January 3, 2010

Almighty God who for our sake became flesh and suffered; open our eyes and hearts to the suffering in the world around us, that as we share the burdens of our brothers and sisters, they may also share in your mercy and grace; this we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

January 2, 2010

O Lord God who always hears us when we cry out; give us the voice to speak for others that no one might feel silent or unheard; this we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

January 1, 2010

Almighty God, who came down the Light of Truth to shine into our darkness; dispel, we pray the darkness that lurks in each of us, the sadness that surrounds us, and the grimness of spiritual winter that comes to us by season so that as we see with the New Year, we can see the dawn of a new day and the grace that comes with second chances; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen

Prayer for the Old Year

Almighty God, whose mercy never changes and who is always faithful to lift our spiritual burdens; show your children how to share that love so those who do not know You might see a glimpse of the love, mercy, and rest that is possible to receive when we lay down our old lives and look toward You; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

When In Our Music

"The best liturgical, musical, and relational moments are those when it all comes together - when we catch a glimpse of both the vastness of God and of our own smallness; when we sense the universality of God's salvation yet treasure our personal inheritance; when we feel more alive than ever before, yet, that it "matters not whether we live or die." Why do we settle for the dull and pedestrian when we are meant for so muc more? Because we must learn that there is so much more - taught by the Holy Spirit, encouraged by our leaders and convinced by our own experience and reflection"

From Preaching to the Choir by Wayne L. Wold

Pray for me as I try to sort out what God intends me to do with what he has given.

anything but typical

When In Our Music God is Glorified by Fred Pratt Green

When in our music God is glorified
And adoration leaves no room for pride
It is as though the whole creation cried
Alleluia!

How often, making music, we have found
A new dimension in the world of sound
As worship moved us to a more profound
Alleluia!

So has the Church in liturgy and song
In faith and love through centuries of wrong
Borne witness to the truth in every tongue
Alleluia!

Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always:
Alleluia! Amen!

Singing Alleluia at the Grave

OK, so I've thought it's really strange that the Episcopal Church has such a rich reputation and heritage of fine, high-church music, but has so very few resources for congregation. I mean there's no music publishing house except for the hymnals and supplements, no instruction, or training to raise up musicians. But we have the Book of Common Prayer, and that book directs our worship. I only recently realized how much the liturgy of the church has become imprinted on my soul.

An Episcopal funeral is an Easter liturgy. It's a "smells and bells" service - a celebration of the promise of our own resurrection. It can be somber, but as Episcopalians are known for a quirky sense of what is reverent and what is not, they can be, well, interesting. In Lent, all the Alleluias are removed from the liturgy. Lent is a period of waiting and anticipation. Holy Week is filled with remembrances of the impending crucifixion and the three days that God the Son was dead. And with Easter, the return of the Savior is celebrated in grand fashion. We get extra Alleluias to make up for the ones we missed. The cry at the end of the service is "Thanks Be To God. Alleluia!! Alleluia!!"

My Aunt Connie died last month, and her funeral was a nice celebration. It was a good Baptist service with some of her favorite music, and the plan of salvation all laid out for everyone who was there. The occasion was sad, but the service was not. It was a celebration of her life in the service of her family and her church. All the usual word of comfort were there, but for me, something was missing. I needed the liturgy that gives me words when I have no words. I needed the ebb and flow, the give and take, the call and response that is in our liturgy. I needed the alleluias at the grave.

I was thinking these things during the service and listening to the couple who provided the special music singing,"Just A Closer Walk With Thee", and I began to listen around me. I could hear an occasional sniffle, but I heard more than that. I began to hear people humming along softly and singing in snatches very quietly. And I realized that what I had been thinking about for weeks was true.

We all have liturgy. In non-liturgical churches, music and song become liturgy. The hymnal becomes the prayer book. I have often laughed as I sang my way through the 1956 Ed. of the Baptist Hymnal that I was praying my way through the hymnal, but I was being honest. In that simple connection to "Just A Closer Walk", the Baptists and Methodists around me were joined in a simple ritual that reflected the truth of God. It provided words when there were none.

And while it may not have been the words, "All of us go down to the dust;' yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, Alleluia." It was liturgy nontheless. And I was comforted.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia. Alleluia.

anything but typical

Just A Closer Walk With Thee - unknown

I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Refrain

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

Refrain

When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Refrain

Politics As Usual

I'll admit it. I've already voted, and I'm really tired of the whole thing.

And as tired as I am of the constant election coverage, the promises that will never be kept, the gut-wrenching fear for the country my ancestors came here to build, something else bothers me more than all this.

I think what has caused me the most distress throughout this election is the amount of venom coming from Christians on both sides of the political spectrum. It breaks my heart when I hear people who I respect or love (or both) spewing malicious falsehoods and judging the validity of another person's relationship with God based on their political views. When we do that we're not acting like citizens of God's kingdom. We're down in the muck and certainly not showing the love of God. We're not being his ambassadors in this broken world. We're failing in our job to others the One who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.

And when it comes down to it. We know that neither candidate can truly fix our broken and hurting world.

Jesus can.

anything but typical



What This World Needs
by Casting Crowns 2008 From The Altar and The Door

What this world needs is not
Another one hit wonder with an axe to grind
Another two bit politician peddling lies
Another three ring circus society

What this world needs in not
Another sign waving super saint that's better than you
Another ear pleasing candy man afraid of the truth
Another prophet in an Armani suit

What this world needs is
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That's what this world needs

What this world needs is
For us to care more about the inside than the outside
Have we become so blind that we can't see
God's gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt
What this world needs is
For us to stop hiding behind our relevance
Blending in so well that people can't see the difference
And it's the difference that sets the world free

What this world needs is
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That's what this world needs

[spoken]
People aren't confused by the gospel
They're confused by us
Jesus is the only way to God
But we are not the only way to Jesus
This world doesn't need my tie, or my hoodie
My denomination or my translation of the Bible
They just need Jesus
We can be passionate about what we believe
But we can't strap ourselves to the Gospel
Cause we're slowing it down
Jesus is going to save the world
But maybe the best thing we can do
Is just get out of the way

What this world needs is
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love them in their time of need
A Savior who will rescue
A Spirit who will lead
A Father who will love
That's what this world needs

Jesus is our Saviour
That's what this world needs
Father's arms around you
That's what this world needs
That's what this world needs