October brings celebrations in our house and so I’m working on planning ahead as you may have seen over on RevGalBlogPals last week. I shared prayers last week in their weekly Worship Words for this week’s worship including a Prayer for the Church and a Prayers of the People inspired by the Hebrew Scripture. You can find those prayers here and be sure to click that tiny blue button on the right sidebar to follow RevGalBlogPals so you can relish in the wisdom offered in weekly scripture reflections for both the Revised Common Lectionary and the Narrative Lectionary, prayers and a bunch of other treasures.
My eldest daughter will turn three later this month on the same day that her Daddy turns a year older. We are planning lots of pandemic style fun outside of the house. It is finally cool enough to actually enjoy the outdoors here in Texas. This weekend, we are enjoying a four day weekend filling our National Park passports with stamps.
I wrote these prayers early in giddy anticipation of actually leaving my house and I pray that you too are taking some time for rest and renewal in these strange days. I hope especially this year that the wonderful people in your congregation are looking for meaningful ways to celebrate your gifts.
Call to Worship Inspired by Psalm 96:1-9 Tell us of salvation from day to day. Tell us what that word means to you in these days. Is it as big as you once thought it was? Is it something that will only happen in the end? Or has the end already come? Is that where you are today, dear friend? Are you so exhausted that salvation doesn't seem possible anymore? Tell us, dear friends, what new songs you are singing in the kitchen. Do those songs bless God's name? Or do you kinda hope God isn't listening in on your dance party? What is it that you declare that is marvelous? Tell us. Tell us what is working and let us bless God's name in all that we share today.
Prayer of Confession Inspired by Exodus 33:12-23 How many times have we prayed, along with Moses and all of the faithful, "If you presence will not go, do not carry us up from here." Do not take us any further with our church, our vocation, our climate's health, or even our nation's health, O God, if you are not going to come along beside us. If you are not going to be right here in the middle of all of the fury and fear, leave us. We have tried too hard to do this all on our own. O God, we cannot do this anymore. We have asked so much. We know. We know. We just don't see what you are, O God. There is no glory nor really any goodness. We haven't shown our best selves in the stress of all of this. We need to catch sight of your image in our own reflection so that we can dare to proclaim the gospel in these days. Amen.
That’s all I’ve got for you this week.
I am always praying for you, dear pastors, liturgists and musicians.
Cooking with Elsa 