Jesus reach for me.
Spirit strengthen me.
God catch me.
By Mrs. Phoebe W. Griswold
Found in "Women's Book of Uncommon Prayers"
Friday, August 26, 2011
Prayer from Saint Patrick
“Christ be with us, Christ before us, Christ behind us,
Christ in us, Christ beneath us, Christ above us,
Christ on our right, Christ on our left,
Christ where we lie, Christ where we sit, Christ where we arise,
Christ in the hearts of every one who thinks of us,
Christ in every eye that sees us,
Christ in every ear that hears us,
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of the Christ,
May your salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.” Saint Patrick
Christ in us, Christ beneath us, Christ above us,
Christ on our right, Christ on our left,
Christ where we lie, Christ where we sit, Christ where we arise,
Christ in the hearts of every one who thinks of us,
Christ in every eye that sees us,
Christ in every ear that hears us,
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of the Christ,
May your salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.” Saint Patrick
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Happiness
Happiness can be found in the little moments. Like walking your dog and seeing beautiful flowers along the walk. Life is good.
Clergy Taxes
Clergy taxes are no fun.
The church does not take taxes out on me, therefore I have to pay quarterly taxes to the government. Here is to hoping that my CPA knows what he is doing!
The church does not take taxes out on me, therefore I have to pay quarterly taxes to the government. Here is to hoping that my CPA knows what he is doing!
Stewardship
Confession. I hate talking about money. Going into the ministry, one of the things that scared me the most was knowing that one day I would be preaching for stewardship Sunday. It comes around each year. There is hardely any way to get out of it.
But, money is something as clergy, the church needs to hear our voice on. While money is just paper, it has theological implications and impacts our faith life in more ways than I think we will ever understand.
I went to a rural village in Africa for 2 months last summer to work in an Orphanage and church. There learn more about stewardship in a church that did not have electrcity, the most people did not have running water, and many people were dying from AIDS.
Every Sunday in worship the offering was one of the highlights of the service. Instead of the ushers passing around the offering plates, the people went up to the alter and gave their offering to God. It was an embodied moment for them with God. I was amazed that how little the people had, but that they always gave an offering. It was something that they just did. The amount the church collected did not really matter, it was all used for helping those within their community.
One Sunday morning I was asked by one of the orphans if he could have some money. I asked what he needed the money for and he said, "I want to give it back to Jesus." With tears in my eyes I handed him some money. When it was time for the offering, the orphan with a huge smile on his face walked up to the altar and gave the money back to Jesus. I thought to myself, how many times had I been greety with money and thought it was mine, instead of God's. This orphan has never had money in his life and the first time he ever gets money, he gives it back to Jesus.
Let us always be remindful that money is not our own. May our hearts be as generous as that precious orphan.
But, money is something as clergy, the church needs to hear our voice on. While money is just paper, it has theological implications and impacts our faith life in more ways than I think we will ever understand.
I went to a rural village in Africa for 2 months last summer to work in an Orphanage and church. There learn more about stewardship in a church that did not have electrcity, the most people did not have running water, and many people were dying from AIDS.
Every Sunday in worship the offering was one of the highlights of the service. Instead of the ushers passing around the offering plates, the people went up to the alter and gave their offering to God. It was an embodied moment for them with God. I was amazed that how little the people had, but that they always gave an offering. It was something that they just did. The amount the church collected did not really matter, it was all used for helping those within their community.
One Sunday morning I was asked by one of the orphans if he could have some money. I asked what he needed the money for and he said, "I want to give it back to Jesus." With tears in my eyes I handed him some money. When it was time for the offering, the orphan with a huge smile on his face walked up to the altar and gave the money back to Jesus. I thought to myself, how many times had I been greety with money and thought it was mine, instead of God's. This orphan has never had money in his life and the first time he ever gets money, he gives it back to Jesus.
Let us always be remindful that money is not our own. May our hearts be as generous as that precious orphan.
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