Author: cmkenlin

Be With Us (Mark 1:9-15)

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Lord, as we enter this time we call Lent,
be with us.
Open our eyes to your presence in our daily lives.
Remind us to reflect daily on our interactions with you,
and with those around us.
As we look back on our day, where did we please you?
Where did we fall short?

Lord, as we enter this time we call Lent,
be with us.
We were created in God’s image and
we know we are the children of God.
Remind us that we are uniquely loved and cherished.
As we look back on our day, where were we shown love?
Where did we share your love with others?

Lord, as we enter this time we call Lent,
be with us.
We say that we are brothers and sisters in the body of Christ.
As we look back on our day, where did we work together equally with others?
Where did we build walls between ourselves and others?

Lord, as we enter this time we call Lent,
be with us.
You taught us that each of us is a valued child of God.
You fought for the powerless, spoke for the voiceless, and
loved the unloveable ones.
As we look back on our day, where did we live out your teachings?
Where did we choose to ignore your lesson?

Lord, as we enter this time we call Lent,
be with us.
Remind us to reflect daily on our interactions with you,
and with those around us.
As we look back on our day, where did we please you?
Where did we fall short?

As we think about our interactions with those around us,
we know that there are people we hold in our hearts
who need some extra support.
While we reach out to them, we ask that you also surround them
with your love and grace. We ask that you be with ___.

Lord, as we enter this time we call Lent,
we know that you are with us.
We use the words that you taught us,
“Our Father…”

Setting our Sight on Human Things (Mark 8:31-38)

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We set our sights on human things.
We judge our success by human guidelines.
We can worry too much about our future
and forget to celebrate today.

We forget that we are to be following you.
Remind us to freely put down our earthly possessions
so that we are free to pick up your cross.

We set our sights on human things,
but intertwined within our day to day,
is the Spirit.
The Spirit inspires us, lifts our eyes toward you,
away from the sights of the world that distract us.
The Spirit connects us, placing people and events
in our lives in ways that allow your love to be shared.
The Spirit interprets your word in scripture for us,
allowing us to see your teachings in our world today.
The Spirit nudges us, reminding us to follow you,
to put down our earthly possessions
so that we are free to follow you.

We set our sights on human things.
We have human worries and concerns.
As your children, we know that we are loved.
We know that you are with us,
and we ask that as we reach out to those among us
who need assistance, that you also be with them,
especially ___.

Holy Spirit,
fill us with your inspiration,
connect us with one another,
open our hearts and our eyes.
As we use the words taught to us so many years ago,
interpret them for us and give them new meaning
for our lives today so that we are free to follow you,
“Our Father….”

No Prophet Welcome in His Hometown (Luke 4:21-30)

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There is no one who knows us better than our families.
And, yet, do our families really know us or do they know who we used to be?
Do they know how we have changed over time?
Or do they only know us how they want us to be?
You know us, Father, you knew us before we were born
and you know how we have grown since then
and you know how we still need to grow.

As we grow in this life, help us to see what is important in life.
Give us the strength to speak up as Jesus did when he spoke up for inclusion.
Today, many say that being inclusive is a sign of political correctness,
something we should not tolerate, something that makes us weak.
Remind us, Father God, that your Son taught us to include everyone,
to value everyone, without judgment.
Remind us, Mother God, that we are all your children,
each of us loved and each of us uniquely cherished.
When we respect each other, when we celebrate and accept our differences,
we are respecting you and acting as you taught us.

We may not have the strength or the character to live our entire lives as did Nelson Mandela,
but we can stand up in individual moments of oppression and speak up for the powerless.
When we see a bully taunt their victim,
encourage us to stand up in protest.
When we hear a racist joke,
encourage us to stand up and say we will not listen to hate.
When we notice inequality in social programs,
encourage us to ask our politicians why and to demand change.
When we see someone being ignored,
encourage us to reach out to that person and raise them up.
When we see a child without the ability to receive a quality education,
encourage us to ensure that all receive an education regardless of their school district.
When we see cities without safe drinking water,
encourage us to ask ourselves why lower-income populations are treated less fairly than those with wealth.

Give us the voice to speak for those without a voice.
Give us the ability to hear the cries of those around us in pain
and to find ways to provide comfort to them.
Give us the strength to be your children, to be your body of Christ.
Give us the courage to stand up to the majority
when we know that the minority is in the right.
As your children, we support those among us who are in pain and in need of your healing touch.
We ask that you be with ___ in particular.

We are your children, Lord.
We are your family, the body of Christ.
As your family, open our eyes to see each other,
to see each other as we really are.
And as your children, we use the words that your Son taught us,
“Our Father…”

Year of the Jubilee (Luke 4:14-21)

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This is the year of the Lord’s favor,
the year of the Jubilee,
when captives are released,
and debts are forgiven.
Help us to see, Lord, where we are held captive.
Where in our lives are we feeling bound?

*silence*

What debts do we owe to others?
What debts do we owe to ourselves?

*silence*

Are we able to forgive ourselves
as easily as we forgive others?

