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CONNECTED IN PRAYER: Watch Night December 31st


Watch Night is a jubilant African American service on New Year’s Eve. While New Year’s Day is a secular holiday, historic events have forever instilled sacred significance into the African American celebration of the New Year.

On Sept. 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued a preliminary proclamation, declaring that one hundred days later, Jan. 1, 1863, slaves would be free in those states rebelling against the Union in the Civil War. On December 31, 1862, also known as “Freedom’s Eve,” large groups of African Americans, along with white abolitionists, gathered in meeting halls and churches across the county to watch for news that the President had formally enacted the Emancipation Proclamation. More than 140 years later, African American Christians continue to gather in churches on New Year’s Eve to thank God for the blessings of the Old Year and to seek God’s favor for the New Year.

Our synod has several congregations that celebrate Watch Night including People’s Community, Loch Raven; St. John’s, Pimlico; Faith, North Avenue and Holy Trinity, Laurel. As we review and consider the many issues and actions that have “enslaved” us during this year, perhaps a Watch Service would be an appropriate way to end 2020 and welcome 2021.

CONNECTED IN PRAYER: GOD’S PRESENCE IN LAMENT AND LOVE

 This prayer practice comes from the Rev. Brenda Smith, ELCA Spiritual Renewal Team Leader. She believes too many of us are struggling with lament as a result of all that is happening in these times. As Dr. Phil says, one of Brenda’s mentors, “You have to name what you are going through, in order to work on making it better.” So let us focus is on naming the lament and then reflecting on God’s presence and love while praying.

1. Get a notebook or writing pad that will be used only for this prayer practice.

2. As you feel called during the week, write down something that is causing you deep pain. It can be something from your personal life or events that are happening in the world.

  • 3. Read a Psalm that is relevant to what you are feeling.
    a. If it is personal struggle, the following psalms might be helpful: Psalm 13; Psalm 25; Psalm 31:1-5 and 9-16; Psalm 86: 1-4 and 14-17
    b. If your pain (lament) is related to all of the challenges we are facing in today’s world, the following psalms might be helpful: Psalm 44; Psalm 60; Psalm 74; Psalm 85.

4. Then read a psalm that reminds you of God’s love and presence. The following psalms might be helpful: Psalm 100; Psalm 103; Psalm 117; Psalm 139.

5. Write down a prayer that comes to your heart; or pray silently; or pray aloud your prayer.

6. Close with the Lord’s Prayer, either silently or aloud.

May this prayer bring you hope in Jesus Christ!

CONNECTED IN PRAYER: RESILIENCY

Our ELCA has a treasure of faith practice resources and this month, we encourage folks to be CONNECTED IN PRAYER by exploring RESILIENCY. Resiliency includes others, hope, and meaning! That’s nothing new to God. Jesus lived it. The Holy Spirit provides all three on a continual basis. These new resources use the Five Gifts of Discipleship as a framework to explore resiliency in these times through .hearing the word, exploring meaning, praying and silent mediation.

Resiliency: Setting Free our Lament
Resiliency: Faith Practices in Tough Times
Resiliency: Parent’s Guide

We are living in unprecedented times—a health pandemic with economic uncertainty and unresolved racism. There is much that we cannot control, but we can control our choices of behavior. Now is the time to intentionally choose healthy patterns to offset the grief and lament related to these times as we shift to a new normal.

Healthy choices includes faith practices. The Affirmation of Baptism provides five faith practices to integrate into our daily life. Receive each as a gift from God:

live among God’s faithful people
hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper
proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed
serve all people following the example of Jesus
strive for justice and peace in all the earth

(Affirmation of Baptism, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 236) 

CONNECTED IN PRAYER: 20-Second Hand Washing


During this continued pandemic, we know wearing a mask and hand washing are essential. Some of us find that 20-second hand washing feels like a long wasted time, so today we encourage you to live in this moment by praying. Praying in lamentation, praying thanksgiving, praying the prayer our Lord taught us. Here are some options.

