Monday 31 December 2012

Monday - Standing on the edge of the new Year

Prayer:     Gracious God,  You bring light to chase away the darkness from our world.  Remind us as we stand on the edge of the new year and kindle a flame in our hearts so that we can share this flame and this love with others.   This day,  we especially pray for those who are in need of Your love and Your joy,  let us become a beacon of light to their need.     Almighty God,  You erase our sins and make all things new.... may we also make new our relationships with our family and friends and neighbours.    Help us,  Emmanual,  to do Your will this day and every day of our lives.   Amen.

Standing on the edge of the new year.    People here in Brandon are getting together for New Year's parties.  Others,  like us,  spend a quiet evening and will probably fall asleep before midnight.   We wish each other a Happy New Year and relish in the idea that all things are new.    A new year,  a new day,  new changes in attitude.   This is also the time of year when a lot of people make New Year's  Resolutions.    On our local TV today was a couple of people extolling how to keep one's resolutions.    And the resolutions all are thinking of one's self.   Loosing weight,  stop smoking,  stop drinking,  exercising more,  gaining a better attitude.       As Christians,  we have already been forgiven so keeping resolutions for one's self is kind of a misnomer.   What we need to do instead is ask ourselves,  "What charity is God asking us to help with this year?"   and  "How can we serve God fully this year?"        

Prayer:    Divine Healer,  we stand on the edge of this new year with great expectations of being able to serve You and love You with a greater fullness.    Inspire our hearts, O Lord,  to seek out where to serve You this year --   whether it be a local charity or a charity in the world.  Great God,  we thank You for the challenges of this past year and for the new adventures You will provide for us in this new year.   Come Lord Jesus, sanctify us wholly,  keeping us blameless in body, mind, and soul and with imagination and enthusiaism to serve You all the days of our life.    This we ask in Your Son,  our Lord's  name.  Amen.       

Sunday 30 December 2012

Sunday - Season of Christmas

Prayer:  Holy God,  we come before You today with the gifts of Advent and Christmas --peace, love, joy, and hope still in our hearts and minds.  May we continue to share these gifts of Advent and Christmas with those who need them this day. The Infant Christ has arrived -  alleluia.  The Angels announced Your birth - alleluia.  The shepehrds came, knelt, and saw the infant Christ then shared this Good news with others.  And Mary pondered all these things in her heart.  May we too today  ponder the story of Christmas in our hearts.   For those who lead worship this day,  may they rejoice in knowing that they are sharing the love of the infant Christ with us all.  For those who read and hear the Word of the Infant Christ this day.... may we take what we hear and what we learn and spread the Good News with those who need it this day.   For those who work this day,   Great God,  be with them as they help to heal and serve others.   King of Kings,  we bow down before You and give You our worries and our  pain and our anguish.  We know that if it is Your will,  You will heal our infirmities and grant us renewed life,  strength,  wisdom, and love.   Keep us ever mindful this week to share the gift of Your son with everyone that we meet and keep in our prayers.  This we ask in Your Son's name.  Amen.  

Saturday 29 December 2012

Saturday - More of Christmas

The Christmas lights are still turned on at our house.   The neighbour down the street has kept their Christmas lights turned on each evening.    But for a lot of the neighbours,  the Christmas lights were turned off on Boxing Day.     For some Christmas is only one day long.  For others, Christmas continues until Epiphany.     What does it say to our neighbours to keep our lights on until the night after Epiphany?   Somehow,  I think keeping the Christmas lights on is a great example of what it means to be a Christian and to celebrate the birth of our Saviour.    

Prayer:  Great God,  may You enlighten our hearts so that we can be a beacon of Your love and light in this world.  During this Christmas Season as we await the return of Christ,  enliven our hearts to hear Your voice.  Through our prayers and scritpure readings,  we know that Christ has come,  Christ is coming,  Christ will come again.  Almighty God,  may we share this wisdom with our neighbours and our friends.  Divine Healer, move through every part of our body and our mind dissolving all feelings, thoughts, and patterns of frustration and irritation and aggravation.  Divine Healer,  sweep away all impatience,  struggle, and suffering that resides in our consciousness.  Allow us to turn our frustrations into inspiration and enthusiastic action. As Your will may be done,  bring us Your light,  Your strength, Your wisdom,  Your healing,  and Your love.    Help us O LORD,  and guide our footsteps into Your Light and Glory and love so that we can experience satisfaction in all our accomplishments You give us each day.   We give You thanks and praise that Your Son came as an infant in the stillness and darkness of night.  We give You thanks and praise that the shepherds knelt down and worshipped Your Son and then told others of this great birth.       (Sit in silence for a few minutes and reflect on this past week…. how have you brought the light of the Infant Christ into your community…. what gift did you give this Christmas…..) We thank You Emmanual,  that You have come,  You are coming,  and You will come again.   Lighten our path so that we can receive You and bring Your light into the darkness and forever keep darkness away.  This we ask in the name of the Messiah.  Amen.

