‘“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV

I am once again asking you all to join me in a parish-wide ‘hour of prayer’ session on Friday, October 30th, at noon. As I mentioned before the first time we undertook this collective time of prayer, our communal prayers are powerful; they unite us in like-mindedness, and they serve as an intentional reminder to stop the daily routines of our lives to offer to God those things that are both of the wider community (national elections) and of a personal nature.

I invite you to include…

• The upcoming elections: national, state, and local
• Our fellow parishioners who are either ill or dealing with challenging issues
• Continued growth in spiritual maturity
• Thanksgiving for all the ministries of this parish
• The Spirit’s movement in the calling of a new rector
• Safe trick-or-treating in our neighborhoods
• The people and circumstances that bring us peace and joy

You will obviously have other supplications, but here’s at least a start.

Dave+

One of the spiritual practices we occasionally shared together at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church was committing to a date and time when as many as possible of the parish would stop their activities and pray. I don’t remember with great specificity the topics we collectively prayed for, but it invariably involved local, state, and national elections. We stopped and prayed for wisdom on how we would function during COVID, for a peaceful transition between Presidents Trump and Biden, and for the outbreak of war between Ukraine and Russia.

I am asking you to join me on Tuesday, August 4, at noon, for one of these parish-wide encounters with God. Personally, I am praying for the local elections, that people of wisdom and goodwill will be elected to serve the common good of the electorate, Tony and Nicole as they continue to navigate the legal, emotional, and spiritual implications impacting Armani and the extended family, and for the calling of a new rector. You’re obviously free to add your personal intercessions as you wish. Praying together is a powerful demonstration of our spiritual maturity, following Paul’s admonition to ‘pray without ceasing’ and to give thanks in all circumstances. This is what Christians do, and it shapes who we are becoming as his disciples.

If noon on the 4th doesn’t work with your schedule, no problem. Join in at some point during the day, adding your prayers to those offered.

Shalom,

Dave+