Last Sunday at BSM

June 2, 2016

Julia wrapped up our sermon series on the parts of the worship service with a meditation on confession, showing how it is invitation to a healing vulnerability. In Mark 5:25-34, a woman who has had incurable bleeding for twelve years courageously fights through a crowd of people to touch Jesus’ cloak, believing that just that touch would heal her. She was right; but Jesus, knowing that someone among this crowd had experienced his power at work, asks “Who touched me?” Although the woman had already been healed the moment she courageously touched him, she was given an opportunity to vulnerably share what happened with Jesus and all within earshot. Jesus wasn’t forcing her to be vulnerable; after all, she had already been healed. After being forced to be vulnerable for twelve long years, visibly and hopelessly bleeding, one wouldn’t blame the woman for going home and enjoying being healthy. But in accepting Jesus’ invitation to even greater vulnerability, the woman receives Jesus’ loving name for her: “Daughter.” And in sharing the story of her suffering and miraculous healing with all who were present, she is restored to her community. We are invited to confession in this sort of way by Jesus, whose healing work invites us to ever deeper communion and openness.

Tyler led our fabulous worship team in the following songs: Amazing Grace, Come Thou Fount, It Is Well with My Soul, and “Remedy,” by Adele.

Our community also offered the following prayers:

God, empower my father to care for himself, and surround him with better, true friends, friends who love him as he needs to be loved. Thank you for E***, and for this week away.

Please pray for all people in transition from school to summer vacation, from health to a tragic diagnosis. For families with new children or empty nests, for aged, going into new living arrangements (or needing to), for military personnel deploying and their families, or coming home. For the homeless who have no idea what to do; for the jobless who are running out of hope, for the powerful who think they’ve arrived and have it all together. All Need God’s intervening love, grace, direction, healing[,] and hope.

My desire is to learn and discover how to help others…mostly people who have been affected by incarceration, homelessness and abuse! Thank you very much.

Pray for me

I’m a born again Christian since 1980…widow 32 years.

Oh God – thank you Jesus we sung Amazing Grace…maybe next we can sing Awesome God. I <3 you.

Let’s come out of this ok.

Please pray that I will have the wisdom to make good decisions in a time of uncertainty. Thank you.

I pray for levers to use against my anxiety, for trust in my friends and loved ones, and for strength and courage trying things I haven’t before. I pray for my family’s health and I pray for my own, and guidance as I find new insurance and transition to a new part of my life. Amen <3

Thank you for the physical and mental health of my family.

Thanks, God. Thanks for quiet and nature and tasks that feel immediate. Be with people getting divorced, esp. J.

For peace in my current place of work, and wisdom about next steps; for comfort in my relationship and grace for facing challenges.