continuing in prayer
My friends and I continue to offer daily prayer for the United Church of Canada and the 42nd General Council coming up in less than a month. Here is my offering for today.
Lord,
I am running out of words.
I want to sound elegant, educated, knowledgable
but it all pales in comparison to Your immense greatness.
So I simply offer the little that I have in prayer.
I pray for those running around in Cornerbrook working out final details.
I pray for those commissioners who are pouring over hundreds of pages of reports so they can discern wisely when they get there.
I pray for those who are anxious about what will come out of these meetings.
I pray for those who are complacent about what will come out of these meetings.
I pray for our General Secretary, Nora Sanders.
I pray for our Moderator, Gary Paterson.
I pray for the young people who are on a great pilgrimage across this country.
And I pray for the brave souls who have allowed their names to be put forward to be the next moderator in these tough times.
And I pray your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
May it be so.
Amen.
crossing lines
Scripture Reading: Luke 13:10-17
This week I was participating in the Vacation Bible School hosted by St. Andrew’s. In total, over 80 children passed through the doors during the week. The average daily attendance was roughly 60 kids. There was a great amount of energy throughout the week as the kids sang, learned and played together.
Now all these children don’t call St. Andrew’s home. In fact, very few do. They came from many different churches, including our own as Anna, Anthony and Jamie were there.
It was great to see the smiles on all their faces each and every day. I was a popular person because I was in charge of their recreation time. So I set up games for them to play!
What I saw were children from different schools, different churches, different family backgrounds, they all came together and shared and learned together. read more…
a new way
Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:48-54
One of the most beautiful things one person can do for another is to offer forgiveness. When the 9 people were shot during a prayer meeting in Emmanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina by a pure racist act of terrorism, what did the families do?
They forgave the shooter.
They forgave a young man who spent an hour in the church, sitting among his victims before opening fire and ending the lives of nine people. His hatred was so strong, even sitting for an hour among them as they welcomed him openly in to their group, he still chose to open fire.
And they forgave him.
Could you have done it?
I can’t say I’m sure I would. I hope I never have to face that decision because it would just tear you apart. Wouldn’t it?
These people, in the face of racism, hatred and violence have responded in peace. And they’ve done so in an incredibly powerful way. read more…
Breaking Barriers
Scripture: Luke 16:1-15,19-31
When I was in high school, my basketball team, at the end of the season, would play a basketball game against a wheelchair basketball team. They would bring in wheelchairs for us, and we would get in them and play.
As much as I would like to say that the high school provincial champions would give the wheelchair team a run for their money… we didn’t. Sure on the scoreboard at the end of the game it would say we lost by 10 points. But in reality the other team would take pity on us. They would go to the score table and say “Give them another 10 points” whenever they got too far ahead. Truthfully, if the score said 60-50, we probably scored maybe 20 points. read more…
more prayers for the church and its future
We at Cruxifusion continue to pray for the United Church of Canada as it prepares for General Council 42 this summer.
Holy Lord,
Your church is a gift.
It is a beacon of hope in a world which is lost.
It is a home for the broken so we can receive healing.
It is a home for sinners so we can be forgiven.
Help us to find hope.
Help us to be healed.
Help us to receive your abundant mercy and grace.
We pray for those who are preparing to be leaders in this church.
We pray for our commissioners.
We pray for our nominees for moderator.
We pray for Nora and Gary.
We pray your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Help us to turn from our own desires and dreams.
Let us see your desire, your plan, your dream for this world.
Lead us, O God.
For without you we will remain lost, broken and sinful.
But with you…
With you we are lights in a darkened world.
With you we are healers and seekers of justice.
With you we can do things beyond our wildest dreams.
Stir in our hearts, move us with your Spirit.
This we pray in the strong name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.
Amen.