Prayer and Fasting for GAFCON - Day 30

A Special Intention
Please ask God's blessing and protection on the pilgrims as they travel. Here's a perspective on the journey:

"We will gather to seek God's way forward, not by human wisdom, but by spiritual discernment as spiritual people taught by the Holy Spirit. We are convinced that God has made His truth known to His people and that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. We will seek God's guidance as we pray and study His Word together in order to identify His future directions for us....Claudia and I leave for Israel on Thursday, June 19 from LAX at 8:35 a.m., changing planes in New York before arriving in Tel Aviv at 2:55 p.m. on June 20. We very much covet your prayers for us and for all who will be participating in the conference. Remember that Israel is ten hours ahead of the West Coast as you pray. The Conference actually starts on the evening of Saturday, June 22 and ends at noon on June 29. Claudia and I will then be departing on June 30 at 11:25 p.m., changing planes in Atlanta, and arriving at LAX at 10:17 a.m. on July 1. Your prayers will mean a great deal to us and to all the others who will be attending."
The Reverend Bill Thompson, Dean, Anglican Communion Network (ACN)

Opening Verse
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Phil. i. 2.

The Morning Psalm
The One Hundred Thirty Sixth Psalm
O GIVE thanks unto the LORD, for he is gracious: * and his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of all gods: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O thank the Lord of all lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who only doeth great wonders: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who by his excellent wisdom made the heavens: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who laid out the earth above the waters: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who hath made great lights: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule the day: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
The moon and the stars to govern the night: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who smote Egypt, with their firstborn: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And brought out Israel from among them: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
With a mighty hand and stretched-out arm: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who divided the Red Sea in two parts: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And made Israel to go through the midst of it: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
But as for Pharaoh and his host, he overthrew them in the Red Sea: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who led his people through the wilderness: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who smote great kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
Yea, and slew mighty kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon, king of the Amorites: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And Og, the king of Bashan: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And gave away their land for an heritage: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
Even for an heritage unto Israel his servant: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us when we were in trouble: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
And hath delivered us from our enemies: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost;
AS it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, * world without end. Amen.

The First Lesson
23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!”
24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!”
25 Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof.
26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them.
28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.
31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.
Judges 16, NLT

Prayer
Lord God Almighty, we pray that your GAFCON pilgrims will be blessed to build up, and will be spared from any tearing down you must do in the Anglican Communion. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Second Lesson
1 One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. 2 Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. 4 Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. 5 And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
6 So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
7 When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything Jesus was doing, he was puzzled. Some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead. 8 Others thought Jesus was Elijah or one of the other prophets risen from the dead.
9 “I beheaded John,” Herod said, “so who is this man about whom I hear such stories?” And he kept trying to see him.
10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.
12 Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”
13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” 14 For there were about 5,000 men there.
Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 So the people all sat down. 16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. 17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!
Luke 9, NLT

Prayer
We praise you, Heavenly Father, for calling together your GAFCON pilgrims. Provide for their every need. Protect them from every threat. By the power of the Holy Spirit, make them faithful and fruitful witnesses to your Son Jesus Christ. In His Name we pray. Amen.

Heritage Reflection
Every day before cockcrow all the doors of the Anastasis are opened, and all the monks and virgins, as they call them here, go thither, and not they alone, but lay people also, both men and women, who desire to begin their vigil early. And from that hour to daybreak hymns are said and psalms are sung responsively, and antiphons in like manner; and prayer is made after each of the hymns. For priests, deacons, and monks in twos or threes take it in turn every day to say prayers after each of the hymns or antiphons. But when day breaks they begin to say the Matin hymns. Thereupon the bishop arrives with the clergy, and immediately enters into the cave, and from within the rails he first says a prayer for all, mentioning the names of those whom he wishes to commemorate; he then blesses the catechumens, afterwards he says a prayer and blesses the faithful. And when the bishop comes out from within the rails, every one approaches his hand, and he blesses them one by one as he goes out, and the dismissal takes place, by daylight.
Egeria, 4th century pilgrim to Jerusalem, describing Matins at the Holy Sepulchre.