Tag Archives: prayer

August 3, 2014 · 8:26 am

Liturgy for Ordination: Celebrating from Afar

You may not know it, internet, but the world and the church are becoming a significantly better place–a place more full of hope, loud laughter, corny jokes, and crocs-and-socks. Today, we celebrate the ordination of my dear friend Cam Thomas to the ministry of Teaching Elder.

Below is the liturgy I wrote for Cam’s service, as well as the declaration from the PCUSA directory for worship. Join me in praying these prayers for and with Cam as we celebrate his ordination from around the world!

Call to Worship
Thus says the Lord, the God who created you, O Jacob, the God who formed you, O Israel,
“I have redeemed you, and I love you.”

Thus says the Lord, the God who created you, O Barbeque, the God who formed you, O Myrtle Beach, (names of ordaining and installing churches)
“The waters shall not overwhelm you. The flames shall not consume you. “

Thus says the Lord, the God who created you, O Cameron, the God who formed you, O friends and family.
“I have called you by name. You are mine.”

Let us worship the God who has called us together.
Let us worship the living God!

Call to Confession
Friends, if we say we have no sin, then we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Confident in God’s grace, let us confess our sins together.

Prayer of Confession
God, we hear you calling our names but we doubt whether we are good enough, strong enough, faithful enough.
We hear you calling us to serve you, but we doubt whether we are young enough, old enough, brave enough.
You call us to lives of kindness, love, and justice, but we fall into patterns of apathy, hatred, and selfish comfort.
Forgive us, O God, for what we have done and what we have left undone.
Wash us in the waters of your grace, and empower us to share those waters with others.
     Silent prayers of confession

Assurance of Pardon
See what love God has given us, that we should be called children of God. The good news of the gospel is this: the waters of grace are ever-flowing, and the love God is abundant. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

Prayer of Illumination
Holy God,
Fill these words with your spirit, that we may know your will.
Fill our hearts with humble silence that we may hear no voice but your own.
Fill this space with your presence, that we may see you in one another.
In the name of Christ, our rock and our redeemer, Amen.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1-2

Laying on of [Virtual] Hands 

Cam, you are now ordained a teaching elder in the church of Jesus Christ. Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

And the people of God say Amen!

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June 30, 2014 · 10:53 pm

A House Blessing

It’s that time of year. Moving time. As I write this, I look around and see boxes in every corner, signs that it is time to say goodbye to one home and hello to another.  Below is a “house blessing” prayer in the Celtic tradition–a ritual that aims to ask God’s blessing upon each room as well as dedicate the house/apartment/dwelling and all that takes place in it to the service of God.

May this prayer remind you to look for God’s presence in every place, from the kitchen sink to the baptismal font.

Opening: Gather in the entrance of the home, near the door.

Gather with Scripture: A Reading of Psalm 16

Move to the front door.

God of our coming and going, we ask that you bless this simple wooden door. Bless those who knock upon it,

And bless those who answer it.

Bless those who enter through it,

And bless those who exit.

May its locks provide protection and safety

But never exclusion or harm.

 

Move to the Living Room.

God of our sitting and standing, we ask that you bless this living room. Bless the friends and family who will gather here and the laughter that will be shared.

Bless the burdens and sorrows that will be carried here and the tears that will be shed.

O God, bless the movies that will be watched here and the drinks that might be spilled.

May this room soon be filled with happy memories and always with your presence.

 

Move to the kitchen.

God of our cooking and our cleaning, bless this kitchen and the meals that it will bring.

May we taste the goodness of God in every apple pie, the body of Christ in every loaf of bread.

Bless the pots and pans that fill the cabinets.

May their warm contents fill stomachs and soothe souls.

Bless the many dishes that will be washed, rinsed, and dried here.

May each drop of water be baptismal, cleansing, and claiming,

 

Move to the dining room or other table.

A Reading of Scripture: Luke 24:13-31

Place your hand upon the table.

God of our eating and our drinking, bless this table and all those who will gather here.

As we break bread together, help us to recognize Christ among us.

As we dine with friends and family at this table, remind us of the people with whom you dined:

The strangers, the sinners, the outcasts.

Help this table to be one of hospitality.

Help this table to resemble yours. Amen.

Close the ritual by sharing a meal around the table.

 

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April 25, 2014 · 3:27 pm

A Prayer for the Valley, Based on Psalm 121

We lift up our eyes to the hills. From where will our help come?

