Last Night at BSM

April 17, 2017

Holy Week 2017 at Broad Street Ministry

Maundy Thursday

Last night at BSM, Rev. Michele Ward preaches on the washing of the disciples’ feet in the  Gospel of John. Jesus invites the disciples as well as us to let go of the illusion of control we have over our lives, and to allow Christ to transform us with his servant-love.

Listen here.

Prayers of the gathered community:

Dear Father, I am so grateful for this courageous loving lovely church family and the ways you call m e home to you time and time again. Thank you for calling to us with love and joy and generosity. Thank you for letting me worship with **** and ****. Thank you for your son. Amen.

Pray for the mentally ill

Homeless

Mentally ill

Abused people

Violence

I want to thank God for being alive and well.

Me as I heal from betrayal by a ‘friend’

****- as she heals from heartbreak/for a Skype interview she will have on Wednesday

Dear God,

I feel vulnerable and open to you tonight. Forgive me for clinging to my plans and schedules and calendars. Show me how to break the rules more like you did, and do for me every day. I love you. Amen.

Holy, holy

It came together.

Thank you, Lord, for moving in this place.

I don’t know how to pray for the world. If God is up to something, I don’t know what it is or how to be part of it.

I’m so thankful for health: mine, my family members, my friends’—everybody’s!

May all be healthy in body, mind, and spirit. Help me to be your servant, God—in all things and times and places. Whether I’m willing or not.

Easter Sunday

Last night at BSM, Rev. Sammie Evans preached on the empty tomb and the disciple running away, terrified at the discovery in the Gospel of Mark. Our tombs are empty, too, but we are afraid to accept this reality, for it means that the resurrection has transformed our lives, our world, and the entirety of the universe. Live like your tombs are empty.

Listen here.

Prayers of the gathered community:

**** travels to Seattle. He is looking at colleges and needing to make a decision by May 1^st.

Pray for wisdom for him, that he will not fear going far for college.

Please pray for **** as she prepares for her time in Palestine. Please pray for my friends **** and **** as they grieve the end of their relationship. Thankful for new life and growth.

I pray that someday my heart and life will not feel so lonely and that life will not be so crushing. (I am going through a breakup and continuing anxiety and depression)

Jesus rose from the dead. But in several instances in the Easter/post-Easter narrative, his beloved friends did not recognize him immediately. Until they did recognize him, his resurrection wasn’t reality for his friends, even though it was real in the absolute. Please pray that I am my family could see Jesus Christ with new, divinely enabled eyes. In fact, that we could all see Him with those eyes.

Praying that my daughter **** and I may experience fully our empty tombs…the rolled back stones.

We both need a touch, a favor, an open door, a divine break…please! (shame, fear, disappointment, hurt, lack are in our tombs)

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the radical invitation in this Easter sermon. Thank you for **** and her gifts. Please God, heal my mom—give her the miracle she needs to get better—give her a new life with and through you reclaiming a wellness she’s never known. I am grateful for you Father, ****

Praying to know I can stand in the light and hope. Praying for the courage and wisdom to share the light and hope with the world.

Please give me strength and patience to get through this time: help guide me forward and get rid of my insecurities in my tomb.

For **** + ****, for **** + ****, for you + me + them + peace for all.

Dear God,

Thank you for declaring my tomb as empty, for being a God of resurrection. Fill me with your good news so I can proclaim it. I love you.

Amen.

God,

The resurrection is hard to feel this year.

Help me to not be crippled by fear, but moved by faith.

Amen.

I thank God for all the ways he shows his love to me, all the ways I am stronger and better, and I pray to keep growing and show the same love to the people I love.

Dear Lord,

Grant me the strength to know that my tomb is empty! Please watch over the people in this community as they build your kingdom. Please keep my family safe and healthy.

Thank you for all the many blessings you have bestowed on me, today and everyday!
Amen.

Thank you

And

Thank you

For the reminder

Of the call to

Gratitude

I am full of doubt, but you welcome me to your table regardless. Thank you.

Prayers for ****, ****, ****, ****, and ****.

For freedom for us all.

The freedom that comes with knowing that the tombs—all our tombs—are empty.

God,

Help me believe it.

Help me preach this

Word faithfully and

With the voice you

Gave me

I love you.

Amen.

Prayers that I will be able to continue growing and moving forward, rather than reverting to previous anxious behaviors.

Prayers for our nation

Prayers for peace

Prayer for **** to serve others

Please pray for my mother and brother to heal and rediscover joy. Please pray for me to find healing and joy for my mother. Please pray for my father to continue living joyfully and healing.

Regret making the wrong choice

Regret deceiving and hurting someone

Shame not being very talented or smart

Pray for my daughters **** and **** that they continue to be blessed and highly favored

My brother ****

My fiancée **** in Tucson, Arizona that God my bless us

My shame—I relinquish it

My anger and fear of my mom

My hatred towards myself for continuing to shop and get myself in debt

But also God’s grace at bailing me out when I fail. And knowing he always will no matter how ‘bad’ I am. Not using this as an excuse but using it to move me forward in reclaiming and continuing to help people. Be gone, shame!

I hope and pray that **** will have a long and happy life full of love

May God protect and bless her Amen