Happy Mother's Day, Good Shepherd Sunday, and Servant Leader Sabbath. Today we celebrate all people who are mothers, shepherds(mentors), and servant leaders. These vocations all intersect and give us cause for pause. Tonight we ponder these quotes on mothers, shepherds, and servant leaders. This is a good time to journal those words and ask yourself what they mean to you. So let us begin!
"Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the promised land. She prepares a world she will not see." ~ Pope Paul VI
"This verse gets me through each day, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger! I am not afraid of anything because the lord is my shepherd!" ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
"Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." ~ Theodore Roosevelt
"Being a mother means that your heart is no longer yours; it wanders wherever your children do" ~ George Bernard Shaw
"Fundamentally, our Lord's message was Himself. He did not come merely to preach a Gospel; He himself is that Gospel. He did not come merely to give bread; He said, "I am the bread." He did not come merely to shed light; He said, "I am the light." He did not come merely to show the door; He said, "I am the door." He did not come merely to name a shepherd; He said, "I am the shepherd." He did not come merely to point the way; He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."" ~ J. Sidlow Baxter
"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
"The old people came literally to love the soil and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. It was good for the skin to touch the earth and the old people liked to remove their moccasins and walk with bare feet on the sacred earth. Their tipis were built upon the earth and their altars were made of earth. The birds that flew into the air came to rest upon the earth and it was the final abiding place of all things that lived and grew. The soil was soothing, strengthening, cleansing and healing." ~ Luther Standing Bear
"Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd." ~ Rumi
"Good leaders must first become good servants." ~ Robert K. Greenleaf
"The best place to cry is on a mother's arms." ~ Jodi Picoult
"If the Lord is your shepherd, He is sufficient for all your needs." ~ Tony Evans
"Servant-leadership is more than a concept, it is a fact. Any great leader, by which I also mean an ethical leader of any group, will see herself or himself as a servant of that group and will act accordingly." ~ M. Scott Peck
"Motherhood is priced Of God, at price no man may dare To lessen or misunderstand." ~ Helen Hunt Jackson
"Quit acting like a wolf, and feel the shepherd's love filling you." ~ Rumi
"Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children." ~ William Makepeace Thackeray
"The mistake made by all previous systems of ethics has been the failure to recognize that life as such is the mysterious value with which they have to deal. All spiritual life meets us within natural life. Reverence for life, therefore, is applied to natural life and spiritual life alike. In the parable of Jesus, the shepherd saves not merely the soul of the lost sheep but the whole animal. The stronger the reverence for natural life, the stronger grows also that for spiritual life." ~ Albert Schweitzer
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
"Mother's love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved." ~ Erich Fromm
"God is not a celestial prison warden jangling the keys on a bunch of lifers--he's a shepherd seeking for sheep, a woman searching for coins, a father waiting for his son." ~ Clarence Jordan
"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it." ~ Mother Teresa
"Mothers are the most instinctive philosophers." ~ Harriet Beecher Stowe
"It takes some of us a lifetime to learn that Christ, our Good Shepherd, knows exactly what He is doing with us. He understands us perfectly." ~ W. Phillip Keller
"Serving others prepares you to lead others." ~ Jim George
"Though motherhood is the most important of all the professions - requiring more knowledge than any other department in human affairs - there was no attention given to preparation for this office." ~ Elizabeth Cady Stanton
"The Lord called Himself and is the 'good Shepherd' (Jn. 10:11). If you believe in His guidance, then you will understand by your heart that as a zealous shepherd when feeding his flock does not allow the sheep to disperse, but gathers them together, so also the Lord pastures our souls, not allowing them to wander in falsehood and sins, but gathering them on the path of virtue, and not allowing the mental wolf to steal and scatter them." ~ John of Kronstadt
"The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people." ~ Woodrow Wilson
"When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
...To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart." ~ Howard Thurman
"Servant leadership teaches us that you have to lay your cards on the table." ~ Warren G. Bennis
"Moral authority is another way to define servant leadership because it represents a reciprocal choice between leader and follower. If the leader is principle centered, he or she will develop moral authority. If the follower is principle centered, he or she will follow the leader. In this sense, both leaders and followers are followers. Why? They follow truth. They follow natural law. They follow principles. They follow a common, agreed-upon vision. They share values. They grow to trust one another." ~ Robert K. Greenleaf
"You only need a heart full of grace" ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
Come let us worship.
