Pastor Rachel's new blog can be found at http://faithandwater.blogspot.com

LIVING THE LORD'S PRAYER

In the preface to his book Race Matters (2001 edition), Cornel West observes the tension between community ideals for meaningful relationships and individual ideals driven by hyper-consumerism. "Market activities of buying and selling, advertising and promoting weaken nonmarket activities of caring and sharing, nurturing and connecting" (xvi).

When Jesus teaches the disciples to pray in Matthew 6, Jesus is in the midst of his Sermon on the Mount:  a variety of instructions for how people should meaningfully connect with one another and with God.  Building and strengthening these relationships is part of our church life, part of our prayer life, and part of the Congregational Vitality program.

The summer sermon series (July 6 - August 3) focuses on the Lord's Prayer and its lessons for our relationships, with questions for us all on how we pray, how we live out prayer, how we live in prayer. Let us pray...

My Father, my Mother, my Guide,

the One who lives in radiance in heaven,

            all praises to you!

As the angels sing of your goodness in heaven,

may the very stones cry out here on earth.

            May God's love unconditional be realized.

Give us, simply, the sustenance to carry on in this life.

Love us still when we lose our way,

            and remind us to love others with equal grace.

Keep us from snares and seductions that blind us to your truth.

Deliver us from cycles of injustice, insanity and violence.

All creation, all wisdom and power, all praises

            belong to you alone forever. Amen.

Blessings, Pastor Rachel