Friday 28 December 2012

Friday - Light

Prayer:  O Christ,  You were brought into this world in the fullness of time to liberate all of creation.  O Christ,  born in the stable at Bethlehem to save the world,  may Your Church be a sign of hope and joy.  O Christ,  truly god and truly human, bless us and fill us with the Love of God so that we can take Your light and live in a world of peace and love.  Amen.

Read St John 1: 9 - 15

Bringing the light into the world.  As Christians,  we use this image of bringing the light of Christ into the world.  The image of light is part of the Old and New Testament scriptures.   But light will only be bright and shine when it is brought into the darkness.     In John's  gospel today,  we read this exact image..... Jesus is the light that is brought into a dark world.    A world full of hurt, and pain, and saddness, and chaos..... darkness.

So how do we bring the light of Christ into our world?   How can we take this image of bringing light and lighting up a world of darkness?  My cousin, Rev Steve Wilson,  preached a sermon this Christmas Eve in the Dauphin Correctional Centre that asked about Christmas presents.   Often after Christmas we get asked "So what did you get for Christmas?"   This year,  says Rev Steve,  ask instead  "What gift did you give this year?"    What gift did you give this year so that the light of Christ will be brought and shine in the darkness.    

Prayer:  With joy let us pray to our Saviour,  the Son of God made man and say to him:  Son of the living God,  have mercy upon us.  O Christ,  splendour of the Father's glory.  Sustaining all the worlds by Your Word of power:  we pray that our lives may ever  be renewed by Your presence.  Son of the living God, have mercy upon us.  O Christ born into the world in the fullness of time for the salvation and liberation of every creature; we pray that all may receive freedom.  Son of the living God,  have mercy upon us.  O Christ,  begotten of the Father before all time,  born in the stable at Bethlehem;  we pray that Your Church may be a sign of poverty and joy.  Son of the living God,  have mercy upon us and grant us Your love.  Amen.    Taize  Praise in all our Days  Mowbray,  1981  pg 158.

Thursday 27 December 2012

Thursday - John the Baptist

Prayer:  Great God,  just as John the Baptist prepared the way for the Messiah, help us this day and always to continually prepare the way for the Messiah.     This ask in the Infant Saviour’s name.  Amen.

Read St John 1: 6 – 8

John the Baptist pointed the way to the Life-Light – to Jesus our Saviour.  We read of John the Baptist during Advent as the Prophet who prepared the way for the Messiah.   

Re-read these verses and insert your name everytime you read the name "John".     Reflect on this thought.... how is God asking you to prepare the way for others to come to know Jesus?

How will you continue to point the way to Jesus?

Prayer:   Glory to You,  our Lord Jesus Christ.  In love the Father begot You and in love You make Yourself known to all who celebrate You.  In You is our beginning, and in Your our hope and desires find their fulfilment.  May the secret of Your birth remain in our hearts and minds for Your light shines in our darkness and nothing shall separate us from the power of Your love, now or ever.  Amen.
(Taize  “Praise in all our Days”  Mowbray, 1981  pg. 157)

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Boxing Day

Prayer:  Heavenly Father,  You gave to us the precious gift of Your son.  May we take this precious gift and give to others this day and always.  You showed Your glory to the shepherds in the field.  May we today too see Your glory. The shepherds went forth and worshipped at the feet of the infant Christ Child.  May we today too worship our Lord and Saviour.  The shepherds went and told everyone of the Glorious Impossible.  May we today too go out into our neighbourhood and tell everyone of Your Glorious Impossible-- Your Word made flesh to come and save us.  Amen.

Read St. Luke  2:  8 - 12

The shepherds were out in the field keeping watch over their flocks when the Angel of the Lord appeared before them.   I don''t know about you,  but if I was one of the shepherds and suddenly an Angel of the Lord appeared before me  I'd have to go home to change my undies!  The Angel told them of the Saviour's  birth and without haste,  they went to worship the Christ Child.  Wow!  How amazing. 
Then the shepherds found Joseph and Mary and the Infant Christ.  They told Josephe and Mary about the Angel and what the Angel had said.   Mary listened and treasured all their words. 
God came to be one of us.   Hallelujah!

Prayer:  Eternal and everlasting God,  we rejoice with all creation at the birth of the Christ Child.  For he is the Morning star and the light that dawns in the dark places of our hearts.  Gracious God,  chase away all the gloom and bring us once again into the stillness and light of Your presence.  Amen.

Merry Christmas!

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Christmas Day

Prayer: Into the silence of our hearts You have come O Infant King. You have come yet again to love us and redeem our lives. Thank You! Hallelujah! May we take the joy of Your birth and gift of eternal life with us this day in all that we do and all that we say. Great God, we bow down in awe with the birth of Your Son. Help us to ponder in our hearts the words that were spoken by the angels and the shepherds at the birth of Your Son. Let us come to Bethlehem and remember always the birth of our Saviour by sharing this Good News with those in need this day and always. Alleluiah.

Read St. Luke 2: 1 – 12

Ooooh, King’s College Lessons and Carols was awesome yesterday. What a wonderful rich time of worshipping the forthcoming birth of the Christ child. It is a delight to be able to worship with all nations together by listening to a broadcast online (that’s what happens when one is sick with the flu and can’t get out to the local Church!)

