Lent 5 – Prayer Chair
Pastor Jason Settle into the chair and breathe deeply.
For losing touch with the creation of which we are a part… forgive me.
For the times when I don’t let things unfold in their own time… forgive me.
Help me slow down when it is the season of my life for doing so.
Help me celebrate and embrace the ebbs and flow of life.
Give me the ability to sense the balance so that I might
take pleasure in the toil of my life and enjoy the fruits of my labor.
In this moment we hear your promise:
“I have set in motion all you need for happiness.
It’s OK to slow down and reconnect with the world around you.”
You do not ask us to go back to some yesteryear,
but to take time to smell the roses, savor the twilight, bask in the sun.
We are your children, created to flourish along with all of creation.
I bring my petitions to you this day, O God. Here are the people and things I am worried about …. (offer up to God your joys and concerns)
Holy God, who holds me close as a Loving Parent does,
I honor this life you have given me and this moment to remember what’s important.
I pray that your love will reign in all the earth and in my heart.
Give me what I need to get through the next 24 hours. No more. No less.
Open me to give and receive forgiveness when and if that’s needed
so that serenity will return.
Your world is precious. This moment will never pass again.
With this breath I offer my deepest thanks.
Put any worries in your God Box, if you have one. As an “amen,” take a deep breath before you leave the chair.
God Box Instructions
The God Box is a way of handing over the things that we worry (perhaps even obsess) about that are beyond our control. You can make a God Box out of a small box, perhaps shoebox size, and decorate it however you choose and place the Serenity Prayer on the lid (you could cut out the one below). Whenever worries pop up, you are invited to write your worries on bits of paper and put them in your God Box as a sign that you are letting go of that which you cannot control into the care of God. Replace the time spent worrying in your head with speaking the Serenity Prayer by H. Rienhold Neibhur, 20th century theologian. You could also keep your prayer papers in this box.
Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Tuesday Night Small Group Study
The Bible is more revelatory, revolutionary, and relevant than you ever imagined. But too often people butcher it with stilted literalism and stifling interpretations. Join us this Tuesday at 6:15 as pastor/author Rob Bell’s “What is the Bible?” helps us discover how the Bible has more to offer than you ever imagined!
This Week:
Tuesday, April 9, 6:15 pm – Small group
Wednesday, April 10, 1:30 pm – Prayer & Inspiration
Wednesday, April 10, 6:00 pm – Choir Practice
Thursday, April 11, 3:00 pm – Ladles of Love, Meal preparation
Thursday, April 11, 4:00 pm – Ladles of Love, Meal delivery
Saturday, April 13th, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Easter Egg Hunt &Fellowship at the home of Joanie & Jason Williams
Sunday, April 14, 11:00 am – Worship – Palm Sunday (Un-Busy: Rest)
Sunday, April 14, 3:00 pm – Come to the Table: Live Last Supper REHEARSAL
Upcoming Events:
April 18 & 19, 7:00 pm – Come to the Table: A Live Last Supper
April 26th, Lunch: Fundraising BBQ
April 27th, NC Regional Assembly, Barton College, Wilson, NC
