Last Night at BSM

January 4, 2016

Last night our Pastoral Associate for Enfolding, Julia Watkins brought us a word from John 1:1-18 entitled, “Belief, Fleshed Out.” Julia preached about how if there was one word that could be used to describe the Gospel of John it would be “belief.” John calls for his readers to believe in Jesus against all the odds, against all the things we see around us that would tell us not to believe. However, our act of believing is not something we do on our own effort, but rather it happens because of God’s abundant desire for us. God helps us believe by meeting us in a familiar form, in the human body of Jesus. You can listen here.

We were led in worship in the following songs: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise, A Living Prayer, Be and Be Not Afraid, and This Little Light of Mine.

Our community also offered the following prayers:

God, prayers of gratitude for a beautiful vacation time and time with friends and family. Prayers for a creative new year, that I may do all I do with faith, creativity and love. Hold **** safe.

 

Dear Father, thank you for the bounty of blessings you generously bestow upon us. Please free those bound by sin, loneliness and corruption. Please call loudly to all your children hungry to know and love you. Help me find discipline, compassion and balance. I love you…the most. Your loving daughter, ******.

 

Please pray for me that I may put aside my fears this year and “be not afraid.” That I may grow this year in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man. For new opportunities for ***** (my heart in this world).

 

I ask for prayer for anxiety and that I can learn how to care for myself to make it better. Thank you for people that help me.

 

Thanks for God’s loving care. ******’s new job starting tomorrow. ****** and I were in a car accident on 12/23. Another car hit us broad side and the first person to jump out of another car to help us was *****, my friend from BSM! What’s the likelihood?!!

 

Prayer for my friend *****’s Crone’s Disease treatment. Prayer for sister and husband’s house. Prayer for me to finish grad school applications. (MSW)

 

I ask God for a flounder sandwich and a phone and a radio with headphones now in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I ask God to bring to pass now 2 Peter 3:10-13 now in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I ask God to have everyone live out their own destinies and fates now and forever more each and every day now and forevermore in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I pray for ****** for God to give her the justice if due now and forever more in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I ask to have all curses removed from my clothes each and every minute now and forever more in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I ask to have all Haitian voodoo in the air removed off of me each and every day now and forever more in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I claim everything that’s mine by Divine Right for me to have now and forever in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

I don’t know where I belong. This is not a freeing feeling, but rather one of being lost or adrift. I want to know where I belong. I want to be somewhere I can grow roots, dig deep…prayers for my belonging…for discerning where and how to make this happen. My doors no longer useful to be shut and may new paths leading to belong become apparent.

 

I pray for hope in the new year. I pray to let go of anxiety and fear and to find love. I pray to make good things. I pray for justice in the world. Amen.

 

Teach me to offer forgiveness and slack and benefit of the doubt and compassion to all those I meet this year.

 

Father God, I ask that you cultivate in me gratitude in my daily life. Thank you, Amen.

 

Prayers for a joy and hope in my belief in Christ. Amen.

 

I ask God the prayer of Jabez for my kids, *****, *****, *****, ***** now and forever in Jesus name I ask Amen.

 

Lord, protect my baby. Help me to be the mother he deserves to shield him when necessary, to walk with him in trials as he grows, to fill him with love, security, peace, and joy. Please help us to form a community to walk and grow with. My heart hurts for all I wanted to provide him, but that I cannot.

 

My friend ***** just had a huge surgery. Doing well…needs prayer…and God’s graces.

 

For healing for *******, for comfort, solace, energy in the midst of doubt. For ***** and ****** for a long and happy marriage. ******.

 

For 2016. For *****. For BSM and its crew and those they serve. For Amigos de Jesus. For my Family. For a kinder Philadelphia in 2016. For the new mayor—may all his wildest dreams come true.

 

I need a different kind of strength to get this right please help me find it. Thank you.

 

Thank you God for new beginnings. Hear our prayers and strengthen all of your people in Philadelphia and around the world.

 

Please pray for school, and upcoming exams—that I will be focused and retain the information that I need to.

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.