Saturday, May 12, 2018

Reach out your hand in love, offer a shoulder of comfort, engage in serving others CALMly!




Good Evening Dear Family a.k.a Beloved Community!


Happy Retreat Weekend! I hope everyone is taking much needed time to be one with God, each other, and most especially yourselves. This is all part of the Great Commandment or as it is sometimes called the Summary of the Law. Each day that we live, move, and just be requires us as in the title of tonight's blog to Reach out your hand in love, offer a shoulder of comfort, engage in serving others CALMly
(Compassionately, Acceptingly, Lovingly, and Mercifully). Our time this weekend is discerning how we 
might serve God by Going outside the box and coloring outside the lines. Let us become creative,
enthusiastic, helping to refresh and renew the world with God's help in new and exciting ways. 
It takes courage and yes a commitment to our baptismal vows. We will renew them on Pentecost. 
So let us commit one to another that we will spend time this coming week in discernment as pilgrims 
on a journey that hasn't any destination but an enlarged heart home with substantial heart roots.
Today we will use the lessons for Frances Perkins and pray and meditate upon God's Word. 

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Peace be still.
Peace be.
Peace.

Christ is risen. Alleluia.
 And has appeared to the disciples. Alleluia.

Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

Tonight's prayer vigil!
God and Creator of us all we pray and light our candles this night at a time where we are finding ourselves sorely divided one from another by a myriad of circumstances. We pray that we may start to learn from each other and place our egos and the need to be right at the door. We pray that we may use gentle speech and kind actions when we meet someone who differs from us. We pray that we may lovingly enfold them in our arms and extend to them radical hospitality and welcome. We pray that we may continually beat the weaponry of hate into ploughshares and turn the spears of division into pruning hooks and that we may grow into a peace-filled and loving world. We pray this night for all who are enduring any kind of pain that they may be comforted and that we may lovingly respond to their needs. We pray and ask this night for forgiveness of any action or word we have done or spoken this day and that we may turn away and repent of the wrongs we have done. We pray that we may spread God's light of love, peace, and learning to this world and that we may be beacons of hope, joy, love, and peace. We pray that we may follow Jesus and imitate him by being CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful) and show the world that we are carried aloft by the Holy Spirit's Love Energy and that our Hearts and heart homes may be enlarged and that truly we may become one family of God and Love and brothers and sisters one to another. Amen.

"I promise to use what brains I have to meet problems with intelligence and courage. I promise that I will be candid about what I know. I promise to all of you who have the right to know, the whole truth so far as I can speak it. If I have been wrong, you may tell me so, for I really have no pride in judgment. I know all judgment is relative. It may be right today and wrong tomorrow. The only thing that makes it truly right is the desire to have it constantly moving in the right direction." Frances Perkins


Our idea of what constitutes social good has advanced with the procession of the ages, from those desperate times when just to keep body and soul together was an achievement, to the great present when "good" includes an agreeable, stable civilization accessible to all, the opportunity of each to develop his particular genius and the privilege of mutual usefulness.
Frances Perkins




IN  LAK’ECH

TÚ ERES MI OTRO YO.
YOU ARE MY OTHER ME.
SI TE HAGO DAÑO A TI,
IF I DO HARM TO YOU,
ME HAGO DAÑO A MI MISMO.
I DO HARM TO MYSELF.
SI TE AMO Y RESPETO,
IF I LOVE AND RESPECT YOU,
ME AMO Y RESPETO YO.
I LOVE AND RESPECT MYSELF.
LUIS VALDEZ




 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. 



God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at my end, and at my departing.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Romans 6:9-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22


Alleluia. 
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; * 
therefore let us keep the feast, 
Not with old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, * 
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.


Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; * 
death no longer has dominion over him. 
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all; * 
but the life he lives, he lives to God. 
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, * 
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.


Christ has been raised from the dead, * 
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 
For since by a man came death, * 
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 
For as in Adam all die, * 
so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.