*silence*

This is the year of the Lord’s favor.
What would he say to us today?
As we look at our lives,
are we living our lives the way we should be living?

*silence*

Are we walking in your footsteps, Lord?
Are we making this world your world?

*silence*

Help us to see, Lord, where we are held captive.
Help us to see when we choose not to act
because we think that we cannot make a difference.
Help us to realize that we can make that difference.

*silence*

This is the year of the Lord’s favor
the year of the Jubilee.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive others.
We start afresh from this point forward.
As we move into the world feeling free from our burdens,
how will we change the world?
As we forgive those among us,
how does that free us?

*silence*

Help us to see that freedom.
Help us to use that freedom.

*silence*

This is the year of the Lord’s favor.
The Scripture has been fulfilled in our hearing.
We are your people, Lord.
We gather here each week to fulfill your promise.
We make up the body of Christ and carry out your teachings.
As the community of believers we support each other in our trials,
and we ask that you be with ___in particular as they need your healing grace and strength.
Remind us that in most cases, the chains that are holding us prisoner were created by ourselves.
Give us the strength to free ourselves,
give us the strength to achieve your plan.

This is the year of the Lord’s favor.
As your people, we listen to your teachings.
We follow your teachings, and we use the words you taught us,
“Our Father…”

Setting Our Sights (Mark 8:31-38)

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We set our sights on human things.
We judge our success by human guidelines.
We can worry too much about our future
and forget to celebrate today.

We forget that we are to be following you.
Remind us to freely put down our earthly possessions
so that we are free to pick up your cross.

We set our sights on human things,
but intertwined within our day to day,
is the Spirit.
The Spirit inspires us, lifts our eyes toward you,
away from the sights of the world that distract us.
The Spirit connects us, placing people and events
in our lives in ways that allow your love to be shared.
The Spirit interprets your word in scripture for us,
allowing us to see your teachings in our world today.
The Spirit nudges us, reminding us to follow you,
to put down our earthly possessions
so that we are free to follow you.

We set our sights on human things.
We have human worries and concerns.
As your children, we know that we are loved.
We know that you are with us,
and we ask that as we reach out to those among us
who need assistance, that you also be with them,
especially ___.

Holy Spirit,
fill us with your inspiration,
connect us with one another,
open our hearts and our eyes.
As we use the words taught to us so many years ago,
interpret them for us and give them new meaning
for our lives today so that we are free to follow you,
“Our Father….”

In This Time of Lent (John 2:13-22)

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In this time of Lent, we place our earthly worries and concerns before you.
You came to us, Lord, assumed our world, and became man.
You know what it is like to be one of us, the frailty of our bodies,
the fullness of our senses and the range of our emotions,
the weakness of our will power, and the depth of our love.

In this time of Lent, we are raising ourselves up to you.
We are spending time thinking about how to give you our best.
Open our hearts to you,
Open our minds to you,
Open our eyes to you.

In this time of Lent, we are realizing that you were one with us
and we are one with you.
We are your children, Lord, each of us uniquely loved and equally cherished.
We embrace your love, and seek to do your will.
Show us how best to make our world your heaven on earth.

In this time of Lent, we seek not to give up earthly things,
but to seek out spiritual learnings and to become better disciples.
Open our hearts to you,
open our minds to you,
open our eyes to you.

As your children, we know that you are with us always.
We ask that you be with ___.
We ask that you be with us and teach us how to share the good news of your teachings.

In this time of Lent, and throughout all times, we use the words you taught us,
“Our Father…”

Because We Believe (John 3:14-21)

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Like you, Father, we understand the love you have for your children.
Until our children were put in our arms, we had no idea how much love we could feel.
We are your children, Lord, each of us uniquely cherished and deeply loved.

You gave your Son to us, not to condemn us but to save us.
Help us to truly follow his teachings.
He taught us that we should act as one body,
to treat each other as we would want to be treated.
Help us to freely love one another without reservation.
He taught us to love the unlovable,
to comfort those in pain or illness,
to speak for those who have no voice,
and to value those who have no power.
Help us to realize it is not enough to say we believe,
help us to understand that our actions truly define our beliefs.

We cannot say we believe in your teachings
if our actions tell a different story.
We believe in your Son, and that he is the way to your light and your love.
And, because we believe, we act in ways that uphold those beliefs.
We cannot say we love your Son
if we do not freely love our brothers and sisters.
We cannot say we love your Son
if we do not seek out opportunities to make this earth as it is in your heaven.
We cannot say we love your Son
if we do not love ourselves completely.
We cannot say we love your Son
until we are willing to sacrifice our needs and wants for those around us.

Give us the strength to carry out your plan on earth.
Open our hearts to share your love freely with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Help us share your message of love and healing to those we encounter in our daily lives.
Be with those among us who need your healing touch and your sense of peace.
We name ___.

We are your children, Lord. As your children, we know that you are with us always.
We are comforted by your love and we use the words that you have taught us,
“Our Father…”

Come Follow Me (John 12:20-33)

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You said, “Come follow me.”
We know that whoever serves you, must follow you.
What does that truly mean?

