7/6/2018 0 Comments Prayers of the People, OT13BOur hearts are broken, God!
We lament the loss of human decency, of kindness to the stranger among us, of care for the children, of due process, and of hope for the future. We lament the ways in which the mighty have fallen, the gentle have been destroyed, the beloved have been tortured, and the others have been marginalized. Hear our cries, O merciful God, for those whose voices have been stifled, for those whose finances determine their fate, for those whose choices have inflicted pain, and those whose leadership is corrupted. Hold your grieving world in your loving arms and offer comfort and strength. Restore to us the hope of salvation, we pray. Be present in your people everywhere through the power of your Spirit, that the redeeming love of Christ might open hearts and turn the tide. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayers.
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7/4/2018 0 Comments Prayer of Confession, OT13BCall to Confession
The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us for we have sinned! Let us confess our sin before God and seek God's mercy. Prayer of Confession, OT13B Forgive us, God. Fear overtakes us, and we seek to destroy those who are different from us, whose ideas and practices makes us uncomfortable, whose stories we do not understand. Forgive us, God. Our own insecurities threaten to destroy us, so we strike out in anger to level the playing field, undermining authority, disrespecting those closest to us, failing to love our neighbor as we have been loved. Forgive us, God. We have forgotten that ALL people are created in your image, claimed and called, ordained to serve, and we are quick to use assumed power to intimidate and control Forgive us, God. We have laid down our instruments and halted our songs, chanting angry words instead, and taking up weapons of war. We have resorted to exclusionary practices, building walls instead of bridges to keep the other out. Transform our hearts, we pray, and lead us from our egocentric ways to practices of peace and reconciliation. Open our eyes to the injustices we perpetuate and give us courage to champion the rights of all humans in the name of our Redeeming Lord. Assurance of God's Grace The Lord our God delights in us. Our sin is forgiven in Christ, and we are restored to relationship through him. Thanks be to God! Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you. Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this day. 7/3/2018 0 Comments Call to Worship, OT13BGrief,
tears through our unsuspecting hearts and we are angry, and sad and confused and devastated beyond our comprehension. How did this happen? How did we get here? God is faithful, keeping God's promises to a thousand generations to turn mourning into dancing and wipe tears from our eyes. God's name be praised! |
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Julie participated in the 25th Seminar for Certified Zentangle(R) Teacher Training in June, 2019, trained by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. In addition to creating art as a personal spiritual practice, Julie also incorporates the Zentangle(R) method in Prayer Art Retreats in a variety of contexts, including church groups, friend gatherings, and at a local art gallery. Check out the Upcoming Events page for a calendar of events, or use the Contact Us page to inquire about scheduling an event with your group!
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