Black History Month Church Celebration Prayers (by Ps.

William Amegatse)
Let us pray to the Lord our present help (Ps 46:1), our glory and lifter up of our heads (Ps3:3) that #1. We shall collectively as a people and individually as families shall overcome any lingering obstacles systemic, environmental or personal factors keeping us from reaching and giving of our full potential in our families, homes, Churches, Schools, Work and all of our endeavours. (Scripture verses: John 16:33,
Isaiah 40:28-31; Ephesians 6:10-12; Psalm 126:1-6; Psalm 18:16-19, 27-37, 43-44; Psalm 124:7; Psalm 68:31; Philippians 4:13; Romans 8:28-31; Nehemiah 2:20; Colossians 1:9-14; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

(Song: We shall overcome - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhnPVP23rzo Pete Seeger) (Audio Speech: We shall overcome by Martin Luther King, Jr. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=130J-FdZDtY&feature=related (Martin Luther King, Jr.) Response: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. (Isaiah 60:1). May we truly Arise and overcome our challenges to rightfully posses what is ours in this land! Dear Lord hear our prayers, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

#2. We shall press on the upward way set for us, and be lifted up and planted in our respective high places of business, fields of enterprise and corridors of authority at all levels (moral, social, civil, political, intellectual, economic as well as sports and entertainment) to promote the will of God, the saving gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and hope to this perplexed, needy and hurting world. (Scripture verses: Ephesians 6:12; Isaiah 1:19; Proverbs
21:1; Ecclesiastes 9:11; Psalm 75:6-7; Psalm 16:6; (Psalm 22:29; Psalm 55:20; Psalm 112:4); Proverbs 22:29; Matthew 23:12; 1 peter 5:6; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Eph 2:8-10; Isaiah 40:28-31; Deuteronomy 32:13; Psalm 18:33; Isaiah 58:11-14; Micah 4:2)

(Songs: Im pressing on the upward way, Lord lift us up where we belong o Im pressing on the upward way/ Higher Ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG1rHP0sNLI&feature=related (Claire Holley) o Lord lift us up where we belong - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMSVyByn90 (Bebe & Cece Winans - Lord lift us up)

Response: Dear Lord hear our prayers, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

#3. The Lord shall build us up as a highly favoured and blessed people, church and Ambassadors of Christ here in Ottawa, with our contributions and impact spreading out to the entire ON , Canada and to the uttermost parts of the world. (Scripture verses: Psalm 5:12; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Daniel 11:32; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21; Luke 2:52, Proverbs 16:7;
(Great commission verses - Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:45-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8))

(Songs: For I am building a people of power - We are building a people of Power http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2oRt7lFfrQ&feature=related) Response: They that know God shall be strong and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32). May we truly know you! Dear Lord hear our prayers, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

# 4. Finally, please continue to pray for all minorities and immigrants in Canada and in the rest of all North America and Europe that it may be well with us to live industrious, prosperous, dignified and peaceful lives to the glory of God and I service to the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. This is our cry, this is our prayer!
(Scripture verses: Isaiah 54:17; 3John 2, Deuteronomy 12:7; Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Psalm 19:1-4; Psalm 92:11-13; Malachi 3:12; Luke 1:48; Psalm 72:17; Ecclesiastes 11:6; Psalm 1:3; Joshua 1:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:2; Isaiah 32:18; Isaiah 14:3; Isaiah 26:3; Isaiah 65:21; Zechariah 2:5; Zechariah 3:10)

(Songs: Im pressing on the upward way, Ensi wo yie -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAfeJGgOBAo) Response: Dear Lord hear our prayers, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

Songs and Lyrics 1. Lyrics of "We Shall Overcome":

We shall overcome, We shall overcome We shall overcome someday Deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome someday We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace We shall live in peace someday Deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome someday We shall organize, we shall organize We shall organize today Deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome someday We'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand We'll walk hand in hand someday Deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome someday We are not afraid, we are not afraid We are not afraid today Deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome someday

