Author Archives: claudia

Embracing Needs

As we continue in the season of Lent, Liz Schepel invites us to explore and embrace our needs that we sometimes push aside [Psalm 63]. Reflection What emotion has been dominant in your life?  What personal need might be at the root of those feelings? What do you tend to put ahead of your own needs? In what ways can […]

Community Prayers 2019.4.7

Prayers of Thanksgiving. For … A community where we can explore our emotions and invite God into them. (Hannah) … let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. Prayers of Petition. For … Good news for my sister from her MRI. (Naomi) Guidance and trust for what God has in store after graduation (Lainey) A friend who took his life […]

Liturgy, Reflection and Benediction 2019.4.7

Liturgy We are here by God’s invitation, to be fully present, to be here and now, to bring all parts of our heart to the table. Invite your joy and your grief. Invite your peace and your fear. Invite your confidence and your insecurity. God has invited all of who we are here today. This is a safe space and […]

Front Porch Gathering

On April 16th, Vesper will be hosting the Community Engagement Center (CEC) of The University of Texas at Austin for a front porch gathering focused on Cultural Preservation and Place Making in the Age of Growth and Gentrification. CEC’s monthly Front Porch Gatherings provide time and space to address issues of equity, disparity, and access through active engagement and community […]

Community Prayers 2019.3.31

Prayers of Thanksgiving. For … Our healthy baby and family. (Sarah) My father who retired after 34 years with the same company. (Joe) My sister and newborn niece, Lucy, who are both doing well. And, for her family. (Emma) My friend John who has stuck with me during this difficult time in my life. (Jack) … let us bless the […]

Liturgy, Reflection and Benediction 2019.3.31

Liturgy Loving God, we come to this sacred time and space today carrying hard and heavy burdens. Burdens of grief and loneliness, of depression and anxiety. Burdens of exhaustion, stress, and overwork. But we have good news! Your ways are not the ways of this world, and what we assume are weaknesses are actually the places where we find strength, […]

Last Shall Be First

As we continue in the season of Lent, Melanie Jones reflects on the relationship between our faith and suffering and how Jesus is in it with us [Mark 10: 28-31]. Reflection How am I being invited to access salvation? What does it look like to follow Jesus in a meaningful way now? Resources MWG: Discussion Guide