Gracious and loving God, 

     We ask for your provision and protection for Wojciech, Magda, Tosia and Tony as they make the long journey from Wroclaw to Raleigh tomorrow. Bless their time with us as we strengthen bonds of friendship and build new relationships.  

     We thank you for the opportunity of this sabbatical for Wojciech and for all who worked to make it possible. We pray his time here, and that of his family, will bear the fruit of your spirit.

Lord God,

For each of the people you call to be involved in a workshop at EWST May 25 – 26, we pray your guidance. As the pastors, Christian leaders, and EWST personnel explore and examine ways to gain financial support for ministries and churches in Poland, bless their faithfulness and efforts with inspiring speakers, stimulating conversation, and a strong sense of your presence among them.   Call each of us to be a part of your ministry in Poland through our own gifts given by you. 

Then they said unto him, "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"     John 6:28

God Who Blesses All Good Work,

Be with the leadership at EWST and the 50-60 Christian businessmen in Poland on May 22 as EWST hosts a conference to strengthen the faith and practices of those who follow you through their work in the business world.   Thank you for the ways that these individuals model their faith and Jesus’ teachings by the way they live.  Draw their hearts and minds toward your greater good, and help them build a wider community to support each other.


Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work. Exodus 35:35

 

A Community of Faithful Believers...

Lord God,

We ask that you would move the hearts of young people whom you have already chosen to attend the B.A. Program at EWST this fall.  Put in their way the people and information that they need to be drawn to EWST and study your word.   Fill the classrooms to capacity so that a community of faithful believers will grow in Wroclaw and Poland.

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  2 Timothy 2:15

 

Stir us, Lord...

"Stir us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams
have become true because we dreamed too little, when we arrived safely
because we sailed too close to the shore.

Stir us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our
thirst for the waters of life; when having fallen in love with life, we have ceased
to dream of eternity; and, in our efforts to build the new earth, we have allowed
our vision of the new heaven to be dim.

Stir us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will 
show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes, and to guide us into the future
in strength, courage, hope and love as we are fed, as we share and as we go forth
from this place to serve you.

All of this we ask in the name of our Captain, who is Jesus Christ.
Amen" Sir Frances Drake (circa 1577) 

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered,
and confidently waiting come what may,
we know that God is with us night and morning,
and never fails to greet us each new day.

Yet is this heart by its old foe tormented,
still evil days bring burdens hard to bear;
Oh, give our frightened souls the sure salvation
for which, O Lord, you taught us to prepare.

And when this cup you give is filled to brimming
with bitter suffering, hard to understand,
we take it thankfully and without trembling,
out of so good and so beloved a hand.

Yet when again in this same world you give us
the joy we had, the brightness of your Sun,
we shall remember all the days we lived through,
and our whole life shall then be yours alone.

By gracious powers so faithfully protected, So quietly, so wonderfully near, I’ll live each day in hope, with you beside me, And go with you through every coming year.

         Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Letters and Papers from Prison”

Lord Jesus Christ,
You were poor and needy,
As captive and abandoned as I.
You know every need of human beings,
You abide by me,
When no human being stands by me,
You forget me not and you seek me out,
You desire that I know You
And draw me to Yourself.
Lord, I hear Your call and follow.
Help me!
     Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "Prayers for Prisoners" 1943