Text of We shall overcome speech by Martin Luther King, Jr We shall overcome

Deep in my heart I do believe, we shall overcome. Now I join hands often with students and others behind jail bars singing it: We shall overcome. Sometimes we've had tears in our eyes when we joined together to sing it, but we still decided to sing it! We shall overcome. Lord before this victory is won some will have to get thrown in jail some more but we shall overcome. Don't worry about us, before the victory is won some of us will lose jobs, but we shall overcome. Before the victory is won, even some will have to face physical death. But if physical death is the price that some must pay, to free their children from a permanent psychological death, then nothing shall be more redemptive. We shall overcome. Before the victory is won, some will be misunderstood and called bad names and dismissed as rebelrousers and agitators. But we shall overcome. And I'll tell you why. We shall overcome because the arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. We shall overcome because Carlyle is right: No lie can live forever. We shall overcome because William Collin Bryant is right: Truth crushed to earth will rise again. We shall overcome because James Russel Lowell is right: Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne. Yet that scaffold sways the future. And behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadows, keeping watch above his own.

We shall overcome because the Bible is right, "You shall reap what you sow." We shall overcome. Deep in my heart I do believe! We shall overcome. And this with this faith we will go out and adjourn the counsels of despair and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism and we will be able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. And this will be a great America! We will be the participants in making it so.

And so as I leave you this evening I say, Walk together children! Don't you get weary!
(Source: http://www.sweetspeeches.com/s/214-martin-luther-king-jr-we-shall-overcome#ixzz1n2ZiEQqF)

2. Lyrics of Im pressing on the upward way/ Higher Ground Charles H. Gabriel, 1902
1. Im pressing on the upward way, New heights Im gaining every day; Still praying as Im onward bound, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground. o Refrain: Lord, lift me up and let me stand, By faith, on Heavens tableland, A higher plane than I have found; Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

2.

My heart has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fears dismay; Though some may dwell where those abound, My prayer, my aim, is higher ground. I want to live above the world, Though Satans darts at me are hurled; For faith has caught the joyful sound, The song of saints on higher ground. I want to scale the utmost height And catch a gleam of glory bright; But still Ill pray till heavn Ive found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

3.

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3. Lyrics of Lord lift us up where we belong - Winans Ce Ce - Up where we belong Lyrics

You won't know what tomorrow brings In a world where few hearts survive All I know is the way I feel And if its real I'm gonna keep it alive Cause the road, the road is long There are mountains in our way But we climb still higher everyday Lord lift us up where we belong Where the eagles fly on a mountain high Lord lift us up where we belong

Up from the worlds we know Where the clear winds blow Some hang on what used to be Stop living your life looking behind Cause all we have, all we have is you right now All our lives are in you tonight But the road is long There are mountains in our way But we climb still higher everyday Lord lift us up where we belong Where the eagels fly on a mountain high Lord lift us up where we belong Up from the worlds we know Where the clear winds blow. You see, as time goes by Sometimes, yes we'll cry But He'll wipe every tear From our eyes Lord lift us up, Jesus Lord lift us up where we belong Where the eagels fly on a mountain high Lord lift us up where we belong Up from the worlds we know Where the clear winds blow. (repeat 2x) Where the clear winds blow Lord lift us up Where we Belong

4. Lyrics of For Im Building A people Of Power Lyrics

Composer: Dave Richards (b. 1947)

For Im building a people of power For Im making a people of praise That will move through this land by My Spirit And will glorify My precious Name Build Your church Lord Make us strong Lord Join our hearts Lord Through Your Son Make us one Lord In Your body In the kingdom of Your Son

Links to Songs
We shall overcome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhnPVP23rzo (Pete Seeger) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=130J-FdZDtY&feature=related (Martin Luther King, Jr.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkNsEH1GD7Q&feature=related (Joan Baez http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti5aP_nyNig&feature=related (Louis Armstrong)

Higher Ground - Charles H. Gabriel, 1902

Higher Ground - Claire Holley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG1rHP0sNLI&feature=related Azure Fields - Higher Ground http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuCoc-bWM4w&feature=related Islington Baptist Church - Higher Ground hymn lyrics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYCkqCG933M&feature=related

For Im Building A people Of Power - For Im Building A people Of Power Lyrics Composer: Dave Richards (b. 1947)
We are building a people of Power Nov 29.wmv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2oRt7lFfrQ&feature=related Lyrics of Lord lift us up where we belong Bebe & Cece Winans - Lord lift us up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKMSVyByn90

Benediction Ensi Wo Yie by Diana Antwi Hamilton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAfeJGgOBAo (Prepared by Ps. William Amegatse, for the Ghana Methodist Church, Ottawa society, Feb 24, 2012)