A return from a time of rest and reflection! Our Saturday Night Vigil Has Returned!

 

Good Evening Beloved Ones!

Yes it is true ! Walk With Me On Our Journey has returned from sabbatical. For the past few months I have been on a time of rest and reflection. It has been necessary for me because of new responsibilities. I missed you all and you have been in my mind and heart. Today we will take it easy and commemorate our saint of the day, Anna Ellison Butler Alexander who was a deaconess and Teacher.   On September 22 we as the Episcopal Church commemorated Episcopal Deaconesses. We are called to be servant leaders! This is the time when we need to do this the most. I will share stories about what happened during my sabbatical in the coming weeks. Now let us get back to basics with "The Be Stills":

Be sill 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 sill 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 sill 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.

Opening Sentences

God is spirit, and those who worship God must worship in spirit and in truth.John 4:24

Alleluia! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give God the glory.Revelation 19:6, 7

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

Through Jesus let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of lips that acknowledge God’s name.Hebrews 13:15

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (adapted)

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.Revelation 4:11

When anyone is united to Christ, there is a new world; the old order has gone, and a new order has already begun.2 Corinthians 5:17

Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.

Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,

thanksgiving and honour, power and might,

be to our God for ever and ever!   Amen.

Great and Wonderful

1 Great and wonderful are your deeds‿

O Lord ′ God · the al′mighty:

just and true are your ways‿

O ′ Sovereign ′ of the ′ nations.

2 Who shall not revere and praise your ′ name O ′ Lord?:

for ′ you a′lone are ′ holy.

3 All nations shall come and worship ′ in your ′ presence:

for your just ′ dealings · have ′ been re′vealed.

4 To the One who is seated on the throne and ′ to the ′ Lamb: be blessing and honour, glory and might‿

for ever and ′ ever. ′ A′men.Revelation 15:3b–4; 5:13

Love one another,
for love is of God,
and whoever loves is born of God and knows God.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.

Let us remember how we are to conduct ourselves by saying the following poem:

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.

By Luis Valdez

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.

Psalm 134 Ecce nunc

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.

Dear ones let us light our candles and be at prayer as we begin our Virtual Candlelight Prayer Vigil. Tonight let us pray for peace with in ourselves and in the world. Let us pray that we may learn to love our enemies again by boldly doing things we normally wouldn't do. We need to see God's face in all of our enemies. We need to see them as children of God. We need to see them as children of family members who love them very much. We need to see them as the least of these. We need to love ourselves and yes sometimes we may be our own worst enemies. We should be able to find ways to lovingly help them when needed. This is easier said than done but maybe if we know what they need in the ways of  food, clothing, shelter, and a pair of listening ears that might be a way in which to start. We pray for all of our family members tonight as we remember that we indeed are all God's Children and the least of these!

Confession of Need (Enriching our Worship 2)


Let us confess our need for God’s healing grace.
Silence

Minister and People
Compassionate God,
we confess our weaknesses and our need for your
strengthening touch.
We confess that some illnesses stem from our own fault,
while others are beyond our control.
We turn to you, source of life,
and ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ
for the gifts of true healing and life in you. Amen.


Minister
May the God of love visit us in our times of trial and weakness,
and raise us to newness of life, through Jesus Christ, in the
power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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.

 Psalm 78

Part I Attendite, popule

1 Hear my teaching, O my people; *

incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; *

I will declare the mysteries of ancient times.

3 That which we have heard and known,

and what our forefathers have told us, *

we will not hide from their children.

4 We will recount to generations to come

the praiseworthy deeds and the power of the Lord, *

and the wonderful works he has done.

5 He gave his decrees to Jacob

and established a law for Israel, *

which he commanded them to teach their children;

6 That the generations to come might know,

and the children yet unborn; *

that they in their turn might tell it to their children;

7 So that they might put their trust in God, *

and not forget the deeds of God,

but keep his commandments;

8 And not be like their forefathers,

a stubborn and rebellious generation, *

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

and whose spirit was not faithful to God.

9 The people of Ephraim, armed with the bow, *

turned back in the day of battle;

10 They did not keep the covenant of God, *

and refused to walk in his law;

11 They forgot what he had done, *

and the wonders he had shown them.

12 He worked marvels in the sight of their forefathers, *

in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

13 He split open the sea and let them pass through; *

he made the waters stand up like walls.

14 He led them with a cloud by day, *

and all the night through with a glow of fire.

15 He split the hard rocks in the wilderness *

and gave them drink as from the great deep.

16 He brought streams out of the cliff, *

and the waters gushed out like rivers.

17 But they went on sinning against him, *

rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

18 They tested God in their hearts, *

demanding food for their craving.

