After a very full Saturday at St. Simon’s, I am headed to join the good folks of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Pensacola this morning as guest leader for their stewardship program.

Yesterday, in addition to the Blessing of the Animals and our regular Saturday evening service, we celebrated the life of Tina Beukenkamp with over 70 of her family members and many of the good folks of St. Simon’s. Quite a few family and friends made the trip from Tina’s native Netherlands! She was 103 years old and one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege to meet. Her memorial service was absolutely wonderful. They are a very musical family, in fact several family members sang in our choir, including a handful of her great grandchildren! The music was perfect for Tina and I know she would have loved it all.

Using the Mission St. Clare app today for Morning Prayer, the app included the Collect for the Church, appropriate for Sunday and as I journey to be with a different church this morning. It is a prayer all of us in the church can offer for sure. By the way, “holy Catholic Church” in the prayer simply refers to all the Christian church, the “church universal”. I leave you with this prayer.

For the Church

Gracious Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

In the St. Simon’s Cycle of Prayer: Sunday –Pray for our worship services and all who will attend. Pray for the Altar Guild and all Worship Leaders and Acolytes. Pray for the choir and music director and organist.

A busy Saturday ahead, with Blessing of the Animals this morning, followed by the funeral of the amazing Tina Beukenkamp (103 year old superstar), followed by our Saturday evening service. It’s great to start such a day with Morning Prayer. Getting grounded and centered in Scripture and prayer, with all that whirls around us each and every day, reminds us of our calling as disciples, the importance of us soaking in the teachings of Christ so we can then go out into this crazy world and witness to others by our actions, our love, our gratitude. May this be a blessed day for you!

If you are reading this I hope it means you are joining with us by saying a Daily Office (Morning or Evening Prayer, Compline and Noon Day Prayer work too). I would love to hear how it is going for you. Leave a comment!

Another beautiful day and beautiful way to start the day with Morning Prayer. I used the Mission St. Clare app again.

I was struck by Canticle 10 as we actually had a great discussion about these words and others like them in the Bible during my Ephesians study this week. I will leave you with them and encourage your comments.

Canticle 10 The Second Song of Isaiah 
Isaiah 55:6-11 Quaerite Dominum

Seek the Lord while he wills to be found; *
call upon him when he draws near.

Let the wicked forsake their ways *
and the evil ones their thoughts;

And let them turn to the Lord, 
and he will have compassion, *
and to our God, for he will richly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, *
nor your ways my ways, says the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, *
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as rain and snow fall from the heavens *
and return not again, but water the earth,

Bringing forth life and giving growth, *
seed for sowing and bread for eating,

So is my word that goes forth from my mouth; *
it will not return to me empty;

But it will accomplish that which I have purposed, *
and prosper in that for which I sent it.