Joseph Barth: A Grace
We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.
Jesus said, If you dwell within the revelation I have brought, you are indeed my disciples; you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31,32
Set your minds on things that are above, and not on things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Alleluia.Colossians 3:2, 3
Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.1 Corinthians 5:7, 8
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Come and eat’; and he took bread, and gave it to them. Alleluia.John 21:12, 13
The disciples knew the Lord Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Alleluia.Luke 24:35 (adapted)
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 15:57
All you who have been baptised have been clothed with Christ. Alleluia.Galatians 3:27
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.
Christ our Passover Pascha nostrum
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.
THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES
Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:
We light this candle of remembrance.
For the hope of a better world, in which righteousness and peace shall prevail among the people of the earth, and to create which is the task of the generations in which we stand, as well as for the courage and faith we shall need if we are to carry on this unfinished work:
We light this candle of consecration.
May the flame upon the altar of free faith shine in our hearts al ways, reminding us of the dark places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in every moment of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.
23 Dominus regit me
1 The Lord is my shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and leads me beside still waters.
3 He revives my soul *
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.
6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Wisdom 1:1-15
THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON
Exhortation to Uprightness
1Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth,
think of the Lord in goodness
and seek him with sincerity of heart;
2 because he is found by those who do not put him to the test,
and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.
3 For perverse thoughts separate people from God,
and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish;
4 because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul,
or dwell in a body enslaved to sin.
5 For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit,
and will leave foolish thoughts behind,
and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness.
6 For wisdom is a kindly spirit,
but will not free blasphemers from the guilt of their words;
because God is witness of their inmost feelings,
and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues.
7 Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world,
and that which holds all things together knows what is said,
8 therefore those who utter unrighteous things will not escape notice,
and justice, when it punishes, will not pass them by.
9 For inquiry will be made into the counsels of the ungodly,
and a report of their words will come to the Lord,
to convict them of their lawless deeds;
10 because a jealous ear hears all things,
and the sound of grumbling does not go unheard.
11 Beware then of useless grumbling,
and keep your tongue from slander;
because no secret word is without result,*
and a lying mouth destroys the soul.
12 Do not invite death by the error of your life,
or bring on destruction by the works of your hands;
13 because God did not make death,
and he does not delight in the death of the living.
14 For he created all things so that they might exist;
the generative forces* of the world are wholesome,
and there is no destructive poison in them,
and the dominion* of Hades is not on earth.
15 For righteousness is immortal.
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.
1 Peter 5:1-11
Tending the Flock of God
5Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you 2to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight,* not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it*—not for sordid gain but eagerly. 3Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. 4And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away. 5In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders.* And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for
‘God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.’
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. 8Discipline yourselves; keep alert.* Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters* throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
A Song of True Motherhood
Julian of Norwich
God chose to be our mother in all things *
and so made the foundation of his work,
most humbly and most pure, in the Virgin’s womb.
God, the perfect wisdom of all, *
arrayed himself in this humble place.
Christ came in our poor flesh *
to share a mother’s care.
Our mothers bear us for pain and for death; *
our true mother, Jesus, bears us for joy and endless life.
Christ carried us within him in love and travail, *
until the full time of his passion.
And when all was completed and he had carried us so for joy, *
still all this could not satisfy the power of his wonderful love.
All that we owe is redeemed in truly loving God, *
for the love of Christ works in us;
Christ is the one whom we love.
Matthew 7:15-29
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 ‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Concerning Self-Deception
21 ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” 23Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.”
Hearers and Doers
24 ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’
28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
A Song of Our True Nature
Julian of Norwich
Christ revealed our frailty and our falling, *
our trespasses and our humiliations.
Christ also revealed his blessed power, *
his blessed wisdom and love.
He protects us as tenderly and as sweetly when we are in greatest need; *
he raises us in spirit
and turns everything to glory and joy without ending.
God is the ground and the substance, the very essence of nature;
*
God is the true father and mother of natures.
We are all bound to God by nature, *
and we are all bound to God by grace.
And this grace is for all the world, *
because it is our precious mother, Christ.
For this fair nature was prepared by Christ
for the honor and nobility of all, *
and for the joy and bliss of salvation.
John 10:22-30
Jesus Is Rejected by the Jews
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah,* tell us plainly.’ 25Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand.* 30The Father and I are one.
A Song to the Lamb Dignus es
Revelation 4:11;5:9-10,13
Splendor and honor and royal power *
are yours by right, O God Most High,
For you created everything that is, *
and by your will they were created and have their being;
And yours by right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have redeemed for God,
From every family, language, people, and nation, *
a royal priesthood to serve our God.
And so, to the One who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.
Collects from A New Zealand Prayer Book and the Book of Common Prayer
O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Eternal God,
your Son Jesus Christ
is the way, the truth and the life for all creation;
grant us grace to walk in his way,
to rejoice in his truth,
and to share his risen life;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Word of God,
sharper than a two-edged sword,
penetrate our lives to expose our secrets
and the world’s secret sins;
open us to cleansing and to cure.
Living God,
for whom no door is closed,
no heart is locked,
draw us beyond our doubts,
till we see your Christ
and touch his wounds
where they bleed in others.
Tonight's Featured Prayers are from Prayers of Power from Harvard Square Library
Waldemar Argow: For Wisdom
Everliving Source of us all,
May we find wisdom this day;
May we come to understand—
that we without You are a well without water;
that a person without friends is a tree without branches;
that words without deeds are a cry no one can hear;
that knowing without feeling is a head without a body;
that strength without tenderness is a darkness where no light shines;
that life without love is a desert where no rain falls.
May the wisdom we find this day make us wiser in the days ahead:
Wise enough to be ourselves and to try to understand ourselves as best we may;
Wise enough to be the master of our moods;
Wise enough to find in the buffeting and shocks of life a discipline that will make us stronger than we were before.
May the varied experiences of each day increase our store of wisdom.
May our fellowship with one another, and with You, increase our treasury of love.
D. H. Lawrence: Pax
All that matters is to be at one with You, the living God;
to be a creature in Your house, O God of Life!
Like a cat asleep on a chair
at peace, in peace
at home, at home in the house of the living,
sleeping on the hearth, and yawning before the fire.
Sleeping on the hearth of the living world,
yawning at home before the fire of life
feeling the presence of You, the living God
like a great reassurance
a deep calm in the heart
a presence
as of a master, a mistress sitting on the board
in their own and greater being,
in the house of life.
FOR ALL PEOPLE -Reinhold Niebuhr
O God, we pray for all sorts and conditions of people:
For all who toil in the burden and heat of the day, that they may en joy the rewards of their industry, that they may not be defrauded of their due, and that we may never cease to be mindful of our debt to them for making our life tolerable;
For those in authority, who have power over others, that they may not use it for selfish advantage but be guided to do justice and to love mercy.
For those who have been worsted in the battles of life, whether by the inhumanity of others, their own limitations, or the fickleness of fortune, that they may contend against injustice without bitterness, and learn how to accept what cannot be altered, with patience;
For the rulers of nations that they may promote peace among the peoples and establish justice in our common life.
For the teachers and ministers of Your power, for artists, scientists and interpreters of the spiritual life, that they may not corrupt the truth to which they are committed;
For prophets and seers who awaken us from our sloth, that they may hold their torches high in a world darkened by prejudice.
O God, who has bound us together in this bundle of life, give us the grace to understand how our lives depend upon one another and our responsibilities to You.
