Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation (1863)
In 1863, to a nation deeply divided along cultural and political lines, to a country wracked by hundreds of thousands of casualties from an endless civil war, to a people who must've wondered if their beloved United States was on the very brink of collapse, Abraham Lincoln called the American public to a day of thanksgiving and . . .
a prayer for our nation and world
In light of the events of these past days and nights, let us pray for our nation and our world, that justice might reign, order be restored, and righteousness be the aim of all.
O God, the King of righteousness, lead us, we pray thee, in the ways of justice and of peace; inspire us to break down all oppression and . . .
happiness, fear, and faith in Christ
thoughts on pandemic from The Jagged Word
My apologies for linking to this late, it was posted while we were recently on family vacation and blissfully disconnected from the internet.
Not long ago, the folks at The Jagged Word posted a synopsis of one of their recent podcasts where they discussed the topics of happiness and fear in a COVID-ridden world. The quotes . . .
a prayer in time of storms
be they on the sea or in our lives
O Thou who dwellest in the light that is unapproachable, while clouds and darkness are round about Thee, we thank Thee that the day is thine, the night also is thine. When deep calleth unto deep, and all thy waves and billows are around us, we recognize the voice of the Lord our God. We know that the sea is his, and that he . . .
"Worship Goes Viral" by Ben Witherington
Dr. Ben Witherington, New Testament scholar at Asbury Theological Seminary, wrote a poignant piece about online or virtual worship. He challenges us to be faithful in the midst of pandemic and fear. He calls us to be mindful of what worship is and does in a culture that is self-absorbed and twisted by radical consumerism. Here's a tease:
. . .say your prayers, wash your hands, & love your neighbors
life and ministry in a world gripped by fear
Coronavirus. Covid-19. Pandemic. Infection. Quarantine. Death.
These words are filling our headlines, and fear is gripping our hearts. It isn't the first time and it surely won't be the last. How should we think about this from the perspective of our Christian faith? How should we live out our faith in times of . . .
praying in the midst of pandemic fear
In this week's collect, we prayed for God's protection of body and soul.
Almighty God, Who seest that of ourselves we have no strength: Keep us both outwardly and inwardly; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; . . .