19 They railed against God and said, *

"Can God set a table in the wilderness?

20 True, he struck the rock, the waters gushed out, and the

gullies overflowed; *

but is he able to give bread

or to provide meat for his people?"

21 When the Lord heard this, he was full of wrath; *

a fire was kindled against Jacob,

and his anger mounted against Israel;

22 For they had no faith in God, *

nor did they put their trust in his saving power.

23 So he commanded the clouds above *

and opened the doors of heaven.

24 He rained down manna upon them to eat *

and gave them grain from heaven.

25 So mortals ate the bread of angels; *

he provided for them food enough.

26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens *

and led out the south wind by his might.

27 He rained down flesh upon them like dust *

and wingèd birds like the sand of the sea.

28 He let it fall in the midst of their camp *

and round about their dwellings.

29 So they ate and were well filled, *

for he gave them what they craved.

30 But they did not stop their craving, *

though the food was still in their mouths.

31 So God's anger mounted against them; *

he slew their strongest men

and laid low the youth of Israel.

32 In spite of all this, they went on sinning *

and had no faith in his wonderful works.

33 So he brought their days to an end like a breath *

and their years in sudden terror.

34 Whenever he slew them, they would seek him, *

and repent, and diligently search for God.

35 They would remember that God was their rock, *

and the Most High God their redeemer.

36 But they flattered him with their mouths *

and lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him, *

and they were not faithful to his covenant.

38 But he was so merciful that he forgave their sins

and did not destroy them; *

many times he held back his anger

and did not permit his wrath to be roused.

39 For he remembered that they were but flesh, *

a breath that goes forth and does not return.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9


4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.* 5You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem* on your forehead, 9and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The Song of Mary Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.

You have shown strength with your arm *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones *
and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things *
and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,

The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Matthew 11:25-30

25 At that time Jesus said, ‘I thank* you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.* 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

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.

Let us pray the two forms of the Lord's Prayer as found in the 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.

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.

Loving God, who called Anna Alexander as a deaconess in your church: Grant us the wisdom to teach the gospel of Christ to whomever we meet, by word and by example, that all may come to the enlightenment that you intend for your people; through Jesus Christ, our Teacher and Savior. Amen.

OR THE DIVERSITY OF RACES AND CULTURES

O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world. Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gracious God we pray that we may learn to use our prophetic voices to speak truth to power with out fear.

God we pray that we may never be silent during times of conflict and let the world know that it is unacceptable to be filled with hate violence in the forms of action and speech, bigotry, racism, and extreme thinking.

God we pray that we may never be silent and stand firm for the protection of our family members who are vulnerable and do not have advocates in their corners.

God we pray that we may never be silent when our leaders go off track and remind them that they are to serve the people and not the interests of lobbies, special interest groups or their own dangerous and self serving agendas.

God we pray that we may never be silent when we need to tell our stories that will benefit and make change in the world.

God we pray that we may never be silent and tell and show our family members we love them.

God we pray that we may never be silent as we serve others and that when you call us to be silent we may listen. Help us to serve the least of these with loving hands, feet, words, and deeds.

God we pray that we may listen to you as we pray for the concerns that you are laying upon our hearts and in our minds especially________________

God we pray that we may listen to our bodies, minds, and spirits that we may seek to keep them healthy.

God we pray that we may be good in the conservation of your Cathedral of Life.

God help us to meet the Love Challenge this week with courage, strength, and love energy and that our heart homes maybe expanded as we become more loving towards our enemies, haters, and family members who differ from us.

God we lift up these our prayers in the name of your Son Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer 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.

 Prayers for the Tender Souls

We pray this night for our mental health professionals and all of our mentally ill family members who have fallen through the cracks.

We pray for better early interventions for those with mental illnesses and that everyone will be able to listen for their unspoken cries for help. 

We pray for the marginalized who feel outcast. May we lovingly bring them into the circle and show them how You love us.

We pray for all of our Family members who have PTSD that they may receive care and the necessary services that will help them prosper and live productive lives.

We pray for our homeless family members who live outdoors. We pray that there may be adequate shelters and a variety of places to live that will meet their needs. We pray that we may be sensitive to their needs when we see them as we walk, shop, and are in our cars. 

We pray for the safety of all the vulnerable members of our society.

We pray for better gun laws that will both protect our family members in our community and the persons who aren't suitable gun owners.

We pray that all churches may be truly sanctuaries for everyone and that there won't be a litmus test required to belong. We pray that all faith leaders will give the least of these the the security and feeling that they are loved, accepted, and that their dignity is respected regardless of who they are. Help everyone know who they are and whose they are!

We pray that there may be social service ministries in our urban centers that are non-threatening and available 24/7/365. May we be guided to think outside the box and minister to our family members who need these services.

