Springtime Prayer

For flowers that bloom about our feet,
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet,
For song of bird, and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

For blue of stream and blue of sky,
For pleasant shade of branches high,
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

St. Gregory's Easter Prayer

It is only right, with all the powers of our heart and mind, to praise You Father and Your Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear Father, by Your wondrous condescension of Loving-Kindness toward us, Your servants, You gave up Your Son. Dear Jesus You paid the debt of Adam for us to the Eternal Father by Your Blood poured forth in Loving-Kindness. You cleared away the darkness of sin by Your magnificent and radiant Resurrection. You broke the bonds of death and rose from the grave as a Conqueror. You reconciled Heaven and earth. Our life had no hope of Eternal Happiness before You redeemed us. Your Resurrection has washed away our sins, restored our innocence and brought us joy. How inestimable is the tenderness of Your Love!

We pray You, Lord, to preserve Your servants in the peaceful enjoyment of this Easter happiness. We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who lives and reigns with God The Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

- St. Gregory

THE PATH OF LIFE



"Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16).



O precious Savior and Redeemer, during these special days of Lent, let our hearts and faith review all you did for us so that we might have life with you. When we sin, lead us to remember how you lived a perfect life to make up for our sins. When our sins trouble us, lead us to recall how you suffered the punishment we deserved. Use our worship and our study during this season so that our faith might be strengthened and our fruits of faith increased. Amen.

"There is no limit to love's forbearance,
to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.
Love never fails.
...
There are in the end three things that last:
faith, hope and love,
and the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:7-13

Jesus, you taught us how to love.
You showed us the way.
You love us so completely and so perfectly.
Your love never fails us.
We trust in you.
Help us to love as you love.
You always give and give and give.
We are so grateful for your many, many blessings.
You came to earth to save us from death.
You did not have to come.
You showed how much you love us.
We do not understand this.
Why do you love us so much?
We do not understand what is happening.
Show us your plan of salvation.
Give us the understanding of why you came.
Help us to love each other.
We are so busy in our own little worlds.
We are all by ourselves.
Help us to reach out and love others.
Help us to think of others.
Strengthen our faith in you.
Help us to share our faith with others.
Strengthen our hope in the resurrection.
Help us to say words of hope to those we meet today.
Grant us eternal life one day.
Give us life today. Give us your life today.
Give us that hope.
Give to us, O Lord, all that we need.
We need help, O Lord.
Hear our prayer.

Amen.

To Mature In Our Walk

Father, I'm praying for myself and others (name one or more) in my circle of family and friends to become increasingly mature in Christ...

Some have been content not to grow. They've continued to live as infants in Christ, settling for the milk of the Word, not ready to move on to solid food—sometimes for years. Forgive them and change them; help them be willing to grow, to become more mature in their walk, their understanding, and their application of Your Word. (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12-14)

Help all of us to see wonderful things in Your Word and be eager to live by Your rules, not ours. Direct our steps according to the Word; let no sin rule over us. (Psalm 119:18, 9, 133) Give us a genuine desire to grow beyond simple, elementary truth, becoming strong in our understanding, as we should. (Hebrews 6:1–3)

Grant us perseverance so we'll not only begin but continue to grow in Christ, so one day we'll be complete and not lack anything. Help us count the cost of time and energy and be willing to pay the price. (James 1:4; Luke 14:28)

May we choose to grow spiritually. In Jesus' name, amen.

- Jim & Kaye Johns

Wedding Blessing

May your love grow like a beautiful tree, sending roots deep and branches high, with new beauty every season of your life together.

May you dare to dream dreams not yet dreamt.

May you find constant reward and challenge as you pursue the ongoing adventure of learning who you are and where you want to go.

May you always have a special sense of your mission in life together, and may you never tire of the endless possibilities of exploring your shared existence.

- Cynthia Reed, Wedding Celebrant