[This necktie always makes an appearance on Father’s Day. It was a great day of worship as we recognized fathers and celebrated Trinity Sunday. For the sermon which focused on the mystery of the Trinity, click here This Sunday also marked the beginning of the long season known as Ordinary Time on the church calendar. This is a slower time of the church season that invites us to follow Jesus and experience gradual and steady growth in our faith.]
O God, last week the preacher told us to do three things over the next several weeks: 1) Enjoy our summer, 2) Continue to practice the spiritual disciplines of our faith, and 3) Pray for this August’s “Faith Building” church-wide seminar here at our church.
And so this past week, we have enjoyed riding our bikes, taking walks, and working out in our gardens. We have begun our mornings in prayer and some reading of scripture, and now we are here today sharing in weekly worship as a church family. This morning we have this opportunity to pray for our church’s Faith Building seminar which will be held exactly two months from today here at our church. Our prayer is for this special seminar to sharpen our relational skills and strengthen our faith.
O God, help us to continue to remember these three things as we go through these summer weeks. In this slower pace season of the year, may each one of us experience the gradual spiritual growth that you intend for us. Whether we are out picking strawberries, playing basketball in our driveway, reading a book out on the porch, traveling to the beach, or going to a Copperheads game, open our eyes to the beauty of this season and this opportunity to catch our breath and regroup. Teach us what it means to take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, relationally, mentally, and spiritually.
We pray for our city and community and especially for those who work in the summer heat. Keep us patient when we are waiting in a long line of traffic on Richland Avenue due to construction work. Keep us positive when it rains on our picnic. Keep us kind when we talk politics with friends who disagree with us.
On this Father’s Day, we especially thank you for those who have had a positive fatherly influence on our lives. And thank you that you are our loving, gracious, and kind Heavenly Father, the perfect example for all earthly fathers and the one to whom Jesus taught us to pray together saying…
“Our Father who art in heaven….”
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