For Presbyterians, THE day has finally arrived — the celebration of the birth of Christ. Many Ministers, Elders, Choir Directors, Musicians, and Choir members are now going “Phew! Made it”. Christmas Eve worship is now over for another year. We rejoice in this worship. But I always wonder. Why do we not have worship on Christmas Day as well? This is the day of our Saviour’s birth…..should we not be celebrating this birth on this day too?

I often wonder what the community thinks when we hold worship on Christmas Eve but nothing on Christmas Day. Does the community then view Christians as not holding the Birth of Jesus as special and essential to our faith?

Rejoice together today that Christ our Saviour is born. Christ is present in our lives today. Hallelujah!

Prayer: Emmanuel, Bright Morning Star, You come out of the darkness and have given us the light to light up the nations. Your birth has given us the love to heal the nations. You come with joy and delight and have given us the imagination to share Your love with all nations. Hallelujah. Like the shepherds, we bow down before You and worship You with our hearts and minds and souls. Enable us to share Your love and Your healing with those we meet this day and for ever more. This we ask in Your name, God with us, Amen.

Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Eve

Prayer:  Great God,  this is the eve  on which we celebrate   our Saviour’s  birth.    A time of joy and love  and thanksgiving.    Holy Mighty,  Holy Immortal One,  we bow down before You in awe and praise.   We rejoice in the birth of Your son our Saviour.   The Glorious Impossible has come to be in our hearts and lives.  At the name  Emmanual  we celebrate the mystery of God with us.    And we thank You that even this day we can journey to be in Your glory and in Your presence.  With great haste,  help us to go forth with great joy and share Your love with others this very day.    Alleluiah.  Amen.

Merry Christmas!

Read  St Luke  2: 1 – 20

We’ve heard and seen the Christmas story each year in our lives.    Some of us were children and youth in Christmas Pageants.   How many of us over our lifetime were designated as shepherds?   We know the Christmas story.   We attend worship Christmas Eve with our family and friends.   We rejoice in the happy happy happy celebration of this worship.     And then we leave worship and go to our homes and that is as far as the love of Christ gets.  Humm.     This day remember the shepherds.   The angel came to the Shepherds and said, “Fear Not!”   Then the angel tells the shepherds the news of Great Joy — that a Saviour was born in Bethlehem.     The shepherds decide to go see this Saviour which is Christ the Lord.  They kneel down and worship the infant Christ.   And is that the end of the story?  No,  not at all.   The Gospel reading is very clear that they take this great news and share with everyone they meet.     Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass which the Lord told us about and then share this Great Joy — the Good News of the birth of Christ our Lord   with everyone we meet today and always.    Be a shepherd.

Prayer:  Emmanual,  You are with us every day of our lives  loving us more than we can imagine.  This day,  may we take the love You have given us and share with others.   We give You thanks and praise that in the silence of the evening,  the Angel came to the Shepherds and changed their lives forever.   O Christ,  Son of God,  change our lives forever as we serve You and live in Your glory.    Remind us always to be like the shepherds — to go with great haste to You and then shared Your Good News with everyone they met.   Alleluiah.   Amen.

Sunday 23 December 2012

Sunday - Advent 4 Love

This is the fourth Sunday in Advent. We stand on the precipice of Advent and Christmas. What a great place to be! Preparing for the coming of the Christ child and knowing that we celebrate his birth in only two more sleeps. Today we listen in the stillness and prepare our hearts for LOVE. Okay, we try to listen in the stillness but if you are like our family, you are getting ready (or have already left if you are like my Husband who has driven 3 1/2 hours to lead worship with those in Winnipegosis MB) for worship today. Are you wrapping up that last Christmas present (or snipping off the threads of that last minute sewing project gift). Or if you are my son, you are out on a field training exercise in -32C windchill (prayers for those who are training to protect). Have you got your turkey up out of the deep freeze yet and placed in the fridge to thaw….. did you suddenly realize like we did that we over estimated the size of the turkey in proportion to the size of your fridge? And yet, in all the joy and celebration of the preparations of Advent to Christmas, there are the times we must listen and be still. King’s College Choir ‘s Annual Lessons and Carols is tomorrow… I’ve got the 48 page booklet printed off, my popcorn at the ready, and BBC Radio online all lined up so that we can worship with awe.

But today, remember to prepare yourself by listening for the Voice of God…..

Great God, we thank You that we can be in Your Glorious presence listening to Your voice. Your voice is filled with Love and glory. We sit here in Your presence and listen in the stillness of our hearts for Your voice. We sit here in Your presence and prepare our hearts for Your Love. We know that Jesus is coming …. Your gift to us…. given out of Your love so that we might live. ……

Sit in silence for a few minutes. Just sit. Slowly in the silence, repeat the Greek word “Maranatha”– Our Lord is coming. Say this word slowly four time….. Maranatha…… Mar a na tha…… Maranatha…….. Mar a na tha.

