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Evening Prayer 10/08/18

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Switched to Evening Prayer for today, using the Mission St Clare app. As Hurricane Michael bears down on us, the opening Versicle and Response certainly struck home:

O God, make speed to save us.

O Lord, make haste to help us.

My prayers are with all in the path of this storm. Be safe y’all and keep praying!

In the St. Simon’s Cycle of Prayer: Monday –Pray for clergy, staff, vestry, and wardens. Pray for our parish to exhibit Christ’s love to all, to strive to know Christ and make him known. 

Of course the storm may impact my ability to post for a bit. Keep on with the offices and please post comments. Below is a prayer offered in these circumstances, you may want to include it in your own prayers these next days.

Prayers during a Hurricane

At this time of apprehension in the face of the unknown, let us bring our prayers to God, our strength and our redeemer.

In the face of peril and apprehension, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

In the face of mighty winds, thunderous sounds, strong rains, and surging waves, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

In the face of complete uncertainty, as well as concern for our loved ones, here or elsewhere, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

For the strength that God alone can give us, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

For all that it takes to keep our children calm and safe, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

For faith that can move mountains and remove all fear, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

For trust in God’s loving presence in our midst, even at this very hour, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

For trust that in life and in death, God will not abandon us, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy

Almighty God, we poor creatures place our lives into your hands that you might protect and guide us according to your will;

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear, our prayer.

Be our light in the darkness, our hope in the storm, our peace in the chaos, our trust in the unknown;

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear, our prayer.

Mighty are your works, O Lord, and mighty is your saving hand. Turn your ear to our petitions and supplications; Lord, in your mercy,

Hear, our prayer.

God has spoken his holy word of blessing and promise. God will indeed watch over and guide those for whom we pray. Amen.

(adapted from a variety of sources)

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Morning Prayer Sunday 10/07/18

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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.

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Morning Prayer 10/6/ 18

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!

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Morning Prayer 10/05/18

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.

Let us Pray, My Main Blog

Morning Prayer 10/04/18

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A beautiful morning, with a tad bit cooler temps, a great time to say the daily office as the sun rises on a new day. Today I used the Mission St. Clare app for Morning Prayer. Please comment on your own experience in the comments below. Also, if you are not subscribed to the blog you can do so on the left hand side, that way you will receive an email whenever a new post is created.

In our St. Simon’s Cycle of Prayer, Thursday –Pray for the DoK, ECW, Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Pastoral Care team and the Flower Guild

Today is the Feast Day of Francis of Assisi. Like many Episcopal churches, we will celebrate Francis by offering a Blessing of the Animals on Saturday at 10am. Bring your pets, invite your friends!

The prayer of St. Francis is found in our Book of Common Prayer, and in my prayer time today I reflected on the beauty of this prayer and its calling to us to live a better life, to rise above the discord that has replaced civil discourse in our country. Lord, let us, those who follow Jesus Christ, those striving to be his disciples, let us be instruments of your peace. Let us sow love. Amen.

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.