All Hallows Evening Worship for Wednesday (December 7, 2022)
The leader may greet the other participants.
THE LIGHTING OF THE ADVENT WREATH
Jesus said, ‘Do not think that I have
come to abolish the law and the
prophets: I have not come to abolish them
but to fulfil them.’
Amen. Come soon, Lord Jesus!
The second candle is lit and this response is used
Jesus is the light of the world.
A light no darkness can ever put out.
A light no darkness can ever put out.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Mark Earey’s “Advent Candles Tell Their Story.”
Advent candles tell their story
as we watch and pray,
longing for the Day of Glory,
‘Come, Lord, soon,’ we say.
Pain and sorrow, tears and sadness,
changed for gladness
on that Day.
Prophet voices loudly crying,
making pathways clear;
glimpsing glory, self-denying,
calling all to hear.
Through their message - challenged, shaken –
hearts awaken: God is near!
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honor, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Rufino Zaragoza’s, “Radiant Light Divine.”
Ostinato Refrain:
Advent candles tell their story
as we watch and pray,
longing for the Day of Glory,
‘Come, Lord, soon,’ we say.
Pain and sorrow, tears and sadness,
changed for gladness
on that Day.
Prophet voices loudly crying,
making pathways clear;
glimpsing glory, self-denying,
calling all to hear.
Through their message - challenged, shaken –
hearts awaken: God is near!
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honor, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Rufino Zaragoza’s, “Radiant Light Divine.”
Ostinato Refrain:
Radiant Light Divine,
shine throughout this night.
Jesus, Holy One,
praise to you our Light.
As the daylight fades,
and come eventide,
dwell among us, Holy Fire.
Verse:
shine throughout this night.
Jesus, Holy One,
praise to you our Light.
As the daylight fades,
and come eventide,
dwell among us, Holy Fire.
Verse:
Cristo,
Luz del mundo,
Luz y Amor.
Cristo,
Luz del mundo,
Luz y Amor.
Hear these words of scripture.
Love one another,
for love is of God,
and whoever loves is born of God and knows God.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.
Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.
Silence
Let us confess our sins to God.
Almighty and merciful God,
we have sinned against you,
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with all our heart.
We have not loved others
as our Savior Christ loves us.
We are truly sorry.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive us sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Mahler’s setting of Psalm 27. “The Lord Is My Light.”
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
1 The Lord is my light and my help;
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life:
Before whom should I shrink?
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
2 There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
For this I long, for this I long,
To live in the house of the Lord,
All the days of my life,
To savor the sweetness of the Lord,
To behold his temple.
Luz del mundo,
Luz y Amor.
Cristo,
Luz del mundo,
Luz y Amor.
Hear these words of scripture.
Love one another,
for love is of God,
and whoever loves is born of God and knows God.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.
Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.
Silence
Let us confess our sins to God.
Almighty and merciful God,
we have sinned against you,
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with all our heart.
We have not loved others
as our Savior Christ loves us.
We are truly sorry.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will
and walk in your ways,
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive us sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Mahler’s setting of Psalm 27. “The Lord Is My Light.”
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
1 The Lord is my light and my help;
Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life:
Before whom should I shrink?
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
2 There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
For this I long, for this I long,
To live in the house of the Lord,
All the days of my life,
To savor the sweetness of the Lord,
To behold his temple.
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
*3 O Lord, hear my voice when I call
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek God’s face, seek God’s face.”
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
*4 It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face, hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger:
You have been my help.
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
5 I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
In the land of the living.
In the Lord, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek God’s face, seek God’s face.”
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
*4 It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face, hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger:
You have been my help.
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
5 I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
In the land of the living.
In the Lord, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation
*Omitted on the video.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lisa Glasgow’s “We Behold You Most Holy One.”
We behold you, Most Holy One
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
*Omitted on the video.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Lisa Glasgow’s “We Behold You Most Holy One.”
