Toward the end of worship, we divided into different groups to pray over the areas where our building improvements will be taking place. We prayed for the people who will be blessed by these improvements as well as the construction workers who will be working on these projects.
Top left picture is where we will be expanding our narthex.
Top right picture is where we will make enhancements and redecorate our large sanctuary.
Bottom picture is where we are in the process of installing an elevator. These folks are standing in Pastor Robert's old office.
During the closing hymn at the 10:30 am service, members of our church stripped the chancel/altar areas and took them down to Fellowship Hall where this service will be held through the end of November. It was a powerful symbol of how God is present with us during times of transition like this. Below is the pastoral prayer which focused primarily on the 15th anniversary of 9/11.
God of justice and peace, we
confess that we find it extremely difficult to live in two worlds at the same
time. We love the sense of joy and community we feel when we are together on
Sunday morning, but as soon as someone gets our order wrong at the restaurant,
we are tempted to be anything but Christ-like and gracious in that moment.
Forgive us for whenever we choose to only live in the world that meets our
needs, rather than seeks freedom and justice for all.
O God, teach us how to live
in these two worlds at the same time. We know that you know that it’s not easy
because Jesus told us it wouldn’t be easy. Thank you for getting our attention
this morning with another of Jesus’ shocking statements to prove a point about
how important it is to follow you at all costs in our day to day living. Help
us to never get to a point in our walk with you where a scripture reading fails
to wake us up so that we can be reoriented into a much deeper commitment to
you.
Thank you for giving us
people like Barbara whose humble service in the wake of her brother’s death in
the 9/11 terrorist attacks led her and her family to help build a home for a
needy family. May every act of injustice in our world, lead us to even greater
acts of justice and peace. Teach us how to live in two worlds where we seek to
overcome evil with good.
To this end, we especially pray for our Sunday
School teachers as they help us to put you first in everything we do. Thank you
for their willingness to prepare lessons and teach on Sunday mornings. Remind
us that we are never done learning, we are never done growing, and we are never
done hearing your Word anew. Continue to help us to be life-long learners, life
long disciples of Christ in all that we say and do.
On this day of remembrance,
we lift up to you our broken and hurting world. Bless our world leaders in the
pursuit of justice and peace for all humankind. Let there be peace on earth,
and let it begin with me.
And now teach us to pray
together…
“Our Father, who art in
heaven…”
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