Is it cheating to just share last year’s post on these familiar images of shepherds? Is it? Because I really like the prayers I wrote last year especially the one I wrote riffing on Rebecca Solnit’s essay.
Have you read her book on hope? It’s worth the read in the Easter season. Brainpickings offers a great peek into her inspirational words. It’s a work that keeps getting updated which I find heartwarming but I think this is the most recent edition.
No, of course I can’t do just share last year’s post. We are in a different moment in time and there is something more than our prayers need to say.
I confess to you, dear pastor, that there are times when I really want to open up to invite prayers as so many of you are posting on social media to encourage your good people. I want to know the prayers on your hearts when you are tending so much to the concerns of others. I am so curious what you are trying to imagine in this wild time when anything and everything is possible in how we worship — and you are doing all of it. You are doing multiple services to bring people together online and in person and give full glory to God and you just got through Easter. You are truly a wonder, dear pastor. I’m so grateful for you and I know that I am not the only one.
Though you have been busy shepherding, these prayers are not so focused on the Good Shepherd theme. Not exactly. I adore the Johannine epistles and so I am drawn there first.
Call to Worship Inspired by 1 John 3:16-24 Little children, dear children of God, let us find ourselves here together united in such heart that we can learn all that love does. Love is more than words. It is more than what we can say but love has a movement. It has a heartbeat and a pulse. It is the rhythm we seek to find ourselves this morning in our worship and praise so that love might abide in this fellowship in this ministry in this hope for the world. Let us love.
I am thrilled to have partnered with The Work of the People to create an additional prayer for this Sunday. Let us Love continues my meditation on 1 John 3:16-24 where love feels like something we need to practice more. The gentle words of invitation in the epistle made me wonder again how little children first know what love does and how we might still be learning to practice this holy act.
As you may well already know, I cooked up this recipe Pandemic Easter Affirmations that might add some spice with new words from your community about what resurrection means now or you might encourage vaccinated groups of people to meet together and walk together using Resurrection Awe Strolls. As the world shifts again, this might be used to notice where new signs of life are appearing in your neighborhood and might even invite your people to think about new ministry opportunities in this new season.
That’s all I have for you, dear pastors. I am praying for you. I am praying for you, as always.
Cooking with Elsa 
Thank you so much for your faithfulness.
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