A PRAYER FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

A PRAYER FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

OT

 Isaiah 2

3     Many peoples shall come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

    to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

    and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations,

    and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

    and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

    neither shall they learn war any more.

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of truth

For we are a people run wild 

in the streets

Arming ourselves

against stranger and neighbor

Fearing the violence 

hiding behind our fortresses

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of justice

Arbitrate between the rich and the poor

the mighty and the weak

Raise up the trampled

strengthen the weary

Turn out the gluttonous 

lower the powerful

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of peace

For we are a warring people 

arming ourselves for conquest 

Nations rising up against nations

fortifying to beat back invaders

Abandoning the widows and the orphans

to survive on their own

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of shalom

Break our swords

bend our guns

shatter our storehouses

of death and destruction

May we learn not the ways of war

but study the paths of peace 

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of love

For we strain to know one another

preferring to nod as an acquaintance 

and not as a neighbor 

Avoid knowing or caring 

desiring distance to intimacy

safety to risking

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of reconciliation 

Break down the walls 

that divide us 

Bring us together as one

One people

One faith

One God

Come, Jesus of Nazareth 

Come and lead us to your house

on the mountain of justice

and peace 

shalom 

and righteousness 

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

A PRAYER FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

NT

Matthew 24:36-44

36 “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day[b] your Lord is coming. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Is the flood coming today Lord?

We're not ready!

We heard the rumors

read the news

listened to the preachers

kept up on stuff

thought we were ahead 

Can't you wait a bit 

give us a heads up

let us know 

when to start preparing 

building our ark

Is the flood coming today Lord?

We're not ready!

We checked our calendars

looked at our schedules

tried to look ahead

clear some time

adjust our itinerary

Can't you hold off a little

make it a more convenient time

send us an email

or a Google alert

so we can make time

Is the flood coming today Lord?

We're not ready!

We have so much to do

things to take care of

errands to run 

jobs to do

crises to negotiate 

Can't you make it more convenient

fit it in better for a time 

when we can give it our full attention 

be better focused

ready to be on task 

Forgive us O God

for not being ready

at any and every moment

to prepare for your coming

Forgive us O God

for not being willing 

at any day or time

to welcome your coming

Forgive us o God

for not wanting

today or tomorrow

to be ready for your coming

Come Lord Jesus

Come

Come today

Come tomorrow

Come forever

Amen

A PRAYER FOR CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY

A PRAYER FOR CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY

Jeremiah 23:1-6

(NRSV)

1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

We are sheep

Wandering from hillside to hillside

Looking for pastures to lie in

Dipping into streams for refreshment

We follow shepherds who tend us

Following their voice 

Leading us this way and that

Over the hills and down to the rivers

We pray to feel safe in our pasture

Safe from the wolves who would devour us

Safe from the winds that would destroy us

Safe from the worries that would deter us

O Where

O Where is the Shepherd

The One who can defeat the wolves

and calm the winds and soothe our worries

O Where

O Where is the Shepherd

The One who can lead in green pastures

and beside still waters

It is you

Lord Jesus

You are The One

You are The One who sends the wolves 

on the run to keep us safe

You are The One who stays the winds

and calm us in the storm

You are The One who holds us close

and gives us moments of peace

You are The One who fills our hunger

and quenches our thirst

You are The One

Lord Jesus

We praise you

We thank you

Shepherd and King

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THE 25th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

A PRAYER FOR THE 25th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Psalm 98

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

    break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

    with the lyre and the sound of melody.

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn

    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    the world and those who live in it.

8 Let the floods clap their hands;

    let the hills sing together for joy

9 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming

    to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness

Do you hear it, Lord

That's us

Your creation

singing to you

Every wave that breaks upon the shore

Every wind that howls thru the trees

Every drop of rain that beats upon the earth

all are singing

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

CREATOR OF ALL

Every beast of the field 

Every creature in the sea

Every bird aloft

Lift their voice 

Lions roaring

Cattle stampeding

Whales singing

Eagles soaring

join the chorus

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

CREATOR OF ALL

Every mountain and forest

Every river and stream

Every field of wheat and corn

raise their anthem

Summits pointing heavenward 

Rapids bursting and bubbling

Waves of Amber, stalks growing

harmonize with all

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

CREATOR OF ALL

Every person

Every nation

Every community

chant your name

Seeking calm in the chaos

Seeking shelters from the storm

Seeking peace amidst the wars

cry unto you

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

WHO GIVES US LIFE 

SUSTAINS OUR LIFE

RESTORES OUR LIFE

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

WHO METES OUT JUSTICE

BENDS THE BOW

AND ESTABLISHES PEACE

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

WHO HEARS EVERY CRY

WHO COMFORTS EVERY HURT

WHO HEALS EVERY WOUND

PRAISE TO GOD

OUR GOD

NOW 

AND EVERMORE

AMEN

A PRAYER FOR THE 26th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

A PRAYER FOR THE 26th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 

Luke 21:5-19

NRSV

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’[a] and, ‘The time is near!’[b] Do not go after them.

9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words[c] and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.

(T S Eliot)

It feels like the end of the world, Lord

 

So many people are running around

Crying that the sky is falling

Everything is falling apart

Doomsday is here

Prepare to meet your make

Everyday we look

There is chaos and crisis

Nobody can manage

All is up for grabs

Where can we hide

Where are we safe

What can we go

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

(W. B. Yeats)

It feels like the end of the world, Lord

There is nothing to hold onto

Nothing secure

Nothing sure

Nothing sacred

Our cries go unheard

Our panic undiminished

Our prayers unanswered

What can we do 

What can we say

What can we pray

14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.

Praise you Lord Jesus

Praise you for the words

you give us

Words of love instead of hate

Words of assurance instead of fright

Words of peace instead of war

Words of friendship instead of mistrust

Praise you, Lord Jesus

Praise you for the wisdom

you give

Wisdom to know truth to hold onto 

Wisdom to know the path to take

Wisdom to know when to be silent

Wisdom to know when to speak

19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Praise you, Lord Jesus

Praise you for the endurance

you give us

Endurance to face our enemies

Endurance to walk through the flames

Endurance to withstand every storm

Endurance to stand at the last

Praise you, Lord Jesus

Praise you for standing

ever beside us

In our moments of loss

You are there

When we are lost

You are there

In the beginning

and at the end

You are there

Praise you, Lord Jesus

Forever and ever

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THE 23rd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Luke 18:9-14

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

We know we are supposed to pray Lord

We don't always know how

We are good at saying all the correct words

making our prayers flow

Poem as prayers

full of eloquence and meaning

We follow along the liturgy

repeat the words on the screen

or in the bulletin

praying as a whole people of God

We always have our Prayer List

Needs to mention

Friends and family in need

All tidied up so we can beg for your help

Forgive us, Lord Jesus

that we put more importance

on style and substance

and forget we should just come

and be silent

Forgive us, Lord Jesus

that our prayers are often

about what we need or want

and not so much on thanksgiving

or confession

Forgive us, Lord Jesus

that in prayer we tend to

do all the talking 

and not much listening

Forgive us, Lord Jesus

that we forget

you showed us how or pray

by going away from the chaos

to sit alone and pray

Forgive us, Lord Jesus

and remind us to pray

as you taught us

Our Father

Who are in heaven

Hallowed be your name

Your kingdom come

Your will be done

on Earth as it is in heaven

Give us this day our daily bread

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us

For the Kingdom

the Power

the Glory are yours

Now and forever

Amen

A PRAYER FOR THE 22nd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

A PRAYER FOR THE 22nd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Jeremiah 31:31-34

31 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband,[a] says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

We long to know your way Lord

to live in the ways of truth

We dwell in a land of messages

of avarice and greed

selfish wants and unfulfilled dreams

Each voice crying for us to follow

to happiness and unending desires

Place upon our hearts the knowledge 

that in you all our needs are met

all our wants are filled

our life whole and complete

We long to know your way Lord

to live in the ways of hope

We feel so much despair around us

mountains of gloom

oceans of anguish

that drown us in waves

of sorrow and surrender

Burn your hope into our hearts

Plant within a vision of your kingdom

where the lamb and the lion lie together

joy is known on every street

and every village and town

We long to know your way Lord

to live in the ways of peace

We live in a time of constant war

Struggles for power and riches

Tyrants triumph and hatred reigns

making widows and orphans 

Dead stacked upon dead

Light the flames of peace upon our hearts

Sow the strength to love our enemies

and the courage to turn our swords into plowshares

and study war never more

We long to know your way Lord

to live in the ways of truth

hope and peace

Write them upon our hearts

that we may walk always in your way

Amen