Here are a few of my favorite prayers from 2013. At some point, I hope to put together a more formal collection. I hope you enjoy them.
World Communion Sunday
On World Communion Sunday, we arranged a variety of breads on our communion table. Andrea and I stood at opposite podiums and alternated breads. We encouraged everyone to pray with their eyes open and focused on the table. We thought it was pretty cool!
Morning Prayer
10-6-2013
This morning, we want to
encourage you to pray with your eyes open.
Concentrate on the table in front of you. Take a peek at all these bread products.
God, this morning we offer
thanks for the many cultures that dot our planet, and for the joy we find in
fellowship with one another. Around the
world, people celebrate the risen Christ in the simple act of baking and
breaking bread. We join with them today.
We give thanks for Naan, a
thick flatbread found in South Asian cuisines and prepared in a tandoor. As we
think about this bread, we remember with gratitude, those families from India
whose children add life and vitality to our preschool. We also think of neighbors in Afghanistan –
may they one day find a bread that offers enduring peace.
We give thanks for Pita, a slightly
leavened wheat bread found in Mediterranean, Balkan and Middle Eastern
Cuisines. With this pita, we remember
the origin of our faith – the Galilee, where Christ walked and dined and
ministered. And we remember the unrest
in Syria – may all of its citizens be invited to a banquet of cooperation and
hope, where bread fills hungry stomachs, and brings about dialogue and lasting
solutions.
We give thanks for Baguettes,
or French bread, that are made from lean dough, and are generally long and
crispy. May we always remember that even
the most common meal, a grill cheese or a PBJ, is a gift of sustenance and
life
.
People have been eating
bananas a long time – Records indicate that Alexander the Great enjoyed them in
India in the 4th Century BCE.
In the twentieth century, bananas became more common with easier means
of transportation and refrigeration. And
then came banana bread, popularized in the Great Depression as a way to get the
most out of our food. Empower us to use
our food resources with wisdom and generosity.
Native Americans have been
using corn maize to create bread products for thousands of years. Europeans learned how to make recipes from
Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and other peoples across North and South
America. May this cornbread remind us of
the inherent value of every culture, and of the deep goodness of your
creation. And may it remind us to treat
others with respect and dignity.
Empower us God, to visualize
communion as a global activity, and to make known with gusto our prayers for
this world. We pray, along with brothers
and sisters around the globe, the prayer of Jesus the Christ, "Our Father..."
Words of Assurance:
No matter who you are, no
matter where you are, no matter what you are, no matter when you are, no matter
what kind of bread you fancy: God loves you.
This day and every day. Thanks be
to God!!!
Morning Prayer
7-28-2013
Gracious and loving God,
We come to you this
morning with grateful hearts – And we say, “Thank you!!!” And God, that thank you has at least three or
four exclamation points attached to it.
And this morning God, we intend to add a little extra umph to our Amens,
a little more energy to our songs, another inch to our wide grins…For it is in
you God, that we find our joy, our life, our ever-present sense of
thanksgiving. Like the Psalmist, God, we long to hear your voice because we know
that yours is a voice of peace and righteousness.
But God we are anxious –
we’re anxious because despite our wide grins, there are still far too many
within this community bearing the frowns of discontent. Overdue bills, bodies weakened from illness,
and hearts broken by loss prevent neighbors from feeling whole. Still others struggle with the anxieties
brought on by depression, divorce, stress, alienation, homelessness, abuse,
unemployment and addiction. And still
others struggle to cope with issues that seem too hard to reveal. With the same
confidence as the Psalmist, we ask that you would make the peace of your
presence known to all those who need it most – May you give what is good, and
may they live in land that yields its increase.
Use us as your instruments, so that all of our neighbors might better
know your love and your peace. And
empower us, God, to live with the same sense of compassion modeled for us by
Jesus the Christ, the one who taught us to pray, “Our Father…”
Words of Assurance
This summer, the Fruits of
the Spirit Bible Study has been working to think of God in as many ways as
possible. Nothing is out of bounds. And
so this week I asked the class, “What flavor of ice cream do you think is God’s
favorite?”
To my surprise, they all
said peach!!! And that’s hard to argue!
But as we thought about
that question a little more, we decided that God probably has a diverse palate
– a palate that not only likes, but delights in every flavor of ice cream.
I think God feels the same
about each and every one of us. No
matter our packaging, no matter traditional or original, even if we’re sooooo
cold sometimes we give God a brain freeze, God loves us, and better still, God
delights in us. This day and every
day!!! Thanks be to God!!!
Men's Meals
We've got a men's group at "Meal"brook that meets for meals a few times a month. Here's an honorary blessing I wrote for them:
A Carolina Blessing
Whether standing in the Mountains of the Blue Ridge or on
the coastal plains,
May the road rise up to meet you,
May your barbecue always be a noun,
May your beverage always be cold, and have plenty of
froth (if you so choose),
As you sit back to enjoy your deep-fried variety, be it
chicken from a farm, or fish from the sea,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And in between all of your debates about vinegar and
geography and Big-Four-Greatness
May you be filled with the joy and laughter that
friendship brings
When conversations turn to brotherhood and fatherhood and
all things in between
For in such fellowship we are reminded that we are held
in the palm of God’s hand
And we say, “Thank you, God!” with fervent hopes that we
may gather soon and say the same again.
Amen.
Morning Prayer
11-24-2013
Good
Morning, Gracious God, and Thank You – You have given us another day to
celebrate your goodness and your mercy and all the splendor of your creation –
This morning, as we sit at your table, your presence and warmth and love spill
out onto our plates, as if poured from a gravy-boat – We are full, and we are
happy, and we say, Thank you.
