Part II of Living our Baptismal Vows!

Good Evening Dear Family !

I hope everyone had a wonderful Self-Care Saturday!  I have been thinking more about what I wrote last evening on living our baptismal vows in daily life. Some of us Christians may or may not get what that means. For me they aren't empty promises they are our guide book into holiness. They direct us in our lives and behavior. This past year we have seen an all out assault upon God's children in words and deeds. This past week we have seen an escalation of hatred, violence, bigotry, and all out meanness lodged at the marginalized  and in other parts of the public sector. Do these actions correspond with the promises made at baptism? I don't think so. I have been under attack because I used my speak truth to power voice in support of our most vulnerable family members. I have seen friends of mine receive death threats. I have been accused of Poking the Bear! Not easy, but when I realize that we as people of faith and that means all faiths need to stand and support the famous list of groups who were singled out in this election cycle it really boils things down nicely. We have a focus and places where we can do our "Faces like Flint " work. So are you ready for the list  of what we can do to live out these sacred promises? That's okay if you aren't, we will be taking proactive steps tomorrow but tonight since it is late I suggest that we have a time of prayer and a short vigil.


This night O God we come to you in the silence of our beings seeking refreshment and renewal and peace in our bodies, minds, and spirits. We come to you and acknowledge our failings and if we have done anything against you  or any of our family members to ask for forgiveness and to set on a path of changing our minds, hearts and life's direction. We come to you and pray that we may cleanse and purify ourselves and living quarters:

A Smudging Prayer

 Creator, our Father in heaven, we come to you as your children. We confess that we are weak and broken images of you. We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ. May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies. We pray that your Holy Spirit will help us to worship in spirit and truth. We pray in the name of Jesus, so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you. Amen.

A Prayer attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen

We pray this night for all of our family members who find themselves outside in the cold. We pray for protective shelter. We pray continually for the least of these that we may always remember that they are family members to us all.

We pray this night that we may all learn how to pay it forward with love and kindness.

We pray for peace, unity, and universal human rights in this fragile and broken world.

We pray for an end to violence and any act that harms God's family and Creation.

We pray for seasonable weather and especially rain in all drought parched areas of the world.

We pray for all of our family members who mourn the loss of loved ones.  We pray that all of us who continue to grieve may find and feel your comfort and solace. 

We pray for all or our family members who are face bullying and abuse on a daily basis that they may be protected and removed from harmful situations.

We pray for all refugees, immigrants, captives , and victims of human trafficking. 

We pray for all who are ill and living with chronic illness. We pray for all of us who are learning to live in limbo awaiting diagnosis and treatment.

We pray for sound government and that all citizens of the world may be afforded equality, justice, and courage to use their voices for the voiceless.

We pray for____________________________

We give thanks for________________________

We pray these our prayers and thanksgivings in the name of  Jesus our brother, savior, and model in the way we should live our lives. Amen.

Or these!

God of all goodness, come into our heart this night and stay with us when the night is dark and the day is ending. 
Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, help us to Lovingly Respond to the needs all of us your Children who are the least of these.
Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, may give the gift or presence to all who are mourning any loss.

Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, we pray that we may lovingly care for your Cathedral of Life and each other.
Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, we pray for all who are dying and have died today may they enter or have entered the Thin Places with joy and peace. 

Let us shine your vesper light to each other while we are living and when are in the Thin Places and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, take away all fears, hate, and dis-ease that keeps us from being united as your family of love.

Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, give us courage to speak truth to power and the strength to fight injustice anywhere and be a voice for the voiceless.
Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness, we offer our additional prayers remembering especially_______________

Let us shine your vesper light to each other and reflect your loving image to one another.

God of all goodness we lift up our prayers in the name of your only son Jesus the Christ, our redeemer, brother, and friend. Amen.

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Good Night Dear Ones! I love you! Have a blessed night! I give thanks to God for you always.

Love and blessings!

Sara

We are taking a walk tomorrow! Here is your info!

A Walk with Me on our Journey Special! New prayer walk framework! Holy Prayer Walking Orders

Good Afternoon Family of  Love,

Here is the new prayer walk frame work ! hope you enjoy and are refreshed by it.

Begin by offering your walk and prayers to the glory of God.

We begin by consecrating our walk to God. We pray this prayer: God we consecrate this walk to you. Enliven our spirits, quicken our steps, and hydrate us with The Waters of Live that courses through our veins. May we be present to all those who have requested our prayers for healing and all those who are in need as we walk in God’s Cathedral of Life.  Amen.

Take a few deep breaths to breathe in the Holy Spirit.

We start our walk with the intention of praying and walking for those who are in need of healing.

Set your pace to the music that you are walking and praying to. 

As we walk we take a look at the pavement is it crooked or smooth? We pray to God to make this a smooth walk and that we may watch our steps not only while we walk but in our lives.

As we approach the first corner we pray for peace and healing of God’s world.

As we approach the first STOP sign we Stop, Look, and Listen to all living things and for God’s still small voice. What is God saying to us?

As we prepare to cross the street we pray for the safety of all who walk, drive and are on the road and cross unsafe streets. We also take time to remember the Good Samaritan. Are there any people who are in need on our route? Pray for them.

As we make our way from our homes we pray for all those who are in need, homeless, hungry, alone, and made to feel invisible.

We begin our prayer list and start praying slowly, deliberately, and reverently.

As we go along we begin to look around for opportunities to pray for all living things and many concerns that God brings us to mind.

As we continue to walk we begin to offer our thanksgivings for all God has given us and God’s Cathedral of Life. 

As we begin to conclude our walk we take time to be silent and listen to nature.
We now take time to pray for ourselves and ask for God’s healing of anything that is giving our bodies, minds, and spirits trouble.

We pray that as we prayer walk we may bring Good News to all whom we meet with a greeting and a smile and that as we look them in their eyes and see God. We remember these words :

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" 

We conclude our walk today with the words of St. Teresa of Avila:
“Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which to look out
Christ's compassion to the world
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.” Amen.