Last Night at BSM

July 11, 2016

Last night, Andy preached on the parable of the Good Samaritan, focusing on how Jesus’ redefining of the word ‘neighbor’ is an indictment of tribalism. We too often find our identities through identifying our enemies rather than rooting our identities in the God who desires that we all be the sorts of neighbors that the Samaritan was to the beaten Jewish man. As radical as it may seem, perhaps our ‘enemies’ should be people who we invite to church with us.

Tyler and a lovely team of musicians led us in singing songs about unity and the struggle to cultivate it — songs like “Everyday People,” “In Christ There is No East or West,” “Blest Be the Tie that Binds,”and Christina Aguilera’s “Change.”

Our community also offered the following prayers:

For S** as he transitions from a college graduate to work. I ask God to guide him & keep him close to God.

For H**** as he transitions to high school during this time moving into young adulthood, adolescence.

For I***** as she starts Temple & moves out onto her own. God keep her close.

For my enemy, A********, that I may see him as a child of God.

O***** & M****

 

Dear Lord thank you for the support & love of my friends. Please Bless Baby N and her parents to reconcile & find peace. Please Bless all marriage & protect from Satan’s attacks.

 

I praise God for my family. For K***’s strong love, for C******** & J******* wonderful hearts & brains. Please pray for K***’s dad – J*** S****** – as he struggles w/ deteriorating health & for R****’s parents, only slightly younger & also struggling w/ health issues. And please pray for those – known only to God – for whom no one prays.

 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for creating a place for R** & calling him to it. Please bless him with the tools he needs to do your work for your children. Thank you for staying with me.

 

Our world – end to violence, hate, death and divide

 

T**** did a gr8 job – singing, conducting the band. Thank you GOD thank you Jesus for always be there especially this past week.

 

My God,

I know that I am your beloved child. I know that I am worthy. Help me believe it. I love you. Thank you for loving me. Always.

 

Pray for love to be put to action. May this violence cease.

 

OH

MY GOD

GIVE US EARS

TO HEAR

LET ME

LISTEN

AND GOD PLEASE

LET ME

BE HEARD       

 

For BSM – it’s staff, congregation & guests

For Amigos De Jesus & the children of Honduras – young & old including my girl B**

For my mom & her caretakers

For my sister – may her progress continue

For my brother – may he have the courage to take the 1^st step.

For Philadelphia, for Dallas, for St. Louis

For Cities big & small – that they begin to realize the need to live peacefully together for a better world.

 

Pray for me as I take this new journey in my life in establishing my career & future successes – all while having family & friends close & healthy!

 

God give us all strength to be what we must be, do what we must do.

 

God,

Thank you for Broad Street Ministry. I wish that my family & friends could know the warmth & life of this place. God, thank you for the healing that has appeared in my marriage. Please stay with us as we continue caring for each other. And please God be w my son, my husband, & I as my son prepare to leave for college, and as he leaves. Help us to stay close and together – though we will be apart. I love you. Amen.

 

I pray that God will guide me and allow me to have a change in my employment. I also ask that I can show my heart to someone who at this time is unwilling to love or accept me. May I love her continuously.

 

Please pray for my mother and father.

 

For those who lost a loved one this past week. Healing for the homes that have been broken and torn apart. Thank you.

 

God help me not to languish in self-imposed mediocrity.

 

Prayers for my friends looking for new jobs and worried about job security: A*****, Z*****, S****, J**, K*******, & S***. Thankful for God’s faithfulness through a season of many changes.

 

God, thank you for the life of M*******. We’re grateful for the joy she gave us while she was with us. Bring your peace & grace to her family & loved ones mourning her death.

 

Thanks be to God for the ties that bind us to one another, whether we remember they’re there or not. I have so many questions & worries, God. Help me to see you in everything. Help us all to see you in all. May your Justice reign.

 

Please pray for my friend L**** as she battles through more rounds of chemotherapy. God please give her whatever she needs to continue to be the light for so many of us. Please let her be okay.

 

Prayers for the peace & health of my parents. Prayers for all of our relationships.

 

Please pray for me as I move into a new position at work & move. Thank you.
God of light—

It’s getting harder and harder to remain hopeful. Fill us with your light and help us to shine it—even to our enemies. Deliver us from all the evil of the world> For your kingdom will come. Until then, Oh God…Amen

 

Broad Street Ministry is a broad-minded faith community committed to extending radical hospitality and creating a spiritual home for all, especially those who feel like they don’t belong anywhere else. For more information click here.