Tag Archives: courage

A prayer to bear one another’s burdens

God who bears the hurt of the world,

we pray for the grace, courage, and wisdom

to bear one another’s burdens,

to sit in silence with your children

who are in pain,

who grieve,

who endure heartbreak beyond our imagining;

to sit in silence

until a place of love is reached.

Amen.

inspired by a sermon preached by Elder Madison McKinney (Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota Oyate and a descendent of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) for National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People (May 5), a part of the May 1-7 National Week of Action for MMIWG2S

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Filed under Current Events, Friends, Human Rights, Prayer

A prayer in the face of disappointment

When disappointment comes, God,

and disappointment will,

may we find

strength to grieve,

patience to sit with the moment,

imagination to seek alternatives,

and courage, hope, faith, and love

to give them a try.

We pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

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Filed under Family, Friends, Prayer

A prayer, September 11, 2021

Gracious God,
twenty years on
we remember.

We remember
your precious children killed in
New York
Washington, DC,
Shanksville.

We remember
your precious children killed in
Afghanistan
Iraq
and around the world.

We remember
death
wounded bodies
wounded spirits
wounded souls.

We remember
acts of terror
acts of valor
acts of violence
acts of peace.

We remember
fear
anger
hate
prejudice.

We remember
kindness
courage
grace
generosity.

We remember
people coming together to
reach out
weep
sing
embrace
care.

We remember
songs ended
songs gone
songs created
songs begun
songs lived
songs shared.

Remembering,
may we take bold, faith-filled, hopeful steps
to unlearn the ways of war and
turn to ways that might make peace between people;
to overcome fear of one another
and recognize the dignity and value of every person;
to seek understanding of suffering
and nurture the empathy needed to work to alleviate it; and
to walk the paths of love
that leads to peace and justice.

Remembering Jesus,
in response to your Holy Spirit,
we pray. Amen.

with thanks to Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Chris Shelton, leaders of the United Church of Christ and Come from Away

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Filed under Current Events, Family, Friends, New York, Prayer

Swamp oaks

Bare now,
soon to be leafed,
the four hundred
raise their branches
to remember
horror and hope
fear and courage
destruction and grace
and, in a place of death,
to proclaim love and life.

30 March 2021
Louisville, Kentucky

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Filed under Friends, New York

Virtual prayer vigil

Joining, from afar, the ecumenical prayer vigil held on Sunday, March 21 in the parking lot of the Gold Massage Spa to honor the victims of the Atlanta shooting. This vigil was organized by Korean Central Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, St. Andrew Kim Catholic Church, Emmanuel Korean United Methodist Church, and Lutheran Church of Incarnation. Here are some prayers for the moment.

Christ have mercy.
We thank you for your beloved children whose
lives were taken too soon, too violently in Georgia.
Draw us together to work
against racism and racist violence against Asian Americans.

Christ have mercy.
Inspire us to see each person
in the wholeness you create;
inspire us to see each person
with your gaze of love;
inspire us to see and honor
your image in each person.

Christ have mercy.
Provide love and courage for those who fear
for their safety because of who they are.
Guide us to disrupt systems and practices
that lead to fear and to create a society
in which no one need be afraid.

Christ have mercy.
Grant rest and comfort and strength
to your children who are wearied
by resisting white supremacy.
Sear the consciences of
those who have accepted privilege without interrogation
those who responded with apathy,
those who have expected people who endure racism
to provide the answers and to do the work.
Move us to care for one another
by dismantling systems that wound and drain
your children, our family
and deny your justice and love to all.

Christ have mercy.
Lead us to learn our history –
the history of Asians in America and of Asian Americans –
the history of the violence too often
inflicted by white supremacy
on Asian nations and on Asians in this nation.
May our learning lead us to recognize wrongs done,
repent, and begin the journey to repair.

Christ have mercy.
Move us to demand that
elected representatives in our nation,
in each state and in every community
speak and work to end hate and violence
directed at the Asian American community.

Christ have mercy.
We have work to do.
So much work to do.
Search our hearts,
guide our feet,
hold our hands,
stand by us
as we do the needed work
to disrupt white supremacy
and dismantle the systemic racism
that impacts Asian Americans
and Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

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Filed under Antiracism, Current Events, Prayer

You will know

Amid all the challenges these days bring, remember:
One day this pandemic will end 
and then you will know. 
One day you will know 
how brave you have been. 
One day you will know
how strong you have been. 
One day you will know 
how resilient you have been. 
One day you will know
how resourceful you have been. 
One day you will know 
how gracious you have been. 
One day you will know
how loving you have been
Each day be yourself
and one day you will know. 

1 March 2021
Louisville, Kentucky

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Filed under Current Events, Poem

Prayer 1

God of the ages,

grant us patience, courage, and grace;

grant us faith, hope, and love;

grant us all we need

for the living of our days

in the age of Covid-19.

Amen.

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Filed under Current Events, First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, Prayer

Arthur Ashe

Arthur AsheI finished Arthur Ashe by Raymond Arsenault tonight. Here are several six word stories about Arthur Ashe. I will keep trying.

Black man,
white game,
undying love.

Days of glory,
days of grace.

Calm in storm,
gone too soon.

Returned
blazing serves;
justice for injustice.

Living well,
dying young,
never forgotten.

 

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Filed under Books, Sports, tennis

Hope’s daughters

Worship this morning at the First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone focused on responding to gun violence. Planned and led by our confirmation class and youth group, the service invited us to connect with hope’s daughers: anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are. (Augustine)

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Filed under Current Events, First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, Gun Violence, Human Rights, Worship

No matter who

No matter who you are:
It is not OK to mock a person who has reported a sexual assault.
It is reprehensible to mock a person who has reported a sexual assault.
It is sin to mock a person who has reported a sexual assault.
No matter who you are or who the speaker is: 
It is not OK to laugh and cheer when someone mocks a person who has reported a sexual assault.
It is reprehensible to laugh and cheer when someone mocks a person who has reported a sexual assault.
It is sin to laugh and cheer when someone mocks a person who has reported a sexual assault.
No matter who!

2 October 2018
Manhattan, New York

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Filed under Current Events, Family, Friends, New York, Uncategorized