He cried out, “I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” Mark1:24b (NRSV) Surrounded by the presence of the Holy One of God, let us pray together. Holy One, we gather in worship this morning seeking your presence, your grace and your wisdom. Humbly we gather to hear your words of hope and […]
Release to the Captives: Prayers for Raif Badawi and Boko Haram’s Kidnapped Girls (January 22, 2015)
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Mark 1:14-15 We know, Lord, that you call us to a far wider agenda than proclaiming good news and […]
Enough: A Prayer After the Peshawar School Massacre (December 18, 2014)
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. – John 13:34 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. – Matthew 11:29 I have come into the […]
What Does This Love Look Like: Prayers for Malala’s Nobel Prize and Boko Haram’s Captives (October 30, 2014)
One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a […]
Courageous Spirits and Compassionate Hearts: Prayers for Donetsk, Ebola, and Those Held Hostage (August 28, 2014)
Gathered together, surrounded by the grace of the Holy One, we enter into this time of prayer seeking Divine wisdom and courage to live faithfully and justly. Let us join together in prayer. Creator God, we feel your Spirit move among us in the gentle breeze, in the ocean waves, and in the colors of […]
Nothing Can Separate Us: A Prayer After the Killing of James Foley (August 21, 2014)
“I, along with St Paul, am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8: 38, 39) In […]
There Is a Balm in Gilead: A Prayer for Farzana Parveen and the Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolgirls (May 29, 2014)
Go up to Gilead and take balm. — Jeremiah 46:11 “There is a Balm in Gilead” – American Spiritual There is a balm in Gilead To make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead To heal the sin sick soul. Some times I feel discouraged, And think my work’s in vain, But then […]
When Words Become Weapons: A Prayer for the Soma Mine Fire and the Chibok Girls (May 15, 2014)
Jesus said, “You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you […]
All Shall Be Well: A Prayer with Julian of Norwich for Refugees, the Chibok Girls, and Mothers (May 8, 2014)
This week in the liturgical churches, we commemorate the death of Saint Julian of Norwich and her “Revelations of Divine Love”, the first known book in the English language written by a woman. And Sunday is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday”, reminding us of God’s unbounded providence and grace. In the United States, it is […]
We Doubt and We Believe: A Prayer After the Korean Ferry Disaster and the Nigerian Kidnappings (April 24, 2014)
O Lord, we doubt and we believe. Help us to hold both our doubt and our belief lightly so we may be astonished and overjoyed when we see you, wounded and whole, living in our world. We doubt we will see peace: in Syria, in Ukraine, between Israelis and Palestinians, even sometimes within our own […]