Oaths and Baptismal Vows Sacred Words for Sacred Times!

Good Evening Dear Family of Love and God!

We are beginning in earnest a time of prayer and vigiling for each other and our nation and the world.
Every day we awaken to bad news where we are being taken down a terrible rabbit hole in reverse to a time in our history that wasn't healthy for anyone. We must take steps along with our prayers to work towards a healthy change in our community. We must not be afraid to speak out, stand up, move our feet, and if necessary sit down and practice non-violent protest. Yes my dear family we are going back to that. I'm sure if you read the daily news you aren't surprised at all about this. We must de-clutter our country from leaders who have forgotten that they work and serve us and who have forgotten the words of the Preamble to the Constitution. Have you forgotten what it says? Well here it is:  We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. I tweeted the President today and here is the gist of that tweet only longer with the oath of office: I reminded @theRealDonaldTrump today that he is violating the oath of office hourly and that the oath he took is sacred. Remember this? "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.( So Help Me God)

I believe that as a baptized Christian we must keep reaffirming our Baptismal Vows  every day so that we can stay on track and focused what being a follower is all about. The promises we make at our baptisms, the oaths we take when we enter elected office are sacred words for sacred times. There isn't any wiggle room at all. So let us first be reminded before we make vigil and pray what our Baptismal Vows say to us and how they speak to our heart homes now more than ever.


The Baptismal Covenant ( From the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER)

Celebrant Do you believe in God the Father?
People I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

Celebrant Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Celebrant Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Celebrant Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and
fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the
prayers ?
People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever
you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you proclaim by word and example the Good
News of God in Christ?
People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving
your neighbor as yourself?
People I will, with God’s help.

Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
People I will, with God’s help.


Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind, in the waves, and in our hearts
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind,in  the waves.
Be still and hear the whisper of God in the Wind.
Be still and hear the whisper of God.
Be still and hear the whisper.
Be still and hear.
Be still.
Be.



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.

Let us light our candles and make vigil this night!

God let us light our candles to pray that we may love radically with open hearts, open souls, open spirits, and open minds. Let our love be seen not only in words but deeds. Let our lives show the love that you have given us daily without fear. God let our love be the measuring stick from which we may guide ourselves to do better when we fall short in loving all of our family members. God help us to love with words that have deep and abiding meaning that will build up and not tear down. Give us the courage to support our family members who desire to love and live openly as beloved children of God. God help us to know that Love truly is Love without condition and needs to be celebrated daily in many and exciting ways. God help us to love radically in the service of others and with enough Love Energy to set the world ablaze with enlivened and joyful hearts. We pray these our prayers in the name of God and in the name of Love who is God. Amen.

Or this vigil form:

God when you called us into being, you made us in your image and likeness and that we were and are to be the Lights of the World help us we pray as we light these our candles tonight to shine our love lights into places where there is darkness. Give us strength we pray that we may have courage to shine those lights where we normally wouldn't see ourselves going. We pray for all of our family members who are in dangerous and terrifying places. We pray for an end to violence, terror, bullying, abuse, and degradation and division. We pray for a world renewed by peace, love, mercy, and clean water and a healthy environment. We pray for all of us who are brokenhearted and who need to have our wounds dressed and tenderly cared for. We pray that we may be the shoulders to lean upon and cry and the soft place in which to fall and feel safe. Give us the courage to be this place even to the least of these, our enemies, and those who hate us. God of all Compassion, Acceptance, Love and Mercy we offer our additional prayers and thanksgivings remembering_________________. God we lay these our prayers, and thanksgivings at the feet and arms of your Son Jesus. We also remember that The light and love of Christ in me recognizes the Light and love of Christ in You. Amen.

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.

or These

Let us with God's help stand together in prayer responding  Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we,Stand with the people of  Paris, Lebanon, Beirut, Palestine, Israel, Syria, Baghdad, Ferguson, Staten Island, Sandy Hook, San Bernardino, Orlando, Dallas, Azusa, Dacca Bangladesh, Medina, Jaffa, Istanbul, Sydney, Peshwar and all places where violence is occurring and have occurred on a daily basis.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Not be complacent but actively engaged in fighting injustice everywhere.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we ,Stand up for what is right, just, and merciful.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we,Stand up against violence, terror, torture, and abuse of any kind.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we,Stand up and practice peace and be God's peace makers.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Stand with refugees, captives, victims of violence and abuse, victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, our undocumented immigrants, LGBTQ sisters and brothers. We all our family !
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Love God, our Family members, and ourselves.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we,Stand up and be light bearers to your fragile and broken world.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Stand up for universal human rights for all God's Children.
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we,Stand with each other and not against each other
.Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Stand up against extremism in all its forms
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Stand with the least of these
Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Stand with the voiceless ones and those who are crying out and seeking to be heard.

Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we, Stand with the vulnerable.

Come Lord Jesus and Help us!

Lord God may we,Stand with you, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as bringers of love, peace, joy, and hope.

The light of Christ in me recognizes the light of Christ in you!

The God in me Loves me Loves the God in you!

The Holy Spirit who comforts me Comforts  you this day when things we can't explain and gives us heavy heart.

Lord God we add our own prayers and those of our family members who have requested our prayers especially_____________

Come Lord Jesus and Help us !