Theodore Parker: Prayers
OUR FATHER AND OUR MOTHER
Creating and Protecting Power, our Father and our Mother, we lift up our psalm of thanksgiving to You. You hold the world in Your arms of love. It sings thanksgiving to You every morning, evening and noon. We praise You for Your blessings. We desire to be deeply conscious of Your presence, which fills all time, which occupies all space. We would know You as You are.
We thank You for the happiness that attends us in our daily life, for the joys of our daily work, for the success which You give to the labor of our hands. We thank You for the plain and common household joys of life, for the satisfactions of friendship, for the blessedness of love in all the dear relationships of life.
We thank You that amid hopes that so often deceive us, amid expec tations that fail and perish, we have still our faith in You. In our sorrow and sadness we look up to You, and when mortal friends fail us, and the urn that held our treasured joys is broken into fragments, and the wine of life is scattered at our feet, O God, we rejoice to know that You understand our lot. We thank You that You hold each one of us, yes, all Your children and the universe itself, as a mother folds her baby to her bosom.
THE HIGHER GOOD
Dear God, I will not ask for wealth or fame,
Though once they would have joyed my carnal sense;
I shudder not to bear a hated name,
Wanting all wealth, myself my sole defense,
But give me, God, eyes to behold the truth,
A seeing sense that knows the eternal right;
A heart with pity filled and gentlest ruth;
A robust faith that makes all darkness light;
Give me power to labor for humankind;
Make me the mouth of such as cannot speak;
Eyes let me be to the groping and the blind;
A conscience to the base; and to the weak,
Let me be hands and feet; and to the foolish, mind;
And lead still farther on such as Your kingdom seek.
FATHER AND MOTHER OF ALL
Eternal One, I bathe my soul in Your infinity.
Transcendent God! Yet, ever immanent in all that is, I flee to You, and seek repose and soothing in my Mother’s breast. From all this dusty world, You will not lose a molecule of earth or spark of light. Father and Mother of all things that are, I flee to You, and in Your arms find rest; My God! I thank You for Your love.
OPEN OUR INNER EYES
Eternal One whose presence fills all space and occupies all time, who has a dwelling-place in every humble heart that trusts in You: we bless Your for Your loving-kindness, knowing that You love us better even than the mothers who have borne us. We thank You this day for the broad great world beneath our feet, for these wondrous heavens above our heads which mightily You sow with starry seeds; for the rivers as they roll and the ocean as it ebbs and floods. O God, they tell us of Yourpower; they talk of Your wisdom; they charm us with tidings of Your love.
A greater revelation is Your still small voice, which whispers in our soul that all this magnificence is but a drop of You, a little sparklet that has fallen from Your presence, O Central Fire and Radiant Light of all. The outward things are but a whisper of Your wisdom.
O God, open our inner eyes that we may see You as You are and serve You with our daily life. Arm us for the duty which You give us to do, every day’s work in its own day. May duty be supreme over desire and our daily life be beautiful, one continual sacrament to You.
INFINITE MOTHER, INFINITE FATHER
Infinite Mother, the parent of our bodies and our souls: We know You always have us in Your care and that You cradle the world beneath Your eye; we would be conscious of Your presence with us.
Infinite Father, we thank You for this great human world added to this earth and air and sea. We thank You for the mighty capacities You have given us for thought and toil, for beauty and for duty. We thank You for this soul of ours whereby we know You, our Father and our Mother, and have serene delight in Your continual presence and Your love. We thank You that when we wander from Your ways, Your love forsakes usnot but reaches out to bring the wanderer back home wiser and better. We thank You that we may live noble lives, that we may become whole.
OUR DAILY LIVES
Infinite Presence who lives and move and has Your being in all that is above us and around us and underneath us: we remember that it is in You that we also live and move and have our being. Conscious of Your presence, we would look on our daily lives, that the murmur of our busi ness, the roar of the street and the jar of the noisy world, may mingle in the prayer of our aspiration and hymn of gratitude. May the meditations of our hearts draw us nearer to You, always above us and about us andwithin.
