Shane will be speaking in Albany June 22 and 23, and I look forward to our Westminster youth hearing from such a compelling Christian.
What would you say to a future church?
Shane will be speaking in Albany June 22 and 23, and I look forward to our Westminster youth hearing from such a compelling Christian. What would you say to a future church? This past Saturday, the confirmation class and I joined people from all over the presbytery to work in the village of Schoharie, which had been devastated by hurricane Irene. Part way through the day, I asked my confirmands why they thought this work day was part of their formation. Of course they all passed with flying colors, saying that helping people is part of what Christians are supposed to do. What I hope they took away from the day is that we are all in this together. There's more to being a part of the Body of Christ than helping people in need. It also means sitting with people who are crying, or trying to understand people who are angry. Church gives young Christians opportunities to practice being in community with people through the highs and lows of life. These young people know that God is alive in their lives, even if they are not always enthusiastic about answering adults when they ask them questions. How do I know? I can tell by how they have love for others.
On this day of celebration across the world, we remember all for whom today is not a happy one – all people who are in need of your loving presence and who cry out to you for help.
We pray for those in need of care. Draw near to those who are lost, alone or afraid. Be with those who are sick in body, mind or spirit. We especially lift up to you those known to us who are in need of your healing touch. Be with people in institutions of care and their families. Bless all people recovering from addiction and their families. We pray for those in need of forgiveness, for anyone who carries a heavy burden of guilt from the past. Relieve them of their burden. Let them know the power of your redemption to cover any sin of the past, no matter what it is. Forgive your beloved children; forgive us all. We pray for those in need of justice, for those who are poor, unemployed and underemployed, those who have no voice. Be with those who work for peace in the world and in our streets, particularly an end to gun violence. Bless our beloved city that divisions would crumble and that unity would prevail. Jesus, on this day of your resurrection, surprise us with your grace and your unexpected love in our lives. Jar us out of cynicism with the awe of the empty tomb. Make us anew so that we may be your agents of change in the world. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray, Amen. It's Holy Week - kind of a big deal around here.
Yeah, sure things are busy: extra services to plan, preparations to be made, people to visit. Aside from the busyness, Holy Week has a kind of stillness about it, especially at the beginning of the week. Anticipation hangs in the air for the events of the coming days. Life and death, deepest sorrow and ultimate joy - we will experience all of these this week. As I join with Christians all over the world to remember these events that took place long ago, I also remember significant Holy Weeks in my life. In India, Good Friday is the most observed day of the Christian year, bigger than Easter and Christmas. I remember the Easter I sang "A Toi la Gloire" in France and the Maundy Thursday stations of the cross at Nunraw Abbey in Scotland. In college I attended a Holy Week service at an Orthodox church in Chicago and in seminary preached at a Seven Last Words service in inner city Trenton. This week has found me in many different places in my life, both geographical and spiritual. Where does Holy Week find you this year? |
Frances Wattman Rosenau
Pastor, friend, sister, mom, servant of the living God Archives
September 2015
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