We behold you, Most Holy One
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
We behold you, Most Holy One
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
Holy, holy Lord, you are holy
Worthy, worthy, you are the great I Am
All honor and power be unto you
As we behold you, Jesus the Lamb
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
Holy, holy Lord, you are holy
Worthy, worthy, you are the great I Am
All honor and power be unto you
As we behold you, Jesus the Lamb
We behold you, Most Holy One
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
Holy, holy Lord, you are holy
Worthy, worthy, you are the great I Am
All honor and power be unto you
As we behold you, Jesus the Lamb
Worthy, worthy, you are the great I Am
All honor and power be unto you
As we behold you, Jesus the Lamb
Holy, holy Lord, you are holy
Worthy, worthy, you are the great I Am
All honor and power be unto you
As we behold you, Jesus the Lamb
Worthy, worthy, you are the great I Am
All honor and power be unto you
As we behold you, Jesus the Lamb
We behold you, Most Holy One
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
We behold you, Lamb on the throne
As we worship you in reverent fear
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
We behold you, Jesus our Lord
The Reading from the New Testament: Matthew 15:1-20
Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”
Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”
Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”
“Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
Silence follows the reading.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Some Pharisees and teachers of religious law now arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They asked him, “Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat.”
Jesus replied, “And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you say they don’t need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’”
Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”
Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you realize you offended the Pharisees by what you just said?”
Jesus replied, “Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted, so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch.”
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”
“Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.”
Silence follows the reading.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Josh Blakesly’s “Cry Out with Joy (Isaiah 12).”
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
1 Indeed God is my savior.
I am confident and sure.
He is my courage. I am not afraid.
My strength comes from the Lord.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
2 Give thanks and praise to the Lord.
Cry out among the nations.
With joy you will draw living water
from the fountain of salvation.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
Sing praise to God.
Proclaim his glorious deeds.
Zion, shout for joy and fall on your knees.
Fall on your knees.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
As a boy I taught to wash my hands before eating. Washing one’s hands before eating was the practice not only at home but also at school. Before eating lunch my classmates and I would line up and wash our hands. School lunches were hot and prepared at a central kitchen. They were delivered in large metal canisters in a truck to the schools that were served by this central kitchen. The canisters kept the food hot. The teachers served the meal with the help of older students. The school was a village school, two large classrooms, two teachers, and several years occupying the same classroom. My mother was the head teacher. Students who completed Year 6 went to a school in a nearby town.
The reason that I was expected to wash my hands before eating at home and at school was to wash off dirt, germs, and anything else that I might accidentally ingest with my meal, and which would make me sick.
Nowadays people are also advised to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching surfaces and objects which may have become contaminated with harmful viruses like influenza, COVI-19, and RSV. While these diseases are usually transmitted by exposure to respiratory droplets carrying the virus, it is possible for people to be infected through contact with contaminated surfaces and objects.
Neither reason is why the Pharisees in this evening’s New Testament reading washed their hands before eating. Their hand washing had nothing to do with hygiene to prevent the spread of disease. It was to maintain them in a state of ritual purity so that they could perform their religious duties. As well as washing their hands and cleansing vessels, they did not touch corpses, did not eat certain animals and fish, and observed a number of other taboos. While these practices may have had some health benefits for them, these benefits were not their purpose.
None of these practices, however, Jesus points to his disciples’ attention make someone spiritually pure. What can defile us, make us impure spiritually does not come from outside us. It is found in us. It is from the heart that "evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander” come.
By the “heart,” Jesus does not mean the organ in our chest that sends blood around our body. He is referring to our character, to our inner thoughts and feelings.
What Jesus identifies as coming from the heart have one thing in common: they show no great respect for God if they show any respect for God at all. Essentially Jesus ties spiritual purity to our devotion to God. Both our inward life, our thoughts and feelings, and our outward life, our words and actions, honor God.
A frequent criticism Jesus leveled at the Pharisees is that they did what they did not out of a desire to please God but to receive the approval, applause, and admiration of their fellow Jews. Their actions did not genuinely reflect their devotion to God. They had other motives for the way that they acted although they may have convinced themselves that they were doing what God wanted them to do. However, their hearts were far from God. When they found it convenient, they would nullify the word of God for their own teaching, treating it as if it did not exist and therefore had no force.
I wish that I could say that we do not do what the Pharisees did. But we do—in little ways and big ways, as denominations, local churches, and individual Christians. When it comes to Jesus’ own teaching, we pick what we like and ignore or downplay the rest. Like the Pharisees we sometimes act in ways so that others whose positive opinion of us we desire will form a good opinion of us. Our motivation is not to honor God but to win their approval and acceptance.
In his message and his teaching Jesus does not confuse God’s love with permissiveness. The loving parent that God is, God sets limits on his children’s attitudes, feelings, and behavior so that they do not harm themselves or others physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. God also helps us to learn self-control as a loving parent helps her children learn self-control. She does not leave them to follow every impulse, to act on every thought or feeling, without any thought for the consequences or concern for themselves or others.