Thank You Holy God that we may delight in knowing that the birth of the Christ Child is coming soon. May we get out of our comfortable places and take the excitement of this Glorious birth to our family and friends and neighbours. Help us this day O Divine Healer to share Your love with those in need. (silent prayer for those whom you know are in need this day) Christ has come. Christ is coming. Christ is coming soon. Alleluiah! Amen.

Saturday 22 December 2012

Saturday - Preparing for Advent 4

Prayer:    Great God,  may You enlighten our hearts so that we can be a beacon of Your joy in this world.  During this time of waiting for the return of Christ,  enliven our hearts to hear Your Voice.    Through our prayers and scripture readings,  we know that Christ has come,  Christ is coming,  Christ will come again.  Almighty God,  may we share this gift of joy with our neighbours and our friends.     Divine Healer,  move though every part of our body and our mind dissolving all feelings, thoughts, and patterns of frustration and irritation and aggravation.  Divine Healer,  sweep away all impatience, struggle, and suffering that resides in our consciousness.  Allow us to turn our frustrations into inspiration and enthusiastic action.  Help us  O Lord,  and guide our footsteps into Your glory and goodness and love so that we can experience satisfaction in all our accomplishments You give us each day.  (Sit in silence for a few minutes and reflect on this past week and how you have seen the hand of God in your life).  We thank You, Great God,  that Christ has come,  Christ is coming, and Christ will come again.  This we ask in Your Son, our Lord,  Amen.  

Friday 21 December 2012

Friday - filled with joy

Prayer:  Almighty God, who has given us Your only begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a Virgin.  Grant that we  made Your children by adoption and grace,  may daily be renewed by Your Holy Spirit; through the same  Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit,  ever one God,  world without end.  Amen.   (The Christmas  Collect  Church of England  The Book of Common Prayer  pg 94)

Read  St. Luke 2:  1 - 7

“Mary and Joseph had to leave home because of the general census ordered by Rome; so Joseph took his young, pregnant wife to register in Bethlehem, because he was of the house of David.
Little Bethlehem was crowded, overcrowded with people coming to register.  There was no room in the inn,  no place for Joseph to take Mary, whose labour was beginning.  How terrifying for Mary to be wracked with pain while Joseph tried helplessly to find someplace for them to stay.  Finally they were guided to a cave where animals were lodged.  There Mary gave birth to the infant Jesus, surrounded by lowing cattle, donkeys, and oxen.  Exhausted, but filled with joy,  she laid him in a manger.”
(Madeleine L’Engle  “The Glorious Impossible”.  Crosswicks Ltd,  1990)

Prayer:  With great love, You came into the world.  With great love,  You come into our hearts.  With great peace,  You came into the world to bring forgiveness of sins.  With great peace,  You come into our world to bring forgiveness of sins.  With great joy,  You came into the world bringing the Good News of God.  With great joy,  You come into our minds and souls bringing the Good News of God.  Alleluiah.  Amen.

Thursday 20 December 2012

Thursday - With God, the Impossible becomes possible

Prayer:  O Lord, raise up,  we pray,  and come among us,  and with great might succour us;  that through our sins and wickedness, we are hindered in running the race that is met before us,  Your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us;  through the satisfaction of Your Son our Lord,  to whom with You and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory,  world without end.  Amen. (The Fourth Sunday in Advent Collect  Church of England  The Book of Common Prayer  pg 93)

Read  St Luke  1: 39 – 45

“Mary,  overwhelmed by all that had happened, hurried off to the hill country to see her cousin Elizabeth.  Sometimes it is very important to have an older friend who is not a parent, someone who can be both loving and objective.  Elizabeth was old enough to be Mary’s mother, but she, too,  was pregnant;   and when she saw Mary,  the unborn baby in her womb leaped for joy.  Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she, too,  accepted this Glorious Impossible without reservation or doubt.
How marvellous!  The unborn child in Elizabeth’s womb recognized the baby Mary had just begun to carry and leaped for joy!  With us it is impossible.  With God, nothing is impossible.  The stars in the sky above Mary and Elizabeth were brilliant; and the power that created all the galaxies, all the stars in their courses, had come into the womb of a very young girl.”
(Madeleine L’Engle  “The Glorious Impossible”.  Crosswicks Ltd,  1990)

Prayer:  Heavenly God,  we thank You that with You all things are possible.  You make the impossible into the possible.   We leap for joy at Your wonderful gift to us.  This we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Wednesday - love

Prayer:  O Lord Jesus Christ,  who at Thy first coming did send Your messenger to prepare Your way.  Grant that the ministers and elders of Your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready Your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at Your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in Your sight, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit,  ever one God,  world without end.  Amen.   (The Third Sunday in Advent Collect  Church of England  The Book of Common Prayer  pg 91)

Read St Matthew 1: 18 – 25

“And what of Joseph,  Mary’s  fiancé?  What was he to think of this news?
In those days the punishment for adultery was stoning, stoning to death, and this amazing pregnancy looked to Joseph like adultery.  He must have loved Mary very much, because what he decided to do was simply to break the marriage bond quietly and send her away to someplace safe.
But again an angel came into the story, coming to Joseph in a dream. 
“FEAR NOT! Joseph, son of David!  Don’t be afraid to take Mary to you as your wife.  The child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.  She will have a son, and you are to call his name Jesus, ‘God Saves’, for he will save his people from their sins.”
This Joseph must have been a wonderful man. He believed the angel, accepted the Glorious Impossible, and took Mary to himself.”
(Madeleine L’Engle  “The Glorious Impossible”.  Crosswicks Ltd,  1990)

