Staying Safe and Staying Connected
Good Morning Saint Stephen’s Church,
We continue our life of daily prayer. The Lord be with you!
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
Today’s Prayer
Jesus Christ, the love that gives love,
Hildegard of Bingen, 1179
You are higher than the highest star;
You are deeper than the deepest sea;
You cherish us as your own family;
You embrace us as your own spouse;
You rule over us as your own subjects;
You welcome us as your dearest friend.
Let all the world worship you.
Holy Spirit, the life that gives life.
You are the cause of all movement;
You are the breath of all creatures;
You are the salve that purifies our souls;
You are the ointment that heals our wounds;
You are the fire that warms our hearts;
You are the light that guides our feet.
Let all the world praise you.
O eternal God,
Turn us into the arms and hands,
The legs and feet
Of your beloved Son, Jesus.
You gave birth to him in heaven
Before the creation of the world.
You gave birth to us on earth,
To become his living body.
Make us worthy to share
In his eternal bliss.
Hildegard was born to a noble family. Experiencing visions in her childhood, she raised by a recluse. A community, organized on Benedictine lines, gathered around them. Hildegard became their second Abbess. She carried on an influential correspondence, advising the Emperor Bararossa, popes, kings, bishops, and saints on a variety of matters. She showed powers of scientific observation which were unusual for the time. Her most famous book was called Scivias, probably an abbreviation for ‘the science of life.’
From Our Prayers of the People
Today, let’s pray:
For the just and proper use of your creation; for the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.
For comfort and healing for all who are affected by the Coronavirus, and for physicians, nurses, and all others who minister to the sick and the suffering, may God grant them wisdom and skill, sympathy and patience, and may God keep them healthy and safe.
For all essential workers; for police, firefighters, EMTs, postal workers, sanitation workers, grocery personnel, delivery and transport workers, and all who must report to work because what they do is essential for our well-being, health, and safety.
For those on the Parish Prayer Chain: Mary Frances, Jim, Eunice, Jane and Bruce.
For those who are homebound: Stephen, Pauline, Joan, Janet and Marilyn.
Those who are imprisoned: those particularly vulnerable at this time, especially the women in the Schenectady County Jail.
For those in need of healing: Cindi, Peter, Mary Frances, Debbie and Joe White.
For all the blessings of this life.
For our dioceses in the Anglican Communion: Mount Kenya Central (Kenya), Mount Kenya South (Kenya), Mount Kenya West (Kenya)
For all who have died: especially Margaret, Caroline, Jeanette, George, Clinton, Anne and Katherine.
For one another.
Something to share
Richey W writes:
When I was over-worrying in my college days, my mother reminded me of this hymn, which is #10 in our hymnal. I find it a wonderful morning song (especially to the tune in the 1940 Hymnal).
New every morning is the love
John Keble, from his poem “Hues of the Rich Unfolding Morn,” 1827
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.
New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
If, on our daily course, our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.
Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
As more of heaven in each we see;
Some softening gleam of love and prayer
Shall dawn on every cross and care.
The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask;
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
Only, O Lord, in Thy dear love,
Fit us for perfect rest above,
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
His compassions fail not. They are new every morning.
Lamentations 3:22–23
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
Your terror, dear one, makes me love you,
Jeanne Murray Walker, from her book Pilgrim, You Find the Path by Walking
lost from the others, there in the scary
blue meadow alone, where long before you,
your mothers talked to me. Human memory
is short. Surely you know that whatever
you build will fall from the shape you give it
back to dust. I am your creator.
Be calm as the oaks are calm. You flit
and dart in panic like a hummingbird.
Look, I’m here.
You tell me I am silent.
In what tongue shall I speak? What words
would be clear? Try to curb your violent
questions. Why not believe the beauty you
see? I pour sun through oaks.
What more do I have to do?
Reminders
If you have an update/news, a prayer or poem or something inspirational you would like us to share with the congregation, please send it to us. Please also send us any prayer requests. We will incorporate these into the Morning Prayers as best we can.
Parish Morning Prayer in Zoom – each morning of Holy Week join Dennie and me for an inter-active service of Morning Prayer at 9 am. Time to bring your prayer concerns will be provided. (contact me for the link: james.ross.mcd@gmail.com)
If you did not receive a phone call in the last few days from a member of the Vestry and you would like to be added to the communication list, please let me know (james.ross.mcd@gmail.com) and share with me the best telephone number(s) where we can reach you. We will add you to the list right away.
Our church campus is closed. All parish meetings and gatherings are canceled and postponed until further notice.
Our goal is for all of us to stay in touch and connected in this time of isolation.
Share this news, and spread some love, not the virus!
Irish Blessing
Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be at your back,
May the sun shine upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Be of good courage. We are in this together, and we will be together again soon. God bless you and may God be with us in the days ahead.
Peace,
James+