LAMENTATION
(taken from Rabbi Joseph Meszler: https://reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/20-second-prayer-during-handwashing)

As I take up my hands to wash them and reassure my heart,
I pray for healing and wholeness for the whole world.
I remember that every life is unique and of infinite value:
from those living on the most remote part of the globe to those in our cities
to our neighbors and family members.
Let me use my hands for good to help bring love and compassion to others.
“Let us lift up our hearts and hands to the Eternal.” (Lamentations 3:41)

THANKSGIVING
(taken from Jess Wolstenholm – Bible + Faith Kids + Parents: https://www.gominno.com/blog/20-second-bible-verses-to-say-while-washing-your-hands)

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son. God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but to save the world through him”. John 3:16-17 ICB
OR
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

THE LORD’S PRAYER
(taken from Pastor Kara K. Root: https://faithandleadership.com/kara-k-root-20-second-gift-washing-your-hands)

“Our Father, who art in heaven …” – I feel the strength in my fingers, the flexibility, the sensitivity to touch and sensation. My hands do so much, and I take them for granted. Thank you, hands. Thank you, God, for my hands.

“Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Around this point, my hands begin to feel sudsy, velvety and a little tickly, as if wrapped in a soft blanket…I let myself enjoy it. How full life is of these small sensations! These little, unnoticed blessings of being embodied creatures!

“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” – My mind unclenches a little. It snaps to the phone call I’ve been replaying in my head for weeks. I feel the tension in my throat and the tender, wounded anger I’ve been nursing — let’s face it, cherishing. I think about the tone in her voice, the dismissive way she treated me. It rises up and balloons in my chest as it has in the car, in the bed, in the shower — anytime I am still long enough for it to catch up and invade me again.

But this time, I face it squarely. “Forgive us …” — “Forgive me … as I forgive …” – It breaks apart a little, dissipates. She doesn’t know me. I don’t need her to understand me. We are both doing our best with our days, with our lives. Beloved children of God, both of us. All of us.
Maybe I can let this go. Maybe I can wash my hands of it and let it go.

“For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.” – The water is warm. I rinse off the soap. In just 20 seconds, my hands feel clean, and my mind and heart feel renewed.

“Amen.”

CONNECTED IN PRAYER: Centering Prayer

“Centering Prayer is a receptive, deep method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship with God.”*

Here are steps to practicing Centering Prayer*:
1. Find a quiet place. Then choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.
2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.
3. When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

For more details, you might check out this sight: https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-method/

*https://www.minnesotacontemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer.html

CONNECTED IN PRAYER: Hand Prayer

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” Ephesians 6:18

 

This week is when we would have been gathering for our synod assembly had we not needed to cancel it due to the pandemic. During this time together, we would have been focusing on prayer together along with business. Even though we are not gathering physically in one place, we are wanting to engage us all in a variety of prayer practices. Each month, we will highlight a prayer practice, some familiar, some new. Today we share the Hand Prayer. As you prepare, grab a piece of paper and pencil or pen. You will start by tracing your hand, your hand created in God’s image. Write THANKS on your thumb, PRAISE on your pointing finger, LEADERS on your middle, WEAK on your ring finger, and ME on your pinkie. You will hold that thumb up as you remember to thank God and give him a big “thumbs up”. Even give thanks for the hard things knowing God can work them out for your good (Romans 8:28). Ending by saying from 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” You’ll go on Praise God with your pointer finger and read scripture from Matthew 6, then focusing on your middle finger pray for those who lead, teach, help and read scripture from 2 Timothy 2. Next wiggle your ring finger, notice its weakness, and it will remind you to pray for the sick, hurting, poor as well as friends and family and read the scripture from Ephesians 6. Finally your pinkie allows us to share with God about you, ask for forgiveness, share your needs, your fears, your excitements and ask for God to guide you as you read from Matthew 6. What a beautiful prayer practice that allows us to see, feel, and talk to God. Click here for a one page guide.

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.”, 1 Timothy 2:1