On Saturday, July 7, at 12:45, many people will gather together at the Western District Conference assembly for prayer. We will pray and sing and hear scripture together in preparation for the afternoon delegate session. For those who are not in Oklahoma City this weekend and would like to pray with us, here is the order of worship we will be using. (I do not know what hymns we will sing, and suggest you insert your favorites.)

 

Hymn

Gathering Prayer (concluding with Lord’s prayer)

Scripture: Psalm 139:7-18

Hymn

Prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

Scripture: Ephesians 2:14-22

Rule of Life from Martin Luther King, Jr.

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12

Sharing (feel free to share thoughts and prayers in the comments below)

Hymn

Prayer for Transformation (by Sarah Klaassen)

1: Creating God –
2: Creating God –
3: Creating God –

1: we give thanks and praise for voices lifted in song
2: for hearts longing for justice
3: for people praying for peace

1: Today we celebrate our holy calling to risk,
to stand on the edge of acceptability and acceptance
to come out with pride
and speak up even in the midst of conflict

2: We celebrate our sister and friend and pastor Joanna,
honoring her gracious and faithful witness
and gentle yet bold testimony in Western District Conference and beyond

3: We celebrate those who wear pink
and those who dare to think

All: that all people have a place at the table of our Lord

1: Sustaining God –
2: Sustaining God –
3: Sustaining God –

2: You are the divine mystery that knits us together in unity with each other and with creation. And yet we find ourselves uncertain as we prepare to enter this delegate session. We do not come as impartial decision-makers but instead bring with us

All: many pieces of ourselves:

1: Today we bring our fear
that inclusion will be replaced
by a false unity that appeases loud voices

2: Today we bring our anger and resentment
that real voices and real people are lost between the cracks
of debates and resolutions about authority and singular truth

3: Today we bring our pain and our grief
that our beloved church is sometimes a place of
violence and exclusion toward those of us who are
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people
and toward those who love us

1: Redeeming God –
2: Redeeming God –
3: Redeeming God –

1: It is here and now that we need your peace
2: Break into our midst and redeem us
3: Transform our fear into resilient hope
1: Transform our anger into a wide, wide mercy
2: Transform our resentment into gracious dissent
3: Transform our pain into confidence that we are all members of the household of God

1: Let your extravagant love and unending peace descend
upon us and upon all who are gathered here.

All: In hope we pray… Amen.