“…just as a shepherd knows his sheep by name, so God knows us by name and knows all about us.” From the sermon: The Good Shepherd
Photo by Alexander Garside—Garside imaging
Tag Archives: Christian Ministry- Pastoral Resources
Deep
I invite you to ponder, respond and share…
(Photo by Alexander Garside–Garside Imaging)
World is a challenging place
“The world is a challenging place and the future appears uncertain. We have a choice about how we respond – with despair or with hope.” From the sermon: Living with Real Hope
Making a flax cross
With Palm/Passion Sunday coming up, here’s a YouTube video I made some years ago of how to make a flax cross.
Calm
I invite you to ponder, respond and share…
(Photo by Alexander Garside–Garside Imaging)
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 6
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 6
Come back each Monday night for a free prayer or poem from one of the books we have published.
A Season of Transition (Poetry)
Summer is past, winter draws near,
autumn is a season of transition.
A time of preparation.
Epiphany is past, Easter draws near,
Lent is a season of transition.
A time of preparation.
The story is told of Jesus walking southwards
taking fateful steps from Galilee to Judaea.
A time of determination.
The story is told of disciples shocked and rejecting
predictions of death and resurrection.
A time of incomprehension.
Pilgrims excited, Passover coming,
commemorating past, anticipating future deliverance.
A time of celebration.
Chief priests worried, Passover coming,
remembering past, fearing future disturbances.
A time of apprehension.
Soldiers marching, Governor resplendent,
putting on display the might of mighty Rome.
A time of intimidation.
Man on a donkey, crowds shouting, “Save Us,”
waving palm fronds and throwing down their cloaks.
A time of acclamation.
A final supper, bread and wine shared,
words of encouragement followed by despair.
A time of betrayal and desertion.
Man crowned with thorns, hung on a cross,
words of forgiveness and promise spoken.
A time of suffering and sacrifice.
Women confused and afraid,
grave empty, angels present.
A time of hope slowly dawning.
A stranger joins mourners on the road to Emmaus,
his identity discovered in the breaking of bread.
A time of revelation.
From: Prayers for Southern Seasons: Poems and prayers for Christian worship and devotions. By Joy Kingsbury-Aitken.
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Prayer / Poem of the Week # 5
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 5
Come back each Monday night for a free prayer or poem from one of the books we have published.
Prayer
God of goodness, gaps, and glitches
help us to see each other for what we are.
God of struggles, strengths, and strategies
help us to cope with what we have.
God of difficulties, disabilities, and delights
help us find joy in who we are.
God of individuality and invisibilities,
enable us to understand how life is harder
for some than it is for their peers;
Give us a readiness to ease difficulties,
remove barriers,
and create level playing fields
Bless us with the will to appreciate
the courage, creativity, and skills
required to live with impairment;
along with the discernment to realise
impairment is merely a fragment
of personhood.
Empower us all to live in fullness,
valuing what we have,
and knowing we are loved. Amen.
From: Lay Preaching Basics by Rosalie Sugrue (2018)
Click here to Order Print books and here for eBooks
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 4
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 4
Come back each Monday night for a free prayer or poem from one of the books we have published.
33. A Farmer’s Prayer for Daily Work
O God, in the burst of spring growth,
let me rejoice.
In the first plantings of crops,
bring me hope.
In the summer heat,
shade me.
In the dried up hills
water me.
In the harvest work
sustain me.
In the big decisions
guide me.
In the autumn chill
warm me.
In the driving rain
shelter me.
From the howling winds
protect me.
In the slush and mud
encourage me.
In the lonely hours
stand by me.
In the beauty of each dawn,
let me wonder at your creation,
and the peace of the earth.
From The Shepherd’s Call – Te Karanga o te Hēpara:
Prayers and liturgies for rural Aotearoa New Zealand
By Bill Bennett (2018)
Click here to Order Print books and here for eBooks
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 3
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 3
Come back each Monday night for a free prayer or poem from one of the books we have published.
Costly Love
Martha
the busy one
whose natural way of showing love
was to cook, clean, serve
and she delighted to serve her Lord.
Mary
the quiet one
whose natural way of showing love
was to listen, absorb
and she delighted to love her Lord.
Jesus’ friend Lazarus dies
beloved of his sisters – and their Lord away,
returning
meets Martha, first as always, breathless
“Lord, had you been here
our brother would not have died!”
and Jesus consoles, teaches, explains.
Then Mary –
“Lord, had you been here
our brother would not have died!”
…and Jesus weeps… and acts
the overwhelming love of Almighty God
leaping forth in resurrection power.
Lord –
take my love
I pour it at your feet
take my tears
take my busyness
take my stillness
may I serve you Lord.
(John chapter 11)
From A Celebration of Life by Meg Hartfield (2016)
Click here to Order Print books and here for eBooks
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 2
Prayer / Poem of the Week # 2
Come back each Monday night for a free prayer or poem from one of the books we have published.
One
I love your story Jesus
I think about you often
drinking deeply from the flow
your life unlocked in me
Hungry for the promised fruit
longing to sprout and grow tall
hoping to be the kind of plant
you’d enjoy to look at
I’m tired of windblown days
one more storm-stripped leaf
fluttering away to nothing
on un-consecrated ground
Please don’t judge me harshly
for the bad advice I’ve taken
the times I’ve stood for nothing
those I’ve criticised or mocked
I know you’re watching over me
one day you’ll make me prosper
because my roots are in your garden
and my branches are your cross.