Images of the Church

The church is like a spring in the wilderness.
It’s not the spring itself.
It’s the water.
But if we’re thirsty, we go to the Spring.
If we’re thirsty for greatness, we go to the church!
Not for the church itself, but for the water God gives there.
The stories … the liturgies … the images and the seasons … the rites and the rituals … preaching and praying … in all of it, the greatness of God!
The Spring may be in a muddy field.
And oasis in a dry land.
And we’ll get a little dirty making our way to the Spring.
The church, you see, isn’t pure.
But the water is pure.
And on bended knee,
And with faithful hope,
We will drink.
We will find God finding us.
The soul’s thirst will be assuaged.
And the soul will become great!

The Church of Jesus Christ

We compliment one another …

Some can sing and some can pray with a special gift that blesses someone else.

Some can teach and some can preach.

Some have a way with dollars and cents.

Some can plan and organize.

Some have an extraordinary sensitivity and compassion.

Some are visionary.

Some are filled with the passions of justice and social reform.

Some dream dreams and see visions of God.

Some are quiet and some are loud.

Some are hard and some are soft.

Some are heaven-drawn.

Some are earth-anchored.

Some love the past.

Some love the future.

But take all the someones, and we have

The sum of it.

We all add up to the church of Jesus Christ.

And he loves us all.

And needs us all.

To finish his work!

T-bone Steaks, Yellow Roses and Friendship

A wonderful story brought a lump to my throat ... 


I walked into the grocery store not particularly interested in buying groceries. I wasn't hungry. The pain of losing my husband of 57 years was still too raw. And this grocery store held so many sweet memories.

He often came with me and almost every time he'd pretend to go off and look for something special. I knew what he was up to. I'd always spot him walking down the aisle with the three yellow roses in his hands.

He knew I loved yellow roses. With a heart filled with grief, I only wanted to buy my few items and leave, but even grocery shopping was different since he had passed on.

Shopping for one took time, a little more thought than it had for two.

Standing by the meat, I searched for the perfect small steak and remembered how he had loved his steak.

Suddenly a woman came beside me. She was blonde, slim and lovely in a soft green pantsuit. I watched as she picked up a large package of T-bones, dropped them in her basket.. hesitated, and then put them back. She turned to go and once again reached for the pack of steaks.

She saw me watching her and she smiled. 'My husband loves T-bones, but honestly, at these prices, I don't know.'

I swallowed the emotion down my throat and met her pale blue eyes.

'My husband passed away eight days ago,' I told her. Glancing at the package in her hands, I fought to control the tremble in my voice. 'Buy him the steaks. And cherish every moment you have together.'

She shook her head and I saw the emotion in her eyes as she placed the package in her basket and wheeled away

I turned and pushed my cart across the length of the store to the dairy products. There I stood, trying to decide which size milk I should buy. A Quart, I finally decided and moved on to the ice cream. If nothing else, I could always fix myself an ice cream cone.

I placed the ice cream in my cart and looked down the aisle toward the front. I saw first the green suit, then recognized the pretty lady coming towards me. In her arms she carried a package. On her face was the brightest smile I had ever seen. I would swear a soft halo encircled her blonde hair as she kept walking toward me, her eyes holding mine.

As she came closer, I saw what she held and tears began misting in my eyes. 'These are for you,' she said and placed three beautiful long stemmed yellow roses in my arms. 'When you go through the line, they will know these are paid for.' She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek, then smiled again. I wanted to tell her what she'd done, what the roses meant, but still unable to speak, I watched as she walked away as tears clouded my vision

I looked down at the beautiful roses nestled in the green tissue wrapping and found it almost unreal. How did she know? Suddenly the answer seemed so clear. I wasn't alone.

Oh, you haven't forgotten me, have you? I whispered, with tears in my eyes. He was still with me, and she was his angel.

Every day be thankful for what you have and who you are.
(Please read all of this, it is really nice)

This is a simple request. If you appreciate life, send this to your friends, including! the person that sent it to you.

Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings. Thank you, Lord, that I can hear. There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible. Thank you, Lord , that I can see. Many are blind.

Even though I huddle in my bed and put off rising. Thank you, Lord, that I have the strength to rise. There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned, tempers are short, and my children are so loud.

Thank you, Lord, for my family. There are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the picture in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced.

Thank you, Lord, for the food we have. There are many who are hungry.

Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to work. There are many who have no job.

Even though I grumble and bemoan my fate from day to day and wish my circumstances were not so modest.

Thank you, Lord, for life.

Pass this on to the friends you know. It might help a bit to make this world a better place to live, right? A friend is someone we turn to when our spirits need a lift.. A friend is someone to treasure.

For friendship is a gift. A friend is someone who fills our lives with Beauty, Joy and Grace and makes the world we live in a better and happier place.

YOU ARE MY FRIEND!

God bless you and yours.

Now send this to every friend you have and don't forget me 

November 29, 2009 - Prayers of the People - Advent 1

Help us, O God, to be a people of praise!

Full of love and grace.

With open arms and kindly ways.

To be a people who can see the world for what it will be.

A people who live for Christ.

We thank you, O God, for a season called Advent … for the power of hope …

For your promises to Abraham and Sarah …

Your promises to David and to Solomon …

And your promise in the prophet Jeremiah – that the days are surely coming when justice will prevail and righteousness govern the affairs of humankind.

Teach us with your Holy Spirit, O God, that your Word is no pipedream – it is the world that lives in illusion; Christ is reality.

O LORD our God, give us a great strength today, a Christ-like strength:

To live our lives as best we can.

To be responsible for our corner of the world.

To savor life’s goodness.

To enjoy friends and family.

To appreciate the smallest blessings of life.

To look upon one another with favor.

To forgive quickly and never hold a grudge.

To flow around obstacles, to bend and to adjust.

To love deeply as we want others to love us.

To forgive our debtors as you have forgiven our debts.

To share with others our daily bread.

Remind us, O God, that you are at work in our lives.

That you are at work in all things for good.

Teach us that we are yours, that nothing can separate us from your great love, given to us in Jesus Christ our LORD.

Fill us anew with your Holy Spirit:

That we might have confidence.

That we could leave here today filled with hope and peace of mind.

Knowing that we’re headed in the right direction.

That our lives count.

That our love and worship make a true and lasting difference in this world …

To make a child smile today.

To heal a breached relationship, or at least, to try.

To email a friend with whom we’ve lost touch.

To know that we can always back up and start all over again … that spilled milk can be wiped up … and harsh words can be forgotten.

Sometimes, LORD, we’re like an old piece of clay that’s been sitting out in the sun for many a day – our attitudes have hardened, and our love has grown brittle.

Sometimes, LORD, we just walk away from you … maybe we show up here, but our hearts are somewhere else.

Sometimes we’re weighed down with worries … we get lost in our fears of what the future might hold …

Sometimes, LORD, we’re just stuck in ourselves … me, myself and mine … and we don’t know how to get out.

We need your tender care.

We need your everlasting arms wrapped around us today.

We need your love more than ever.

We cannot do this on our own, O LORD.

Come to us, we pray, in mercy.

Reveal to us your love.

Heal our wounds.

Restore our courage.

Put joy into our hearts.

And brings us close to Christ.

In his name we pray,

Saying together, with one heart and mind, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven …

November 22, 2009 - Prayers of the People

Thank you, O God, for the gift of life.

To see and to hear, to taste, touch and smell.

We count our blessings, O God.

We try to name them, one-by-one.

But numbers fail us …

And so does time …

To count those who have loved us all along the journey,

And those whom we have loved,

With whom we have laughed and cried,

And found our way.

Today, we give thanks:

We thank you for your love, O God!

For the grace of Christ.

For the church of the ages – for all who have lived for the sake of love, who’ve made this a better world, who’ve stood against bigotry and prejudice, who’ve challenged kings and queens and prime ministers and presidents – who have put their lives on the line for others.

And for millions more who serve quietly without fame or fortune.

Teachers and attorneys, doctors and nurses.

Police officers and fire fighters.

Ambulance drivers and tug boat captains.

Train engineers and truck drivers.

Tool and die makers, and computer programmers.

The guy who cuts the French fries at In n Out.

The gal who checks us out at Trader Joe’s.

A whole world of people, O God, who make the world go around.

For all that is gentle, O God.

For all that is beautiful, and all that is good.

For simple things and profound things.

For the stars above, and the splash of a wave.

For Gramma’s pumpkin pie recipe and Grampa’s silly jokes.

For a box of old photographs and a bundle of love-letters tied in a blue ribbon.