To You, O Lord, our God.

Will you Stand with me?  Will you love one another?  Will you love your enemies and do good to those who hate you?  Will you continue to walk with me on our journey?

Prayers for Commitment

God help us to commit to each other every day to be mindful that everyone matters.

God help us we pray to commit our lives to the care of all of our family members nearby and far away.

God help us we pray to commit to the equality and well being of all and that we will speak truth to power in solidarity with the marginalized as we remember especially_________.

God help us we pray to commit our Love Energy and Heart Homes to making peace on our streets and through out the world.

God help us we pray to commit  our care muscles in the care of all our family members and especially the least of these and our many family members who are ill in body, mind, and spirit.

God help us we pray to commit our compassion muscles in lovingly supporting our family members who are grieving and having life struggles.

God help us we pray to commit our energy to be good conservationists of your Cathedral of Life.

God help us we pray to commit ourselves to the fight of injustice, being a voice for the voiceless, and speaking truth to power and letting justice roll down.

God help us we pray to commit ourselves to the inclusion of all human beings into our lives and be fully accepting of them as our brothers and sisters.

God help us we pray to commit our energies in the service of all our family members who are in trouble, danger, escaping tyranny and unsafe nations.

God help us we pray to commit ourselves to protecting all who labor in factory, farm, and everywhere.

God we commit ourselves to you,

God we commit to being Loving towards you, our family members, and ourselves.

God we commit to walk the walk and talk the talk without fear and reservation,

God we commit to speak lovingly towards each other with dignity and respect.

God we commit to get to know our family members from other faith communities as our brothers and sisters.

God we commit to the affirmation that All Lives Matter and All means All and not Some.
God we commit to enter into daily silence and go deeper to the center to be in communion, conversation, and listening with you and hear with our heart homes and with the necessary Love Energy you Give us.

God we add our additional prayers and thanksgivings now remembering especially__________

Accept these our prayers in name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Bits and pieces from the BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense, and let
the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
Psalm 141:2

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole
earth stand in awe of him. Psalm 96:9

Thine is the day, O God, thine also the night; thou hast
established the moon and the sun. Thou hast fixed all the
boundaries of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter.
Psalm 74:15, 16

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart
teaches me, night after night. I have set the Lord always
before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not fall.
Psalm 16:7, 8

Seek him that made the Pleiades and Orion, that turns deep
darkness into the morning, and darkens the day into night;
that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out
upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his Name. Amos 5:8

If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me, and the light
around me turn to night,” darkness is not dark to thee, O Lord;

the night is as bright as the day; darkness and light to thee
are both alike. Psalm 139:10, 11

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world; he that follows me
shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
John 8:12


A Prayer of Self-Dedication
Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so
guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our
wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto
thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always
to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. 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


For all Christians in their vocation
Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole
body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:
Receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before
you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation
and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with
you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

For Vocation in Daily Work
Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory
and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and in the
earth: Deliver us in our various occupations from the service
of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in
truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of
him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Social Service
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served
but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give
themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom,
patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the
suffering, the friendless, and the needy- for the love of him
who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus
Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Social Justice
Almighty God, who created us in your own image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Respond if you like:  God help us to bind up the brokenhearted and love and care for the least of these.


God we come to you in prayer with spirits that are hungry for a deeper relationship with you and all of our family members.

We pray for our family members who are hungry for nourishing and life giving food. May their bodies be filled. We pray for all soup kitchens feeding programs food banks, and pantries.

 We pray for our family members who are in need of clothing. May we take time to give our old and usable clothing away for those that need it.

 We pray for our family members who are in need of shelter this evening and if they need to be out in the cold that they may be safely protected. 

 We pray for our family members who are in need of affection we pray that our prayers may encircle them with a virtual prayer quilt of love and compassion. May they feel our prayers as a holy hug and embrace.

 We pray for our family members who are seeking  relationships and that they may come to know that the most important relationships are with God and themselves.

 We pray for our family members who are  hungering for knowledge that education may be made affordable and that everyone will have places in which to learn and grow.

We pray for our family members who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

 We pray for our family members who are hungering for justice,equality human rights, dignity, and respect.

 We pray for our family members who are hungering for CALM (Compassion Acceptance Love and Mercy)

We pray for our family members who are hungering for peace and Peace of Mind.

We pray for our family members who have come to us with their prayer requests remembering especially__________________.


We add these classics of faith  to make our time of prayer complete.
The  Beatitudes  Matthew 5:3–12 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)
Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)
Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)
Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Christ Has No Body
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

The Song of Simeon    Nunc Dimittis

Luke 2:29-32

Lord, you now have set your servant free *
    to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
    whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
    and the glory of your people Israel.

Ubuntu: “I am what I am because of who we all are”, or “I am because we are”

Good Night Dear Ones! Have a blessed and restful night. Let us prepare ourselves to go out and be the hands and feet in the world that God is calling us to be. Let us not be afraid to speak out speak up and care for the least of these. God is Good. All the time. All the time. God is Good. I love you and give thanks to God for you this night and always.

With love and prayers,

Sara

Resources:
Book of Common Prayer
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
Wikipedia for Oaths of Office and Preamble