Good Evening Dear Ones!
Happy Sabbath Day! Today we heard and will hear again The Parable of the Sower. This is our time to journal and reflect upon it. Reflect upon where you are as the seed and where you have landed during this time of dual pandemics and are you taking time to seek nourishment of your body, mind, and sprit. So let us begin with this hymn:
We plow the fields and scatter
1 We plow the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God's almighty hand.
He sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.
Refrain:
All good gifts around us
are sent from heav'n above;
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
for all his love.
2 He only is the Maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star;
the wind and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us, his children,
he gives our daily bread. [Refrain]
3 We thank you, then, O Father,
for all things bright and good:
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food;
no gifts have we to offer
for all your love imparts,
but that which you desire now:
our humble, thankful hearts! [Refrain]
Translator: Jane M. Campbell
Let us sit down in silence and ponder these quotes:
"The hard work of sowing seed in what looks like perfectly empty earth has a time of harvest. All suffering, pain, emptiness, disappointment is seed: sow it in God and He will, finally, bring a crop of joy from it." ~ Eugene H. Peterson
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." ~ Paul the Apostle
"We plant seeds that will flower as results in our lives, so best to remove the weeds of anger, avarice, envy and doubt, that peace and abundance may manifest for all." ~ Dorothy Day
"With every deed you are sowing a seed, though the harvest you may not see." ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox
"Everything we do seeds the future. No action is an empty one." ~ Joan D. Chittister
"We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate - thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising." ~ Maya Angelou
"We must sow the seed, not hoard it." ~ Saint Dominic
"The pain that comes from deep love makes your love more fruitful. It is like a plow that breaks the ground to allow the seed to take root." ~ Henri Nouwen
"And there's a wonderful parable in the New Testament: The sower scatters seeds. Some seeds fall in the pathway and get stamped on, and they don't grow. Some fall on the rocks, and they don't grow. But some seeds fall on fallow ground, and they grow and multiply a thousandfold. Who knows where some good little thing that you've done may bring results years later that you never dreamed of?" ~ Pete Seeger
"You have two gardens: your own garden and that of your beloved. First, you have to take care of your own garden and master the art of gardening. In each one of us there are flowers and there is also garbage. The garbage is the anger, fear, discrimination, and jealousy within us. If you water the garbage, you will strengthen the negative seeds. If you water the flowers of compassion, understanding, and love, you will strengthen the positive seeds. What you grow is up to you." ~ Nhat Hanh
"Every moment and every event of everyman's life on earth plants something in his soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men." ~ Thomas Merton
"You cannot transmit wisdom and insight to another person. The seed is already there. A good teacher touches the seed, allowing it to wake up, to sprout, and to grow." ~ Nhat Hanh
"Because of them I can now live the dream. I am the seed of the free, and I know it. I intend to bear great fruit." ~ Sojourner Truth
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This night we light our candles and pray for peace, love, acceptance, compassion, and equality. PLACE as we come together in oneness as truly the family of God.
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.
The words you have spoken are spirit and life, O Lord; you have the words of eternal life. John 6:63, 68
Who shall stand in the Lord’s holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their hands to what is false. Psalm 24:3–4
Do to others as you would have them do to you. Love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Luke 6:31, 35
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but citizens together
with the saints and members of the household of God.
Ephesians 2:19
God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and
in truth. John 4:24
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
FIRE AND LIGHT - Augustine
O Fire that always burns, and never goes out, kindle me!
O Light which ever shines, illuminate me!
INVOCATION -Augustine
O Love of God, descend into my heart;
Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling,
And scatter there Your cheerful beams.
Dwell in the soul that longs to be Your temple;
Water that barren soil overrun with weeds and briars
And lost for lack of cultivating.
Make it fruitful with Your dew.
Come, dear Refreshment of those who languish;
Come, Star and Guide of those who sail amidst tempests.
You are the Haven of the tossed and shipwrecked.
Come now, Glory and Crown of the living,
As well as the Safeguard of the dying.
Come, Sacred Spirit;
Come, and make me fit to receive You.
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
Behold now, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, *
you that stand by night in the house of the LORD.
Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the LORD; *
the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
Psalm 141:1-3,8ab Domine, clamavi
O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge.
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.
A Smudging Prayer From - (Smudging as a Christian Aboriginal Ceremony)
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
Healing Prayer
Grandfather,
Sacred one,
Teach us love, compassion,
and honor.
That we may heal the earth
And heal each other.
- Ojibway Prayer
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
Let us pray the words of the Morning Prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
MORNING PRAYER
O God, early in the morning I cry to you.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
Help me to pray
And to concentrate my thoughts on you:
I cannot do this alone.
In me there is darkness,
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
But with you there is light;
I am lonely, but you do not leave me;
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;
I am restless, but with you there is peace.
