WORSHIP & WITNESS (Part 1)

Dear Lord, we gather in the name of Jesus
Dear Lord, 
we gather in the name of Jesus
and in the power of the Spirit to worship you.
We bring gifts of speaking, of listening, of music, 
of prayerfulness, of knowledge, and of wisdom.
May our gifts be united to honour you and may each
of us receive from you that which we need.
Amen.
 
The Gathering Prayer from Roots was most likely written prior to Lockdown, but its sentiments remain the same, if one or more are gathered in my name?
 
I am following this up with another prayer from David Adam –Tides & Seasons.
 
Unending Peace
 
Take me, Lord, from my busy-ness
To the place of quietness
From the tumult without cease
Into your great unending peace.
Help me then, my Lord, to see
What I am and ought to be.
 
God of life
God of peace
God of wonders
That will not cease
God eternal
Trinity
God everlasting
Come to me.
 
This week’s blog was written on the 27th May 2020, I have included both the opening prayers in some small way as a reflection of my own state of mind on this day. Over the last few days a lot of our Church friends have pooled our knowledge to help make certain decisions, it is by the power of the words in the gathering prayer
 
“May our gifts be united to honour you and may each
of us receive from you that which we need.”

“Take me, Lord, from my busy-ness
To the place of quietness”
 
I had settled into a routine as most of us have over the last ten weeks, for me I have had to forgo many of the activities I had in place prior to lockdown, but the last few days have reminded me of our place in the real world, the URC has given some guidelines too how the new normal might be, but I am reminded once again of the line.   
 
“If one or more are gathered in my name?”

​It may take some time before we can gather like the image, but that day will come!

Extracts from Roots taken with permission.