While we may have a good grasp of what it means to do physical, emotional, or psychological harm to ourselves or others, we may not fully understand what it means to do spiritual harm. We do ourselves spiritual harm when we adopt attitudes, feelings, and behavior that leads us away from God and encourages us to disbelieve in God. We do others spiritual harm when we do or say things that point them away from God and encourage disbelief in them.
We may not do this intentionally. We may not give as much care and attention to our spiritual life as we might and not take full advantage of the means of grace that God provides us. We may not balance our friends and acquaintances who do not share our beliefs with those who do. We may have bought into the mistaken notion that we do not need to be a part of a community of faith to follow Jesus. We may believe that we follow him on our own, by ourselves, without others helping and encouraging us. Out of desire to please others and to win their approval and acceptance or to keep it we do things that weaken and undermine our faith, contradict what we believe, or create doubt in our mind.
Among the ways that we may do spiritual harm to others is setting a poor spiritual example for them, by not being consistent, by saying one thing but doing another, and by acting in ways that do not fit with what Jesus taught and exemplified. We may make light of their stirrings of faith and not offer them the encouragement that they need at critical times. We may, when they need someone to be there for them, be too preoccupied with our own concerns, and not willing to make time for them. We may thoughtlessly encourage them to adopt ways of thinking, feeling, and acting, which lead them away from God.
It is my belief that every Christian, whether they are a new believer or a believer of many years, would benefit from having what early Celtic monks called an anamchara, a soul friend. In the Celtic tradition soul friends are considered essential and integral to a Christian’s spiritual development. “Anyone without a soul friend,” Saint Brigid of Kildare is reported to have wisely said,” is like a body without a head.” An anamchara can be a member of the clergy or a lay person, a man or a woman. Among the qualities desirable in a soul friend is a capacity for friendship, the ability to read our heart, and a desire to see us grow as a follower of Jesus.
I also believe that every Christian would benefit from being a participant in a covenant discipleship group. This is a group of five to seven people which meets once a week “to watch over one another in love;” to share with each other how they are progressing or not progressing in their spiritual lives; to counsel and encourage each other, and when necessary, to reprove each other; and to pray for each other. The covenant discipleship group is a modern-day adaptation of the class, a kind of small group into which John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, organized the early Methodists for their continued spiritual development.
The means of grace, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, a soul friend, and a covenant discipleship group can help us grow in our devotion to God who was present in Jesus, reconciling humanity to himself, and teaching us how to live on the earth which he gave us as our home. They can help us grow in our love for God and our love for our fellow human beings. They can help us to become more like Jesus’ himself and to be better representatives of Jesus to those around us, to our community, and to the world.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
1 Indeed God is my savior.
I am confident and sure.
He is my courage. I am not afraid.
My strength comes from the Lord.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
2 Give thanks and praise to the Lord.
Cry out among the nations.
With joy you will draw living water
from the fountain of salvation.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
Sing praise to God.
Proclaim his glorious deeds.
Zion, shout for joy and fall on your knees.
Fall on your knees.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you.
Cry out with joy
for the Holy One is among you
What Jesus Teaches Us about Purity
As a boy I taught to wash my hands before eating. Washing one’s hands before eating was the practice not only at home but also at school. Before eating lunch my classmates and I would line up and wash our hands. School lunches were hot and prepared at a central kitchen. They were delivered in large metal canisters in a truck to the schools that were served by this central kitchen. The canisters kept the food hot. The teachers served the meal with the help of older students. The school was a village school, two large classrooms, two teachers, and several years occupying the same classroom. My mother was the head teacher. Students who completed Year 6 went to a school in a nearby town.
The reason that I was expected to wash my hands before eating at home and at school was to wash off dirt, germs, and anything else that I might accidentally ingest with my meal, and which would make me sick.
Nowadays people are also advised to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching surfaces and objects which may have become contaminated with harmful viruses like influenza, COVI-19, and RSV. While these diseases are usually transmitted by exposure to respiratory droplets carrying the virus, it is possible for people to be infected through contact with contaminated surfaces and objects.
Neither reason is why the Pharisees in this evening’s New Testament reading washed their hands before eating. Their hand washing had nothing to do with hygiene to prevent the spread of disease. It was to maintain them in a state of ritual purity so that they could perform their religious duties. As well as washing their hands and cleansing vessels, they did not touch corpses, did not eat certain animals and fish, and observed a number of other taboos. While these practices may have had some health benefits for them, these benefits were not their purpose.
