Sunday, July 6, 2014

Dear God,

You speak joy to us when we gather for worship.  Our coming together sets the stage for you to do something wonderful.  When we open ourselves to the wonderment of faith, you whisper your grace.

I could not help but be inspired by those who offered Holy Communion to us.  One is a woman who many years ago was institutionalized for mental health.  Another is in stage four cancer.  One more is his daughter who needs a kidney transplant.  Yet, joy spilled from them as they offered us your most intimate gift.

Faith revives us.  It renews and restores us.  It keeps us focused on what is most important.  It reminds us we are not perfect.  The church is not perfect.  Although there are those who would claim the church is filled with hypocrites, I would say we are imperfect human beings who have a thirst for God so we gather in hopes we might find you.  I think it becomes an excuse to be lax about faith.  Faith helps us keep perspective.

As I stood between two of my beloved grandchildren and sang the Doxology, we proclaimed once again our heartfelt thanksgiving.

Thank you
for your church
and the opportunity
to worship.
You bless us
again and again.
Thank you
for giving us
the chance
to bless you.

Love, Andrea