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;
I do not understand your ways,
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
But you know the way for me…
Restore me to liberty,
And enable me to live now
That I may answer before you and before me.
Lord, whatever this day may bring,
Your name be praised.
Your name be praised.
and ponder this:
"I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me.”
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!
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 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!
From The Resistance Prays
For the 134,807 dead in the United States from the coronavirus, hear our prayer, Lord.
For the 566,790 dead around the world, hear our prayer, Lord.
For our leaders trusted to guard the public health, hear our prayer, Lord.
For our medical professionals caring for the sick, hear our prayer, Lord.
For our religious leaders considering reopening houses of worship, hear our prayer, Lord.
For everyone facing economic hardship, hear our prayer, Lord.
For everyone mourning the death of a loved one alone, hear our prayer, Lord.
For everyone on this planet, that we might build a more resilient and more just and safer future together, hear our prayer, Lord. Amen.
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We thank You for trees, O God. We thank You for the trees of our childhood in whose shade we played and read and dreamed. We thank You for special trees which will always stand large in our memory be cause they became our trees. We thank You for great stretches of trees which make the forests, drawing sustenance from Your bounties of sun and water, earth and air, even as we draw strength from them.
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W.E.B. Du Bois: Prayer
In these first beginnings of the new life of the world, renew in us the resolution to persist in the good work we have begun. Give us strength of body and strength of mind and the unfaltering determination to carry out that which we know to be good and right. Forgive all wavering in the past service of Thy cause and make us strong to go for ward in spite of the doubts of our friends and our enemies and in spite of our own distrust in ourselves. Out of the death of winter comes ever and again the resurrection of spring: so out of evil bring good, O God, and out of doubt determination. Amen.
THE GRACE TO LISTEN - Anonymous
O God, as I grow in experience, I pray I may keep from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Release me from craving to try to straighten out everyone’s affairs. Give me the grace to listen to the tales of others’ pains, but seal my lips to my own increasing aches and pains since my love of rehearsing them grows stronger as the years go by. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to become a sour old person. May I be thoughtful but not moody; helpful but not bossy. With my growing store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all—but You know, O God, that I don’t want to lose all my friends!
Psalm 119:105-112
Lucerna pedibus meis
105 Your word is a lantern to my feet *
and a light upon my path.
106 I have sworn and am determined *
to keep your righteous judgments.
107 I am deeply troubled; *
preserve my life, O Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept, O Lord, the willing tribute of my lips, *
and teach me your judgments.
109 My life is always in my hand, *
yet I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me, *
but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111 Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; *
truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes *
for ever and to the end.
Psalm 65: (1-8), 9-14
Te decet hymnus
[1 You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; *
to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
2 To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, *
because of their transgressions.
3 Our sins are stronger than we are, *
but you will blot them out.
4 Happy are they whom you choose
and draw to your courts to dwell there! *
they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.
5 Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness,
O God of our salvation, *
O Hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the seas that are far away.
6 You make fast the mountains by your power; *
they are girded about with might.
7 You still the roaring of the seas, *
the roaring of their waves,
and the clamor of the peoples.
8 Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; *
you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.]
9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly;
you make it very plenteous; *
the river of God is full of water.
10 You prepare the grain, *
for so you provide for the earth.
11 You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; *
with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
12 You crown the year with your goodness, *
and your paths overflow with plenty.
13 May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, *
and the hills be clothed with joy.
14 May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,
and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; *
let them shout for joy and sing.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
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.
Romans 8:1-11
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
A Song of the Wilderness
Isaiah 35:1-7,10
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, *
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
It shall blossom abundantly, *
and rejoice with joy and singing.
They shall see the glory of the Lord, *
the majesty of our God.
Strengthen the weary hands, *
and make firm the feeble knees.
Say to the anxious, “Be strong, do not fear! *
Here is your God, coming with judgment to save you.”
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, *
and the ears of the deaf be unstopped.
Then shall the lame leap like a deer, *
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness *
and streams in the desert;
The burning sand shall become a pool *
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
The ransomed of God shall return with singing, *
with everlasting joy upon their heads.
Joy and gladness shall be theirs, *
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
A Song of Faith
1 Peter 1:3-4,18-21
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *
by divine mercy we have a new birth into a living hope;
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, *
we have an inheritance that is imperishable in heaven.
The ransom that was paid to free us *
was not paid in silver or gold,
But in the precious blood of Christ, *
the Lamb without spot or stain.
God raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory *
so that we might have faith and hope in God.
The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said. 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
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.
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP)
Praise to you, God,
for all your work among us.
Yours is the vigor in creation,
yours is the impulse in our new discoveries.
Make us adventurous, yet reverent and hopeful
in all we do.
