Spiritual Practice

Prayers of the People (from Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020)

Pastor Lauren shares here some of what we carried on our hearts October 25 in worship:

Holy God we seek a way through polarities and limitations of binary options. Make us seekers of the unwavering justice of God, our God who is always on the side of the vulnerable.

We are praying a swift recovery for those who are ill or injured, and we give thanks that those who have had medical procedures are back at home with family.

We are with every 581 + now orphaned child of God, forcibly separated from their families. We are with 81 thousand corona virus grief struck families who have lost loved ones.

We continue to be with between 220, 000- 300, 000 families who have lost their loved ones, and with so many more that are moving through positive virus diagnoses fall out & varying continual implications.

God give us strength for a long road ahead. God make us carriers of Your love through a long hard struggle ahead. Turn us out in creative new ways, make us your builders of better ways and better days. God we pray not to return to ‘normal’, but to live for a better normal.

We are with every person offering service to our country, in the spirit of creating peace, but suffering separation and loss.

God we pray You ease us to be tender with our broken hearts. Remind all that you are there. So that You might extend Your reach- through us. Bring us to be with separated families, in every way, and every circumstance. Embolden us to look at structures we did not mean to be part of creating, but now are responsible to dismantle.

Our holy God, we call upon your in-breaking reign to make us a force of your justice. To give Your support to others. Through our very own hands and feet.

God in your mercy, hear our prayers.

A Prayer for the Week Before Election Day

Holy God,

Guide us with your love as we cast our ballots in these uncertain times.

Lead us as we move forward on the path of justice, that everyone eligible to vote, will vote and have their ballot counted. We pray that our government will promote confidence in, and proof of, the security of our systems.

During these extremely divisive times, as people of faith, our moral responsibility is to speak and vote our values and truth, with God’s love as our guide. We seek systemic change from oppression and pray for equality for everyone.

We pray and vote for healthcare for all - to finding a cure for Covid-19 for everyone.

We pray and vote for the children in cages who have been separated from their families; that they may be reunited and safe from further harm.

We pray and vote for those who have been displaced by hurricanes, floods and fire due to the climate crisis; and to re-enact the laws that protect our environment.

We pray and vote for all generations and all families who have been affected by oppression and prejudice in all forms that they may find fairness in our justice system.

Let us vote with our hearts and minds dedicated to the truth and for those who will stand up and lead with courage and compassion for all.

God, with your love for absolutely everyone we pray there will be peace and justice here and in our world.

We place these and all things in Your loving hands.

Amen

(anonymously written and shared by Keystone members)

TONIGHT: Lectio Divina at 6:30 p.m.

Tonight is our second Wednesday eve of Lectio Divina. Drop in any of these next practice dates too: September 2 and 23.

“Each moment is a chance for us to make peace with the world, to make peace possible for the world, to make happiness possible for the world.  The world needs our peace, and the world needs our happiness.” -Thich Nhat Hanh* 

Tonight August 26 we will take centering time to reflect on this Sunday’s coming passage from the Book of Exodus 3: 1-15, Moses at the burning bush.  This is our worship text from our lectionary for Sunday August 30.  It raises a question, is it possible to duck out?  Do we think we are not summoned?  What if God calls us by name?  Calls all of us who follow from the faith of Moses?

We will share some quiet, & see what phrases stick with us, & how we connect with this passage.  Lectio Divina practice leads us through 3 go-arounds.  The last question prompts what we each see God asking us to do, through this text.

Come share a quiet 30 minutes in this practice, done in community.  These strange coronavirus times have brought a few Keystone members out to help design this kind of regular contemplative time to restore ourselves.  The first was August 5.

Tonight we can vote for this practice to be a weekly feast to sustain our Spirits, for the seasons ahead (a Friday morning 10:30 AM? or?)  And for September, we already have two more Wednesday eves cued up for the month: mark your calendars: September 2 and September 23.  We meet online, 6:30-7 pm.  

Bring your favorite Bible for this mid week meditative time.  We will get to steep a little in our coming Sunday texts! Questions welcome: Pastor Lauren: lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org

Sign on is emailed out, so if you don’t have it yet- just give Lauren a shout!

*Thich Nhat Hanh: from Living Buddah, Living Christ.

Next contemplative practice of Lectio Divina: August 26: 6:30-7 pm

“Each moment is a chance for us to make peace with the world, to make peace possible for the world, to make happiness possible for the world.  The world needs our peace, and the world needs our happiness.” -Thich Nhat Hanh* 

On August 26 we will take centering time to reflect on lines from the Gospel of Matthew 16: 21-28, the cost and promise of discipleship.  Since our worship for Sunday August 30 may draw on our lectionary with these verses, as we share some quiet, we will see what phrases stick with us, and how we are connecting with this passage.  Our last round in the practice helps us each see what God is asking us to do through this text.

Come share a couple minutes in this quiet practice, done in community.  These strange coronavirus times are bringing us to be together in contemplation to restore ourselves.  We can begin to do this practice as our weekly feast to sustain our Spirits, for the seasons ahead.  

Two Wednesdays/month +/or a weekly Friday 10:30 AM Lectio practice, are under consideration.  We meet online.  Give yourself a quiet half hour in your week, to be with others from Keystone.  Bring your Bible.  You will get to spend some time with our Sunday texts, for the days leading up.

Questions welcome to: Pastor Lauren: lauren.cannon@keystoneseattle.org

*Thich Nhat Hanh: from Living Buddha, Living Christ.