But
as we approach this Advent season, God, we ask for strength and for courage –
For it is easy to offer you Thanksgiving on a national holiday, or throughout
the Christmas season – there are bells, and whistles, direct mail pieces,
Christmas parties, visual stimulants – all sorts of catalysts and enzymes to
spur our generosity and our joy…But in a few months, the music will be less frequent,
the bright lights will be replaced with bare branches and cold winds, the new
toys will have lost their luster -- Many of us will call it the winter of our
discontent – No need to give thanks, or join in community, or to live in love –
we only do that twice a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas – well maybe three if
Mom cooks a ham on Easter. Empower us God, to be intentional in our
Thanksgiving all year long – Remind us God, that simple acts of empathy and
compassion are the true markers of gratitude for your grace – So God, we ask
you to help us dream of turkey dinners in July, Easter hope in February,
clothing drives in May, and harvest jubilees in March – And may our dreaming
become more than words, but rather actions – actions that bring love and hope
and peace and joy to all in our community, and remind them that they are your
beloved, as Christ Jesus reminded us when he lived and dwelled among us, and
taught us to pray, “Our Father…”
Words of Assurance:
In
this morning’s Covenant Class we talked about pet peeves – texty drivers,
casual-users of turn-signals, and folks who lack simple cell-phone
courtesies. And we also talked about
forgiveness – the deep, enduring forgiveness we find each and every day in
God’s lasting grace. So take heart
friends, even if you are too busy texting to notice, or occupied waiting for
the next important call from a friend, God loves you this day and every
day. God may even you send you this
short text: You are loved. You are forgiven. Be at peace. Thanks be to God!!!
Morning Prayer
12-1-2013
God in whom we hope,
Good morning and thank you for another wonderful day – for the breath in our lungs, for music that fills us with your spirit, for greenery and lights that brighten our sanctuary, for the-needed pause of Thanksgiving weekend, for the fullness in our lives – fullness in every sense, and most especially, God, for elastic waistbands; for all of these things we say, “Thank you.” You, God, are good to us.
And this morning God, we ask you to challenge us. Too often, our hope is mixed with apathy – Our assurance in things to come, causes us to ignore the present world, and the great need that fills it. Give us an urgent hope – A hope that a better world can begin in this very moment. Make us confident in our gifts, empowered with the knowledge that you have given us brains to think, hands to work, and legs to run to those in need. Give us the strength to use our gifts with confidence. Remind us of Walter Rauschenbusch’s poignant words, “Your kingdom is always, but coming.” As we steer toward the days when the prophet Isaiah’s vision of Jerusalem comes true: that day when Jerusalem shall be raised above the highest hills and all the people shall stream to it; that day when all of us will walk in the light of Lord; as we steer toward that vision, God, make us resilient. Make us agents of justice and reconciliation – Remind us God, that hope is not just in what we think, not just in what we believe – hope is in how we act, how we love, and how we live out your calling for us. Remind us God, that hope is following the example of the one who hoped so well, Jesus the Christ, the one who taught us to pray a realization of your hope in the here and the now, “Our Father…”
Words of Assurance:
We are entering a season of wonder – a season where everything sparkles and glitters – there are little patches of Christmas magic everywhere you look. But there’s one sense of wonder that outshines even Clark Grizwald’s holiday display – God loves you in every season -- And God will offer you the bright light of grace, long after this season is over, even long after Belk’s tells you it’s time to start celebrating Valentine’s Day. God loves you this day and every day. Thanks be to God!!!
Morning Prayer
12-8-2013
Before we pray, I want to
acknowledge two items that were not printed on your prayer list. This week marked the 72nd anniversary
of Pearl Harbor, and also the death of Nelson Mandela. As you pray this week, I encourage you to
thank God for people who have worked ardently for peace in this word, all in
their own unique ways, and to ask God to help you do the same.
God in whom we find a
sense a peace,
Thank you, for all that
you provide – Even on a cold and rainy day, we have reason to sing your praises
– you are our light, our warmth, our very source. Your comfort wraps us like a fleece blanket,
and cushions our steps like bedroom slippers – you, God, are our sustenance.
But this morning, God, too
many neighbors are restless and anxious.
A second candle reminds us of the coming peace of the Christ-child, and
yet we are uneasy. Our globe is
tormented by violence: civil unrest rages in the Central African Republic;
domestic abuse creeps up in every corner of every community – women are beaten
and abused, and then, even worse, told to be silent, or to cope, or to toughen
up; Football scores become reasons to kill; And assault weapons keep showing up
in the backpacks of middle-schoolers.
For those who elude such
violence, unrest appears in other ways: grief grips families coping with loss;
depression becomes quicksand; older adults become anxious over which
medications to take or how they’ll cope with easy activities becoming difficult;
students agonize over the perfect word to include in their final paper or which
lecture to study for tomorrow’s exam; still others struggle with long waits:
medical results; a callback from a job interview; or just a call from a friend
or loved one to tell them that they matter.
Our prayer this morning
God, is for peace, lasting peace. Not
just a peace that stops conflict, but one that stops angst, and worry, and
hopelessness and loneliness. We pray for
the peace that we know can only be found in your presence. And we pray, God that you would make us
instruments of your peace in this community and throughout the world. We pray this in the name of Jesus the Christ,
the one who taught us to pray: “Our Father…”
Words of
Assurance:
It’s the holiday season – and we are stressed out!!! Parking lots are a little more aggravating
than usual; our calendars and honey-do-lists are filling up fast; and tiny
little light bulbs keep giving us trouble, and the trouble is we don’t know
which one is broken…why won’t they stay lit?!?
Argh!!!
Relax. Take a deep breath. Roll back those shoulders. And drink in these peaceful words: God made you.
And God loves you. Always,
Always, Always!!! Thanks be to God!!!
