My mother forwarded me the below letter and prayers from her Reverand Gayle Marsh of All Saints Church in Northfield, MN. It is so timely for me on many levels I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!
Dear friends in Christ,
If the past 24 hours in your home and workplace have been anything like my home and workplace, I suspect many of you have been engaged in watching C- Span, the early morning presidential announcements to the nation, and endless commentaries about the financial rescue/debt package. It is a time of great anxiety for many people and the decisions that are being made have long-range implications for all of us and for our communities. In times of national crises faith communities like churches, synagogues, mosques and temples hold an important and stabilizing ministry for individuals and the nation.
I trust that you will rededicate yourselves to the disciplines of prayer, alms giving and attendance at worship. These are the moments when hurting individuals typically find their way into praying communities like ours. We offer a place of solace, hospitality and missional awareness beyond our doors. We need one another. We need each others voices in support. We need the strength that comes from singing together and laughing together, and crying together.As Anglicans/Episcopalians, we within our spiritual roots is the practical necessity to pray for our leaders and government. In times of polarization, one of the greatest gifts we offer is the effort to foster dialogue and unity. Even in the midst of diversity we offer a place with courtesy, even with those with whom we may disagree.
The following are some prayers that you may find personally helpful. They may be useful to others who ask you how you’re doing in the midst of this stress. Please feel free to share them.
The Rev. Gayle Marsh,
Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota
A Prayer for your Community and Government
Lord, bless this Realm and Commonwealth,
that religion and virtue may season all;
that there may be peace within its gates
and prosperity in all its borders.
In peace, so preserve it that it corrupt not;
in trouble, so defend it that it’s suffer not;
and so order it, whether in plenty or in want,
that it may patiently and peaceably seek you,
the only full supply and sure foundation both of people and states,
that so it may continue a place and people to do you service to the end of time; through Jesus Christ our only Savior and Redeemer. (Archbishop William Laud, 1573 – 1645)
A Prayer for Renewing one’s Faith
O God, when it is dark and nothing seems real anymore, when our faith has been enfeebled by distress, help us to remember those times when we were sure of your presence, so that the light of our experience will reveal you once again, and we might see you are, always with us, always waiting, always loving, in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Frank Topping, 1994)
A Prayer for Wellbeing
Loving Lord
I am not brave enough to make great sacrifices,
or even bold gestures,
teach me to be faithful in little things,
small but frequent kindnesses that your love might increase within me,
might grow with such compound interest
that brave or not, my fund of love might spill out
and be shared with my brothers and sisters who live next door,
in the next street, or on the other side of the world, for your love’s sake. (Frank Topping, 1991)
A Prayer for one’s Journey
O Lord God, who has called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending; by paths as yet untrodden, through peril’s unknown; give us faith to go out with a good courage, not knowing where we go, but trusting that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; to the glory of your Name. (Daily Prayer, the Church of England, 1941).
Filed under: Prayer, women and ministry | Tagged: Prayer
