It has been awhile since I have had the opportunity to write liturgy (the words of worship). It feels good to write again and be back in a church where I will (occasionally) be preaching. This is the time of confession and forgiveness for the week I am preaching on the 10 commandments.
Call to Confession-
No one likes to admit that they have done wrong. One of the most beautiful parts of worship is that each week we come together and acknowledge our mistakes. As we confess, we seek to be forgiven by God, by each other, and by ourselves. And so in honesty and humility, we pray together.
Holy One, you instructed us in how to live and we have chosen our own paths. Direct us back to your way. Forgive us, we pray. And help us to forgive each other as we seek to live as those who are created in your image. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon-
Friends in Christ, there is no better news that this. God has heard us. God has forgiven us. God loves us. May our thoughts and actions reflect that forgiveness and love.
The Holiday Season is hard. We are faced with so many expectations of what we should do. Pressure comes from all directions about how to have the perfect celebration. Add in grief and things get so much more challenging.
Sadly, this is my third Christmas without my Mom. I am writing this curled up under a blanket made of her shirts, drinking a cup of hot chocolate, and eating a peanut butter blossom cookie.
Our memories of loved ones come back to us in so many ways this time of year. I remember a loved one when I add an ornament to the tree that used to hang on their tree. I keep my grandparents’ Christmas tree that sheds more needles than a real tree because my grandfather’s handwriting is there telling me how to assemble it. And I think of my Mom when I bake peanut blossom cookies.
You see this is my Mom’s recipe. It is called Peanut Blossom Cookies. And it comes with the side note that the peanut butter is optional because Mom hates peanut butter cookies. This is such a perfect memory of my Mom. She was a picky eater. She would change recipes by leaving out what she didn’t like. For example, her version of apple salad or only turkey breast at Thanksgiving are famous and true stories in our family. And I would happily leave out the peanut butter to share a cookie with her. Since I cannot, I will stay under this blanket a little longer and give thanks for my Mom and all my loved ones who I miss especially this time of year.
Loving and Faithful God, At this beautiful and holy time of year, we are filled with a range of emotions. We joyfully prepare to welcome baby Jesus and our hearts ache as we miss people we love. We remember how it has been on Christmases past and know that we cannot recreate those memories. Send the Prince of Peace among us to provide the peace we need today. Send the Holy Spirit to be our comforter and companion. And bless all of us who are missing someone special this Christmas. Amen.
Have you ever attended a silent retreat? I would highly recommend it, and I also think that they might not be a fit for everyone.
A dear friend invited me to join a silent retreat she was leading at her church. It was held on a Saturday from 10am to 4pm. And I loved it.
We gathered together to talk about the plan for the retreat. She gave us time to center ourselves and then one last chance to speak…and then the quiet began.
I had packed a bag with letter writing supplies, a spiritual book, a journal, and coloring book/colored pencils. My goal was not to feel like I had a to do list which is so hard for me because I love a good list.
I started reading some of my favorite Scripture verses Lamentations 3:21-26. I read these verses slowly and from different translations. Then I wrote them down noticing the words that were similar and different. I was wondering how long it had been since I read the book of Lamentations, so I read it too!
I went for a walk outside slowing my pace and noticing the sounds and sights around me. All of the sudden I thought of how my sister and I used to walk on parking lot lines and painted curbs like they were balance beams. And so, I did this. I giggled out loud (whoops, sorry silent retreat). I slowly walked all around the church property feeling young. And then the bells started playing hymns. They were announcing it was noon and time for lunch. I sang along in my head to words inscribed on my heart from my childhood.
Lunch felt awkward. To sit around tables with people and not talk was hard. Do I make eye contact? Do I look away? What should I do? Maybe read the ingredient list on my food to pass the time.
After lunch, time for coloring and prayer and writing letters and reading and sitting and walking. The time passed so much more quickly than I imagined. It felt like a gift to spend this much time in silence with God.
I encourage you to try something new to you to stretch your spiritual muscles.
Renewing God, we pray that you renew us as we try something new. Give us courage and patience as we stretch our spiritual muscles. Remind us that you will be with us as we embark on things previously undone. In silence and peace, we come before you. Amen.
