standard Version and the suggested prayers and songs used here come predominantly from Hymnal: A Worship Book (HWB), Sing the Journey (STJ), and Sing the Story (STS). Please feel free to draw from other sources and to use, copy, distribute, and adapt these resources so that the retreat will be meaningful in your own setting. Suggested Order of Gathering Worship: This gathering worship weaves Luke 24, the focus Scripture for this summer's convention, with a number of psalms to help capture the differing emotions we may experience as we prepare to gather together this summer in Kansas City. Call to Worship Suggestions: Psalm 117 is a universal call to worship. This could be proclaimed by the worship leader, or each line could be used as a call and response, with the worship leader speaking a phrase with the congregation repeating. Psalm 95:1-7 An adaptation of Psalm 33:1-5, 20-22:
One: Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Praise the Lord with the lyre; make music to God with the harp of ten strings Sing to the Lord a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts For the word of the Lord is upright, and all God's work is done in faithfulness. God loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. Many: Our soul waits for you, O God; you are our help and shield. Our heart is glad in you, because we trust in your holy name. Let your steadfast love, O God, be upon us, even as we hope in you Gathering Song(s) Suggestions: HWB 1: What is this place HWB 6: Here in this place HWB 37: Praise to the Lord, the Almighty HWB 11: Sweet hour of prayer HWB 26: Holy Spirit, come with power STJ 3: Jesus calls us here to meet him Ten Thousand Reasons (Matt Redman) Gathering Prayer Time of Centering Silence Song: HWB 353: Lord, listen to your children praying Prayer through Scripture: Voice 1: Now on that same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, What are you discussing with each other while you walk along? They stood still, looking sad. (Luke 24:13-17) Voice 2: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but I find no rest. You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. Yet I am a worm, scorned by others, and despised by the people. All who see me mock me. Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother's breast. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. (Psalm 22: 1-7, 9, 11)
Prayer: God, we know that you journey with us. And yet there are times when your presence feels far away from us. Like the disciples, we too can be consumed by our own sense of hopelessness and despair in the face of loss, grief, and pain. As we gather, we name before you that which causes us fear and hopelessness, that which causes us anxiety and pain, and the places in our lives where you feel far away. Silent prayers Song(s) Suggestions: HWB 136: From the depths of sin HWB 148: By the waters HWB 248: My God, my God, why HWB 559: O thou, in whose presence STJ 105: Don't be afraid Psalm 13 (How Long, O Lord) (Brian Doerksen) Prayer through Scripture: Voice 1: Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days? He asked them, What things? They replied, The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him. Then he said to them, Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. (Luke 24:18-27) Voice 2: Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love
remember me, for your goodness' sake, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord, who instructs sinners in the way. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. O guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. (Psalm 25:4-9, 16-18, 20-21) Prayer: God, we confess the things that distract us from seeing you and your will for us, for the church, and for the world. At times we can become blinded by our fears, by ideologies, by idols which draw our allegiance, and by our own closed-mindedness. We name before you all that prevents us from seeing you and your movement within creation. Silent prayers Song(s) Suggestions: HWB 352: Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us HWB 514: Lord, I am fondly, earnestly longing HWB 517: Open my eyes, that I may see HWB 538: Lead me, Lord HWB 545: Be thou my vision HWB 546: Guide my feet STJ 47: Oh, Lord have mercy STJ 58: Who has known the mind of Jesus? STS 65: Abre mis ojos Before the Throne (Charitie Bancroft and Vikki Cook) The Heart of Worship (Matt Redman) Prayer through Scripture: Voice 1: As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over. So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us? (Luke 24:28-32) Voice 2: O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your
steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name. My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. (Psalm 63:1-8) Prayer: God, we long for you as a deer longs for flowing streams. We yearn for your presence as one yearns for water in a dry and weary land. We long to see you and your leading in the midst of our fears, uncertainty, and anxiety. We lay before you our deepest longings and desires for your movement in our lives, the church, and the world. Silent prayers Song(s) Suggestions: HWB 495: O let all who thirst HWB 500: As the hart with eager yearning HWB 506: I sought the Lord HWB 559: O thou, in whose presence God of This City (Chris Tomlin) All Who are Thirsty (Brenton Brown and Glenn Robertson) Hungry (Kathryn Scott) Prayer through Scripture: Voice 1: That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon! Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:33-35) Voice 2: Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them they are more than the sand; I come to the end I am still with you. (Psalm 139:7-12, 17-18) Prayer: God, we are assured of your presence with us, even in the midst of darkness and hopelessness, fears and anxieties, and uncertainty for what is yet to come. Open our eyes to see you breaking into our midst. Give us ears to hear your leading and to hear you speaking
words of peace to us. Give us hearts to praise you and to burn within us as we recognize your constant, steadfast, and loving presence within our lives, the church, and the world. We rejoice that you are with us always, even to the very end of the age. Silent prayers Song(s) Suggestions: HWB 16: God is here among us HWB 25: Jesus stand among us HWB 442: Christ be with me HWB 506: I sought the Lord HWB 556: Lord, thou hast searched me HWB 574: What a friend we have in Jesus STJ 100: Here I am Oceans (Hillsong United) Revelation Song (Kari Jobe) Song of Transition: HWB 353: Lord, listen to your children praying Open Prayer Opportunities The next section of the retreat allows for participants to engage in open prayer through a variety of prayer styles. It is our hope that participants will be able to engage in a form of individual prayer that is meaningful for them. This is a time for people to continue to name their fears and anxieties, their desires and hope for the future, and their praise and adoration for our Creator God. Introduce Open Prayer opportunities Open Prayer possibilities: Invite participants to engage in a prayer walk outside Invite participants to write their own psalms Place a large piece of paper on the wall and provide markers or paints to draw or write prayers, fears, or hopes Provide paper and colored pencils for people to pray in color. One way to do this is to: Draw a dot in each corner of the paper. Connect the dots with wavy lines to form a border. Divide the area into several sections by drawing random lines within the frame. Write a focus scripture, image, or thought in one of the sections near the center. In the remaining sections, write words, names, and/or phrases that reflect who or
what you want to lift up in prayer. Color or doodle in the sections. As you do this, offer the word(s) written there as a prayer. Provide paper and art supplies (such as markers, colored pencils, paints, scrap book paper, ribbons, etc.) and invite participants to create word art by writing out a psalm or another passage of scripture in a creative way that draws attention to what stands out to them from the passage (words, phrases, images, emotions, etc.). Participants can engage in Lectio Divina with a psalm or another passage of Scripture Read through the passage and focus on a word or phrase that grabs your attention. Read through the passage a second time and reflect on how this passage touches your life at this time. Read through the passage a third time and listen for how God is calling you to respond through this passage. Provide a number of psalms that capture the varying emotions that people may be feeling leading up to convention. Invite people to meditate on the psalms, using these as a prayer. If space allows, you can allow people to voice the psalms aloud in a way that reflects their own emotions. Some possible psalms that include a range of emotions include Psalm 8, Psalm 25, Psalm 46, Psalm 55, Psalm 77, Psalm 103, Psalm 121, Psalm 123, Psalm 130, and Psalm 146. Include a guided prayer meditation, such as one from Take Our Moments and Our Days: An Anabaptist Prayer Book. This could be used for individuals or for groups to pray together. Provide paper with printed questions for people to reflect/journal on. You could invite all participants to engage this activity towards the end of the open prayers section of the the retreat, and then include the response action below. Questions could include: What causes me anxiety as we approach the MCUSA convention this summer? What are my fears? What causes me to hope as we approach the MCUSA convention this summer? What do I long for? Where does God feel distant? Where do I see God's presence breaking into our midst? Song of transition: HWB 353: Lord, listen to your children praying Praying through Song As Mennonites, one of our most familiar ways to pray together is to join in song. During this section of the retreat, people are encouraged to pray, sing, and respond as the Spirit leads them. We are recommending that the songs begin with more somber music that perhaps captures the tone of the previous section, moving towards more boisterous songs filled with praise and hope.
