Tuesday Prayer for 11/27/12

(inspired by Jeremiah 33:14-16)

One:  Do we dare to hope?

Many:  Do we dare to hope for an unchained, deep justice that seeks renewal instead of revenge;

One:  That seeks healing instead of harm;

Many: That seeks peace instead of punishment?

(From http://addictionandrecoverynews.wordpress.com/)

One: Do we dare hope for for an unchained, expanding peace that seeks opportunity instead of oppression;

Many: That seeks courage instead of compliance;

One: That seeks mutual accountability instead of mutually assured destruction?

(From http://lespoir-hope.blogspot.com/)

Many: Do we dare hope for an unchained, liberated love that seeks truth instead of terror;

One:  That seeks generosity instead of greed;

Many: That seeks vulnerability instead of vengeance?

(From http://leadfeet.com/)

One:  Do we dare to hope?

Many:  Do we dare to hope?

One: Where are those places in the world we need to hopefully pray for justice, peace and love?

Many: (Whisper the name of those places that rise in your heart)

(From http://whenlightenters.wordpress.com/)

One:  Do we dare to hope?

Many: Amen

Tuesday Prayer 11/13/12: A Call to Worship

Call to Worship:

One: Shhhhhhhhhh...

Many: (Silence)

One: Shhhhhhhhhh...

Many: (Silence)

One:  (Quietly) God fills every nook and cranny of this place; every pew, every corner...

Many: (Quietly) ... every broken heart, every healing soul...

One: (Quietly) If you listen carefully, you can hear Her...

Many: (Quietly but growing louder) God is still speaking and crying and healing and loving and giggling and dancing and playing and calling...

One: (in full voice) ...and insisting on works of peace; and insisting on just relationships with the earth; and calling for prophets and activists...

Many:  (in normal voice) ...and teachers and healers and poets and preachers and students and leaders and care-givers and visionaries...

One:  God is calling us - yes, us - from every nook and cranny of this place; every pew, every corner...

Many: (Quietly) ... every broken heart, every healing soul...

One: Shhhhhhhhhh...

Many: (Silence)

One: Shhhhhhhhhh...

Many: (Silence)

All: (Whispered) Amen.

Marriage Equality in Washington State!

Dear sisters and brothers!

Hallelujah!

I can't stop smiling.  I can barely believe its true.  Yesterday, Washington State voted to affirm marriage equality which means that, starting today, gay and lesbian couples who chose to marry have the same access to the privileges and protections that come with state law as do straight couples.  What an amazing, amazing day!  

You all did this.  In Washington State, we built the largest religious coalition of marriage equality supporters ever.  The number of public statements – from wearing a button, to phone banking, to advertising, to preaching, to organizing concerts – all added up.  The monies and time you shared all added up.  This is a beautiful day; an amazing day!  We have come so far…

…and, of course, we still have a ways to go.  Celebrate today but plan on organizing tomorrow.  Approving 74 is an incredible continuation of victories in other parts of the country and world and there is still more to do.  Other states are going to consider similar laws and they'll need our support.  Other religious communities are going to form in other places and, in the same way many of them supported this effort with time and finances, we'll need to support them, as well.  Eventually, the country as a whole will be ready to support marriage equality or, by court order, recognize marriages of same gender couples.  Our experience can help our sisters in brothers within other areas and other religious traditions find their voice in the same way we found ours.

But today, I'm going to just keep grinning.  Sometime, in the not too distant future, many of us clergy are going to have that same grin on our face as we sign some certain marriage licenses…  

Thanks be to God!

Peace.

Mike

Best prayer I know of for days like today and the days to come...

Here is the original version of the Reinhold Niebuhr prayer that eventually evolved in to the Serenity Prayer:

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.