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Oh Lord, as your psalmist once looked at the hills we look at the world around us.

We lift up our eyes to see violence, fear, hatred.

We lift up our eyes to see apathy, rejection, fear.

We lift up our eyes to see illness, anxiety, grief.

We lift up our eyes seeking hope, assurance, peace.

We lift up our eyes to the hills. From where will our help come?

Our help comes from you, Oh Lord—you who made heaven and earth.

For you will not let your foot be moved. You keep us, and you will not slumber.

 

Though the earth should quake with tragedy and war,

though our lives should quake with loss and stress,

your love and your presence are steadfast.

 

You, Oh Lord, are our keeper. You are our shade at our right hand.

When we feel nothing but alone, you are there.

When we know nothing but joy, you are there.

When we doubt ourselves, you are there,

and when we doubt you, you are there.

Remind us that you are there, Oh God—that you keep our going out and our coming in.

Bless us with faith to recognize your presence. Bless us with courage to respond to your call.

Amen.

 

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February 14, 2014 · 1:01 pm

A Prayer for the Airport

Like thousands of other travelers, I’m spending today sitting in an airport–missing flights, rearranging flights, and trying to get from point A to point B with my sanity intact. Here’s a little prayer for the airport. Send it to someone who’s traveling today, save it to your phone for your next trip, or pray it from where you are!

A Prayer for the Airport

Lord, I pray for the airport–
For those coming, those going, and those just trying to do their jobs.

Bless the soul of the tired gate agent,
Bearing the burden of every cancelled flight.
Bless the hands of the patient flight attendants,
Serving up pretzels, Coke products, and grace.

Calm the nerves of the first time flyer.
Hold her hand during takeoff and landing.
Soothe the worries of the crying toddler,
And gift his seat mates with patience and earplugs.

Bless the journeys of those far from home,
Whether traveling for business, pleasure, or family.
May their seat belts click tightly, their meetings go smoothly,
and their welcomes be ones of warm embrace.

Amen.

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Quote

Hear the Prayers of Women

In honor of domestic violence awareness month, a litany for women.

Lord, hear the prayers of women,

        of bodies objectified by culture,

       spirits broken by sexism,

       minds denied access to education.

Lord, hear the prayers of women,

       of mothers who sacrifice their happiness,

       daughters who are sacrificed on the altar of patriarchy,

       sisters who are disempowered and isolated.

Lord, hear the prayers of women,

       of victims who are silenced and ignored,

       advocates who are threatened and disempowered,

       children who are powerless and terrified.

Lord, hear the prayers of women,

       of students seeking to be taken seriously,

       graduates tirelessly searching for jobs,

       professionals repeatedly denied promotions.

Lord, hear the prayers of women,

       and tell us to keep praying.

Tell us to keep dreaming,

       keep chanting,

Keep dancing,

       keep laughing,

Keep asking,

       keep crying,

Keep shouting.

       And may our shouts bring awareness.

May the the awareness bring action.

       May the action bring change.

May the change bring peace.

       May the peace bring joy.

Lord, hear the prayers of women.

       Amen.

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October 3, 2013 · 11:40 am
August 18, 2013 · 4:04 pm

Prayers for Healing

This summer, I spent my days interning as a hospital chaplain through the Clinical Pastoral Education program. Throughout the summer, I encountered requests for “prayers for miraculous healing”–requests that made me a little nervous and a lot humble.

Prayers for healing can be high-stake issues, both theologically and pastorally. If a prayer for healing is offered and answered, the patient or family may feel very blessed for “answered prayer.” The flip side of that coin, however, implies that those whose prayers are not answered are not blessed, or at least not to the same degree; if one patient lives and another dies, is prayer the deciding difference?

The Psalms provide us with examples of the extremes of raw human emotions expressed to God through prayer; in times of extreme anger, sorrow, joy, and thanksgiving, the psalmists turned to God in prayers. Job prayed to God in his most desperate moments, daring to express the basic human question, “Why?” The gospels give accounts of Jesus turning to God in prayer, too, for prayers of healing, solace, or anguish. Without doubt, we are called to talk to God in prayer as a part of a life of faith.

We often hear about the “power of prayer,” and I do believe that prayer is powerful. Prayer provides us with a sense of connection to God. Like the repeated liturgy in the Psalms, common prayers provide us with a sense of connection to one another, a ritual action which can be a source of comfort and strength. By expressing our worries and reminding us of the presence of God, prayer can provide spiritual and emotional healing, which often aids physical healing, as well.