This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (ANZPB)
Anonymous prayers
ALL THAT WE HAVE
Almighty God, Giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to render unto You all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise You not with our lips only but with our whole lives, turning the sorrows and the joys of each successive day into a living contribution to Your life.
SUFFERERS
Dear God, who ever feels the pain of the world: we are grateful that You enfold all sick and suffering persons with Your love, that in the midst of pain we may find Your presence. We are thankful to family and friends, to doctors and nurses who seek to give health again in body and soul.
STRENGTH
God of our days and our nights, brace us and hearten us as we face our daily duties. In our hours of weariness and discouragement, You save us from self-pity. In our moments of achievement, You keep us humble. So may we worthily fulfill our tasks and meet the duties of our day.
FOR LIFE MORE ABUNDANT
Gracious God, we pray that we may help to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, heal the sick, and better enable Your children everywhere to live a more abundant life.
SLOW ME DOWN…YET ALSO
Slow me down, O God. Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of our mind.
Yet also, wake me up. Shake the complacency out of my soul by opening my mind to the cry of the wounded, the refugees wandering without homes, the homeless at home, and the children who starve.
Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time;
Yet also, quicken my steps with a vision of the urgent action now required to cure the causes of stunted growth, premature death, battered women, and abused children.
Give me, amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the everlasting hills;
Yet also, alert my eyes not to the comforting illusion of constancy divorced from change, but rather to such sharp reality as deep poverty surrounding us at home and abroad.
Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams;
Yet also, give me amid the calm days of our years, a soul which is prepared to cope with the confusion occurring amidst new creation in the cities and the countries of the earth.
Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep;
Yet also, break the chains of euphoria deluding me to think that I am acting responsibly when I do no more than listen to music which protects my feet from marching.
Remind me of the fable of the hare and the tortoise, that I may know that there is more to life than increasing its speed;
Yet also, remind me of the fable of the astrologer who fell plumb to the bottom of a well, not seeing his feet while reading the sky.
Slow me down, O God, and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values, that I may grow more surely toward the stars;
Yet also, wake me up, so our eyes may see the people around me and my arms may be open to embrace the suffering who cry.
Prayer for quiet confidence
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we
shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength:
By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence,
where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen
Earth Teach Me to Remember
Earth teach me stillness
as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering
as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility
as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth Teach me caring
as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage
as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation
as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom
as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation
as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration
as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself
as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness
as dry fields weep in the rain.
Ute, North American
Let us be at prayer: We pray this night for all family members who have been made by God and are brothers and sisters of God and Abraham. We pray and seek to be loving and united as one. We pray this night and in the daylight hours for peace in our hearts, lives country and the world. May we live justly, be merciful, and walk with God with gentle and loving steps in humility and grace. We pray for our family members who are ill that they may be healed comforted, and relieved of pain and suffering. We pray for the banishment of hate, fear, indifference and cruelty. We pray for all who are traveling and we remember especially those who are alone and afraid waiting in all transit areas. We pray for all who mourn that they may be relieved and comforted. We pray for all who are pre-grieving that they may find solace in you and their family members. We pray for all who are dying and have made that sacred journey into the Thin Places where they may find joy, light and wholeness. We offer our prayers for ourselves and on behalf of others.We give thanks and praise for all that you have done for us God. We offer our thanks to you this night with love , joy, and with grateful hearts. We lay our bodies minds, and spirits and take our rest that we may greet the day with joy, love. and a willingness to serve you in your kingdom. We lift up our prayers in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.
A Prayer for Healing
We join with the earth and with each other
To bring new life to the land
To restore the waters
To refresh the air
We join with the earth and with each other
To renew the forests
To care for the plants
To protect the creatures
We join with the earth and with each other
To celebrate the seas
To rejoice the sunlight
To sing the song of the stars
We join with the earth and with each other
To recreate the human community
To promote justice and peace
To remember our children
We join with the earth and with each other
We join together as many and diverse expressions
Of one loving mystery, for the healing of earth and the renewal of all life
- National Institute of Open Schooling, India 4
Let us pray the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
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.
As we close let us meditate on the words unity and love. Take your time and find your way into the center and stay there. Be in conversation and listen to
what God is saying.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God to help us promote healthy bodies, minds, and spirits not only in our lives but as as good citizens.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God to seek peace in everything we do.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls O God, to love and care for the least of these.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God, to strive for justice, peace, and equality throughout all nations of the world and in our own country.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God, that we may learn to love and care for the refugee, victim of violence, and human trafficking.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts and souls O God that we may care for all who are in mourning and those who have died.
Open our eyes, ears hearts and souls O God to help us fight injustice and oppression.
Open our eyes, ears, hearts,and souls O God to come to you when we are in need of help and comfort.