I have always loved the celebration of All Saints Day in the church. In churches I have served, we would give thanks for those who had died from the congregation in the past year. As I was thinking about this holy day, I am thinking of the people I love who have died this year and in years past. For me, this day is a reminder that we are here today because of the people who paved the way for us. I know that I am person of faith because I saw faith lived out in so many wonderfully ordinary people from my first memories until now.
God of All Ages and Times, Your story is told and lived out by your people and today we give thanks for each of them. From the saints who lived centuries before to the saints who recently died, we are thankful for each one of them and how their lives reflected your love. Sometimes it is easy to overlook the regular people who sang the songs and told the stories, and yet they are saints just as much as the people whose names are famous. Today, we remember and give thanks for the cloud of witnesses who faithfully passed down the old, old story to us. Give us the strength, wisdom, and courage to share the story with the next generations. And as we do remind us that this did not begin and will not end with us. We are connected to all who came before and all who will follow. One day each of us will be remembered in prayer by the ones we are teaching today. For these connections, we give thanks to you, God of our Ancestors and God of Today and Tomorrow. Amen.
If you know me, you know I am not someone who wakes up early for fun. I can wake up early. I choose to sleep because sleep is a lovely gift. I am not sure what is happening lately because I have been waking up an hour before my alarm and enjoying the extra time. Yesterday, I wrote a funeral service before my alarm sounded. Today, I am writing my second blog post long before my alarm goes off or the sun decides to show itself. While I don’t know how long my new found morning productivity will last, I am going to embrace it (not sure I have much choice). So, if you find yourself up before the sun, here is a prayer for you!
God, Morning has not even broken yet, and I am awake. I know you are awake as well. Thank you for another day of life. Thank you for walking beside me whatever this day may hold. As I pray, I open my eyes and see that light is beginning to illuminate life outside my window. Thank you for the morning. For all awake already, give them your peace as they go through the day. For those still sleeping, give them peace and good rest. As morning begins to break, give me what I need for today. Amen and Amen.
I have learned that I need to spend time outside as it calms and grounds me. With the hot temperatures and our deck being under construction, I have not been able to be outside as much as I would like recently! Good news! The temperature has gone down below sweat as soon as you step outside and enough of the deck is finished for me to sit in my comfy chair outside.
I wonder what fills you up when you need a fill up? I wonder what brings you a sense of peace? And how can you find time to spend in that place or activity to renew your soul soon?
God of All Creation, It is good to be outside marveling at a portion of your creation. Help us all to identify and then do that which brings us joy, that which fills our soul, that which inspires peace in ourselves and in your world. For as we renew ourselves, we are better able to serve you and love your creation. Amen.
Milli and I enjoying the finished portion of the deck.
While sitting poolside enjoying the shade and summer temperatures, I was observing the kindness of vacationers. People of varying ages were talking kindly with each other. A nice person held a door for a couple using rolling walkers. A man engaged in conversation with a child getting up the courage to jump in the deep end. Smiles were all around.
I called my friend to say that observing these interactions had renewed my faith in humanity. And she said maybe I need to run away to the pool more often as a reminder that not everyone is dying.
It was eye opening to hear my own words come from a dear friend. Each month at our hospice orientation, I encourage new employees to do what brings them joy to fill their spirits because after a hard week at hospice we all need a reminder that not everyone is dying. Sometime I get a little pushback from this statement saying that we are all dying at some point. True! We will all die at some point. For many, I would even say most of us, it probably won’t be soon. I use this statement in orientation as a reminder to look at the life all around us. A reminder to find goodness in others and within ourselves. A reminder to laugh and enjoy this amazing gift of life.
The truth was that I think I needed that reminder more than I realized. So, maybe I need to head to the pool more often to sit in the shade with a good book and enjoy how kind we can be to each other. And if I needed this reminder, I am guessing some of you did too!
Giver of Life and Conquerer of Death! We thank you for today. For an opportunity to see the beauty of creation, we are grateful. Open us up to realize what you are telling us today and may we receive the message you have for us. Send people into our lives to help us when we are in need and don’t even know it. Remind us of the seasons of life and help us to acknowledge your continuing presence with us through the good and hard and everything in between! Amen and Amen!
Last month, I joined my Dad, sister, niece, and nephew at a special worship service. A church my Dad served when I was a child was having their final service. While I hadn’t been back in that space in decades, it felt so familiar as soon as we entered the doors. Across the driveway is the home where we lived where I caught the bus each morning for elementary school, where my sister and I played in the yard making obstacle courses for ourselves, the garage where my Mom held many yard sales, and then we entered the church where my Dad preached for six years. Time seemed to slip away as the surroundings felt so comfortable to me. This is the place where I was loved and taught about God’s love. Many of those who loved me so well are no longer there, and yet we saw some friendly faces who hugged us as if it hadn’t been so long since we last saw each other.
The closing of a church is a hard, sad day. And I think this church did it well. For the first time in my life, I took communion at this church that nurtured me. It seemed fitting that it was the only time I would get to do so within these walls. As the final Amen sounded, I gave thanks for this place and all of God’s children who had ever entered these doors.
God of Beginnings and Endings and All Time in between. The end can be so hard and sad especially when a church is having its final service. Help us to remember all the good that poured out of this place and the people’s lives who were changed by this congregation. For the saints of this place who rest from their labors, we thank you for their faithfulness. For the remaining members who now look for a new church home, we give thanks for their faithfulness to this church and ask you to walk with them for the next part of the journey. For those of us who were touched by this church in some way throughout the years, give us a sense of your peace knowing that although this ending is sad that this is not The End. God, you are still at work through your children in this world. So give us the strength we need for this day and the new challenges that we must face. Keep us faithful to you. And help us to remember the stories we learned when we were young, so that we may share them with those who need a reminder of your goodness. Amen. Amen. Amen.
As I was sitting out on my deck recently listening to the sounds filling the air, I felt a need to give thanks. Here is the prayer that bubbled up from that time. I hope you might share a prayer with all that shared space with you when you are outside next.
Creator and Creating and Creative God,
For the gifts of this amazing place and planet we call home, we give you thanks.
For the birds that fly through the skies and share their special songs, we give you thanks.
For thewaves that lap onto the shores, we give you thanks.
For the voices and laughter of neighbors who also call this area home, we give you thanks.
For the moments of silence when all creation is holding its breath, we give you thanks.
For the clouds drifting across the sky and airplanes flying high overhead, we give you thanks.
For the many reminders that we share our spaces with other beings both great and small, we give you thanks.
Thank you, Wonderful God, for creating us to be in relationship with you, with each other, and with this planet. Help us to nurture all those relationships. Amen.
When I started working with hospice in 2015, I received a name badge. Nothing out of the ordinary as it is one way to identify myself as I go into people’s home and facilities. Earlier this year, my original 7 year old name badge broke. Instead of getting a free new name badge, I placed my old name badge into a plastic holder that was too big and wore it. I did this for weeks until one Friday afternoon I looked down and saw this!
My first question was how long had I been walking around wearing this with no name badge. I retraced my steps to see if it had just happened. And found nothing. So, I did what I should have done weeks earlier and got a new one!
And that seemed like the end of the story. Until I was given an envelope a few days later. Inside was a note saying found near such and such address and…
My original name badge was back. Someone found it on the street. This person then took the time to mail it to my work address. They got a stamp, addressed an envelope, and placed it in a mailbox. They could have ignored it. They could have picked it up and planned to return it. No, this anonymous individual went out of their way to do something kind.
This experience has inspired my Lenten Practice for this year. I want to be more aware of opportunities to be kind and more aware of seeing kindness lived out in others. So, I am keeping myself open for opportunities for kindness. I would like to express thanks when kindness is extended to me and offer kindness when the opportunity arises. And this idea all began when someone took the time to notice a name badge on the street.
Originator of Kindness, You created us to be in relationship with each other and with you. This Lenten Season open us to opportunities to receive and share kindness. Ignite our awareness of the people around us and how we may meet a need in their life. Surprise us with the kindness we can live out. With thanksgiving for the many ways you share your kindness in our lives, help us to notice and do and say thank you. Amen.