None of these practices, however, Jesus points to his disciples’ attention make someone spiritually pure. What can defile us, make us impure spiritually does not come from outside us. It is found in us. It is from the heart that "evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander” come.
By the “heart,” Jesus does not mean the organ in our chest that sends blood around our body. He is referring to our character, to our inner thoughts and feelings.
What Jesus identifies as coming from the heart have one thing in common: they show no great respect for God if they show any respect for God at all. Essentially Jesus ties spiritual purity to our devotion to God. Both our inward life, our thoughts and feelings, and our outward life, our words and actions, honor God.
A frequent criticism Jesus leveled at the Pharisees is that they did what they did not out of a desire to please God but to receive the approval, applause, and admiration of their fellow Jews. Their actions did not genuinely reflect their devotion to God. They had other motives for the way that they acted although they may have convinced themselves that they were doing what God wanted them to do. However, their hearts were far from God. When they found it convenient, they would nullify the word of God for their own teaching, treating it as if it did not exist and therefore had no force.
I wish that I could say that we do not do what the Pharisees did. But we do—in little ways and big ways, as denominations, local churches, and individual Christians. When it comes to Jesus’ own teaching, we pick what we like and ignore or downplay the rest. Like the Pharisees we sometimes act in ways so that others whose positive opinion of us we desire will form a good opinion of us. Our motivation is not to honor God but to win their approval and acceptance.
In his message and his teaching Jesus does not confuse God’s love with permissiveness. The loving parent that God is, God sets limits on his children’s attitudes, feelings, and behavior so that they do not harm themselves or others physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. God also helps us to learn self-control as a loving parent helps her children learn self-control. She does not leave them to follow every impulse, to act on every thought or feeling, without any thought for the consequences or concern for themselves or others.
While we may have a good grasp of what it means to do physical, emotional, or psychological harm to ourselves or others, we may not fully understand what it means to do spiritual harm. We do ourselves spiritual harm when we adopt attitudes, feelings, and behavior that leads us away from God and encourages us to disbelieve in God. We do others spiritual harm when we do or say things that point them away from God and encourage disbelief in them.
We may not do this intentionally. We may not give as much care and attention to our spiritual life as we might and not take full advantage of the means of grace that God provides us. We may not balance our friends and acquaintances who do not share our beliefs with those who do. We may have bought into the mistaken notion that we do not need to be a part of a community of faith to follow Jesus. We may believe that we follow him on our own, by ourselves, without others helping and encouraging us. Out of desire to please others and to win their approval and acceptance or to keep it we do things that weaken and undermine our faith, contradict what we believe, or create doubt in our mind.
Among the ways that we may do spiritual harm to others is setting a poor spiritual example for them, by not being consistent, by saying one thing but doing another, and by acting in ways that do not fit with what Jesus taught and exemplified. We may make light of their stirrings of faith and not offer them the encouragement that they need at critical times. We may, when they need someone to be there for them, be too preoccupied with our own concerns, and not willing to make time for them. We may thoughtlessly encourage them to adopt ways of thinking, feeling, and acting, which lead them away from God.
It is my belief that every Christian, whether they are a new believer or a believer of many years, would benefit from having what early Celtic monks called an anamchara, a soul friend. In the Celtic tradition soul friends are considered essential and integral to a Christian’s spiritual development. “Anyone without a soul friend,” Saint Brigid of Kildare is reported to have wisely said,” is like a body without a head.” An anamchara can be a member of the clergy or a lay person, a man or a woman. Among the qualities desirable in a soul friend is a capacity for friendship, the ability to read our heart, and a desire to see us grow as a follower of Jesus.
I also believe that every Christian would benefit from being a participant in a covenant discipleship group. This is a group of five to seven people which meets once a week “to watch over one another in love;” to share with each other how they are progressing or not progressing in their spiritual lives; to counsel and encourage each other, and when necessary, to reprove each other; and to pray for each other. The covenant discipleship group is a modern-day adaptation of the class, a kind of small group into which John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, organized the early Methodists for their continued spiritual development.
The means of grace, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, a soul friend, and a covenant discipleship group can help us grow in our devotion to God who was present in Jesus, reconciling humanity to himself, and teaching us how to live on the earth which he gave us as our home. They can help us grow in our love for God and our love for our fellow human beings. They can help us to become more like Jesus’ himself and to be better representatives of Jesus to those around us, to our community, and to the world.
Silence is kept.
