Liturgy
Good Shepherd and constant companion,
Hear the voice of Your flock.
We bring to You our burdens and our thanksgiving,
our joy and our grief.
We hear about quiet waters that promise refreshment,
but often find dry land with no place to quench our thirst or rest our
heads.
Turn these fruitless deserts into green pastures,
into valleys flowing with milk and honey.
When we feel helpless in the face of unrest,
help us drink from the cup of Resilience
and eat from the table of Courage.
Steady our hands and strengthen our voices
to complete the work of Peace that You have tasked us with.
We pray this in the name of
God, our tender caretaker
Christ, the nonviolent lamb
And Holy Spirit, the rushing river that brings relief
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)
Scripture Reading
We invite you to hear from the book of Psalms 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in
green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in
right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are
with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you
anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord my whole life long.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever.
Amen.
Homily and Reflection
What familiar advice do you often ignore?
What practices help you find a sense of safety and rest?
How does the Shepherd’s promise of mercy and goodness, even in the midst of life’s challenges and hardships, feel to you?
Resources
- Book: Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie
- Book: What Is God Like? by Rachel Held Evans and Matthew Paul Turner
Benediction
May the God of flocks and fields guide your every step,
and may you feel Their presence
through every shadow and beside every stream.
The tumult of the world will seek to drown out the voice of God,
but your Comforter’s hand is always with you,
and Their gentle song is ever-present.
May you remember that before the beginning of time,
you have always been the object of God’s affection,
and nothing can separate you from Their love.
In the name of
God our Creator,
Christ our self-giving sibling,
and the Holy Spirit, the breath in our lungs
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)
[Photo by Sam Barber]