Prince of Peace

Snippet

. . .to be a monk means being still and at peace, at home in mind and body and ease with one’s place.  Kathleen Norris Dakota Pg 19 

Scripture

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20,21 NIV

Song

Peace on Earth by U2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J74E6yanaO8

Heaven on Earth

We need it now

I'm sick of all of this

Hanging around

Sick of sorrow

Sick of pain

Sick of hearing again and again

That there's gonna be

Peace on Earth

Where I grew up

There weren't many trees

Where there was we'd tear them down

And use them on our enemies

They say that what you mock

Will surely overtake you

And you become a monster

So the monster will not break you

It's already gone too far

Who said that if you go in hard

You won't get hurt

Jesus could you take the time

To throw a drowning man a line

Peace on Earth

Tell the ones who hear no sound

Whose sons are living in the ground

Peace on Earth

No whos or whys

No-one cries like a mother cries

For peace on Earth

She never got to say goodbye

To see the colour in his eyes

Now he's in the dirt

Peace on Earth

They're reading names out over the radio

All the folks the rest of us won't get to know

Sean and Julia, Gareth, Ann and Breda

Their lives are bigger, than any big idea

Jesus can you take the time

To throw a drowning man a line

Peace on Earth

To tell the ones who hear no sound

Whose sons are living in the ground

Peace on Earth

Jesus this song you wrote

The words are sticking in my throat

Peace on Earth

Hear it every Christmas time

But hope and history won't rhyme

So what's it worth?

This peace on Earth

Peace on Earth

Peace on Earth

Peace on Earth

Sentence Prayer

Jesus

You have been King of my glory

Won't You be my Prince of Peace  Amen

Rich Mullins Hold Me Jesus

NEIGHBORS

Snippet

How are we to get along with our neighbor in hard times and good?  How can we make relationships that last? Those who live in small rural communities, who come to know their neighbors all too well over the years, know the truth of the words of a sixth-century monk, Dorotheus of Gaza:”the root of all disturbance, if one will go to its source, is that no one will blame themselves.” When I read Those words in a sermon at Hope Church, one old farmer forgot himself; he nodded and said aloud, that’s right.” He was assenting to a hard truth, one confirmed by a lifetime of experience.”  Kathleen Noriss Dakota pg 174

Scripture

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11 NIV

Song

Fray Save a Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjVQ36NhbMk

Step one – you say, "We need to talk."

He walks, you say, "Sit down. It's just a talk."

He smiles politely back at you

You stare politely right on through

Some sort of window to your right

As he goes left and you stay right

Between the lines of fear and blame

And you begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best

'Cause after all you do know best

Try to slip past his defense

Without granting innocence

Lay down a list of what is wrong

The things you've told him all along

Pray to God, he hears you

And I pray to God, he hears you

And where did I go wrong? I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

As he begins to raise his voice

You lower yours and grant him one last choice

Drive until you lose the road

Or break with the ones you've followed

He will do one of two things

He will admit to everything

Or he'll say he's just not the same

And you'll begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

How to save a life

How to save a life

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend

Somewhere along in the bitterness

And I would have stayed up with you all night

Had I known how to save a life

How to save a life

How to save a life

Sentence Prayer

Draw us ever closer into your community, Father, son, and Holy Spirit, that we might love one another and work with one another in ways that Mirror your care and unending love.  Amen

(Common Prayer a Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals pg 499)

THE LORD OF THE SEA

Snippet

“There are houses in Gloucester where grooves have been worn into the floorboards by women pacing past an upstairs window, looking out to sea.” ― Sebastian Junger, The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea

Scripture

The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psalms 77:18-20 KJV

Song

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald By Gordon Lightfoot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down

Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee

The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead

When the skies of November turn gloomy

With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more

Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty

That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed

When the gales of November came early

The ship was the pride of the American side

Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin

As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most

With a crew and good captain well seasoned

Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms

When they left fully loaded for Cleveland

Then later that night when the ship's bell rang

Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?

