extended collect – A Collection of Prayers

An Evening Prayer

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
for you have granted us to pass through this day
and to reach the beginning of the night.
Hear our prayers and those of all your people.
Forgive our sins and hear our evening requests.
Send down on us the fullness of your mercy.
Arm us with the armor of your righteousness,
fence us round with your truth,
guard us with your power.
Deliver us from every assault and device of evil,
and grant that we may pass this evening,
and the approaching night,
and all the days of our life,
in the fullness of peace and holiness;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Modified from A Free Church Book of Common Prayer, 1929

Oremus-Let Us Pray!

Oremus–Let Us Pray! is an updating of the classic resource by Paul Zeller Strodach, which is now in the public domain. The original can be viewed here: https://archive.org/details/oremuscollectsde00unse/page/n5/mode/2up

This revision puts all the prayers of Oremus into contemporary English, making the book a useful resource for personal devotion and public worship.

Available in paperback or for Kindle through Amazon.com.

Grace for the Future

Advent 1

Awaken us,
O Lord God,
with your grace for the future.
As you graciously forgive our sins,
protect and strengthen us
from all danger
of future sins,
so that we may serve you
with a clear conscience,
and joyfully receive
our Lord Jesus Christ
when he comes again in glory;
he lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 282. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Erwecke uns, O Herr Gott, mit der Zukunft deiner Gnaden, und wie du uns gnädiglich unsere Sünden verzeihest, also bewahre und stärke uns für aller Gefährlichkeit der zukünftigen Sünden, auf daß wir dir mit reinem Gewissen dienen, und unsern Herrn Jesum Christum, wenn er in seiner Herrlichkeit kommen wird fröhlich empfangen mögen der mit dir lebet und regieret, in Einigkeit des heiligen Geistes wahrer, Gott immer und ewiglich, Amen.

This prayer is from Prayers from the Evangelical-Lutheran Heritage, available from Amazon.com, and also available for Amazon Kindle. It is a collection of prayers from the history of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church from Luther to Loehe. The collection includes prayers by Johannes Bugenhagen, Georg C. Dieffenbach, Veit Dietrich, Matthias Flacius, Wilhelm Loehe, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, Joachim Mynsinger, Johann G. Olearius, Johann Jacob Rambach, and the early agendas and prayer books of the Austrian, Brunswick, Hamburg, Lueneberg, Norwegian, Nuremberg, Pomeranian, Riga, Russian, Saxon, Schleswig-Holstein, and Swedish Evangelical-Lutheran churches.

Keep Us in Faith, that We May Serve You

antiquariat-1829823_640 Almighty and eternal God,
you sanctify and govern all Christendom
through your Holy Spirit.
Hear us, by your grace,
and keep your church
and all its members
in the true faith,
that we may faithfully serve you;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Attributed to an old Lutheran Church Order, found in Allgemeines evangelisches Gesang- und Gebetbuch zum Kirchen und Hausgebrauch, Hamburg, 1846, p. 437#2.

The adjective “faithfully” was added both because it is implied, and it gives a more satisfactory conclusion.

Allmächtiger, ewiger Gott, der Du durch Deinen heiligen Geist die ganze Christenheit heiligest und regierest: Erhöre unser Gebet, und gieb uns gnädiglich, daß sie mit allen ihren Gliedern, in reinem Glauben durch Deine Gnade Dir diene: um Jesu Christi, Deines lieben Sohnes, unsers Herrn willen. Amen.

Work in Us True Obedience

antiquariat-1829823_640 Almighty, eternal and righteous God,
we humbly thank you
for revealing your divine will to us
in your law
about what we should do
and what we should avoid.
We also humbly pray, for Christ’s sake,
that you would work in us true obedience,
graciously forgive us all our sins of negligence,
and strengthen and lead us
by your Holy Spirit
that we begin to serve you
in new obedience here,
until we come to complete holiness
before you in that life to come;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Attributed to Martin Luther, found in Allgemeines evangelisches Gesang- und Gebetbuch zum Kirchen und Hausgebrauch, Hamburg, 1846, p. 436#1.