You said, “Come follow me.”
That means perhaps
being asked to love someone we don’t really like
being asked to help someone we think needs to take responsibility for their own situation
being asked to give our money or our time to support the church and our community.
You said, “Come follow me” and we are drawn to you.

As we are drawn to you, we feel the comfort of your presence.
We celebrate the joy we feel in your presence.
We share with others your teachings and
dedicate ourselves to building that sense of community with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We ask ourselves what you would do, and we stretch ourselves to try and do the same.

You said, “Come follow me.”
Did your original disciples really know what it meant to follow you?
We ask that you open our eyes to your plan.
We ask that you open our ears to the cries of those around us.
We ask that you use our hands and feet to fulfill the needs around us.
More importantly, we ask that you show us our value within the body of Christ.
How are we making a difference in this world?

We are drawn to you. We follow you willingly.
Help us to understand what that really means.
Help us to understand that no matter what beliefs we speak,
we are to act out your teachings in this world.
It is not enough to say love one another as you love yourself,
if we do not act as if we love each other fully and completely.
It is not enough to say we are followers of Christ,
if we do not spend time in prayer.
It is not enough to say we seek to make this place on earth the same as heaven,
if we do not seek justice for each other.

You said, “Come follow me.”
We are here, Lord, here in this sacred place.
We return each week to learn about you,
and to build our community as you have taught us.
We have followed you to this place.
We look around, and we lift up and celebrate those who are with us.
We are the body of Christ.
We are your brothers and sisters.
We learn from each other and we have learned the most from you, Lord.

You said, “Come follow me.”
We are here, Lord, and we use the words you taught us,
“Our Father…”

Like The Colt (Mark 11:1-11)

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Lord, you sent your followers to find a colt that had never been ridden.
Are we like that colt?
Your teachings free us from the ties that bind us to this world.
Your teachings set us apart from others in this world.
We know that our master needs us in this world.

The colt was tied up patiently waiting.
Do we sometimes wait instead of taking action?
Do we wait for someone else to make the first move?
Your teachings have told us what we should be doing.
You taught us with words and with actions.
We know that our master needs us in this world.

The colt had never been ridden until he carried you with pride
into Jerusalem.
From the east, Lord, you rode into Jerusalem
on the back of a young colt, a simple procession.
From the west, Pontius Pilate, the Roman emperor,
rode into Jerusalem as the head
of an impressive procession of soldiers and military power.
Remind us, Lord, that the power and riches of this world
do not compare to your power and to your love.
Your teachings tell us that
the kingdom of God is worth more than the kingdom of man.
We know that our master needs us in this world.

Remind us at this time as we draw nearer to the miracle of Easter,
that it is up to us to carry your word out to the world.
As the colt carried you into Jerusalem,
we are to now carry your love and your message to the rest of the world.
As you shared with us the love of your Father,
help us to love one another.
Your followers celebrated your humble arrival
and ignored the trappings of Pilate.
Help us to see what is truly valuable and keep us from being tempted by earthly treasures.
We know that our master needs us in this world.

The colt went willingly with your disciples.
Help us to see your plan, your will, and to follow you as willingly.
Open our eyes to the needs of those around us.
Open our hearts to the pain of those who need comfort and healing.
Use our talents and skills to act in your place in the world today.
We know that our master needs us in this world, and we know that you are with us always.
We ask that you be with ___ as they need your healing touch and grace.

You taught us with words and with actions.
And you gave us the words that we use today,
“Our Father…”

People of the Good News (John 20:19-31)

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We are the people of the good news.
Our grief at the cross, our fear of being left alone,
our uncertainty when the tomb was found empty,
has turned into joy with the news of your resurrection.
Open our hearts in joy with this good news.
Lift our hands up in celebration.

We are the people of the good news.
We gain comfort knowing that you are with us always,
despite our doubts, despite our failings,
you are with us always.
Open our hearts in joy with this good news.
Encourage us to dance with joy,
as if no one is watching us.
Encourage us to share your news
with those we meet in our lives.

We are the people of the good news.
Knowing the good news does not free us from worry
or fear.
Your disciples locked themselves in a room.
Unlock the barriers we place between ourselves and others.
Remind us that we can lift our burdens up to you
Free us from our fear and concerns of this world,
and open our hearts to the concerns of others.

We are the people of the good news.
Remind us to act as if we are full of this joy,
as if we are full of your love.
We are your children, Lord,
each of us uniquely cherished and completely loved by you.
Open our eyes to your love,
call us into your dance,
remind us that we don’t dance alone.
We are the people of the good news;
we are your people, your children.
You are with us always, and we ask that you specifically be with ___ .

We are the people of the good news.
We can’t sit out this dance, we are unable to be quiet.
We have to share the news of your love, your resurrection.
Your teachings, the way you lived your life, have inspired us,
have shown us the way.

As the people of the good news,
we dance freely without reservation,
we celebrate and embrace the life you have given us.
We use the words you taught us, saying
“Our Father, …”