When we are weak and poor and foolish, may we remember the Source of all strength and all wisdom and all riches; and when we grow strong and rich, wise and good, may we never forget our duty to the poor, the weak, the foolish, but love others as we love ourselves.
We pray that in every emergency of our lives, we may be faithful to the duty which the day demands , doing what must be done, bearing what must be borne, and so growing greater from our toil and our suffer ings, till we transfigure ourselves into noble images of humanity.
YOU BIND TOGETHER THE AGES
Living God who fills the world and yet is not far from any one of us, we would join ourselves to You, and warm and freshen our spirit in the sunlight of Your coun tenance, and come away strengthened and made whole.
We thank Your for the little children, whose coming foretells that progress kingdom of righteousness which is ever at our doors, waiting to be revealed; giving joy to many a father’s and mother’s heart.
We thank You for the power of youth, for its green promise, its glad foretelling, and its abundant hope. We thank You for the strength of manhood and wom anhood, into whose hands You commit the family, the community, the nation and the world.
We bless You for the old age which crowns the head with silver honors, the fruit of long and experienced life, and enriches the ear with wisdom which babyhood knew not, which Youth could not comprehend, and only long-continued maturity could make perfect.
O God, we thank You that You bind together the ages of infancy and Youth, adulthood and old age by the sweet ties of family and social love.
Almighty Power, All-knowing Wisdom, we thank You for Yourself and for Your arms around this dusty world.
THANK YOU
Perpetual Presence, always near to us, may the fire of our gratitude be kindled and our souls flame up towards You.
We thank You for the world of matter under our feet, over our head, and about us on every side.
We thank You for the bread we eat, for the garments we put on, for the houses which hold us, for the sleep which all night slides into our bones, bringing strength to the weary and health to the sick.
We thank You for the vast gifts which You have bestowed upon us, for these bodies so wonderfully made, for the ever-questioning mind which hungers for truth and beauty, for the vision of You held by Your children of every age and every land.
We thank You for great philosophers and prophets and poets who have gathered justice and taught love as well as for the billions of unre membered men and women who in their common callings were faithful to the light which shone upon them, and we rejoice in the heritage which their toil has won and bequeathed to us.
O God, our Father and our Mother, may we know You as You are, for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.
TO JOIN THE HUMAN RACE
O God, may we join the human race in daring to live in the prophetic spirit: seeking inspiration like the seers and sages of this and other lands, judging the past as they, acting on the present like them, envisioning a new and nobler era of the spirit.
May our doctrines and forms fit the soul as the limbs fit the body: growing out of it, growing with it.
May we have communities for the whole person: truth for the mind, good works for the hands, love for the heart; and for the soul that aspiring after perfection, that unfaltering faith in life, which like lightning in the clouds, shines brightest when elsewhere it is most dark.
+++++
LITANY OF LOVE
O God, the source of all being and all joy, let Your blessings be upon us, and fill us with Your love.
From all jealousy and envy, from all unkindness, from offence given or taken, from unrighteous anger and an impatient spirit, from a hard and unforgiving temper, and from evil-speaking,
O God, deliver us.
From all ambition and greed which bring want and distress to multitudes and debase the bodies and souls of many, shutting from them the fulness of life.
O God, deliver us.
From an unquiet and discontented spirit, from despondency and gloom, from doubts of Your boundless love, and from forgetfulness of the manifold goods of Life,
O God, deliver us.
Inspire in us that spirit which suffers long and is kind; which envies not; vaunted not itself, is not puffed up; which does not behave unseemly, and seeks not its own.
Grant us to be filled with the fulness of Your spirit.
Quicken in us that charity which is not easily provoked, which thinks no evil, which rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; which bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things; the charity which never fails;
That so by Your grace we may establish good will upon the earth.
O God, the Father and Mother of us all, who has breathed Your own spirit into Your children and made us to be one with each other as members of Your household: enable us to make Your house a refuge for every wounded spirit, a home for every aspiring soul.
Amid diversities of knowledge and of faith, may we be one in spirit, in affection, and in devotion to You.