Prayer:  Thank You Lord for the Glorious Impossible of giving Your Son to the world.  Christ has come.   Christ is coming.  Christ will come again.  Amen.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Tuesday - the Glorious Impossible

Prayer:  Blessed Lord, who has caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning.  Grant that we may hear the Scriptures anew as well as  to  read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of Your Holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of ever lasting life, which You have given us in our Saviour  Jesus Christ.  Amen.   (The Second Sunday in Advent Collect  Church of England  The Book of Common Prayer  pg 89)

During the month of December,  we have read and mediated upon the work and example of Jesus,  our teacher.  
As we come near to Bethlehem and the birth of our Saviour,  we stop and reflect this week on the birth of Jesus.    

We all know the Nativity Story.   We know that the Nativity story involves people by the name of  Mary,  Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Zachariah,  Shepherds,  and Baby Jesus.   

Madeleine L’Engle wrote a book called “the Glorious Impossible”.  This story tells of the Nativity Story as a miracle of God’s love.   Madeleine L’Engle stated that “possible things are easy to believe.  The Glorious Impossibles are those things that bring joy to our hearts,  hope to our lives, songs to our lips.”   

Meditate upon the story of the Nativity as told by Madeleine L’Engle in portions of her book,   “The Glorious Impossible”…….

Luke 1:  26 - 35

“An angel came to Mary.  A fourteen year old girl was visited by an angel, an archangel.  In Scripture,  whenever an angel appears to anyone, the angel’s  first words usually are, “FEAR NOT!” – which gives us an idea of what angels must have looked like,
So the Archangel Gabriel,  who visited Mary,  greeted her with great courtesy, and then said, “Fear Not!”
And then he told her that she was going to have a baby,  a remarkable baby who would be called the Son of the Highest.
Mary was already engaged to Joseph.  The wedding would be soon.  This was strange and startling news indeed.  Mary looked the angel in the face, asking with incredible courage, “But how can this be?”
And the angel told her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you.  And the Holy Thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.”
What an amazing,  what an impossible message the angel brought to a young girl!  But Mary looked at the angel and said, “Be it unto me according to your word.”
And so the life of Jesus began as it would end, with the impossible.   When he was a grown man he would say to his disciples, “For human beings it is impossible.  For God nothing is impossible.”
(Madeleine L’Engle  “The Glorious Impossible”.  Crosswicks Ltd,  1990)

Prayer:   Great God,  we thank You that nothing is impossible in Your sight.  We thank You for the gift  of people who are open to Your call. May we too open our hearts and minds and ears to Your voice this very day.  Prepare our hearts and grant us peace and love in believing that Christ has come,  Christ is coming, Christ will come again.  Amen.

Monday 17 December 2012

Monday - Elders

Prayer:  Almighty God,  give us grace that we may cast away the words of darkness and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which Your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we  may rise to the life immortal, through him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Ghost, now and ever.  Amen.   (First Sunday in Advent Collect    Church of England  The Book of  Common  Prayer  pg 87)

Read St.Luke 6: 12 – 16

After a night of prayer before God,  Jesus summons his disciples and from them he selected twelve he designated as apostles.  

This is a wonderful example of how we must choose Elders.  In the Presbyterian Church,  our spiritual governing committee is called "The Session"  and the individuals called to this tasking are called "Elders".       After much prayer,  we nominate those in our congregation who are truly inspired to nurture and lead God’s people.   Too often we elect elders because we need more warm bodies on Session -- we totally forget about the discernment and prayer to elect those who are called by God to this office.   

Jesus is our example to follow.  Take time to pray for those who are nominated to be elders.   
Being an elder  is not an easy calling.   First and foremost,  an Elder must love God,  be knowledgeable of the Bible,  do daily devotions, do daily prayers,   and help with the nurture and growth of all peoples in the Church as well as those outside the Church.  An Elder is expected to visit their district or group of people that the Church has given to them to look after.    An Elder is expected to lead Bible Studies so that the people of the Church can gain in the knowledge and love of God.  An Elder is expected to care for the sick, the poor, and the downtrodden.     An Elder is an example of the Christian life and must have the gifts of the Spirit (goodness,  patience,  kindness,  love, joy, peace, gentleness,  self-control,  and faithfulness). 

As Jesus climbed a mountain and spent time in prayer,  this is exactly what he was praying for …. for discernment from God as to which of his disciples are called by God to be apostles. 

Today,  pray for the calling of Elders that they may be sustained by the peace and love of God to fulfil the work God calls them to do.

