The “A Prayer for a Leader” (HERE) UCC devotional from 2017 spurs nice reminders from Psalm 72 regarding justice, compassion and peace. May those characteristics emanate from all our leaders in the coming years!

This is the prayer at the end of the devotional:

God of all nations, as the Psalm affirms, give our leaders—and us—your justice, your compassion for the poor, and your passion for peace. Amen.

Perhaps this is a prayer to be said today and in the days ahead?

May we all – fueled by the Spirit – seek justice, show compassion and pursue peace!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 20, 2019:

• Isaiah 62:1-5
• Psalm 36:5-10
• 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
• John 2:1-11

Musical focus for the upcoming weeks will be the “Singing Sister” – Sister Miriam Therese Winter – and the Medical Mission Sisters. They have some pretty songs from the ’60s/’70s with really good messages.

The song Come Down, Lord (listen HERE) has really good messages including:

Come Down, Lord, the World is here…Lord, You Show the Way!

When Your Word is Spoken, We Shall be Healed

May we utter the Lord’s words and show actions consistent with Jesus’ ways!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 13, 2019:

• Isaiah 43:1-7
• Psalm 29
• Acts 8:14-17
• Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Alive Now** previously included this article by Lynne M. Babb about fasting. There are many benefits of fasting, including freeing us to be be more mindful of those on our prayer lists (and those without food, for instance, when we’re doing a food fast.) Lynne mentions

“In the past few decades, with the rise of consumerism and overabundance in so many areas of life, Christians have been experimenting with fasting from things other than food: shopping, news media, various forms of entertainment, as well as electronic devices.”

ACTIONS: Maybe during this first month of the year you’ll want to try

• a traditional fasting from food for the day?
• a one-day fast from shopping, news media, a favorite electronic device?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

** Alive Now was a favorite devotional. While no longer publishing new Alive Now editions, we hope Upper Room will continue to keep that content on the internet (as they have with this article!)

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 13, 2019:

• Isaiah 43:1-7
• Psalm 29
• Acts 8:14-17
• Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

This explanation of Epiphany (link HERE) provides good context for our Christmastide and beyond, including these compelling sentences:

“But the joy of Christmas isn’t over yet because we can choose to recognize the mercy of God in the everyday stuff. With open hearts and expectant outlooks, believers can have epiphany moments any day.”

 

On this 2019 Epiphany and future days,

may we find “aha” moments to energize our ways!

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 6, 2019:

• Isaiah 60:1-6
• Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
• Ephesians 3:1-12
• Matthew 2:1-12

MWPC’s Pastor Debbie mentioned this poem (internet link HERE) in a recent weekly email. It’s a nice reminder that after Christmas “The work of Christmas begins.”

POTENTIAL ACTION:  The poem above includes several suggestions for actions. Does one resonate that can be added to your 2019 resolutions? 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 6, 2019:

• Isaiah 60:1-6
• Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
• Ephesians 3:1-12
• Matthew 2:1-12

Happy New Year to you and yours! May it be filled with love, joy and peace.

” … Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.” ~ St. Teresa of Avila

As you enter this year, Guideposts shares 6 prayer possibilities HERE. They couple the prayers from over the years with visuals.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 6, 2019:

• Isaiah 60:1-6
• Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
• Ephesians 3:1-12
• Matthew 2:1-12

The song Little Drummer Boy shares a message about the gift to share with Jesus the Christ. HERE is a version of the song from Pentatonix.

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

• What gifts can you give to yourself in 2019?
  • Maybe allowing more time for celebrating, studying and living your faith? Check out the full Christian Playbook website HERE for ideas on doing just that
  • More time for contemplation as you consider the opportunities? Consider contemplative/centering prayer ideas HERE
• What sharing can you do with others in our world in 2019? Can a specific action go on your calendar? 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 30, 2018:

• 1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
• Psalm 148
• Colossians 3:12-17
• Luke 2:41-52

A cherished friend of our family had the regular honor of singing Birthday Of A King during worship over the Christmas season. It was a new song to me – I’ve never heard it done in any church. It’s a mighty nice tune with a great message so certainly worthy of sharing HERE.

Merry Christmas!!! May the peace and joy of this season be with you this day and throughout the year ahead…

[The CP playlist is HERE should you want to listen to more Christmas music]

Lectionary Texts for Christmas Day 2018 (Proper I):

• Isaiah 9:2-7
• Psalm 96
• Titus 2:11-14
• Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

This reflection (HERE) was written in 2014 so some of the historical events have to be taken in that context. The reference to our CP song of the day is embedded in these words from that commentary:

And what about us? Have we recognised Jesus as good news and accepted his authority over us? Have we forgotten the goodness of the good news? And how can we embody something of it for others?

 

Charles Wesley (1707-1788) weaved this prayer into his hymn ‘Come thou long-expected Jesus’: Born Your people to deliver, born a child and yet a King, born to reign in us forever, now Your gracious kingdom bring. By Your own eternal Spirit, rule in all our hearts alone; by Your all sufficient merit, raise us to Your glorious throne. Amen.

Want to hear this song in full? Check out one rendition HERE.

Born to reign in us forever…may it be so! Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 23, 2018:

• Micah 5:2-5a
• Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7
• Hebrews 10:5-10
• Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)

Don’t we all want a little more peace during this Christmas season? In THIS WEBPOST, Bob Hostetler uses effective “Movin’ and Prayin’ ” efforts we’ve seen in the Quaker Prayer and others – palms up, palms down, etc.. – to help us towards a more peaceful season.

SUGGESTED ACTIONS:

• Read Bob’s webpost
• Try out the approaches of identifying concerns, sharing those with God and emptying yourself of those so you can continue life in newness

Enjoy this Advent day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 23, 2018:

• Micah 5:2-5a
• Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 80:1-7
• Hebrews 10:5-10
• Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)