As Christians, we periodically enjoy a reawakening and/or recharging. Many in SW Cincinnati, OH, experienced that with the pastorate of Rev. Dr. LP Jones.
Regular DP readers will recognize this Lenten Prayer as a typical element of this season’s postings. In the early 2010s, Rev. Dr. LP Jones prepared and shared a Holy Week prayer with the MWPC community as part of his weekly newsletter column [read or listen to the entire Lenten Prayer HERE]
Focusing on the Lenten Prayer lines relating to confession:
…We know our sins are many, but why must we confess them so often? Remind us, gracious God, that you call us to confession not to burden us, but to free us. Help us to offer you every fear, failure, and sin, so that your forgiveness can calm and cleanse us and your steadfast love can draw us to new beginnings…
The first two sentences feel like part of the human experience – confessing sins AGAIN this week. Really? It’s easy to get that burdened feeling relating to confession.
LP brings it to a great spot just like the song Amazing Grace does for many – “to free us.” Though making plenty of mistakes, we can be inspired by the forgiveness of our Creator!
Let us go out, willing to make a suitable number of mistakes – strengthened and spurred by the Spirit!
[author note: The book Help, Thanks, WOW by Anne Lamott comes to mind in such situations – HELP (us take these words into our lives.) THANKS (for the inspirational aspects that LP’s ministry shared with MWPC, and for other inspirational message-sharers to various communities in the past, present and future.) WOW (let these words surround and inspire us to love and good works.) ]
Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 23, 2025:
Know someone who might like receiving messages like this?** If so, forward this message to them and they can sign up HERE
POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to
- share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
- check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
- volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
- find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
- accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting
NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE
DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically. Included now is a grin-inducing New Bible Reading Plan (Pearls Before Swine)
STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!
CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE
