People's Prayers

Monday, November 19, 2018

Prayers of the People: The Reign of Christ ~ 7th Sunday in the Season of Creation '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 25, 2018, 7^th Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Colossians 1:15-20, Psalm 93, Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation…He is himself before all things and in him all things hold together. [Colossians 1:15a, 17]

Your testimonies are very sure, and holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever and for evermore. [Psalm 93:6]

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come…and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness…”I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God… [Revelation 1:4b, 5a, 8a]

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world…I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” [John 18:36a, 37b]

We have arrived at the final Sunday in the Season of Creation (SoC) and also the Last Sunday after Pentecost in the Lectionary season, both of which celebrate Christ the King. Coming next we begin the Season of Advent, preparing for the birth of the Child in whom the fullness of God is pleased to dwell.

The readings from Colossians and Revelation for this SoC Sunday are filled with mysterious and almost abstract descriptions that are difficult to comprehend for most modern, western minds. While they also maybe somewhat familiar to anyone who regularly reads the Christian [New] Testament and/or hears them read in a church setting, these words may seem irrelevant in the scheme of daily living in today’s world. How does one concretely grasp God, the Almighty who is and was and is to come, the Alpha and the Omega, from everlasting. Or, Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, the faithful witness, firstborn of all creation and also of the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth? Yet we, who would be counted as faithful Christians, should take heed and examine more closely. It is in this daily life in this time that we may easily lose track of our allegiances and settle in more with the temporary earthly powers than in the everlasting divine Kingship of Christ. Although Jesus says his kingdom is not from here, it is here and in this time and place where we encounter him, if we seek him, and if we choose to follow.

For me, the crux of this Sunday’s lessons is the moment in John’s Gospel that Jesus tells Pilate that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice [John 18:37b]. Are we listening? Do we hear it? Interestingly, what comes next is not in our appointed reading and I cannot understand why not! Maybe it is even more difficult for us to understand. In verse 38: Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" For us who endeavor to follow, Christ is our unearthly King in this world who shows us the way to the true unending Kingdom. The question for each of us is: to what truth do we choose to belong? The easy answer is: In him all things hold together; and then there is the hard part, faith in action.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord on High, hold us together and keep us from collapsing in fear whenever we, Your restless multitude, tremble at earthly tumult from both human behavior and natural disasters. In our fleeting mortality turn us always to Christ in whose Kingdom we are forgiven and saved.

O Christ, our King

RESPONSE: Keep us in Your Truth

~ O Lord on High, for all who are governed by power or throne, by force or dominion, on our planet, in our country, and in our community, we implore You to infuse the wisdom, sanity, and humanity of Jesus into all who lead Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O Lord on High, send healing grace to all who suffer in spirit, mind, or body, and compassion to all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O Lord on High, ease our grief as the souls of our cherished departed arise from earthly death into the ceaseless joy of Your Eternal Kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O Lord on High, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O Lord on High, empower the spirits of those who lead us in Your Church, through Your Word and Sacraments, with the peace, unity, and truth of Christ’s all-encompassing love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

The Celebrant adds: Christ of All Peoples, our Faithful Witness, rescue us from the power of darkness and transform our anxieties into fruitful action. Keep us striving toward Your purpose by offering our labors to soothe the sufferings of humanity near and far. We ask through Jesus our Christ, the Firstborn of all Creation, and the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of Love, who together with You are our One God, now and forever. Amen.

All compositions remain the property of the owner of this blog but may be used with attribution as long as they are not sold or charged for in any way. For more information or comments, contact: Leeosophy@gmail.com

Prayers of the People: Un-Earthly King ~ Last Sunday of Pentecost '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 25, 2018, Last Sunday after Pentecost, Year B, Readings: 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Psalm 132:1-13, 14-19; Revelation 1:4b-8,
John 18:33-37

The God of Israel has spoken: One who rules over people justly…is like the light of the morning…But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away. [2 Samuel 23:3a, 6a]

Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; let your faithful people sing with joy. [Psalm 132:9]

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come..."I am the Alpha and the Omega"... [Revelation 1:4b, 8]

Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice. [John 18:37b]

We have arrived at the Last Sunday after Pentecost, celebrating Christ the King. Coming next we begin the Season of Advent, preparing for the birth of the Child, who frees us from our sins.

The reading from 2^nd Samuel contains the last words of another King, David. The contrast of the just ruler with the godless is stark, explicit, and worthy of comparisons with our own lives. The just ruler, God has told David, is like the light of the morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning…Is not my house like this with God? God will help us all be secure and prosper. But the godless are all like thorns that are thrown away…entirely consumed in fire…

The passage from Revelation brings mysterious and almost abstract descriptions that are difficult to comprehend for most modern, western minds. While they also maybe somewhat familiar to anyone who regularly reads the Christian [New] Testament and/or hears them read in a church setting, these words may seem irrelevant in the scheme of daily living in today’s world. How does one concretely grasp Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, firstborn of all creation and also of the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth? Or the Lord God, the Almighty who is and was and is to come, the Alpha and the Omega. Yet we, who would be counted as faithful Christians, should take heed and examine these words more closely. It is in this daily life in this time that we may easily lose track of our allegiances and settle in more with the temporary earthly powers than in the everlasting divine Kingship of Christ. Although Jesus says his kingdom is not from here, it is here and in this time and place where we encounter him, if we seek him, and if we choose to follow.