Open our eyes, ears,hearts and souls O God to Pray for all those who are ill and in need of your healing. remembering_________________________
Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls that we may lift up our prayers and thanksgivings to you O Lord . Amen.
Open our eyes, ears,hearts and souls O God to Pray for all those who are ill and in need of your healing. remembering_________________________
Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and souls that we may lift up our prayers and thanksgivings to you O Lord . Amen.
Grandfather Great Spirit
All over the world the faces of living ones are alike.
With tenderness they have come up out of the ground
Look upon your children that they may face the winds
And walk the good road to the Day of Quiet.
Grandfather Great Spririt
Fill us with the Light.
Give us the strength to understand, and the eyes to see.
Teach us to walk the soft Earth as relatives to all that live.
- Sioux Prayer
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)
++++
Good Night Beloved Community! BTW Happy Being Thoughtful and Thankful Thursday! I love you and give God thanks for you always. May we all seek to be like this:
With love in unity,
Sara
Resources
Enriching Our Worship
A to Z Quotes
Prayers of Power
Prayers for Today
A New Zealand Prayer Book
Book of Common Prayer on Line
Metis Aboriginal Ministries
In Lak 'Ech- Luis Valdez
Walk With Me On Our Journey
Other Resources as Noted
Oremus Bible Browser
A blast from the past 4 years ago!
Dear ones ! I keep seeing attempts to try to take all of us back in time a dangerous time where violence, injustice, inequality, hatred, and discrimination are the order of the day. The party of Lincoln used to be my political party it stopped being so many years ago when God was and is calling me into an unusual ministry with you folks in cyberspace and other places. We cannot sit idly by and watch our country take a back slide into a place where God's children are being threatened and abused by people who don't see Jesus and God in every face. It just isn't right. I sometimes go back and read the blogs I have written for almost 3 years and we haven't made any progress. In some places but not all. Brothers and sisters we don't have a choice in these matters. God is calling us to love and serve the least of these, love our enemies, do good to those who hate you (Guess what in yesterday's Gospel Lesson, the Good Samaritan did just that to the person who was on the side of the road) We need to step up and do the same if we don't we will be the ones losing our grip. I remember how my dearly departed sister Margaret reacted to the events at Kent State and every subsequent act of violence. Violence needs to stop! Racism needs to be confronted on a daily and hour by hour, nano-second by nano-second at all levels. Fear has got to be replaced by love and understanding. In 2000 years since Jesus ascended to God we haven't learned anything! We haven't learned to love God, our neighbors, ourselves, violence is not the answer, caring for and loving the least of these are our priority, that God
made us to be one with each other and not divided. That diversity is good and it is from God too. God and Jesus keep reminding us to stop the hate and fear! God and Jesus want us to see them in each of our faces and yes dear family that includes everyone ! No need to list unless you need me to spell it out? Okay, I will spell it out : LGBTQ, Muslims, African Americans, Latinos, immigrants, refugees, the poor, the lonely, the homeless, any member of any faith and ethnic group you do not belong to. Everyone deserves universal human rights, dignity, respect, love, justice, mercy, equity, and equality. When you hurt and harm, take rights away from anyone you take them away from you. As the former and recently departed Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Edmund Lee Browning taught and said "This church of ours is open to all, there will be No Outcasts!" Maybe we should say the same about our brothers and sisters everywhere in our neighborhoods, cities, towns, states, nations, the world, and in our own lives. This world that God has made for us to live in let us be one and on the same footing and never have to see anyone as an outcast, other, or inferior. After all we were made in the image and likeness of God. Weren't we?
Bonus Readings and Collect for the Feast of Nathan Soderblom
Almighty God, we bless your Name for the life and work of Nathan Söderblom,
Archbishop of Uppsala, who helped to inspire the modern liturgical revival and worked tirelessly for cooperation among Christians. Inspire us by his example, that we may ever strive for the renewal of your Church in life and worship, for the glory of your Name; who with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
133 Ecce, quam bonum!
1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!
2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,
3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.
5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.
2 Kings 22:2-13
2He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law
3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the Lord, saying, 4‘Go up to the high priest Hilkiah, and have him count the entire sum of the money that has been brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people; 5let it be given into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the Lord; let them give it to the workers who are at the house of the Lord, repairing the house, 6that is, to the carpenters, to the builders, to the masons; and let them use it to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house. 7But no account shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.’
8 The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.’ When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. 9Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, ‘Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the Lord.’ 10Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.’ Shaphan then read it aloud to the king.
11 When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah, saying, 13‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Divisions in the Church
10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,* by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose. 11For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.* 12What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to Paul’, or ‘I belong to Apollos’, or ‘I belong to Cephas’, or ‘I belong to Christ.’ 13Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God* that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
Christ the Power and Wisdom of God
18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
John 13:31-35
The New Commandment
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him,* God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
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