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Services of Religion: Free Nation and Free World
God, who has made us one nation out of many peoples, amid our diversities of race and tradition, unite us in a common love of freedom and in a high ambition for our national life.
Continue in us the pioneering spirit which led our fathers across the estranging sea and up held them in the wilderness.
Deepen in the people of this land a devotion to the common commonweal, so that we may open new doors of hope to the neglected and oppressed; cleanse our hearts from the greed which preys upon others; and deliver our politics from corruption.
Help us to establish this land in righteousness.
Endue with the spirit of wisdom those entrusted with authority, that there may be peace within our borders, and that we may stand among the nations of the earth an example of justice and a power of good will.
Let Your peace, O God, rule in all our hearts.
To every council where nations bring their hopes and fears, grant wisdom and mutual understanding, that distrust and hatred may be diminished, and a common law of justice be established.
Let peace, O God, prevail throughout the earth.
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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 light our unity candle and pray the words of 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.
For those who suffer for the sake of Conscience
O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he
was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer
for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them
from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them
from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from
despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their
witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be
cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus
Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen.
For Social Justice
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Times of Conflict
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us,
in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront
one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work
together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
God we reach out too our diverse family and remember that we are family even if we don't look the same, practice the same faith, or speak the same language.
For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
For Peace
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen
For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Gracious God We thank you for:O God our Father, whose Son forgave his enemies while he
was suffering shame and death: Strengthen those who suffer
for the sake of conscience; when they are accused, save them
from speaking in hate; when they are rejected, save them
from bitterness; when they are imprisoned, save them from
despair; and to us your servants, give grace to respect their
witness and to discern the truth, that our society may be
cleansed and strengthened. This we ask for the sake of Jesus
Christ, our merciful and righteous Judge. Amen.
For Social Justice
Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Times of Conflict
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us,
in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront
one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work
together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
God we reach out too our diverse family and remember that we are family even if we don't look the same, practice the same faith, or speak the same language.
For the Human Family
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
For Peace
Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen
For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth;
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
You and that you created us in love and in your image and likeness.
Your mercy and giving us many second and beyond chances to start over.
Courage and resiliency that make us stronger and able to meet the challenges of life.
For all things that are living from the largest Sequoia to the tiniest microbe.
For all of our family members nearby and far away.
For all the abundance that You give us each and every day.
For minds to think and the courage and drive to think outside the box.
For our enemies and haters that give us the resolve to love and care more fervently and more lovingly.
For illnesses that allow us to become authentically ourselves with greater peace of mind.
For our loved ones who now reside in the Thin Places in eternal Joy.
For our many mentors who have helped us on our life's journey.
For care givers who take time to care and may we remember and give thanks for all of us who are care givers. .
For making all of us your children so that we may be made peacemakers.
Gracious God we Thank you for Everything and yes even your and life's interruptions ! It's a good thing God for you are good ! All the time.
We thank you Jesus and we say and pray Amen.
Or these!
“Be the heart of a network of global citizens
Be a bridge for dialogue between civilizations
Be a beacon lighting the way to a century
of life”
~ Daisaku Ikeda
God of abundance, joy, and love we offer our bodies, minds, and spirits into your loving care this night. As we pray let us be mindful of the needs of our family members and pray for their well being.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all our family members who have had surgery or any procedure today that they may be on their way to good health and accept your healing.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all refugees, captives, prisoners, victims of domestic violence and abuse. Bring them out of danger and into freedom and safety.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all who are grieving that they may feel your loving and sustaining grace during grief's long journey.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all of our family members who are struggling that they may be comforted and relieved from their present situation.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all nations that they may use common sense and compassion when governing their residents. We pray for peace and and end to violence, war, and cruelty.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all who have asked us for prayer and the many who are on our daily prayer heart and prayer list. Please add your own prayers and thanksgivings here.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over our heart homes and may we love more and more to the brim and overflowing.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy,watch over all who post and tweet in cyber-space that hate may be quelled and a place of love, dignity and respect may reign.
