Jill Duffield reads the prayers of the people she crafted for this Sunday. You are welcome to share this with your congregation or use it as part of your worship service. Find the full printed order of service here. … [Read more...]
Horizons preview: “Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament”
Anguish, anger, regret, guilt, sadness, loneliness, rage, cries for justice — I have felt all of these in this time of COVID-19 and the protests and the riots following George Floyd’s murder. My anguish is at another unarmed Black person killed. My frustration, anger and rage are directed at those who knowingly oppress and dehumanize others and I cry out for justice. My regret and guilt are focused at my own denial of my own racism, even as I work to be anti-racist. All these feelings are gathered up into prayers of lament. Such prayers are acts of faith. Biblically, lament includes a wide range of emotions and situations — even into the dark nights of the soul when we feel deserted by God. Laments are the moans and cries of our spirits uttered to God, out of relationship with God and with trust that God can do something to change the situation. Author Lynn Miller takes us on a journey of biblical lament in her study and art in “Into the Light: Finding Hope Through Prayers of … [Read more...]
Prayer for those in the path of Isaias
Lord you come to us in the storm, refusing to let the perils of life overtake us. Trusting your power and mercy, we pray for those in the path of Isaias. As the storm strengthens and people prepare for it to make landfill, grant safety to all who fear the coming wind and water. We ask for protection for those who lack the means to stockpile provisions, for those already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus, for first responders and healthcare providers already stretched and stressed. As we continue to navigate these tumultuous times, feeling battered by forces beyond our control, we cling to the sure hope of your close and caring presence. We know that nothing – not hurricanes nor pandemics, not the evils of racism nor economic hardship – can separate us from your love. May our gratitude for your saving grace move us to embody your compassionate kindness in radical, tangible ways to your beloved children right now in the path of so many threatening storms. In … [Read more...]
Order of worship — August 9, 2020
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation. It is free for worship use. Please credit Jill Duffield of the Presbyterian Outlook. Download the PDF of the full order worship: Liturgy 08_09_20 … [Read more...]
9th Sunday After Pentecost — August 2, 2020
Genesis 32:22-31; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21 Ordinary 18A; Proper 13 Jacob was left alone. Jesus withdrew to a desolate, deserted place. In the first instance, after Jacob sends his family and all he owns ahead of him and as he fears for his encounter with the brother he cheated, a sleepless night of wrestling with the divine ensues. In the second, the needy crowd pursues Jesus and, having compassion on them, he returns to the fray of their relentless demands. In both cases, neither Jacob nor Jesus find the rest sought. What is it about being alone at night that brings forth those things we cannot let go, those fears that will not leave us, the wrestling with anxiety about the past and the future? Why is it that when we feel most depleted, most in need of a respite, people seek us out and require even more of us? These two stories – Jacob wrestling and Jesus feeding the 5,000 – are often heard in a cursory way if we are familiar with them. Yes, we know that Jacob will … [Read more...]
Prayers of the people for August 2, 2020
Jill Duffield reads the prayers of the people she crafted for this Sunday. You are welcome to share this with your congregation or use it as part of your worship service. Find the full printed order of service here. … [Read more...]
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