“By reading the Scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.”
~Thomas Merton
“The souls of our elders are churning with dreams,
We stop and listen!
The eyes of our young are seeing visions like never before.
We stop and listen!
Fear and trembling invade our souls as we cling to the monuments of the past.
We stop and listen!
Yet, the Spirit still pours, moves, and works among us.
We stop and listen!
May we dream with our elders and see the visions of our young.
Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on us.”
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(New Hampshire Conference Annual Meeting Worship)
Be Children of God
Do Justice
Be strong
Be generous
Don’t ignore those who need you
Don’t damage the earth
Love mercy
Be kind
Be forgiving
Don’t bear grudges
Don’t withhold love
Walk humbly with your God
Be attentive
Be obedient
Don’t run away from wisdom
Don’t wander off the road
Love God with all that you have—
Your mind, your heart, your soul
Your dreams, your tears and laughter
And love your neighbor as you love yourself
Let your children play together;
Share your stories and your food
Be salt
Be light
Be leaven
Be happy
Be who you are
Be children of God.
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~Ruth Burgess
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“Injustice anywhere
is a threat
to justice everywhere.”
~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The first step toward getting somewhere
is to decide
that you are not going
to stay where you are.”
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~Unknown
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A Servant Pledge
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“May I become at all times, both now and forever…
A protector for those without protection.
A guide for those who have lost their way.
A ship for those with oceans to cross.
A bridge for those with rivers to cross.
A sanctuary for those in danger.
A lamp for those without light.
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter.
And a servant to all in need.”
~Shantideva (an 8th Century Buddhist Monk)
"Will we always make things more complicated then they need to be?
Will we always strive for more?
Will we always look for hidden difficulties?
Read the small print?
Find the exclusions?
Instead of taking you at your word--that we are loved and loved
and loved again, that you give yourself to us, no strings attached.
Your love is not to be earned, not something we need to jump
through hoops to attain, but something that you freely shower
upon us and the healing power of your love knows no bounds, but invites us to be immersed up to our necks in the cleansing power
of unconditional love."
(Spill the Beans Curriculum)
"Baptism of fire, I never knew what that meant
But now the flames are rising higher,
I guess I haven't seen anything yet
Because it's coming down around me and I am rising up
Like a phoenix from the ashes wings across the blue
The only way out is through
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Forest of fury, kindling of fear
Oh see how dark the woods have grown after all these years
And now they're coming down around me and I am rising up
Like a lily from the shadows, glistening and perfumed
The only way out is through
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Baptism of fire all happening within
Illusions burn like tall grass in a wild and reckless wind
And now they're coming down around me and I am rising up
Like a great bell resurrected, ringing loud and true
The only way out is through"
~Julie Snow
“Embrace each challenge in your life as an opportunity for self-transformation.”
~ Bernie S. Siegel
“The weak can never forgive, it is an attribute of the strong.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi
“Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservations.”
~Elton Trueblood
"We return thanks to our mother, the earth,
which sustains us.
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We return thanks to the rivers and streams,
which supply us with water.
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We return thanks to all herbs,
which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
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We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters,
the beans and squash,
which give us life.
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We return thanks to the bushes and trees,
which provide us with fruit.
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We return thanks to the wind,
which moving the air, has banished diseases.
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We return thanks to the moon and the stars,
which have given us their light when the sun was gone.
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We return thanks to the sun,
that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
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Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,
in whom is embodied all goodness,
and who directs all things for the good of his children."
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~Iroquois Prayer (Adapted)
From "Earth Prayers from Around the World"
“Faith is taking the first step
even when you don’t see
the whole staircase.”
~ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“Open your heart and invite God into every circumstance,
because when God enters the scene,
miracles happen.”
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~Anonymous
"To love another person is to see
the face of God."
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~Victor Hugo
Messenger
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My work is loving the word.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird--
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
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Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect? Let me
keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work.
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which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium,
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here.
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which is gratitude to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mount with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever."
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~Mary Oliver
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LITANY
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One: Today we gather to re-dedicate this newly rebuilt Bell Tower.
Many: This bell has rung out over Canandaigua for years, the voice of the
church bringing hope to the community.
One: Let this bell ring so that everyone who hears can tell that our church is alive
and welcoming.
Many: Let this bell ring to call worshippers together, to announce the joy of
marriage, to remind us of those who have died and gone to God, at
funerals and memorial services.
One: Let this bell ring to remind us of God’s eternal love that rings in our lives
creating hope and a sense of belonging.
Many: Let this bell ring on the hour to mark the passing of time.
One: Let this bell ring to invite people to an inclusive and loving community
where all are accepted and valued.
Many: Let this bell ring for years and years to come.
One: Let this bell ring reminding people of the call to be the very best possible
version of themselves.
Many: Let this bell ring to touch our hearts and our lives with grace.
One: Thanks be to God for this blessed bell.
Many: May it always remind us of the presence of the Holy One in our lives
and in our community. Amen.
Blessing
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"May you never feel alone in the struggle for justice and peace.
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May you know the support of family and friends
and people who feel as passionately about the world as you do.
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May you feel a part of the great cloud of witnesses who, through the ages, did God's work and prayed for the coming of the Kingdom.
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May you never feel alone. And if you do, may you carry in your heart the words of Jesus, who told his friends: 'I am with you always.'"
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~Neil Paynter
Epiphany
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"Epiphany is a jewel
multi-faceted,
flashing color and light.
Epiphany embraces
the nations of the world,
kneeling on a bare floor
before a child.
Epiphany shows
a man
kneeling in the waters of baptism.
Epiphany reveals
the best is kept for last
as water becomes wine
at the wedding feast.
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O Holy One
to whom was given
the gifts of power and prayer,
the gift of suffering,
help us to use these same gifts
in your way
and in your name."
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(Kate McIlhagga)
"Into our world as into Mary's womb...
Come, Lord Jesus.
Into the forgotten places as into the stable...
Come, Lord Jesus.
Into the lives of the poor, bringing hope;
into the lives of the powerful, bringing caution;
into the lives of the weary, bringing rest;
into the lives of the wise, bringing restlessness;
and into our lives and longings,
whatever our estate...
Come, Lord Jesus.
This is the good news:
Christ is coming,
and blessed are those who wait on the Lord.
Therefore come quickly Lord. Amen."
(Wild Goose Worship)
“If you can’t fly then run,
if you can’t run then walk,
if you can’t walk then crawl,
but whatever you do
you have to keep moving forward.”
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~Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days,
days in whose light
everything seems equally divine,
opening a thousand windows
to show us God."
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