We pray for compassionate immigration reform and that families may be kept together.

We pray for all of our medical professionals who work in the ER this night and those who work in the Mortuary and Hospice ministries.

We pray for an end to violence against women and children. 


God help us to be better at listening, watching, and being family to those who are different that ourselves.
May we see you in their eyes and love them as you love us. 

God we lift up these our prayers and the prayers that we have been requested to pray this day to you !

Amen.

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. - Teresa of Avila

Prayer for World Peace - Sister Joan Chittister, OSB
Great God, who has told us
"Vengeance is mine,"
save us from ourselves,
save us from the vengeance in our hearts
and the acid in our souls.

Save us from our desire to hurt as we have been hurt,
to punish as we have been punished,
to terrorize as we have been terrorized.

Give us the strength it takes
to listen rather than to judge,
to trust rather than to fear,
to try again and again
to make peace even when peace eludes us.

We ask, O God, for the grace
to be our best selves.
We ask for the vision
to be builders of the human community
rather than its destroyers.
We ask for the humility as a people
to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.

We ask for the love it takes
to bequeath to the children of the world to come
more than the failures of our own making.
We ask for the heart it takes
to care for all the peoples
of Afghanistan and Iraq, of Palestine and Israel
as well as for ourselves.

Give us the depth of soul, O God,
to constrain our might,
to resist the temptations of power
to refuse to attack the attackable,
to understand
that vengeance begets violence,
and to bring peace--not war--wherever we go.

For You, O God, have been merciful to us.
For You, O God, have been patient with us.
For You, O God, have been gracious to us.

And so may we be merciful
and patient
and gracious
and trusting
with these others whom you also love.

This we ask through Jesus,
the one without vengeance in his heart.
This we ask forever and ever. Amen

THE SACRAMENT OF SILENCE - Herbert F. Vetter

In the silence, O God, You constantly surround our growing life.

We know You in the silence of the healing wound, the muteness of tenderness, the quiet growth within the sleeping child, the unspoken bonds uniting friend and friend, the still intensity of meditation, the soundless splendor of our changing seasons.

We know You in the sacred silence of our bodies: the secret movement of the hidden cells, the noiseless restoration of the tissues’ balance, the unheard ebb and flow within each artery and vein.

We know You in the magic silence of our minds: the mystery of memory, retaining after-images of childhood, youth, and later years; the miracle of imagination, whereby we behold our visions of the city unattained; the marvel of attention, when the mind is focused to absorption on some needful task.

We know You in the hidden silence of our hearts: the never uttered depths of love between a man and a woman, a teacher and a student, a parent and a child; the art of being altogether for another; the faith restoring faith that someone else is utterly for you.

We know You in the fateful silences of faith. We know You in the sacrament of silence.

BENEDICTION

May we forever hope in the possibilities of life;
May we forever share the adventures of ideas;
May we know peace through not expecting the impossible;
May we know joy through helping what is possible come true.

 

St. Teresa's Bookmark

Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.

Diann Neu: Blessed Be Our Hands

Blessed be the work of our hands.
Blessed be these hands that touch life.
Blessed be these hands that nurture creativity.
Blessed be these hands that hold pain.
Blessed be these hands that embrace with passion.
Blessed be these hands that tend gardens.
Blessed be these hands that close in anger.
Blessed be these hands that plant new seeds.
Blessed be these hands that harvest ripe fields.
Blessed be these hands that clean, wash, mop, scrub.
Blessed be these hands that become knotty with age.
Blessed be these hands that wrinkle and scar from doing justice.
Blessed are these hands that reach out and are received.
Blessed are these hands that hold the promise of the future.
Blessed be the works of our hands and hearts.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or
weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who
sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless
the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the
joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.

May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our

Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of

the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you

may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his

sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and

ever.    Hebrews 13:20-21

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls

around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Resist him, firm in your faith.    1 Peter 5:8-9a

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine: Glory to God from generation to

generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever.

Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21

The Wisdom of God

the Love of God

and the Grace of God

strengthen you

to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,

in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.

(source: Celtic)

The God of peace,
who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ,that great shepherd of the sheep, make you perfect in every good work, working in you that which is pleasing and good, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Good Night Dear Family! It is wonderful to be back together as we walk together on his the sacred journey of life and service! I love you and give thanks to God for you this night and always. Take time to breathe, sleep, and know that we are all here together now and always!

Peace, love, and blessings,

Sara

Resources:

A New Zealand Prayer Book

Book of Common Prayer

Enriching our Worship 1 and 2

Metis Aboriginal Ministries

Prayers of Power

Walk With Me On Our Journey

Common of Saints 2