Below is my own, brief prayer for healing, a prayer which sprouted, shaped, and grew through the course of the summer. This prayer seeks to acknowledge that, while God’s healing and medical healing may not always coincide, we seek the peace which surpasses all understanding.

“Hear [name]’s prayers for healing, and heal her in the ways that only you can. 

Heal her mind, that she may know your peace. 

Heal her soul, that she may know your wholeness.

Hold her body in your loving arms, and work through the hands of doctors and nurses to provide the best care possible.

Let their hands be your hands.Let their care be your care, and let our love for one another be love that comes from you.”

 

May it be so.

 

Peace be with you. [And also with you.]

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July 31, 2013 · 3:49 pm

Calls to Worship: Ordination

I have been honored to write liturgy for two ordination services recently, one for my soon-to-be husband and one for the soon-to-be Reverend Mary Beth. The calls to worship from both services are included below, along with the scriptures used for the service.

Both use the phrase “gather” a lot, not because I couldn’t find a synonym but because I believe the word is so important. When we assemble to worship our God, we come from all places–physical, mental, and emotional–and we find ourselves intentionally gathered around a common word, a common prayer, and a common experience interpreted a countless number of ways.

May these prayers remind you of the God who gathers us all–an unlikely and unruly flock seeking to walk a journey of faith together.

——–

Isaiah 43:1-13 and Matthew 22:1-14

We gather together to worship God.

We gather because we have seen.

We have seen a bush aflame,

And yet it was not consumed.

We have seen the five small loaves,

And yet there is bread leftover.

We gather because we have heard. We have heard God’s voice in mighty thunder

And in sighs too deep for words.

We have heard God’s name on a mountaintop,

And we have heard God call our names.

We have seen. We have heard.

We are here. Let us worship God together!

———

Micah 6:6-8 and John 21:15-19

We are gathered together to hear God’s call,

And to help one another listen.

We are gathered together to feed God’s sheep,

And to allow ourselves to be fed.

We are gathered together to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with our God.

Come! Let us feed and be fed.

Come! Let us worship God together.

Peace be with you. [And also with you.]

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July 20, 2013 · 9:47 pm

Luke 10:38-42 Prayers of the People

Prayers of the People for Sunday, July 21, 2013 (RCL Year C)

Text

Luke 10:38-42   Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”  

Prayer

Like Martha, who welcomed Jesus into her home, we are worried and distracted by many things. Hear those worries, Oh God, and take them as our prayer.

We pray for those who are ill, healing, and grieving. Bring peace with your words; bring comfort with your presence.

We pray for those who are are longing and torn. Speak guidance through your spirit; bring patience through your peace.

We pray for those who feel powerless, and for those who hold power over others. Bring compassion through your commandments; bring justice through your love.

We praise you for the way you love us–a way that calls us to sit and to listen as well as to go and to serve. Remind us that we have not been left to do the work by ourselves, for you are with us along the way.

In your holy name, Amen.

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July 14, 2013 · 3:04 pm

How Long? A Litany for Peace.

Two years ago, I wrote this litany in response to the Treyvon Martin ruling. In the wake of the Charleston shooting last night, its words seem to be especially relevant. May it bring some peace.

Refrain (Sung)

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How long will injustice overwhelm your people? And how long will your people be silent?

Refrain

How long will we wait until justice prevails–until you are feared more than corrupt laws and unjust court systems? until your peace is more coveted than power and money? How long until love speaks louder than hatred?

Refrain

How long until we all come to defend what is righteous, instead of defending the status quo? until we ignite flames to melt injustice, instead of pretending we don’t feel its frigid breeze against our skin?

Refrain

We know, oh God, that you love justice, mercy, and kindness. How long until we learn to love them, too? We know that you walk with the stranger, the outsider, the poor, the oppressed. How long until we walk with them, too?

Refrain

Hear us, God. Move us, God. Empower us, that our whispers of hope might become shouts for justice–shouts of truth so true that it cannot be ignored, shouts of love so deep that it cannot be overcome, shouts of your spirit so present that you cannot be denied.

Refrain

And may those shouts someday turn to laughter–the calm, joyful laughter of a peaceful land, where wolf lies down with lamb, neighbor with neighbor, stranger with stranger. And until then, may we keep praying, “How long?”

Refrain

Amen.

May it be so.

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