For computers and email and social networks, too.

For Facebook and Twitter and Myspace and a thousand ways to stay in touch.

For cell phones that tell us where we are.

And most of all, for Christ, who tells us who we are.

For we are yours, O God.

In body, and in soul,

In life, and in death.

Now, and forever more.

And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven …

November 15, 2009 - Prayers of the People

Beloved God, whom we know in Christ Jesus our LORD.

We are grateful that you have made us a part of Christ, and Christ a part of us.

You have rescued us from the dark side.

You have forgiven us unconditionally through the blood of Christ.

Even as you refashion us into the likeness of Christ.

Be with us today, we pray.

Bless our worship with grace.

And our service with purpose.

Don’t let us drift, O God.

The tides of time sweep in so many directions.

Here and there, we find ourselves being tugged.

Anchor us, we pray, in Christ.

Keep us close to your love.

And close to one another.

We pray, O God, for the families of those who lost their lives at Fort Hood. May your Holy Spirit comfort them with your divine mercy.

We pray for the man who pulled the trigger.

We pray for Muslims in the military, and Muslims in our nation.

We pray that love will prevail over hatred.

That understanding will overcome suspicion.

That love will make a way through the tangled web of human emotion and failure.

We pray, O God, for our Designated Pastor Nominating Committee … and for Sandra Mader from our Presbytery.

We trust that your Holy Spirit will be with them, guiding them in their study and in their work. Keep them looking heavenward, and keep them on their knees.

We thank you, O God, for what has been.

We thank you for here and now.

And in Jesus’ name, we thank for what shall be.

For there is yet more work to be done.

Lives to be won.

Justice to be lived.

And love to be given.

We’re not up to the task all by ourselves, O God!

We need your Holy Spirit.

We need heaven’s help.

We need grace.

We need you, O God!

Help Covenant, dear God, to a beacon of light to the world.

That our light would so shine, that Westchester and Los Angeles and the whole world might see our good works and give glory to you, our Father in heaven.

In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done …

November 8, 2009, Prayers of the People

Draw near to us, O God.

Let us see your face in Christ, and in Christ, hear your Word.

By your Holy Spirit, O God,

Bring rest to the weary and hope to the forlorn.

Healing to the broken and courage to the fearful.

Restore the fallen, O God, and reclaim the lost.

Meet us this morning with your superior love and your infinite glory, that we might flee the lies of this world and love the truth of Christ all the more.

That in Christ, we might be the light of the world,

And the salt of the earth.

This is our prayer, O God,

This is our desire.

That we would see Christ this morning.

And be made anew in him.

This is our prayer, O God,

This is our desire.

That we would be made new in Christ!

And Christ made new in us.

LORD Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,

Take away from us all that would distort communion with your Father … take away the fear that magnifies our need, so that we might be fearless in our defense of others and untiring in our work to bring peace to our world.

Take away bitter memories that entrap us in self-pity …

Take away the grinding pressure of remorse … that we might cry no more over spilled milk, but cry all the more for the plight of the poor and the thousands of children who this day will die, cut short in life by political cruelty.

Take away all that embitters us, we pray …

That we might have a sweeter disposition …

Take away from us all false loves,

That we might love you with all of our heart and soul and strength and mind and lovr our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Take away all self-centeredness, that we might set free to serve as best we can.

Take away from us, we pray, all foolish dreams,

That we might apply ourselves to the years of our life.

To work and to work hard.

To laugh and to laugh deeply.

To expend our lives for worthy causes and high purpose.

To give back to life more than we take.

To add rather than subtract.

Build up rather than tear down.

That we might bring cheer to our homes and workplaces.

Peace to a troubled neighbor.

Hope to a co-worker.

That we might be a little Christ for those who know us.

And find our place in Christ, and find Christ in our place.

Today, O God, in this place called Covenant.

Covenant on the Corner.

Covenant on the move.

We thank you …

We thank you for all who serve you with glad hearts and joyful spirits.

Our musicians and our singers.

Our liturgists and our Sunday School teachers.

Our Deacons and our Elders.

Our greeters and our ushers.

Presbyterian Women and Groups Alive.

Youth ministries and Canines@Covenant.

Michelle and Edgar.

All who are here Sunday-by-Sunday to praise your name and to learn your Word.

Thanks be to you, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In the name of the Son, our LORD Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth …