Last Night at BSM

December 11, 2018

Last night at BSM, Rachel Johnson led us in meditating on Genesis 1:1-5 where we explored the darkness; finding God and messy creative possibility!

Listen to the sermon here!

The faith community offered these prayers to God:

Prayers for **** as she travels on her first business trip to ****.  May she be safe, have travelling mercies, and may all details of the trip go smoothly.  Amen.

Why is the LGBTQ community the battle ground of the church?  The war over “what is faith,” “how far does grace go,” “who is Jesus/God,” and “what is the role of the Bible” is taking the queer communities as casualties and I’m tired of it.

I pray for courage to be present through circumstances of fear and unwelcome.

Prayers for everyone learning to be sober through the holidays.  Prayers for my stepdad and his back, that he may get what he needs to be pain free. Prayers for my dad, that wherever he is, he has a Merry Christmas and knows that he is loved.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus.  May our refugees be safe as they attempt to make a new life with their families on our soil.  May the homeless and poverty stricken find hope and strength in their daily trials and tribulations.  Thank you, Lord.  Thank you, Jesus. 

God of grace–help me to discern my place in the darkness with my partner.  How do we navigate our darkness together?  How do I support them in their own darkness?  How do I discern healthy from toxic darkness?  God grant me wisdom, patience, and an embrace of this messy, creative darkness.

God, open my eyes to my heart–let me see it and feel it and hear it and trust it.  I’ll do my part.  Please meet me halfway.

Prayers that ****’s family would be more open and accepting this upcoming year.  Also, that the holidays would bring more joy than stress this year!

I am sad and lonely. I have been this way for some weeks now. It is all the more heavy because I know I have so much to be happy or joyful about, and have people who love and care about me.  But, I can’t shake it, so I am trying to be still instead.

Dear Father–in this darkness we know you are with us.  We feel your presence and we live with you in expectation of your love and miracles. Please bless everyone that has lost some one this season: ****, ****, ****, ****, ****, ****, and ****. In your darkness we are waiting.