Make your ways known upon earth, O God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness,
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy, O God, be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Heavenly Father,
you have promised to hear when we pray
in the name of your Son.
Therefore in confidence and trust
we pray for the Church:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Father, enliven the Church for its mission
that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.
Breathe fresh life into your people.
Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.
We pray for the world:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Creator of all,
lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.
That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.
Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.
Teach us to care creatively for its resources.
We pray for the community:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of truth, inspire with your wisdom
those whose decisions affect the lives of others
that all may act with integrity and courage.
Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.
May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.
We pray for those in need:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of hope, comfort and restore
all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
May they know the power of your healing love.
Make us willing agents of your compassion.
Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.
We remember those who have died and those who mourn:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith
of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.
Father, into your hands we commend them.
Give comfort to those who mourn.
Bring them peace in their time of loss.
We praise you for (N and) all your saints
who have entered your eternal glory.
May their example inspire and encourage us.
Make your ways known upon earth, O God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness,
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy, O God, be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Heavenly Father,
you have promised to hear when we pray
in the name of your Son.
Therefore in confidence and trust
we pray for the Church:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Father, enliven the Church for its mission
that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.
Breathe fresh life into your people.
Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.
We pray for the world:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Creator of all,
lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.
That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.
Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.
Teach us to care creatively for its resources.
We pray for the community:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of truth, inspire with your wisdom
those whose decisions affect the lives of others
that all may act with integrity and courage.
Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.
May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.
We pray for those in need:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of hope, comfort and restore
all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
May they know the power of your healing love.
Make us willing agents of your compassion.
Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.
We remember those who have died and those who mourn:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith
of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.
Father, into your hands we commend them.
Give comfort to those who mourn.
Bring them peace in their time of loss.
We praise you for (N and) all your saints
who have entered your eternal glory.
May their example inspire and encourage us.
We pray for ourselves and our ministries:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered and the prayers
conclude with one of the following.)
Lord, you have called us to serve you.
Grant that we may walk in your presence:
your love in our hearts,
your truth in our minds,
your strength in our wills;
until, at the end of our journey,
we know the joy of our homecoming
and the welcome of your embrace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God,
you sent your servant John the Baptist
to prepare the way for the coming of your Son;
grant that those who proclaim your word
may so guide our feet into the way of peace,
that we may stand with confidence before him
when he comes in his glorious kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Judge and our Redeemer.
Amen.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
As our Savior Christ has taught us, we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Dan Schute’s “So the Lord Is to Me.”
1 As the bridegroom to the chosen, as the shepherd to the sheep,
as the watchman to the city, so the Lord is to me.
As the fountain to the garden, as the fragrance to the rose,
as the sweetness to the honey, so the Lord is to me.
My Light, my Way, my Truth, my Joy,
My God and my Savior,
Christ all in all
to me.
2 As the master to the servant, as the mason to the stone,
as the singer to the music, so the Lord is to me.
As the father to the orphan, as the mother to the child,
as the lover to beloved, so the Lord is to me.
My Light, my Way, my Truth, my Joy,
My God and my Savior,
Christ all in all
to me.
3 As the author to the story, as the potter to the clay,
as the healer to the broken, so the Lord is to me.
As the springtime to the winter, as the rainbow to the storm,
as the sunrise to the darkness, so the Lord is to me.
My Light, my Way, my Truth, my Joy,
My God and my Savior,
Christ all in all
to me.
THE DISMISSAL
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and for ever. Amen.
Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace.
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Dan Schute’s “So the Lord Is to Me.”
1 As the bridegroom to the chosen, as the shepherd to the sheep,
as the watchman to the city, so the Lord is to me.
As the fountain to the garden, as the fragrance to the rose,
as the sweetness to the honey, so the Lord is to me.
My Light, my Way, my Truth, my Joy,
My God and my Savior,
Christ all in all
to me.
2 As the master to the servant, as the mason to the stone,
as the singer to the music, so the Lord is to me.
As the father to the orphan, as the mother to the child,
as the lover to beloved, so the Lord is to me.
My Light, my Way, my Truth, my Joy,
My God and my Savior,
Christ all in all
to me.
3 As the author to the story, as the potter to the clay,
as the healer to the broken, so the Lord is to me.
As the springtime to the winter, as the rainbow to the storm,
as the sunrise to the darkness, so the Lord is to me.
My Light, my Way, my Truth, my Joy,
My God and my Savior,
Christ all in all
to me.
THE DISMISSAL
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and for ever. Amen.
Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace.
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.
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