Last Night at BSM

June 23, 2015

“When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice.”
-Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last night, Rev. Andy Greenhow preached from Acts 7:54-8:3; 9:1-19 on Saul’s role in the stoning of Stephen and his subsequent conversion. The theme was Charleston. Andy brought a timely and powerful message on the importance of repentance and not “holding coats” for systems that foster injustice for marginalized people. If you missed it or would like to hear it again, you can listen to it here.

John Francis led us in a meaningful time of worship last night, bringing us great songs like Woke Up This Morning With My Mind (Stayed on Jesus), Ain’t No Grave, Jimmy Cliff’s Many Rivers to Cross, Precious Lord, Take My Hand, Bernice Johnson Reagon’s Ella’s Song, and Mahalia Jackson’s If I Can Help Somebody.

For our offering our community offered these, our psalms of the street, to God:

I’m afraid to go out with my own husband because of the differences in our skin colors. I am afraid everytime he leaves the house. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

 

I need a therapist who can help me with my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but have had no success finding one yet. I ask that God provide me with the right therapist soon.

Also, it’s Father’s Day and my heart is hurting a lot. I’m going to spend my evening crying many tears. Please pray God keeps me safe and somehow helps me because I feel so abandoned.

 

Dear Lord,

Help me to find a calling where I can help people. Anyone who needs it. Help me to see where I can do the most good, where I can do Your will.

Amen.

 

Thank you God for Broad Street Ministries and its mission. I’m honored to be here to serve.

 

I thought Jesus was the “ultimate” sacrifice. Why are you still taking them? Why are you still allowing this? Where are you?

 

God I pray that this week is as illuminating and spiritually satisfying as the last, in relation to my work with Y.I.

I pray that you speak to my heart through the people, young and old, of and in this city.

Amen

 

God,

Help me to feel your presence. To know that you are at work in this world. Equip me to participate in your reconciliatory work. Thank you for *****. And *****. *****. *****. *****. *****. *****. ***** and *****. *****. *****. *****. ***** and *****. *****. *****.

Amen.

 

LORD,

Bring peace to our love. Interrupt our lives in any way you can so that we may not rest until freedom comes.

Amen.

 

Dear god~

Many grateful thanks for all that makes me. My Fear, my Courage, my Doubt, my Faith, my Sins, and my Victory over them – Please help me to embrace all of this and be joyful

Amen-*****

 

My partner is going to an event that makes me nervous. Please keep her from harm. Please let her make the right and smart decisions, please let her be faithful to me, please let her know her limits and her boundaries. Please let my mind be at ease, please let the event go great, please let something so wonderful happen that I have no worries or reasons to worry about the event. Please let me trust the right person. Please keep her friends safe as well. Please just let a miracle happen. I feel far from God. I want to be closer. I want to be unafraid.

 

God-

I don’t know what to pray for tonight. Help me. Amen

I pray for the African American community in this country. Amen

Every Sunday after worship, we also have community engagement groups. These groups are a great way to get to know people, maybe learn something about yourselves, one another, and/or God, and get to know a few more peoples’ names. This Sunday we had two inspirational groups: Fundamentalism and Y Pray?.

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.