Prayer on the first anniversary of the shooting at King Soopers

We remember today those whose lives were taken in the mass shooting on March 22, 2021 at 2:40 pm: Tralona Bartkowiak, 49; Suzanne Fountain, 59; Teri Leiker, 51; Kevin Mahoney, 61; Lynn Murray, 62; Rikki Olds, 25; Denny Stong, 20; Neven Stanisic, 23; Eric Talley, 51; and Jody Waters, 65.

Merciful God, our community remembers the senseless violence that took place one year ago today at the King Soopers in Table Mesa. 

We lift up the families that during the past year, struggled to understand, to come to terms with the loss of dreams, hopes, and promises. 

We continue to struggle to make sense of a world where violence is such an easy option. 

Send Your Spirit upon us this day that we would find rest in the sure blanket of Your love. 

Strengthen us in our days that we might find our voices to speak comfort to those who have been injured, peace to those who are grieving, and love to the very community that we call home. 

We ask these things in the name of the Risen Christ. Amen.

Devotional for March 22

 

Antique glass cross

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

 

— Philippians 4:6

(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

 

 ~ ~ ~

“A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses. I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me. His face, that hitherto may have been strange and intolerable to me, is transformed in intercession into the countenance of a brother for whom Christ died, the face of a forgiven sinner.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 

Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community

 

~ ~ ~

Luke in 40 Days: Luke 11:1-28 

This week @ St. Paul's UMC

 

Monday: First Day of Spring

9:00 AM, Office hours

Tuesday:

9:00 AM, Office hours

Wednesday: 

9:00 AM, Office hours

10:00 AM, Wednesday Zoom Fellowship

7:30 PM, Choir practice

Thursday:

Wired Word email

9:00 AM, Office hours

7:00 PM, God: Stories book discussion group

Saturday:

10:00 AM, Furture of the UMC - Today @ Wesley Foundation

5:00 PM, Bishop Oliveto on Facebook

Sunday: Fourth Sunday in Lent

10:15 AM, Worship

12:30 PM, BBKC

5:30 PM, Just Love Lenten webinar

Scripture lessons for March 27

Return of the Prodigal - Rembrandt van Rijn

We turn to a familiar parable this coming Sunday as we make our way through the Sundays in Lent. Read Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 and then come to worship, ready to share the good news!

Devotional for March 21

 

Cross made by Wally Cleaveland

Are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of the Lord. This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore them to health, and the sins they have committed will be forgiven. So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed. The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect.

—James 5:14-16 (Good News Translation)

 

~ ~ ~

 “It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly, continue in prayer until we obtain an answer.”  

George Müller

 ~~~

Luke in 40 Days: Luke 10:1-42

March 20 @ St. Paul's UMC: Prayers

Joys:

+We give thanks for the work done yesterday at the Peaks/Pikes Peak District Conference. Tim Cook, Belinda Alkula, and Pastor Charles were present for St. Paul's.

+Belinda Alkula gives thanks for her recognition at the district conference as one of the district "Quiet Disciples."

+We give thanks today for Diane McKnight's birthday.

+We were blessed this morning by Belinda Alkula (Zoom), Austin Cooper (Usher), Lorie Courier (Flute), Ben Glancy (Liturgist), Sandra Jordan (Flowers), Kathy Lloyd (Video), Christopher Wahl (Pianist), and Suzanne Polacek (Bells). 

Concerns:

+Lorie Courier asks for prayers for a friend, Olga and her family, who have escaped Irpin & Kyiv and have found refuge in a small village near the Polish border. They don't want to leave Ukraine because of their aged grandmother with Alzheimers and their men can't leave.

+Angela Baker asks prayer for her godson, Benjamin Taylor, and his family who are missionaries in Poland. Ben is at the Polish border and his family is sheltering families fleeing the war.

+Sally Owen asks for prayers for friends in Ukraine. 

+We join with people around the world in praying for peace in Ukraine.   

+We continue to offer prayers for those impacted by the ongoing COVID pandemic. 

A Prayer in Spring

Daffodil field - Aukra, Norway

At long last, spring is finally here. The vernal (aka spring) equinox – which marks the beginning of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere – will occur today at 9:33 a.m. MST.

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

The which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends He will,

But which it only needs that we fulfill.

- Robert Frost