Prayers of thanksgiving that no one was injured in a fire at First United Methodist Church yesterday. Prayers of thanksgiving that sprinklers and firefighters worked well to contain the fire to the room where it started. Prayers of thanksgiving that all of the children at the daycare center on campus were evacuated safely. Prayers of thanksgiving that we know in our hearts and souls that God and faith and worship are not confined to a building, no matter how beautiful, no matter how inspiring, no matter how Spirit-filled.
Prayers of hope for all who might have reason for concern or even despair:
Prayers for Kurth, whose beautiful woodwork case that holds the Christ Window was burned, consuming the Cross and Flame that reminds us always, but especially this week near the anniversary of John Wesley's Aldersgate experience, of the way our hearts are warmed by the experience of the presence of God and the grace of Christ.
Prayers for the brides who are to be married in our sanctuary this weekend. May they feel relief not worry and may they realize that this misfortune is minor and just adds a good tale to their wedding story.
Prayers for a person or persons unknown who will likely learn today that their accident of leaving a burner on under a pot appears to have caused the fire. May they experience an immediate sense of grace and an overwhelming experience of the presence of the loving Spirit of God.
Prayers for Jim and Tom and all at the church whose time and energy will be spent in repair and reconstruction. May this come to be seen as a minor misfortune that may lead to unimagined possibilities.
Prayers for the children's choir director whose newly created music room is a mess. May she and all involved in children's music know that this cannot begin to silence the Spirit that sings through those choirs.
May the Spirit sing through us all as we move forward in faith and commitment to be a welcoming House of God both structurally and throughout our lives and witness in the world.
As God told David, no house can contain God.
Amen.
1 comment:
You have such a way with word and prayer. I am thankful, too, that nobody was hurt and that the damage is fixable. Blessings to all as the church figures out the schedules, services, repairs, etc.
Post a Comment