Prayer:   Great God,  we give You thanks and praise for the Elders – our spiritual guides.  Be with them in all their work so that they may become beacons of light in a dark world.  Grant each of the Elders the delight in learning Your Scriptures.  Grant each of the Elders an open heart to visit Your people.   Sustain them by Your peace and love.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Sunday 16 December 2012

Sunday - Advent 3 - Joy

Advent 3 -- Listening in the Stillness and Preparing our Hearts for Joy

Prayer:   Great God,  we sit here in Your presence and  listen in the stillness of our hearts for Your Voice.   We sit here in Your presence and prepare our hearts for Your joy.  We know that  Jesus is coming, as God’s joy for us.
The promise of God is sure: ‘Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart… The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst.’
 In this season of Advent, we celebrate the coming of Jesus as God’s joy among us. A day is coming when God will gather all; even the oppressed and the outcast will come home, and we shall rejoice.
Until that day, we serve an aching world in the power of the Spirit, exchanging fear for gladness, and worry for prayer.
 As the candle of joy is lit, set anxiety aside, rejoice in the Lord, pray with thanks, and make every need known to God.
 We pray for the day when God’s salvation is fully come and the whole world rejoices.

The candle of joy is lit.

Sit in silence for a few minutes.  Repeat the word “Maranatha”.  This is a Greek word that means “Our Lord is Coming”.    Maranatha.      Mar a  na   tha.      As you sit in silence,  ask God to prepare your heart for joy.   Think how you can share the gift of joy to this world, your neighbour, your friends,  and your family.  

Lord Jesus Christ, your joy we already know and celebrate. But we long for our weary world to know the joy of a new beginning. Help us to share your joy with all who are hungry or weighed down by sorrow, both those we meet every day, and those around the globe we will never meet. Amen.



Written by Rev. Dr. W. J. Clyde Ervine
Produced by Presbyterian World Service & Development
The development and relief agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada
50 Wynford Drive, Toronto ON M3C 1J7

Saturday 15 December 2012

Saturday - Preparing for Peace

The skies here today are prairie blue.   The trees are covered with hoar frost.   Just beautiful.    Everything is lacy white and prairie blue.  


Prayer:    Great God,  may You enlighten our hearts so that we can be a beacon of Your peace in this world.  During this time of waiting for the return of Christ,  enliven our hearts to hear Your Voice.    Through our prayers and scripture readings,  we know that Christ has come,  Christ is coming,  Christ will come again.  Almighty God,  may we share the gift of peace  with our neighbours and our friends.     Divine Healer,  move though every part of our body and our mind dissolving all feelings, thoughts, and patterns of frustration and irritation and aggravation.  Divine Healer,  sweep away all impatience, struggle, and suffering that resides in our consciousness.  Allow us to turn our frustrations into inspiration and enthusiastic action.  Help us  O Lord,  and guide our footsteps into Your glory and goodness and love so that we can experience satisfaction in all our accomplishments You give us each day. 
(Sit in silence for a few minutes and reflect on this past week and how you have seen the hand of God in your life). 
Maranatha.
We thank You, Great God,  that Christ has come,  Christ is coming, and Christ will come again.  This we ask in Your Son, our Lord,  Amen.  



Friday 14 December 2012

Friday - Remembering and Giving Thanks to God

Prayer:  O God,  the giver of all good gifts,  we thank You for all the blessings which we have.  Give us always contented minds, cheerful hearts, and ready wills so that we may spend and be spent in the service of others, after the example of Jesus who gave his life a ransom for many,  Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.
(Prayers for All Occasions.   Forward Movement Press.  1964).

Read St.Luke  6: 1 – 11

The Sabbath.     During the Exodus,  keeping the Sabbath was one of the covenantal laws that God stated for Israelites.   The idea of the Sabbath was to have one day in the week where the people would remember and give thanks to God.    
By the time of Jesus, there were too many laws  around the law.  One could not rub two pieces of corn or grain together to eat on the Sabbath.  One could not travel any further than six furlongs.  One could not lift anything heavier than the weight of two figs.
What?  The laws of Sabbath were becoming a burden to the people instead of a day of delight in God. 

Re-read this scripture for a minute.   Now re-read verse 2.  Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing that, breaking a Sabbath rule?”    Okay,  if the disciples are walking through a field of ripe grain,  where are the Pharisees?    If the Pharisees can see what the disciples are doing,  wouldn’t you suppose they are near the disciples?  And are the Pharisees breaking the laws themselves?  Yup.    We frequently put the Pharisees in a bad light and say that their beliefs were all wrong.  But here we have a group of Pharisees that see something God-like in Jesus and they want to learn more about Jesus.    They question Jesus because Jesus is doing something new and not following the laws that the Pharisees have strived to follow all the days of their lives so that they can be close to God.

What kind of action suits the Sabbath best?  Do we still need to keep the Sabbath today?  Yes indeed.   We need one day a week in order to worship and glorify and thank God.   We need one day a week so that we can step back from our lives and instead of focussing upon ourselves or our paperwork,  we focus upon God.

Today,  how will you focus upon God?

Prayer:  Bless the Lord O  my soul and all that is within me,  bless His Holy Name.  Bless the Lord,  O my soul,  that I may not forget to rest and abide with You.   Bless the Lord, O my soul, and grant me peace that passes all understanding.  Christ is coming soon.  Amen.

