Tag: Together_2022

Time together


Swans foraging for their evening meal
 

Opening Prayer

(based on Psalm 145:15-16, Isaiah 55:1-3, John 6:35)

Lord,
the eyes of all look to You in hope;
and You give them what they need.
You open Your hand
and satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

We, too, turn to You again, longing to be filled —
to eat of the Bread of Life,
to drink from Your life-giving streams,
to taste Your goodness and live.

May the time we spend together in Your presence
nourish our hearts and minds;
may it strengthen our relationship with You,
and renew our commitment to live in this world
      as Your faithful disciples.

For You alone are God,
the Source and Sustainer of life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 
~ written by Christine Longhurst, re:worship
 

Pilgrims together


Members of Pilgrims rehearsing a dance to “Jehovah Jireh” in the late 1990s.

 
I am a founding member of Pilgrims, a mid-week Bible Study group connected to the Scots International Church Rotterdam, on and off, since the mid-1990s.

The latest hiatus was due to Covid, but we’re starting up again. I’m so looking forward to spending time as pilgrims together, studying the Bible and deepening our relationships with one another and with the Living God.

May you too find joy and encouragement in the company of pilgrims where you are.
 

P.S.
It appears I’ve chosen “Together” as theme of the month before – in October 2017, exactly five years ago. Well, why not? It’s a good theme, worth a revisit.
 

A prayer

Lord God, we thank you
for calling us into the company
of those who trust in Christ
and seek to obey his will.
May your Spirit guide and strengthen us
in mission and service to your world,
for we are strangers no longer
but pilgrims together on the way to your Kingdom.

Prayer of the Inter-Church Process (The Swanwick Declaration)
from The Book of a Thousand Prayers by Angela Ashwin, #529
 

From the blog
Grow to maturity
History matters
How good, how pleasant
 

Come together


Have a seat.  Spotted in Budapest during our Presbytery weekend

 

For wherever two or three people come together in my name, I am there, right among you!
(Matt 18:20, J.B. Phillips New Testament)

 
 
The Presbytery of International Charges of the Church of Scotland gathered in Budapest this past weekend, hosted by the congregation there. I testify that Jesus was with us – in our worship, in our meetings and in the informal gatherings, as we strengthened our bounds and offered one another support and encouragement.

It is my prayer that our respective congregations will benefit too, as we return with wisdom, inspiration and hope for the months and years ahead.
 

Closing commission

We have sung, we have prayed,
we have worshiped together.
Now we go back out into the world.
We came together to build relationships,
relationships with each other,
and our relationship with Jesus.
We go out as people who are strengthened by our connections,
ready to love and to serve;
ready to carry God’s love to the world.
As you journey through the ups and the downs of the coming week,
let us remember that God,
who has invited us into relationship,
is always with us.
Go with God, as the people of God.
So be it! Amen

 
~ posted by Rev Gord on worshipofferings.blogspot.com,
sourced from re:worship