Response Action: In the front of the venue, include a large cross. As the music starts, invite participants to bring forward what they have written during the final prayer exercise of the open prayers section (see above) to lay at the foot of the cross as a tangible way to symbolize laying our fears, anxieties, hopes, longings before God. Song Possibilities: Songs of Prayer: HWB 324: Seek ye first the kingdom of God HWB 340: 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus HWB 346: Dona nobis pacem HWB 349: Spirit of the living God HWB 352: Gentle Shepherd, come and lead us HWB 356: Breathe on me, breath of God HWB 358: Oyenos, mi Dios HWB 359: Lead us, O Father HWB 363: Renew your church HWB 366: God of grace and God of glory HWB 371: Let there be light, Lord God HWB 372: O healing river HWB 377: Healer of our every ill HWB 411: I bind my heart this tide HWB 418: Move in our midst HWB 444: Lord, I want to be a Christian HWB 504: Have thine own way HWB 545: Be thou my vision HWB 546: Guide my feet HWB 547: My dear Redeemer and my Lord HWB 548: Teach me thy truth HWB 553: I am weak and I need thy strength HWB 555: I need thee every hour STJ 2: Come, walk with us STJ 5: Come and be light for our eyes STJ 33: Come, Holy Spirit, descend STJ 35: O Breath of life STJ 46: O breathe on me, O breath of God STJ 49: Rain down STJ 54: Longing for light STJ 56: Make me a channel of your peace STJ 57: Your will be done
Songs of Confession, Lament: HWB 133: Out of the depths I cry to you (Psalm 130) HWB 136: From the depths of sin (Psalm 130) HWB 139: Far, far away from my loving father HWB 148: By the waters (Psalm 137) STJ 47: Oh, Lord have mercy STJ 52: Jesus, help us live in peace STS 58: O God, how we have wandered STS 62: Create in me a clean heart STS 67: Have mercy on us, Lord Contemplative Songs:: HWB 76: Praise, I will praise you, Lord HWB 298: Veni Sancte Spiritus HWB 327: Great is thy faithfulness HWB 491: I am the Bread of life HWB 491: Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling HWB 493: I heard the voice of Jesus say HWB 497: Come, ye disconsolate HWB 560: In lonely mountain ways HWB 596: And I will raise you up (Psalm 91) STJ 59: Come and fill our hearts STJ 98: All will be well STJ 105: Don't be afraid STS 49: I will come to you in the silence STS 121: Nothing is lost on the breath of God Blessed Be Your Name (Matt Redman) Other Song Possibilities: HWB 522: My Jesus, I love thee HWB 541: How clear is our vocation, Lord HWB 544: When we walk with the Lord HWB 574: What a friend we have in Jesus HWB 575: Precious Lord, take my hand HWB 586: Cast thy burden upon the Lord HWB 589: My Shepherd will supply my need (Psalm 23) HWB 596: And I will raise you up (Psalm 91) HWB 640: This is a day of new beginnings STJ 79: As I went down to the river to pray STS 50: Come, bring your burdens to God
STS 55: Love the Lord your God Songs of Praise: HWB 50: Praise the Lord, sing alleluia (Psalm 148) HWB 55: Cantemos al Senor HWB 59: Sing praise to God who reigns HWB 64: Asithi: Amen HWB 65: Praise, my soul, the King of heaven HWB 70: Immortal, invisible, God only wise HWB 81: Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing HWB 87: Great is the Lord HWB 99: We praise thee, O God HWB 100: Praise him, praise him HWB 107: Blessed Savior, we adore thee HWB 112: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic (Psalm 8) HWB 118: Praise God from whom HWB 226: You are salt for the earth HWB 407: We are people of God's peace HWB 582: Guide me, O thou great Jehovah STJ 1: We sing to you, O God STS 113: I will stand in the congregation How Great is Our God (Chris Tomlin) Song of transition: HWB 353: Lord, listen to your children praying Sending Prayer/Prayer before the meal One possible transition might be to have someone read Luke 24:28-35 again to remind us that God is present with us, even in the ordinary events of our everyday lives, such as sharing a meal and breaking bread together. Eating Together We recommend ending the retreat with a meal. Whenever Jesus ate with people, lives were changed. We trust that God is indeed present with us as we pray and prepare for this summer's convention, despite tension and anxiety. Eating together can serve to remind us of all that we hold in common, our fellowship with one another, our calling to serve and love one another, and our communion that we share as members of the One Body. Additional Prayer Suggestions: Gathering Prayer Possibilities: HWB 679
STS 142 STS 189 Prayers of Praise: HWB 686 STJ 177 STS 183 Prayers for Mercy, Deliverance, Healing: HWB 697 HWB 699 HWB 702 STJ 132 STJ 144 STS 164 Additional Prayers: HWB 720 (intercession) HWB 725 (for guidance) HWB 726 (for unity) HWB 728 (supplication) HWB 731 (Lord's Prayer) HWB 733 (prayer of St. Francis) HWB 739 (for deeper love for God) HWB 745 (for ability to see God) STS 145 (for courage to follow God) STS 146 (for openness to God) STS 148 (for deeper love for God) STS 149 (for God's will to be done) STS 154 (for openness) STS 160 (for God's guidance) STS 162 (for God's love) STS 166 (longing for God) STS 192 (for God's movement) STS 196 (for discernment) Sending Prayers: HWB 767 HWB 769 STJ 180
For additional prayer ideas, see Words for Worship (ed. Arlene M. Mark) and Words for Worship 2 (ed. Diane Zaerr Brenneman).