Liturgy

We enter through these doors with hopes & fears
from our daily routines still clinging to our minds
and interwoven with our breath.
Thank you God for the gentleness
with which you carry our burdens,
not asking that we discard them behind us,
but calling us to place them before you in trust.
We are pressed upon by powers and systems
that feel both too great to counter
and too easy to comply with.
Lift us from the rushing river of
the status quo onto solid ground,
equip us with tools to work for peace,
and moments of rest in between.
Help us see that the neighbor who wounds us is equally
swept up by forces set in motion millennia ago;
Forces that you are disentangling everyday,
until all things are brought to newness.
Lord of slow but steady growth,
remind us of the fruit of our labor,
and sustain us continuously
in building your upside down kingdom.
We pray this in the name of
The God who sees,
The Christ who suffers alongside us,
And the Spirit who moves to soothe,
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)

Scripture

We invite you to hear from the book of Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power; 11 put
on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil, 12 for our struggle is not against blood and flesh but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of
this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be
able to withstand on the evil day and, having prevailed against everything,
to stand firm.

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 & Reflection

Podcast: Whatever Readies for Peace

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How might you practice pivoting toward God’s Peace in this season?

What does it mean to experience God’s Peace without detaching from challenges around you?

How might we creatively embody God’s Peace for our loved ones? For those marginalized?

Benediction

Whatever may lie before you,
trust that the road leads to fullness of life
and blossoming of joy.
While there is much work to be done,
blessed are we for tending to it together.
Every meal train, carpool, and book club
is a sign of our immersion in a network
of love and mutuality.
May we continue to open our palms to
the generosity pouring from heaven,
and receive the gift that descends each day.
In the name of our gracious God,
Christ our teacher,
And the nurturing Spirit,
Amen
(Vox Prayer Team)

[Photo by Minh]