Friday, April 26, 2013


EASTER 6

Revelation 21:10-22:5

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.


Come down, Holy City,
so we may walk in the light of your streets

Our cities are dark and foreboding
dangers lurk in the shadows
fear seeps from the sidewalks
We walk with heads down
eyes averted
frowns adorning our countenance

Come down, Holy City,
so we may walk in the light of your streets

Our cities are filled with hungers and scarcity
Lonely figures
huddling on doorsteps
sitting on the corners
crowding the panties and the shelters
hoping some crumbs might be thrown their way

Come down, Holy City,
so we may walk in the light of your streets

Our cities are cold and cheerless
love has been abandoned
being connected substitutes for communicating
We share nothing but a zip code
Strangers when we meet
retreating behind closed doors and shuttered hearts

Come down, Holy City,
so we may walk in the light of your streets

We hope for that light that will shine
upon our steps
We pray for the Spirit to fill us
with joy and peace
We long for the Shepherd
to protect us

We hope for the light that will shine
upon the poor and needy
We long for the day when the lame shall leap
the blind shall see
the dead shall be raised
and all will feast at the banquet of the Lamb

We hope for the light to shine
and bring us peace
We pray for the day when violence will end
when the guns will go silent
and all hatred shall cease
and the Shalom of The Lord
will reign forevermore

Come down, Holy City,
so we may walk in the light of your streets

Amen

EASTER 7

John 17

25 Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you[a] known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.


The world does not know you
God of all creation

We are busy making your creation our home
that we bend and twist and carve it to our liking
If a forest is in our way, we chop it down
If we need oil or coal, we plow or dig or tear away
We get what we want
and take what we need

The world does not know you
God of all people

There are a lot of these people we don't like
They mess things up
They are always needy
have their hands out
always hungry or sick or lost
Crowding our cities and streets

The world does not know you
God of peace and justice

We want to dominate the world
Force our way of life, our religion, our justice
on everyone else
make them do what we want, give us what we want
And if they don't
we will bomb and defeat and conquer them

Forgive us, O God
for we do know you

We know you to be the true creator
of the skies and the seas and the land
You entrust this earth to us
to be its stewards and caretakers

 Forgive us, O God
for we do know you

We know you to be the shepherd
of every person, every race, every nation
You call us to love and pray for them
and be brothers and sisters to all

Forgive us, O God
for we do know you

We know you to be the author of shalom
the one who rules the nations and makes them obey
You call us to preach the Good News
and work for your Kingdom of justice and righteousness

We know you
God of creation
God of all people
God of justice and peace

We know you
We love you
We follow you
Now and always

Amen

Tuesday, April 16, 2013


A PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS IN BOSTON

Lamentations 1

4 The roads to Zion mourn,
    for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,
    her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
    and she is in bitter anguish.


We have stopped running Lord
We are tired and weary
afraid and scarred
It is too much right now

We have stopped running Lord
We need a place of safety
Safe from the bombs and fear
It is too much right now

We have stopped running Lord
We need our families
To hold and caress and love
It is too much right now

We have stopped running Lord
We wonder if we can run again
We want to feel the joy of life
and the freedom of the streets
It is too much right now

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

We will run again Lord
for we know that you are here
running by our side

We will run again Lord
though the earth trembles
we will be guided by your strength

We will run again Lord
with broken hearts and tear stains
that you will heal

We will run again Lord
and shout our joy
for life
for living
for the moment you give us
for the love that sustains us
every step along the race

We will run again
Hallelujah

Amen

Monday, April 8, 2013

A PRAYER FOR EASTER 5


Based on Psalm 39:4-7

You have made my days a mere handbreadth

It is gone too soon
vanishing like a whisper in the night
Heard one moment
Forgotten the next

the span of my years is as nothing before you.

We are as flowers in the field
brightly shining on a Spring day
then blown away with the leaves of Fall
and buried under winter's snow

in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
    without knowing whose it will finally be

We build our fortresses of money and power
seeking shelter from the fates of time
putting our thumb in the dykes of illness and aging
frightened of losing control

But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.

Our life is, was, and always is blessed by
Your strength that protects us
Your grace that saves us
Your spirit that guides us
and Your love that sustains us
today, tomorrow, and forever more

Amen
A PRAYER FOR EASTER 4


Based on Psalm 23


6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Wherever We felt lost
You, O God, have been there
A presence by our side
A song in our heart
Your Spirit in our soul

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Whenever we felt lonely
You, O God, were there
You kept us company
and filled our days with
joy and wonderment

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Whenever we were hungry
You, O God, were there
You fed us with your love
Quenched our thirst by your Word
Filled me with grace and peace

We thank you,
Gentle shepherd
for guiding us
leading us
into your house forever.

Amen

Saturday, April 6, 2013

A PRAYER FOR EASTER 2

Based on Psalm 71


What have we learned
in our many days?

You are our God
Lord of the universe
All that is
All that will
is held in your hands


What have we learned
in our many days?

When our strength falters
You steady us, O God
reach out your arms
as we take each slow
and faltering step


What have we learned
in our many days?

When we are lonely
and cry in the night
You hear us, O God
every word, every thought
You hear and remember

What have we learned
in our many days?

That you send us
To those who are elderly
to be your arms when they fall
to be your ears when they cry out
to declare You are their God
their strength and their salvation


Amen

Monday, April 1, 2013


A PRAYER FOR EASTER 1

Based on Psalm 118


As we grow older
our balance falters
our grip loosens

Hold me up Lord
and give me strength

As our journey lengthens
our steps are uneasy
our direction meanders

Hold me up Lord
and give me strength

As we climb each morning
the steps grow higher
steeper and harder

Hold me up Lord
and give me strength

As our days grow shorter
our memory fades
our remembrances fewer

Hold me up Lord
and give me strength

The Lord is my strength and my defense
    he has become my salvation.

Amen