The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound

When the wave broke over the railing

And every man knew, as the captain did too

'Twas the witch of November come stealin'

The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait

When the gales of November came slashin'

When afternoon came it was freezing rain

In the face of a hurricane west wind

When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck

Sayin' "Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya"

At seven PM a main hatchway caved in

He said, "Fellas, it's been good to know ya"

The captain wired in he had water comin' in

And the good ship and crew was in peril

And later that night when his lights went out of sight

Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Does anyone know where the love of God goes

When the waves turn the minutes to hours?

The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay

If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her

They might have split up or they might have capsized

They may have broke deep and took water

And all that remains is the faces and the names

Of the wives and the sons and the daughters

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings

In the rooms of her ice-water mansion

Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams

The islands and bays are for sportsmen

And farther below, Lake Ontario

Takes in what Lake Erie can send her

And the iron boats go as the mariners all know

With the gales of November remembered

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed

In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral

The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times

For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down

Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee

Superior, they said, never gives up her dead

When the gales of November come early

Sentence Prayer

Almighty God, who hast given the sea Thy

decree, and whose dominion is over the fish

of the sea and whatsoever passeth through

the paths of the sea, grant Thy blessing, we

beseech Thee, to all who go down to the sea

in ships and do business in the great waters.

Be pleased, for Christ's sake, to bless Thy

servants who now pray to Thee. Preserve us

in times of storm ; guide us in all our courses

and in all our ventures, and prosper us in all

things. Bless our loved ones in their homes ;

keep them from fear for us, and grant unto

them the gift of perfect trust in Thee, their

God and Father in Jesus Christ.  Amen

(http://www.archive.org/stream/prayersforsailor00churuoft/prayersforsailor00churuoft_djvu.txt)

LIFE'S TOO SHORT

Snippet

The only way to figure out what to do with your time is to get a grasp on your priorities in life.  Of course, the current way you spend your time is a present reflection of your priorities.  Simple Life Rainer & Rainer.

Scripture

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ Luke 12:20 NIV

Song

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WWYKLPNX

HeeSun Lee - Life Is Too Short

I have no Lyrics for this song

Sentence Prayer

Search me O God, and know my heart today

Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray

See if there be some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from every sin and set me free

Orr Our daily Bread 2012 Devotional collection Nov 5

STAND BACK UP

Snippet

"We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials."  ~ St. Teresa of Avila

Scripture

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4 message

Song

Stand Back Up by Sugar Land

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NXoonZtqwc

Go ahead and take your best shot,

Let 'er rip, give it all you've got,

I'm laid out on the floor, but I've been here before,

I may stumble, yeah I might fall,

Only human aren't we all?

I might lose my way, but hear me when I say,

I will stand back up,

You'll know just the moment when I've had enough,

Sometimes I'm afraid, and I don't feel that tough,

But I'll stand back up,

I've been beaten up and bruised,

I've been kicked right off my shoes,

Been down on my knees more times than you'd believe,

When the darkness tries to get me,

There's a light that just won't let me,

It might take my pride, and my tears may fill my eyes,

But I'll stand back up,

I've weathered all these storms,

But I just turn them into wind, so I can fly,

What don't kill you makes you stronger,

When I take my last breath,

That's when I'll just give up,

So, go ahead and take your best shot,

Let 'er rip, give it all you've got,

You might win this round but you can't keep me down,

'Cause I'll stand back up,

And you'll know just the moment when I've had enough,

Sometimes I'm afraid and I don't feel that tough,

But I'll stand back up,

You'll know just the moment when I've had enough,

Sometimes I'm afraid and I don't feel that tough,

But I'll stand back up.

Sentence Prayer

Jesus

Your obedience was perfected in suffering

Teach me to stand back up when knocked down

For your glory and honor.

Help me to persevere to the end.  Amen

COMMUNITY

Snippet

A strong sense of community reduces the stress from too-rapid change.

Lessons for living

Scripture

Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. Acts 2:43-45 Message

Song

My Town Montgomery Gentry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EWTxTIH9Q4

There's a "For Sale" sign on a big old rusty tractor.