Original in German:

Allmächtiger, ewigcr und gerechter Gott, wir danken Dir herzlich, daß Du uns Deinen heiligen Willen, was wir thun und lassen sollen, im Gesetz geoffenbaret hast; und bitten Dich demüthiglich: Du wollest, um Jesu Christi vollkommnen Gehorsams willen, uns alle dawider begangene Sünde gnädiglich verzeihen, und mit Deinem heiligen Geist uns starken und leiten, daß wir hier in neuem Gehorsam Dir zu dienen anfangen, bis wir vollkommen heilig in jenem Leben vor Dir wandeln: durch Iesum Christum, Deinen
Sohn, unsern Herrn. Amen.

A Prayer for the Word in Our Hearts

antiquariat-1829823_640 Lord God, heavenly Father,
govern and guide us
through your Holy Spirit
that we hear your Word
with our whole hearts, receive it,
and become sanctified through it,
so that we may put all our trust and hope
in Jesus Christ, your Son,
be protected from all offenses and pride,
and finally be saved through your grace in Christ;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Attributed to Martin Luther, found in Allgemeines evangelisches Gesang- und Gebetbuch zum Kirchen und Hausgebrauch, Hamburg, 1846, p. 428#1.

Original in German:

Herr Gott, himmlischer Vater, wir bitten Dich, Du wollest durch Deinen heiligen Geist uns also regieren und führen, daß wir mit ganzem Herzen Dein Wort hören und annehmen und dadurch geheiligt werden, auf Iesum Christum, Deinen Sohn all unser Vertrauen und Hoffnung setzen, vor allem Aergerniß und Hoffahrt uns hüten, und durch deine Gnade in Christo ewig selig werden: durch denselben Deinen Sohn, Jesum Christum unsern Herrn. Amen.

You Have Shown Us the Abundance of Your Grace

download Almighty and eternal God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you have shown us the abundance
of your grace.
First, eternal Father,
you created the whole world,
and made us in your image.
You, eternal Son of God,
became fully human for us,
and carried our sin to the cross.
And you, eternal Holy Spirit,
from eternity you proceed
from the Father and Son
to give us faith and make us holy
through the holy gospel.
O one, eternal, almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
uphold us in the true confession of your name
and in the true faith
throughout our lives,
and forever bless us in your grace;
you live and reign forever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 292#2. Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

Original in German:

Allmächtiger ewiger Gott, Gott Vater, Gott Sohn, Gott heiliger Geist, der du deine Gnade uns reichlich hast sehen lassen, daß erstlich du, ewiger Vater, die ganze Welt und uns Menschen zu deinem Bilde geschaffen, und du, ewiger Sohn Gottes, für uns Mensch geworden, und unsere Sünde am Kreuz bezahlet, und du, ewiger heiliger Geist, der du vom Vater und Sohn in Ewigkeit ausgehest und uns durch das heilige Evangelium gläubig gemachet und geheiliget hast ; wir bitten dich, o einiger, ewiger und allmächtiger Gott Vater, Sohn und helliger Geist, erhalte uns in wahrer Erkenntniß deines Namens und in rechten Glauben bis an unser Ende und mache unS durch und deine Gnade ewig selig, der du lebest und regierest in Ewigseit, Amen.

In Your Word You Reveal Your Name

download Almighty and eternal God,
you have taught us to know and confess
the true faith,
that you are three persons,
equal in power and glory,
yet one eternal God,
whom all Christendom on earth
confesses and praises
as one true God in three persons.
In your Word you have revealed your name,
God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
You have sent your eternal Son
who became fully human
for us poor sinners,
and those who believe in him
receive grace and eternal salvation.
Always keep us steadfast and unwavering
in this faith,
that we may remain blessed
with all your elect;
you live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.

Source: Die pommersche Kirchen-Ordnung und Agenda, p. 292#1. Martin Luther [Die Gebete Luthers, #17] Translated for A Collection of Prayers.

This prayer seems to be an expansion of Luther’s translation of a Latin collect.

