On my mind


Philip Roth: “make the daily connections”  (Artwork: Irene Bom)
 
 
UPON RANDOMLY THINKING OF ANOTHER PERSON
God, as I hold ____________ a moment in my thoughts, I ask that you would hold them eternally in yours, remaining ever at work in their heart and life, even now directing their paths toward your good deeds.

 
written by Douglas Kane McKelvey,
from Every Moment Holy: Volume One (Pocket Edition), p. 250

From the blog
Guest post: Reflections on the word ’embrace’
Theme: The greatest is love  [prayer sheet]
In the school of prayer with Angela Ashwin
 

New memories


 

A litany: Resurrection light

Risen Christ, when darkness overwhelms us
may your dawn beckon.

When fear paralyses us
may your touch release us.

When grief torments us
may your peace enfold us.

When memories haunt us
may your presence heal us.

When justice fails us
may your anger ignite us.

When apathy stagnates us
may your challenge renew us.

When courage leaves us
may your spirit inspire us.

When despair grips us
may your hope restore us.

And when death threatens us
may your resurrection light lead us. Amen.

 
— written by Annabel Shilson-Thomas, and posted on www.cafod.org.uk

From the blog
A taste for beauty
3 Prayers for endings and beginnings
Consolation joy
 

Create a memory (game)

 

World Collage Day 2025 is this Saturday, 10 May.

I’m hoping (and praying) there’s a good turn out at our COME COLLAGE ROTTERDAM event. We will be creating mini collages in matching pairs, based on a series of prompts, to form a memory game.

World Collage Day is for everyone. There might be a World Collage Day event near you. Alternatively, set up an impromptu World Collage Day get-together where you are, with friends, family, people from your church or neighbourhood. It’s a great way to get creative and build community across the generations. You don’t need much: a place, a time, scissors, glue sticks, magazines and junk mail, and some cardboard you can cut to size to use as a base. Simple, fun and often profound.
 
For more information: kolajinstitute.org/worldcollageday/

Easter Prayer

You have made known to me the ways of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.
(Acts 2:28)

Risen Lord Jesus,
as the rising sun scatters the darkness,
let fear and the memory of failure
be scattered from our souls
that we may live in the glorious freedom
of the children of God

We raise up into your resurrection light
all who are excluded from fullness of life
by poverty, unemployment or stigma,
by injustice, criminality or neglect,
by homelessness, landlessness or war,
remembering in particular the peoples of
[names may be added here]

Risen Lord Jesus,
let us be baptized by your resurrection light.
May we trust in you above all else,
hope in you above all else,
seek you in all things,
find you in every place,
meet you among all people,
know you through everything,
and love you
beyond, beyond, beyond all telling.

We pray in your name, living Lord.
Amen.

 
~ from the Christian Aid website. posted on re:worship
 

Higher – this is why

 
Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be.

For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God’s equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as mortal man.

And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal.

That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus “every knee shall bow”, whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth.

And that is why, in the end, “every tongue shall confess” that Jesus Christ” is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
 

Philippians 2:5-11  (J.B. Phillips New Testament)

 

A prayer

Most wonderful God,
the beauty we see in Jesus
is your beauty veiled in human flesh,
the love we witness from Bethlehem to Golgotha
is your love contracted to a span.
If Christ’s life is so holy as to fill us with wonder,
how much more would your unveiled beauty
leave us overwhelmed and trembling?
You are more than the eye could bear,
more than the mind can ever fathom.

Yet you have so carefully made us
that although we cannot fathom you,
we can yet love you.
Gratefully we bring our little lives to you,
asking that our worship may arise from love and be shaped by love,
and be directed towards that larger loving which is our soul’s desire.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen!

 
~ by Bruce Prewer, posted on his website
 

Higher than I

 

From the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and weak; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I [a rock that is too high to reach without Your help].

Psalm 61:2, Amplified Bible

 

Litany

based on Psalm 34:1-10

Living Rock of Abundant Life,
the poor cried out;
you heard, and saved them from all their troubles.

To those who have nothing,
your promise is this:
whatever is needed will be given.

Your eyes are on those who do justice,
and your ears are open to their voice.

To those who yearn for peace,
your promise is this:
whatever is needed will be given.

Your arms enfold the brokenhearted,
and rescue those whose spirits are crushed.

To those who fear the future,
your promise is this:
whatever is needed will be given.

O taste and see how good God is!
Happy are those who take refuge in the Living Rock.

 
~ from Stone Soup, a liturgy on www.seekerschurch.org

From the blog
Lament
Prayer poem: Sweet words
Guest post: For peace with justice
 

Go where it is deeper

 
When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”

 

Prayer to the Spirit

Spirit of life
Fill our emptiness with your fullness

Spirit of power
Stir our hearts afresh

Spirit of love
Touch us, and through us, our neighbour

Spirit of creativity
Enable and empower the gifts you have given

Spirit of eternity
Draw us ever deeper into your Kingdom

 
— by John Birch, posted on re:worship

From the blog
The empty cup
Mightier than the crashing waves
In the school of prayer with Tish Harrison Warren