You can't miss it, it's the first thing that you see.

Just up the road, a pale-blue water tower,

With "I Love Jenny" painted in bright green.

Hey, that's my Uncle Bill, there by the courthouse.

He'll be lowerin' the flag when the sun goes down.

And this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Hey!

Where I was born, where I was raised.

Where I keep all my yesterdays.

Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,

An' it came to blows with my old man.

Where I came back to settle down,

It's where they'll put me in the ground:

This is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

My town.

There ain't much goin' on here since they closed the mill.

But that whistle still blows ev'ry day at noon.

A bunch of us still go down to the diner.

I wonder if that interstate's still comin' through.

Come Sunday morning service, at the Church of Christ,

Well there ain't an empty seat to be found.

And this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Where I was born, where I was raised.

Where I keep all my yesterdays.

Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,

An' it came to blows with my old man.

Where I came back to settle down,

It's where they'll put me in the ground:

This is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

My town.

Well, I bought and painted up that rusty tractor.

You can't miss it, it's sittin' right there in our yard.

The County came and took that water tower,

And that's Jenny, with a baby, in the car.

Ah, we're off to Sunday service at the Church of Christ,

And if we want a seat, we better leave right now.

And maybe later, me an old T-roy will show you around,

Our town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, where I was born, where I was raised.

Where I keep all my yesterdays.

Where I ran off 'cos I got mad,

An' it came to blows with my old man.

Where I came back to settle down,

It's where they'll put me in the ground:

This is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

Yeah, this is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

This is my town.

(Na, na, na, na, na.)

My town.

Sentence Prayer

Look Kindly on our world, our God.

As we suffer and struggle with one another.

Look kindly on your church,

Driven by the same necessity;

And may the light we have seen in Jesus

Illuminate and brighten all the world.

Amen

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR PERSECUTED CHURCHES

Snippet

The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. Tertullian

Scripture

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[a] were killed just as they had been. Revelation 6:9-11 NIV

Song

Safe by Phil Wickham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZAUq1-c8dw

To the one whose dreams have fallen all apart

And all you're left with is a tired and broken heart

I can tell by your eyes you think you're on your own

But you're not alone

Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas

Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet

With a love so strong it never lets you go

No you're not alone

You will be safe in His arms. You will be safe in His arms

The hands that hold the world are holding your heart

This is the promise He made, He will be with you always

When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms

Did you know that the voice that brings the dead to life

Is the very same voice that calls you now to rise

So hear Him now, He's calling you home. You will never be alone

You will be safe in His arms. You will be safe in His arms

The hands that hold the world are holding your heart

This is the promise He made, He will be with you always

When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms

Cause these are the hands that built the mountains, the hands that calm the sea

These are the arms that hold the lame and they are holding you and me

These are the hands that heal the leper pull the lame up to their feet

These are the arms were nailed to the cross to break our chains and set us free

You will be safe in His arms. You will be safe in His arms

The hands that hold the world are holding your heart

This is the promise He made, He will be with you always

When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms

You will be safe

You will be safe

When everything is falling apart, you will be safe in His arms

Prayer

Lest we forget thine own persecution and death upon the cross for the redemption of thy servants. Quicken us, O Persecuted Lamb of God.

Lest we forget the crushing grief of thy Blessed Mother, Mary, sorrowing before the cross at thy bloody sweat and agony, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget how thy Holy Apostles, bereft of their master, walked in fear while they awaited thy Holy Spirit, the Comforter, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord

.

Lest we forget Blessed John Baptist, who proclaimed thee Lamb of God to the world, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget thy martyr Stephen, crying out to thee to forgive his persecutors as they stoned him to death, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget thine Apostles, St. Peter, St. James and St. Paul, who died for preaching thy Gospel, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.

Lest we forget all the saints and martyrs who served thee faithfully throughout the ages, In thy mercy quicken us, O Lord.  (http://idop.org/pages/resources/litany.php)