God of Compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy, help us to see your Gospel messages everywhere we go. Help us to see them and follow your son Jesus and model our lives and show love and mercy to your fragile and broken world.
Keep our eyes keen, our hearts open, and our spirits empowered to be engaged in your world for the betterment of all our family members. May we reflect your compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy to all. We pray that the me generation will be replaced with the we generation.
God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, these are our prayers accept them with love, mercy, and grace. Amen.
In your presence O God, we come together as one family of love. Give us courage to lay down the weaponry of hate and find common ground.
In your presence O God, take all the gunk in our lives that prevent us from truly serving you and the least of these.
In your presence O God, give us courage to discern where you are sending us and help us to respond accordingly with "Here I am send me"!
In your presence O God, make us truly the Beloved Community intent upon serving you and our family members with CALM (Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy)
In your presence O God, help us to stand fast and ready to speak truth to power and seek out ways to be the change you want to see in the world.
In your presence O God, may we feel and know your love for us so that we may serve others. In your presence O God, we offer these our prayers________________________________
In your presence O God we lift up these our prayers to you in the name of your only begotten Son Jesus. Amen.
We close our vigil with these prayers:
The Woke Prayers of St. Francis
Help us O God to be woke! Woke as your peacemakers, change makers, heart changers, and love energy bringers!
Woke to the hatred so that we may sow seeds of love. Woke to the injury so that we may heal the hurt and cease the harm.
Woke to the divisiveness that we may be eager to heal and unite as one neighborhood and family.
Woke to uncertainty that will lead us to be renewed in faith.
Woke to the despair of all our neighbors so that we may sow seeds of radical hope, love, hospitality, and inclusion.
Woke to the knowledge that we are God's beloved children.
Woke to sing the words of We are One in The Spirit Peter Scholte
1-
We are One in The Spirit,
We are One in The Lord.
We are One in The Spirit,
We are One in The Lord.
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.
Chorus
And they'll know we are Christians by our love,
By our Love,
Yes they'll know we are Christians by our love.
-2-
We will work with each other,
We will work side by side.
We will work with each other,
We will work side by side.
And we'll guard each man's dignity
And save each man's pride.
Chorus
-3-
We will work with each other,
We will work side by side.
We will work with each other,
We will work side by side.
And we'll guard each man's dignity
And save each man's pride.
Chorus
-3-
We will walk with each other,
We will walk hand in hand.
We will walk with each other,
We will walk hand in hand.
And together we'll spread the News
that God is in our land.
Help us to be woke enough not to think of ourselves being the comforted, help us be the comforters and wounded healers.
Help not to be know it alls and be woke to understand what is plaguing our inner beings, neighbors, neighborhoods, the least of these, our family members.
God wake us up to be Woke to your agape love so that we may love everything that you have made.
Wake us to be Woke to Radical Love, Hospitality, and inclusion.
Help us to know that being truly woke means being open to radical and random acts of kindness and giving. Where the giver is given and receives much by acts of giving.
Help us to be woke enough to forgive and then find ourselves being actually forgiven
God Wake us Up to Be Woke to know that death isn't the end but only the beginning of a new birth in your heavenly Kindom. Amen and let it be so!
O God our shield and armor of light, whom we adore with all the angelic host: defend us from evil; watch over any who are in danger this night and give your angels charge over them; and grant that we may always rejoice in your heavenly protection and serve you bravely in the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Holy Wisdom, in your loving kindness you created and restored us when we were lost: inspire us with your truth, that we may love you with our whole minds and run to you with open hearts, through Christ our Savior. Amen. (source: Alcuin of York, Mass of Wisdom)
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Good Night Beloved Community! I love you! Have a blessed rest tonight.
Peace, love prayers, and God's blessings.
Sara
Resources:
A to Z quotes
A New Zealand Prayer Book.
Book of Common Prayer
Enriching our Worship 1
Prayers of Power
Satucket Lectionary
Walk With Me On Our Journey
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