For me, the crux of this Sunday’s lessons is the moment in John’s Gospel that Jesus tells Pilate that everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice [John 18:37b]. Are we listening? Do we hear it? Interestingly, what comes next is not in our appointed reading and I wish that it was! Maybe it is even more difficult for us to fully understand. In verse 38: Pilate asked him, "What is truth?" For us who endeavor to follow, Christ is our unearthly King in this world who shows us the way to the true unending Kingdom. The easy question for each of us to answer is: To what truth do we choose to belong? The hard question and answer is: How do we live it?

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God Almighty, our Light and our Rock, keep us from collapsing in fear whenever we, Your restless multitude, tremble at earthly tumult from both human behavior and natural disasters. In our fleeting mortality turn us always to Christ in whose Kingdom we are forgiven and saved.

O Christ, our King

RESPONSE: Keep us in Your Truth

~ O God Almighty, our Light and our Rock, we implore You to infuse the wisdom, sanity, and humanity of Jesus into all who govern Your people everywhere. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O God Almighty, our Light and our Rock, send healing grace to all who suffer in spirit, mind, or body, and compassion to all who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O God Almighty, our Light and our Rock, ease our grief as the souls of our cherished departed arise from earthly death into the ceaseless joy of Your Eternal Kingdom. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O God Almighty, our Light and our Rock, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

~ O God Almighty, our Light and our Rock, empower the spirits of those who lead us in Your Church, through Your Word and Sacraments, with the peace, unity, and truth of Christ’s all-encompassing love. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O Christ, our King

Keep us in Your Truth

The Celebrant adds: Christ of All Peoples, rescue us from the power of darkness and transform our anxieties into fruitful action. Keep us striving toward Your purpose by offering our labors to soothe the sufferings of humanity near and far. We ask through Jesus our Christ, the Faithful Witness, and the Holy Spirit, the very Breath of Love, who together with You are our One God, now and forever. Amen.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Prayers of the People: Our Roles as Stewards ~ 6th Sunday in the Season of Creation '18 Yr B

For Sunday, November 18, 2018, 6^th Sunday in the Season of Creation, Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1a, 2, 4, 8-11; Psalm 116:10-17,

Bishop John E. Hines*, Matthew 7:7-11

So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, that you, O Lord, have given me…set it down before the Lord your God and bow before the Lord…[Deuteronomy 26:10]

How shall I repay the Lord for all the good things he has done for me? [Psalm 116:10]

For the essential question is not, “How shall the Episcopal Church grow?” - but rather, “How can the Episcopal Church be faithful?” For that is the heritage worth sacrificing for - worth passing on to our children and grandchildren. God forbid that they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel, but ashamed of us. [Former Presiding Bishop John Hines]

Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. [Matthew 7:7]

Any of us who attend church regularly and considers her- or himself as a “member” or a “parishioner” or a “congregant” has heard and understands what is meant by Stewardship. Inside the church much is needed in support of the staff, the worship, the physical plant, and all the elements of church (small “c”) that we Episcopals call time, talent, and treasure. Outside the walls the needs are greater in all manner of ways. All of us, each of us in our many ways are called by Our Lord to give of our selves, significantly, from what God has given us. Money, or treasure, of course, is what we hear as foremost on the list of needs and wants for inside and outside.

We also hear of Stewardship as an element to church growth. Bishop Hines wrote that while he would rejoice at a multitude of conversions, his hope was for a witnessing community of unquestioned integrity. Further, he says (to imagined groans from the Finance Chair and others), that the essential question is not, ‘How can the Episcopal [insert other denomination or faith community here] Church grow?’ but rather, ‘How can the Episcopal [other] Church be faithful?’ He tells us that if we want our heritage passed on to younger generations they should come to a time and place unashamed of the Gospel [emphasis added]. We do not want them ashamed of us for creating an exclusive place only for wielding power and influence and losing our way to Christ.

The Rev. Eric Law, in his book Holy Currencies: 6 Blessings for Sustainable Missional Ministries, shows us a different way to think about the flow of currencies in our lives. Within the usual offerings of time, talent, and treasure is contained a breadth and depth of re-imagining and discovering our personal gifts for ministry that take us well beyond the scope of a seasonal directive (or harangue, in some cases). Stewardship - Missional Ministry - is not merely a specific program for a specific time of year, but rather it is a way of life.

As John Wesley said, "Not, how much money will I give to God, but how much of God's money will I keep for myself?" And that equation works equally well with the other two elements of the stewardship trio: time and talent. I don't know what tomorrow will bring for my community, my country, or this world, but I will pray without ceasing for the faith, the energy, and mindset to be a continuously generous person, to be the Church [capital "C"] as a Christian in the world with many stewarding roles. A faith community builds us up and sends us out and needs our support in every way. The CHURCH is not inside a building, it is in whatever I and we do together, to be true, faithful witnesses as part of the Body of Christ by every thought, word, and action. It's no easy task but Jesus tells us to Ask, Search, Knock ~ Christ will answer and Christ IS the answer, our Steward in Chief. Just A.S.K.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O Lord our God, awaken us to the bounty of Your Creation that we may be grateful stewards of the sacred trust You have given us in the miracle of this earth and its treasures. Grant us the humility and humanity to value and celebrate all of our sisters and brothers in difference and in disagreement, with esteem and dignity, with love and generosity for all.

O God of Power and Wonder

RESPONSE: Let us grow in faith and witness

~ O Lord our God, we offer our prayers for all who lead this World, this Country, and this Community by election, fiat, or inheritance. Inscribe their souls with a yearning for unquestionable integrity, global and local peace, and justice tempered with mercy for all the people in their charge. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

O God of Power and Wonder