Thursday 13 December 2012

Thursday - Advent and Birthday's

Today is Glenn’s  55th Birthday!  Hurrah!  Happy Birthday Glenn!  


Prayer:  Great God,  You ask us today to come with You.   We journey with You always knowing of Your power to hold and lead us   and Your presence  to stay with us when we are afraid.    We thank You that   You hearken to our every need,  and You provide us with the wisdom to teach us in all things that we need to learn.  Your hand will guide us this day in Your path,  and Your shield will keep us from harm.  The word of God will give us right speech and Your heavenly host will be our guard.   Christ is coming.  Amen.

Read St Luke  5: 27 – 39

Jesus meets Levi, the tax collector.   Jesus says to Levi, “Come along with me”.  And Levi leaves everything and invites Jesus to his home for a meal.     We often read this story and don’t realize that Levi has just walked away from his job.  Levi has walked away from being able to provide for his family and relatives.  Not only does Levi walk away from his job,  but he holds a very large supper for other tax collectors and disreputable characters.   Wow!  
The Pharisees come to Jesus’ disciples and ask what is Jesus doing eating and drinking with crooks and sinners (aka,  Tax Collectors).
Jesus responds by asking the Pharisees,  “Who needs a doctor?   The healthy or the sick?”   Well the obvious answer is “the sick”.   Jesus continues that he is going to change the lives of the sick….  Jesus will change the lives of those who are outsiders in their culture and who are working jobs that make them unclean or unhealthy.   Wow!
Changing lives from the inside and out.  
Yet is Jesus asking each of us to toss our jobs,  Seniors Pensions,  Employment Insurance in order to change our lives from the inside and out?  Nope,  not at all.   Jesus is stating that he  has come to help those who need changing to be changed and renewed from the inside and out.  No one had ever cared for the Tax Collector before.   They were marginalized and unclean from the rest of the community.
This day,  look around and see who is marginalized and unclean from the rest of your community.   Then provide that person(s)  with God’s peace.

Prayer:  Great God,  I commit myself to You today.  With the help of Your grace and compassion,  I will endeavour to keep Your commandments and to follow faithfully in the way of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
(Prayers for All Occasions.   Forward Movement Press.  1964).

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Wednesday - Preparing the Way through Forgiveness

Prayer:  Almighty God,  we come into Your presence today with hearts filled with the need to ask for forgiveness.    Be with us through this time of recognizing our sins, our anger,  our frustrations,  and asking for forgiveness.  Christ be with us,  Christ be in us,  Christ be with us always.  Amen.

Forgiveness Meditation:
This Forgiveness Meditation is a “fill in the blank” forgiveness meditation. It is a stylized tree with roots, seed, trunk, and branches (circles).    
How to draw:   
 In the circle at the very bottom,  write your name.    
On the roots coming out of the circle (at the bottom),  write in all the things that have provided you with love over your lifetime.  This can be family members,  going to grade school with a new pencil, Confirmation.   Anything that you remember being a time or event of love.
On the bottom circle at the left of the tree write the word Family.   Then write in any family member who has caused you anger  or hurt.  
On the top left  circle at the left of the tree  write the word Work/Volunteer.  Then write in any event or person who has caused you anger or hurt.
On the top right circle at the right of the tree write the word Other.  Then write in any event or person that has caused you anger or hurt.
On the bottom right circle at the right of the tree trunk, write the word Friend.  Then write in any event or friend that has caused you anger or hurt.

After writing down all that you need,  go to each circle and pray this following prayer for each circle:  Dear…..,  I do forgive you for…… and I set you free.  I do forgive myself for feeling hurt, angry, violated, and upset.   I do set myself free.    Let us be in peace. Let us be in love.     

Then in the “roots” section,  pray the following prayer:    Great God,  thank you for providing me with  dear ………..   who has given to me  peace, joy, and love.   Thank You Lord that you forgive us our sins and heal us.   Help me Divine Healer,  to recognize and celebrate all the wonderful things I have achieved,  all the magnificent people with whom I have connected and all the rich experiences I have lived.  In Your love and peace,  I am truly blessed.  Thank you.  Amen.












Tuesday 11 December 2012

Tuesday - forgiveness and healing

Prayer:  Almighty God,  come and revive us.  Shine upon us and we shall be saved. We listen to Your Word this day and know that Your Word forgives us always.  Christ is coming!  Amen.

Read  St. Luke  5: 22 – 26
Jesus hears the Pharisees and teachers of the law whispering amongst themselves.  They are gossiping and asking each other how Jesus can forgive sins.  Only God can forgive sins.   

Jesus asks them “Which is simpler… to say ‘I forgive your sins’ or to say ‘Get up and start walking’?”      

We have to take a step back for a moment and realize that those who were ill or sick or disabled were considered to ‘be with sin”.    Either they or someone in their family had sinned and they ended up with the burden of sin placed upon them  (good thing we don’t believe this today!).   

So here the Pharisees and teachers of the law are wondering just what is Jesus doing.    Jesus   forgave the paraplegic man’s sins… which only God can do.   And then Jesus says to the Pharisees and teachers of the law that he could say to the man “Get up and walk” and the man would be healed from his sins.    Jesus then informs them that he has authority to do both….  forgiving of sins and as well as a healing of sins.  
 
