St. Paul's UMC first worship service was held November 15, 1964, @ Southern Hills Jr. High School.
Dear Lord,
thank You for drawing us into community
in this parish that has been a place called home for so many.
Inspire us with the lives of those before us,
those ancient ones who have lived here in faith
and opened up and given away
Your love to all those who needed it.
May You change us with a vision to continue here
as a constant presence for those who travel through life,
a community of welcome that cares for all our parish
believing into what is still yet to be.
Teach us to discern Your voice
as those before us have discerned Your voice,
guided by its call and feeding on its promise
of life and hope and belonging.
May we hear Your word:
a comforting word in its familiar sound,
yet a disturbing word in what it speaks anew
and longs for us to become.
Hold us within the faith of our forebears,
those who chose to meet You here in this parish,
who recognised this thin place as a trysting place
where Your miracle of grace abides.
May we be moved by that grace
into all the places that make up our community,
sharing what You have given abundantly
like an ever flowing stream.
Call us from our past,
through the voices of our ancestors,
in the songs they have sung
and the prayers they have spoken
that have shaped peace within this parish,
And may we join our voice with their voice,
in the one great song of love
that will be lived and celebrated yet,
throughout this parish.
~ written by Rev. Roddy Hamilton, and posted on Listening to the Stones. http://newkilpatrickblog.typepad.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment