For rarely seen sides of life,
sometimes quickly dismissed;
partially forgotten, except that the memories
keep coming back, we not only give thanks,
we treasure each of these special moments.
And the meaning of what is remembered
grows with time.
A promise made, a commitment affirmed, an honor bestowed, a time when we somehow - with God’s grace- stepped up to the plate and did what was right.
We said the right thing (even quietly, with a tremble in our heart), we did the courageous thing (even though it was very small). Living at the intersection of power and humility, all these moments mature in us.
Whether by sudden heroism, or solid integrity, grant us the continuing patience to await for the moment that we may reclaim these moments, and in their arrival, may we have the courage to let the lessons learned be lived out,
in our giving back to You,
with these lives you have given us.
Amen.
As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
May this Church
May this Church
May this church shelter and nurture life;
when you arrive, may all the weight of the world fall from your
shoulders.
May this church be a safe place, full of understanding and acceptance;
where we can be as we are made to be;
where we can see others through God’s eyes,
and God will show us ourselves with love;
where we can learn to practice what we preach without any mask or
pretense.
May we continue to have eyes to see that no visitor arrives without a
welcome and no guest leaves without a blessing.
May there be continued delight in this fellowship, as we serve as a
house of welcome for the broken and diminished.
May this church be a place of courage; where healing and growth are loved, where dignity and forgiveness prevail, where the patience of the Spirit is prized and the sight of our destination is never lost.
May this church be a home where the possibilities that sleep
in the depth of our souls emerge to refine our vision
for all that is yet to come. Amen.
May this church shelter and nurture life;
when you arrive, may all the weight of the world fall from your
shoulders.
May this church be a safe place, full of understanding and acceptance;
where we can be as we are made to be;
where we can see others through God’s eyes,
and God will show us ourselves with love;
where we can learn to practice what we preach without any mask or
pretense.
May we continue to have eyes to see that no visitor arrives without a
welcome and no guest leaves without a blessing.
May there be continued delight in this fellowship, as we serve as a
house of welcome for the broken and diminished.
May this church be a place of courage; where healing and growth are loved, where dignity and forgiveness prevail, where the patience of the Spirit is prized and the sight of our destination is never lost.
May this church be a home where the possibilities that sleep
in the depth of our souls emerge to refine our vision
for all that is yet to come. Amen.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Weight of God's Intent
The notion
that the eternal fate
of people
swings on whether
one decides to allow Jesus Christ
into their heart
is ruthlessly
individualistic
and runs counter
to the biblical hope of a new creation.
Putting the weight
of God’s intent to redeem creation
on a series of personal choices
is something like
a man in a cottage
on the coast of Normandy in June of 1944,
as the Allied forces swept across the beaches,
thinking that he had to choose
to be liberated or not.
“Train yourselves in godliness, for while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:7b-10
that the eternal fate
of people
swings on whether
one decides to allow Jesus Christ
into their heart
is ruthlessly
individualistic
and runs counter
to the biblical hope of a new creation.
Putting the weight
of God’s intent to redeem creation
on a series of personal choices
is something like
a man in a cottage
on the coast of Normandy in June of 1944,
as the Allied forces swept across the beaches,
thinking that he had to choose
to be liberated or not.
“Train yourselves in godliness, for while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” 1 Timothy 4:7b-10
Friday, September 18, 2009
A Prayer/Poem for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (inspired by John Bell & John Baillie) September 20, 2009
In following Jesus Christ, our fondness
for what has shaped us
must at times be made subservient
to the summons
of the one alone who can redeem us.
The only safe thing is to change.
Therefore,
let me use praise as material for humility;
let me use pleasures as material for temperance;
let me use success as material for thankfulness.
So far as is possible, dear God,
mold me according to the image and likeness
of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
“Jesus answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed;
nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:20
for what has shaped us
must at times be made subservient
to the summons
of the one alone who can redeem us.
The only safe thing is to change.
Therefore,
let me use praise as material for humility;
let me use pleasures as material for temperance;
let me use success as material for thankfulness.
So far as is possible, dear God,
mold me according to the image and likeness
of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
“Jesus answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed;
nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” Luke 17:20
Friday, August 7, 2009
forgive
Forgive me, Lord, through Christ I pray,
the wrong that I have done this day.
That with the world, myself and Thee,
I, ‘ere I sleep, at peace may be.
(Thomas Ken, 1695)
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Jesus, Matthew 6:12
the wrong that I have done this day.
That with the world, myself and Thee,
I, ‘ere I sleep, at peace may be.
(Thomas Ken, 1695)
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Jesus, Matthew 6:12
Friday, July 17, 2009
A reflection of You...
A reflection of You
How do I reflect Who You are to me?
what amount of my
patience, or decisiveness, mercy,
generosity, care, could ever amount to
even a glimmer of your love?
My life bears dim semblance
to your image.
Yet, the candle I could hold
to you
is blown bright
by your life-giving breath.
‘Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22
How do I reflect Who You are to me?
what amount of my
patience, or decisiveness, mercy,
generosity, care, could ever amount to
even a glimmer of your love?
My life bears dim semblance
to your image.
Yet, the candle I could hold
to you
is blown bright
by your life-giving breath.
‘Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Sabbath Arrival
A walk on the beach... or in the woods,
taking time to track a lightning bugs’ on-again, off again flight,
gazing at the morning dew on the grass,
marveling at a fuchsia sunset...
Inasmuch as Sabbath
is to remind us that we are not self-made,
then what we need comes to us in time set apart, left fallow,
for restoration, relief, refreshment
to arrive on the wings of the Spirit.
As it is that we are not our own; giving ourselves over
to the One who made us, for God to do God’s work with us,
when and how God chooses, is our joy and delight.
(Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it Holy. Exodus 20:8)
taking time to track a lightning bugs’ on-again, off again flight,
gazing at the morning dew on the grass,
marveling at a fuchsia sunset...
Inasmuch as Sabbath
is to remind us that we are not self-made,
then what we need comes to us in time set apart, left fallow,
for restoration, relief, refreshment
to arrive on the wings of the Spirit.
As it is that we are not our own; giving ourselves over
to the One who made us, for God to do God’s work with us,
when and how God chooses, is our joy and delight.
(Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it Holy. Exodus 20:8)
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