Shifting population demographics represent the diverse human family which God creates and loves. They are not signs of replacement nor do they threaten civilizational erasure. They invite us to live more fully the life God intends for us. They are a gift.
A prayer to find home
On this day
and every day,
may each heart,
may every heart,
find some place,
find some people,
to call home.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Family, Friends, Prayer
A prayer for nurses
Creative, Holy God,
in whom we live and move and have our being,
we ask for healing for those who are ill.
Bless the professionals who
participate with you in healing.
Particularly we pray for nurses.
We rejoice in the gifts the Holy Spirit
bestows upon those who engage in nursing work.
We give thanks for the care they provide.
We are grateful for their professionalism.
compassion and commitment.
For their willingness to work
long hours in strenuous conditions,
we stand in awe.
For the ways in which nurses
enter into the lives of your children
at difficult, painful moments,
we give you praise.
Bless nurses who have touched our lives
and nurses we have never met.
Grant wisdom, grant courage, grant strength,
grant all that is needed for the living of their days
and the fulfillment of their calling.
We pray in the name of Jesus,
who healed people of sickness of body and spirit.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Friends
A prayer for those impacted by Typhoon Kalmaegi
God of the seas,
God of the wind,
we pray for the people of
the Philippines, Vietnam,
and all places impacted
by Typhoon Kalmaegi.
Comfort all who mourn
the death of loved ones.
Work healing in all
who were injured.
Guide first responders,
medical care providers,
rescue workers, and all
who respond to the
damage caused by the typhoon.
Draw communities closer together
to care for one another.
inspire the international community
to respond in helpful ways.
Lead all people around the world
to consider how our living
might impact typhoons and other storms
and to make changes that might
lessen our impact.
As another storm may be forming,
we ask you
to calm the sea and
to still the wind.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Prayer
A prayer for Louisville
You may or may not know, that I lived in Louisville for 14 years, Tricia for 7 years. When I said I lived in Louisville, people in other places would respond, “There’s a horse race, right?” or maybe “Kentucky Derby!”. Some thought of bourbon. But the largest employer in Louisville is the UPS Worldport with about 25,000 people directly employed and many others employed in other places because of its presence.
As my friend the Rev. Gradye Parsons, former Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA), says, “this is a city family tragedy.”
Please continue to pray for Louisville and its people.
Gracious God,
we pray for your beloved children
killed or injured in the plane crash in Louisville.
We pray for those who work
at UPS, at the Muhammed Ali airport,
at the businesses where the crash occurred
and the fire raged.
We pray for the people of
the city and the metro area
impacted by the crash –
because they heard or felt the explosion,
because they saw, live or in images,
the fireball and the smoke cloud;
because they had to shelter in place;
because they worried about
family and friends who were near the crash;
because they are community and
what affects one of your beloved children
affects all of your beloved children.
Bring peace and comfort to grieving families and friends.
Grant strength to first responders
who experienced up close the crash’s horror.
Guide those who continue to work at the crash site.
Work healing in the injured In body, mind, or spirit.
Lead medical personnel who provided, and continue to provide,
to join in your healing care.
May your Holy Spirit surround the greater Louisville community
with Your light and love in this moment of sorrow.
We pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
inspired by a prayer from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
Filed under Current Events, Friends, Louisville, Prayer
No one should carry hunger or hardship alone
From the Presbyterian Hunger Program:
When times are hard, asking for help shouldn’t come with shame. We all deserve access to nourishing, culturally appropriate food, and the care of community.
If you or someone you know needs support, there are tools that can help you find nearby food pantries, meal programs, and other local resources:
Food pantries, meal programs, and other local resources
– Visit Feeding America’s “Find Your Local Food Bank” www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank and enter your ZIP code to locate a food bank in your community.
– Use the Food Finder map to explore nearby food pantries, including addresses and hours. https://foodfinder.us
– You can also visit www.findhelp.org to search for food programs and other community resources.
Phone assistance:
– Call or text 211 to connect with a local specialist who can help you find food assistance and other support services in your area.
– National Hunger Hotline – Call 1-866-3HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) for help locating nearby meal sites, food banks, and social service programs.
Transportation issues:
– Many people experiencing hunger also face transportation barriers that make accessing grocery stores and food pantries difficult or impossible. DoorDash is rolling out an “Emergency Food Response” in reaction to the potential disruption of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. They will deliver 1 million meals for free through their “Project DASH” network of 300+ foodbanks and pantries nationwide. Learn more here: https://about.doordash.com/…/snap-shutdown-announcement
Congregational Support:
– Local or regional foundations – especially those suited to long-term sustaining of feeding programs and social services. Find possibilities in your area at https://cof.org/page/community-foundation-locator .
– Manual of Best Practices for Food Pantries from Indy Hunger Network – https://www.indyhunger.org/…/Manual-of-Best-Practices…
– Food Sovereignty for All Handbook – https://pcusa.org/resource/food-sovereignty-all
Remember, community care means none of us have to carry hunger or hardship alone.
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
A prayer for hunger #1
God of abundance,
gve us today, our daily bread.
Amen.
Matthew 6:11, emphasis added
Filed under Current Events, Prayer
A prayer for hunger #3
God who loves us all,
you create us for each other.
Each child is our child.
Every person is our sibling.
We are connected in the web of life.
Help us live accordingly,
working to ensure
that everyone has enough.
Amen.
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Prayer
A prayer for hunger #2
Creator,
to those who have hunger,
give bread,
to those who have bread,
give the hunger for justice.
Amen.
this prayer appears in several variations; it has been cited as the “Latin American Bread Prayer” and as coming from the Benedictine order
Filed under Current Events, Food, Human Rights, Prayer
So Jung, you are remembered
Before her death in January of this year, my friend the Rev. Dr. So Jung Kim, who served the PC(USA) as the associate for theology in the Office of Theology and Worship, said to me in very low moment, “No one will remember me.”
I told her she was wrong.
On Sunday, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, where my son Eric serves as transitional pastor, will include So Jung among the saints they name. I am grateful.
If your congregation is naming saints, I am sure you have many individuals to remember. I give thanks for each one of them.
And if you are so inclined, please include the Rev. Dr. So Jung Kim and help demonstrate that we do remember her.
For the Rev. Dr. So Jung Kim and all the saints – thanks be to God!
Filed under Family, Friends, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Worship
Along the Graybeard Trail 