Church Stories

God, our help in ages past, and our hope for years to come, we thank you for delivering us across the threshold of a new year, past some troubles and confusions and divisions, but also gladdened by too many benedictions to count.

When John plunged Jesus in the Jordan, the heavens opened: “This is my son, in whom I am well-pleased,” and we pray that you will be pleased too with the beautiful life of Maren Ross, baptized like Jesus himself this very day.

So much new life to celebrate today. We thank you for the gift of Louise Carter. Walk with her through all the bright blessed days and dark sacred nights of the years to come.

And for Kathryn Rose and Theodore James. Twins, God smiling twice as hard on a challenged world. We’ve been praying for that happy day for almost nine months, and you answered those prayers with a safe arrival into a loving, happy family.

We thank you for the long, giving life of our friend Don Asher, a sturdy pillar of this Church year after year. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and glad reunion with his beloved Carol.

Lord of Hosts, we pray for peace, in our own divided country and in ravaged lands like Ukraine where it is cold and dark and dangerous. If we asked that you thaw the frozen hearts of the belligerent and power-mad, would that be too much to ask? Protect the vulnerable: the very young, the very old, the widow, the orphan, the lonely, those dwelling in harm’s frightful way, here at home and far away.

Our Father…Amen.