Original in German:

Allmächtiger ewiger Gott, der du uns gelehret hast, im rechten Glauben zu wissen und zu bekennen, daß du in dreien Personen, gleicher Macht und Ehren, ein einiger ewiger Gott bist, den die ganze Christenheit auf Erden einen wahren Gott in dreien Personen erkennet und ehret, deß Name ist: Gott Vater, Sohn und heiliger Geist, wie du wahrer Gott dich in deinein Wort geoffenbaret hast und deinen ewigen Sohn für uns lassen Mensch werden, daß alle elende Sünder, die an ihn gläuben, Gnade und ewige Seligkeit durch ihn erlangen; wir bitten dich, du wollest uns in solchem Glauben allezeit fest und unbeweglich erhalten, daß wir in demselben mit allen Auserwählten ewiglich selig werden, der du lebest und regierest von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit, Amen.

A Foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet

The following post-communion prayer combines elements of three prayers which seemed to have a common source.

Almighty God,
our heavenly Father,
gracious and merciful Lord,
we give you thanks and praise
for the foretaste of the heavenly banquet
that you have given us to eat and to drink
in the body and blood of your dear Son,
Jesus Christ.
With this, your sacrament,
strengthen and keep us in the true faith
all the days of our life.
Give us refreshment from our labors
with the peace of your forgiveness,
and comfort us in every trouble
until we eat and drink it anew
in your kingdom
at the marriage supper of the Lamb;
your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Source: Written for A Collection of Prayers combining elements from: Common Worship, (Church of England) Funeral Eucharist, Lutheran Service Book (LCMS © 2006), Christian Worship Supplement (WELS © 2008)

Printed as a paragraph:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, gracious and merciful Lord, we give you thanks and praise for the foretaste of the heavenly banquet that you have given us to eat and to drink in the body and blood of your dear Son, Jesus Christ. With this, your sacrament, strengthen and keep us in the true faith all the days of our life. Give us refreshment from our labors with the peace of your forgiveness, and comfort us in every trouble until we eat and drink it anew in your kingdom at the marriage supper of the Lamb; your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

I haven’t been able to identify a single source that contains all the content of this prayer. One older source that may be the source of this prayer is “O sacrum convivium” https://acollectionofprayers.wordpress.com/2018/06/10/o-sacred-banquet/

Our Glorious Pentecost

cathedra-holyspirit1 Holy God, heavenly Father,
we rejoice greatly in this our Pentecost,
since it is far more glorious
than the Pentecost of your ancient people,
since the Holy Spirit is poured out
over all people through Christ,
so that we know God through the Gospel,
and through the Holy Spirit
we are sanctified and made faithful
in body and soul.
Therefore we can take on a different, christian life
and rightly pray, listen to your Word,
and live our life by it without complaint.
Therefore, gracious Father,
give us such grace
that we love Christ and remain in his Word,
and hold on it through his Holy Spirit,
and remain blessed forever;
help us, Holy Spirit,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Source: Martin Luther, translated for A Collection of Prayers from Gebetbuch, enthaltend die sämtlichen Gebete und Seufzer Martin Luther’s, ….Evangelischer Bücher-Verein, 1866, #622. [Die Gebete Luthers, #674]

Original in German:

Heiliger Gott, himmlischer Vater, wir freuen uns über unsre Pfingsten von Herzen, weil dieselben weit herrlicher sind, denn der Juden Pfingsten; sintemal der heilige Geist durch Christum über alles Fleisch ist ausgegossen worden, daß wir durch das Evangelium Gott erkennen, und durch den heiligen Geist heilig und fromm werden an Seele und Leib, so wir uns anders recht christlich mit Beten, Predigthören und einem unärgerlichen Wandel dazu schicken wollen. Darum, gnädiger Vater, verleihe uns solche deine Gnade, daß wir Christum lieben und an seinem Worte bleiben, dasselbe durch seinen heiligen Geist behalten, und also mögen selig werden; dazu helfe uns durch Christum der heilige Geist. Amen. Luther