Psalm 37:27-31 


27 The righteous are always generous in their lending, *
and their children shall be a blessing.

28 Turn from evil, and do good, *
and dwell in the land for ever.

29 For the Lord loves justice; *
he does not forsake his faithful ones.

30 They shall be kept safe for ever, *
but the offspring of the wicked shall be destroyed.

31 The righteous shall possess the land *
and dwell in it for ever.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

7 If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour. 8You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. 9Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near’, and therefore view your needy neighbour with hostility and give nothing; your neighbour might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.10Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’

A Song of Christ’s Humility
Philippians 2:6-11
Though in the form of God, *
Christ Jesus did not cling to equality with God,
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, *
and was born in human likeness.
Being found in human form, he humbled himself *
and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him *
and given him the name above every name,
That at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, *
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, *
to the glory of God the Father

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members of one another. 26Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and do not make room for the devil. 28Thieves must give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. 29Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,* as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of redemption. 31Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, 32and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.* 51Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2and live in love, as Christ loved us* and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

A Song of Our Adoption

Ephesians 1:3-10
Blessed are you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
for you have blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
Before the world was made, you chose us to be yours in Christ, *
that we should be holy and blameless before you.
You destined us for adoption as your children through Jesus Christ, *
according to the good pleasure of your will,
To the praise of your glorious grace, *
that you have freely given us in the Beloved.
In you, we have redemption through the blood of Christ,
the forgiveness of our sins,
According to the riches of your grace *
which you have lavished upon us.
You have made known to us, in all wisdom and insight, *
the mystery of your will,
According to your good pleasure which you set forth in Christ, *
as a plan for the fullness of time,
To gather together all things in Christ, *
things in heaven and things on earth.

Luke 9:10-17

10 On their return the apostles told Jesus* all they had done. He took them with him and withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida. 11When the crowds found out about it, they followed him; and he welcomed them, and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed to be cured.

12 The day was drawing to a close, and the twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside, to lodge and get provisions; for we are here in a deserted place.’ 13But he said to them, ‘You give them something to eat.’ They said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.’ 14For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, ‘Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.’ 15They did so and made them all sit down.16And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17And all ate and were filled. What was left over was gathered up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.


A Song of Christ’s Goodness
Anselm of Canterbury

Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you; *
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
Often you weep over our sins and our pride, *
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds, *
in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life; *
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; *
through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead, *
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us; *
in your love and tenderness, remake us.
In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness, *
for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us.

PRAYER
Loving God, we bless your Name for Frances Perkins who in faithfulness to her baptism sought to build a society in which all may live in health and decency: Help us, following her example and in union with her prayers, to contend tirelessly for justice and for the protection of all, that we may be faithful followers of Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Image result for frances perkins quotes
Social justice is part of the implication of loving thy neighbor- Francis Perkins
Respond to these petitions with: May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort be with us this night as we pray for peace in this world and that we may live into our baptismal covenant with you and each other.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God  of all comfort may we seek as one family with you to find solutions that will stem the tide of all violence and terror.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort may we seek with you to find our true calling and life path.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!


God of all comfort give us strength to speak out firmly and lovingly for those who haven't any voice.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!


God of all comfort give us all a return to common sense. Take away from us all temptation to fall into a mob and hate mentality.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort we pray for all who are ill and in need of healing of their bodies, minds, and spirits.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort may we be sources of comfort  one to another and listen to you with our heart homes for those who are in need of help and may not be able to name their needs.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!


God of all comfort may we ever be mindful of our family members who are grieving losses and pre- grieving. 

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort we pray for all who have been senselessly murdered for who they are. Grant to them eternal rest.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort may all of us who struggle to live authentically without fear be able to speak and live our truth valiantly and with courage.

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

God of all comfort we pray and give thanks for_________________________

 May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!

We lift up these our prayers in the Holy name of Jesus!  Amen. 

The settings of the Lord's Prayer from A New Zealand Prayer Book.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.    Amen.
or the alternative form.
Eternal Spirit, 
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 
Source of all that is and that shall be, 
Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples
of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom 
sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and for ever. Amen.

Let us pray in the words attributed to St. Francis and Teresa of Avila.
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.

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)
Christ Has No Body

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through 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 on earth but yours.”  Teresa of Avila
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)
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.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
May the blessing of the God of Abraham and Sarah, and of Jesus
Christ born of our sister Mary, and of the Holy Spirit, who broods
over the world as a mother over her children, be upon you and
remain with you always. Amen.



+++++
Good Night Family ! Sending love and many thanks to you ! have a restful night! 
Love and blessings!
Sara

Resources:
Enriching our Worship 1997
Book of Common Prayer
LectionaryPage.net
Satucket Lectionary Page
Various quotes of Frances Perkins
Walk With Me On Our Journey for prayers and vigils. 





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