A moment of contemplation for yourself or on behalf of others on everything from the life-altering to the mundane.


Prayer: A conversation with The Higher Other who lives within each of us. An invitation to vent, to re-think, to ask, and to rest.

Monday, September 30, 2024

Prayers of the People: In the Beginning ~ 1st Sunday in the Season of Creation '24

For Sunday, October 6, 2024; Readings: In the Beginning,* Psalm 100,** Hildegarde von Bingen,*** John 1:1-14

Creator God, open our eyes to see you reflected in every human face. In the beginning, God created, and it was good. [In the Beginning Liturgy” by Mark Earey]*

Shout for joy to the Lord, all earth, Serve the Lord with gladness, Enter God’s presence with joy! [Psalm 100, “The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering”]**

Glance at the sun. See the moon and the stars…So all of creation is a song of praise to God.  [Hildegarde von Bingen]***

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.  [John 1:1-3, 14a]

Welcome to the Season of Creation!

    The Season of Creation originated in the Anglican Church of South Africa in 2008 and is designed for us to explore our faith from a Creation perspective. We are to realize our place in the order of God’s creating and to see and act upon the need to care for our entire life-support system ~ the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil in which we grow our crops ~ not merely humanity, but our total environment, as it pertains to ALL life. 
        From the early days of the Season of Creation at The Episcopal Church of Sts. Andrew and Matthew in Wilmington, Delaware [www.SsAM.org], we established that “the primary aim of the events of the season is to enable adults and youth to celebrate and experience the inextricable link which binds together the destinies of all of God’s creatures.” Now more than ever, this is a moment of pause to remind ourselves that God calls us to see “what great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions” and for us to renew our commitment to making real the biblical vision of the earth at unity with itself. It is a vision of human beings of all races, backgrounds and walks of life in local communities and among the nations of the earth, living together in love and peace with justice for all. "As disciples of Christ, we are called through our Baptismal Covenant, to be instruments for the healing of our broken world," and with a renewed commitment to personal and communal prayer and action.
      We will use Biblical and other readings that pertain to the specific theme of each of the 7 weeks. The alternate readings used will follow the prayers below.

        We begin this Season at the BeginningProfessor Wangari Maathai, [1940-2011], a Kenyan environmental and political activist, Member of Parliament as Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, was educated in the United States and in Kenya. In 2004, she was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She was honored for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace".  Professor Maathai described the Book of Genesis as "the book for environmentalists." If we had been created on Tuesday, she said, there would have been nowhere for us to stand! God, with infinite wisdom, waited until the last day!

Week I's Theme is: In the Beginning

LET US, GOD'S PEOPLE, PRAY 

Leader:  ~ Creator and Eternal God, You are the Light that shines in the darkness, the Light of all people and of all life on our Earth, and in the vastness of the known and unknown beyond. Guide us to know, through Your infinite Word, Christ Jesus, that our purpose in this life is to love and serve You in all that we do to care for each other, ourselves, and every part of Your Creation.                                          

         Faithful, Loving God                                        
   RESPONSE:            We turn to You with thanks and praise 

~ Creator and Eternal God, encourage goodness in all who hold political and other authority across the vast expanse of Your Creation. Guide them to see You in themselves, in every human face, in every glance on, above, and below our planet, so as to govern justly, mercifully, and humbly. We pray especially for: Joseph, our President; Kamala; our Vice-President; Tom, Chris, and Lisa, our Members of Congress; John, our Governor; Matt, our County Executive; and Mike, our Mayor.

                                                       Faithful, Loving God
                                                       We turn to You in thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, grant healing to the spirits of those laid low by illness or life circumstance, and resilience for all who give them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… 

                                                       Faithful, Loving God
                                                       We turn to You in thanks and praise

~ Creator and Eternal God, may echoes of sweet memory quell the pain of earth-bound grief, as the souls of those who have left this life, now soar in the peace and glory of new life in Christ. We pray especially for…

                                                       Faithful, Loving God
                                                       We turn to You in thanks and praise 

~ Creator and Eternal God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… 

                                                       Faithful, Loving God
                                                       We turn to You in thanks and praise   

~ Creator and Eternal God, we give thanksgiving for Your anointed and loyal servants who lead us in Your Church, who re-awaken our wonder, and teach us the way to our true place with You. We pray especially for  Michael, our Retiring Presiding Bishop; Sean, our Incoming Presiding Bishop, Kevin our Bishop; Patrick our Rector; and Lloyd, our Rector Emeritus..       

                                                       Faithful, Loving God
                                                       We turn to You in thanks and praise 
   

The Celebrant adds: Most Holy God, Divine Architect of all Creation, release us from our selfish diversions and turn us to never-ending thanksgiving, selfless service, and praise of You in each day of our lives. Turn us toward faithful action to increase the health of the land, the sea, the air, all humanity, every living creature, and all that is planted in this Earth, given to us by Your enduring love. We ask through Jesus, our Merciful Healer; and the Holy Spirit, Your sacred Breath within us; who together with You, are our One Almighty and Living God, now and forever. Amen.

 

*Reading #1: Genesis 1 In the Beginning Liturgy © Mark Earey

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In the empty void and crushing darkness, God spoke light into being. Creator God, bring light into our darkness. In the beginning, God took eternity and formed time and space, seasons, days and years. Creator God, fill and shape the time you have given us. In the beginning, God took land and sea and filled them with life of every kind. Creator God, help us find our place within your diverse creation. In the beginning, God spoke his very image, and the returning echo formed humanity. Creator God, open our eyes to see you reflected in every human face. In the beginning, God created, and it was good.   

** Reading #2: Psalm 100

1. Shout for joy to the Lord, all earth, Serve the Lord with gladness, Enter God’s presence with joy! 2. Know that the Lord is God, Our maker to whom we belong, Our shepherd, and we the flock.  3. Enter the temple gates, The courtyard with thanks and praise; Give thanks and bless God’s name. 4. Indeed the Lord is good! God’s love is for ever, Faithful from age to age. [From “The Psalter: A faithful and inclusive rendering,” Liturgy Training Publications (International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.), 1994]

*** Reading #3: Hildegarde von Bingen

Glance at the sun. See the moon and the stars. Gaze at the beauty of earth’s greenings. Now, think, What delight God gives to humankind with all these things. All nature is at the disposal of humankind. We are to work with it. For without it we cannot survive...The fire has its flame and praises God. The wind blows the flame and praises God. In the voice we hear the word which praises God. And the word, when heard, praises God. So all of creation is a song of praise to God.




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