The man who was paraplegic  gets up and walks out the door.   Wow!  Talk about a miracle.    The people rub their eyes in disbelief and then they give glory to God.  

This day,  meditate upon the forgiveness of sins and the healing of sins.      Jesus gives us both. 

 During this time of Advent-- this time of Preparing the Way for Jesus,  remember to forgive those who have caused you hurt and to forgive yourself for causing hurt to others.    

Prayer:   Great God,  as we abide in Christ we are supplied with all the spiritual resources that we need in order to fill Your world with peace.  Almighty God,  as we abide in Christ we know that  we are free from fear and have quietness and confidence within.   Merciful God,  as we abide in Christ, we know that we are at one with You and know Your peace which surpasses all understandings.  Amen.

Monday 10 December 2012

Monday - Advent 2


Prayer:  God Almighty,  we thank You for calling us out of the shadow of night and into the light of day.  This Advent, may we be a beacon of Your light and serve You continually with hearts full of hope and peace.  Maranatha.  Our Lord is coming.  Amen.

 

Read  St. Luke  5: 17 – 22

 

Coming from a different culture and a different time,  sometimes we miss the “aha” things in the Bible.   Here we read of the story of Jesus teaching.  Three important things come up that we frequently read over and think to ourselves, “humm” then think nothing more of these words.   Jesus was teaching who?   The Pharisees and teachers of the law.   Screech to a halt for a minute… Jesus was teaching the Pharisees and teachers of the law? 

What?   These two groups were known for their devotion to God,  their learning, their devotion to the law, and their knowledge.   So  here are two groups with a lot of education and learning coming to hear what Jesus has to say.   These two groups have come to hear what Jesus is teaching.   Wow!

 

The other extremely important event that happens is St Luke records that the Pharisees and teachers of the law sat down and listened to Jesus.  Sat down!    When teaching or preaching, Rabbis would sit down and speak.   Students would also gather around their Rabbi to hear his words.    So here are the Pharisees and teachers of the law… not a few but Pharisees and teachers of the law from nearly every village in Galilee and Judea, and even as far away as Jerusalem all crowded into a house listening to the words of Jesus.

 

The third important words in this reading is the last sentence in verse 17…. “the healing power of God was on Jesus”.    By these few words,  we know that something is going to happen.

 

In  the midst of this crowd of knowledgeable Pharisees and teachers of the law,  come some men with a paraplegic.   But the house is overflowing with people.   Their determination goes into overdrive.  Instead of saying, “oh bummer.  We can’t do anything”,  they come up with a solution.   Instead of going through the door,  why not go through the roof.   So they haul the paraplegic up the outside steps of the house to the

Roof.  They take off some tiles on the roof (Mama is not going to be happy about that one!)  and let down the paraplegic  right in front of Jesus.  Jesus is impressed with their bold belief and says, “Friend, I forgive your sins”.  With that the paraplegic is healed.

But the Pharisees and teachers of the law are not impressed.   This teacher that they have been listening to has suddenly blasted apart their belief.  Only God can forgive sins.  And here is Jesus forgiving the paraplegic his sins.  Wow.   
Jesus is our healer.    This day,  how will Jesus heal you?

 

Prayer:  Great God, forgive us of all our sins today.  We offer before You those things we have left undone.  We offer before You those people that we have hurt.  We offer before You those prayers we have forgotten to pray.  But we rejoice in Your love knowing that You have already forgiven us through Your Son.  Christ is coming!  Amen.

Sunday 9 December 2012

Sunday - Advent 2

Sunday  9    December     Advent 2  Listening in the Stillness and Preparing our Hearts for Peace

Prayer:   Great God,  we sit here in Your presence and  listen in the stillness of our hearts for Your Voice.   We sit here in Your presence and prepare our hearts for Your peace.  We know that Jesus is coming, as God’s peace for us.
The promise of God is sure: ‘By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.’
 In this season of Advent, we celebrate the coming of Jesus to bring peace, and we wait for the day when the hostilities that haunt and hurt our world have ceased.
 Until that day, we follow the Prince of peace, practicing the peace and forgiveness Jesus brings, in our family, community, and fragmented world.
 As the candle of peace is lit, embrace Jesus as God’s peacemaker, the One who redeems us from hatred and violence, and who will reign one day over a reconciled world.
 We long for that day and work toward peace, in the power of Jesus.

The candle of peace is lit.

Sit in silence for a few minutes.  Repeat the word “Maranatha”.  This is a Greek word that means “Our Lord is Coming”.    Maranatha.      Mar a  na   tha.      As you sit in silence,  ask God to prepare your heart for peace.   Think how you can share the gift of peace to this world, your neighbour, your friends,  and your family.  

Lord Jesus Christ, our peacemaker, as we celebrate your willingness to step into our tense and troubled world, help us to be instruments of your peace, bringing love where there is hatred, pardon where there is injury, and hope where there is despair. Amen.

Written by Rev. Dr. W. J. Clyde Ervine
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