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A Service of Prayer |
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First Presbyterian Church
(Billings, Montana)
Service of Prayer
September 12, 2001
Thanks to the Rev. John Shuck,
pastor of the church, who shared this with us.
OPENING SENTENCES
O God, come to our assistance.
O Lord, hasten to help us.
Now that we have been put right with God through faith,
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He has brought us by faith into the grace
of God.
We rejoice in the hope of sharing God's glory!
*HYMN OF LIGHT #210 "Our God, Our Help in Ages Past"
PRAYER DURING A NATIONAL CRISIS
God of ages,
In your sight nations rise and fall,
And pass through times of peril.
Now when our land is troubled,
Be near to judge and save.
May leaders be led by your wisdom;
May they search your will and see it clearly.
If we have turned from your way,
Help us to reverse our ways and repent.
Give us your light and your truth to guide us;
Through Jesus Christ,
Who is Lord of this world, and our Savior. Amen.
A READING FROM THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES Psalm 46
A READING FROM THE QU'RAN Surah 4:135
Let the man who seeks the reward of this life know
that God holds the rewards of this life and of the hereafter. He hears
all and sees all.
Believers, conduct yourselves with justice and bear true witness
before God, even though it be against yourselves, your parents, or
your kinsfolk. Be they rich or poor, God knows better about them both.
So do not be led by passion, lest you swerve from the truth. If you
distort your testimony or decline to give it, know that God is
cognizant of all your actions.
A READING FROM THE GOSPELS John 14:1-3, 25-27
SILENT REFLECTION
MEDITATION
*HYMN #404 "Precious Lord, Take My Hand"
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
O God of all creation, Designer of beauty and goodness:
We pray that our work may preserve beauty and increase justice.
May human ingenuity be used creatively,
And our cleverness not lead to destruction.
We see war between nations and we are afraid;
We know conflict within our very selves and we are fearful.
Where we are responsible for human need, injustice,
sorrow and suffering, we pray for forgiveness, O Lord.
We pray for Your reconciliation and peace, O Lord of all.
We pray as fearful people, that we may find courage.
We pray as weary people, that we may find rest;
As sorrowing people, that we may find comfort;
As despairing people, that we may find hope.
We pray that we may experience Your healing peace in the
midst of our brokenness, through Jesus Christ our Savior.
(spoken and silent petitions may be offered at this time)
THE LORD'S PRAYER
*HYMN #293 "This is My Father's World"
*BENEDICTION
Now go and breathe deeply, for each breath is from
God;
Go and serve gently, for the earth and its people are fragile;
Go with energy and strength, for God knows your every need,
and God's Spirit will grant you peace. AMEN.
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.
Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
Darcy Hawk
4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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