Day 187 | Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Day 187 - Audio Version

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Day 187, September 22, 2020

Today: restaurants and the wait staff and cooks.

 Sadly, we in the US have gone beyond 200,000 deaths due to the COVID-19.  I stand with science and urge us all to remain alert and cautious.

 A Beginning: Autumn
“Abundance everywhere! God's creation overflowing with wonder. A delicate spider's web sparkling with morning dew; cool, fresh air on a fall afternoon; a crisp apple and the smell of pumpkin pie; a warm sweater and a tender embrace.  God's love and grace, lavish, abundant and ever-present, a sense of presence in the quiet moments of prayer, a deep joy in the midst of a song.  God's blessings, generous and abundant, causing us to sing.”

 An Invocation:
Holy God, as we enter into a new season of the year, we admit that we are not ready.  Be with us as we welcome fall with all of its colors, harvests and blessings.  We praise you for this time of year and that you journey with us.  Bless this fall season in the midst of an abnormal year.  Lead us precious Lord.  Amen

 A Prayer of Confession:
“Loving God, with silent persistence and prophetic witness you have loved every person and all of creation. You ache every time we destroy beauty, every time we harm one another, every time greed squashes kindness. You see when we ignore the outstretched hand and turn a deaf ear to cries for help. Merciful God, forgive us and let us take up the challenge to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly on the earth. Forgive us and let your Spirit fill us with courage. Forgive us and remind us of the ways you bless us. Never let us forget your all-embracing love! In Jesus' name. Amen.”
 
An Affirmation of Faith:
“We believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; of Moses and David; of Elijah and Isaiah.

We believe in the God of Sarah, Rebekkah and Rachel; of Miriam and Ruth; of Deborah and Esther.

We believe in Jesus, the incarnate God, who visited us at Bethlehem, who lived with us in Galilee, who died for us at Calvary, and who exploded the power of death on Easter morning.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God among us, and is the Spirit of Christ within us.  This we believe.”

 A Prayer:
We have seen the frost on our roofs.  The crisp morning air has returned, and we feel ourselves moving into a new season.  Thanks be to you, O God for the seasons we experience in this part of the world.  Thanks be to you, O God for the seasons we experience in life.  We have turned up the thermostats and fired up the furnace.  We have gone into our closets and found sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets and other fall clothing.  Thanks be to you, O God for those who manufacture.
“Let fall colors remind us of you and the way you made the world more magnificent than any artist might even have imagined. And let our joy increase and spread. Through Jesus Christ, a man who really knew how to live, we say Amen.”

 A Blessing:
“May the goodness and mercy of the Lord be with us all now and forever. And may our service to God be diligent and unwavering all the days of our lives. In Christ's name. Amen.”

 Quote: Our changed lives might be the only gospel some people will ever read. -Elaine Roulet

I am sharing a post from my daughter’s Facebook page for your reflection.
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“I Miss 9/12”
I would never ever want another 9/11, but I miss the America of 9/12.
Stores ran out of flags to sell because they were being flown everywhere.
People were Americans before they were upper or lower class, Jewish or Christian, Republican or Democrat.
We hugged people without caring if they ate at Chic-Fil-A or wore Nikes. 
On 9/12, what mattered more was what UNITED us. Than what divided us.