Ann I. Hoch - "Ask What I Should Give You" (August 14, 1994)
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Transcript
Transcripts may contain inaccuracies.
(fast-paced organ music) | 0:16 | |
(choir sings) | 0:26 | |
- | Good morning and welcome to worship at Duke Chapel. | 6:14 |
Today we would like to welcome to our service | 6:20 | |
the Reverend Doctor | 6:24 | |
Ann Hoch. | 6:27 | |
Who is the Director for Student Life, | 6:29 | |
and the Associate Director of Field Education | 6:33 | |
at the Duke Divinity School. | 6:36 | |
She has been here for the last five years. | 6:38 | |
She received her PhD in homiletics | 6:42 | |
from Princeton Theological Seminary | 6:45 | |
and has served in parishes in Texas and New Jersey. | 6:48 | |
She's ordained in the Presbyterian Church USA | 6:53 | |
and is a member of the New Hope Presbytery. | 6:58 | |
We also extend a hearty welcome to | 7:02 | |
The Cathedral Boy Choir of Warsaw, Poland. | 7:06 | |
The director is Mr. Herter Joseph. | 7:10 | |
We wish them well on their tour in the USA. | 7:15 | |
Let us stand for the call to worship. | 7:19 | |
(congregation shuffling noises) | 7:22 | |
The spirit of God moves among us, | 7:28 | |
binding us in covenant with faithful people | 7:32 | |
of every time and every place. | 7:35 | |
(congregation recites muffled verses) | 7:39 | |
The spirit moves through us | 7:46 | |
making us channels of Gods love. | 7:49 | |
(congregation recites muffled verses) | 7:52 | |
(organ music) | 8:03 | |
♪ Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; ♪ | 8:43 | |
♪ to his feet your tribute bring. ♪ | 8:50 | |
♪ Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, ♪ | 8:56 | |
♪ evermore his praises sing. ♪ | 9:02 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 9:08 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 9:11 | |
♪ Praise the everlasting King! ♪ | 9:15 | |
♪ Praise him for his grace and favor ♪ | 9:23 | |
♪ To his people in distress. ♪ | 9:31 | |
♪ Praise him, still the same as ever, ♪ | 9:37 | |
♪ Slow to chide, and swift to bless. ♪ | 9:43 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 9:49 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 9:52 | |
♪ Glorious in his faithfulness! ♪ | 9:56 | |
♪ Fatherlike he tends and spares us; ♪ | 10:04 | |
♪ well our feeble frame he knows. ♪ | 10:12 | |
♪ In his hand he gently bears us, ♪ | 10:18 | |
♪ Rescues us from all our foes. ♪ | 10:25 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 10:31 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 10:34 | |
♪ Widely yet his mercy flows! ♪ | 10:37 | |
(organ music intensifies) | 10:43 | |
♪ Angels, help us to adore him; ♪ | 10:56 | |
♪ you behold him face to face. ♪ | 11:04 | |
♪ Sun and moon, bow down before him, ♪ | 11:11 | |
♪ Dwellers all in time and space. ♪ | 11:17 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 11:25 | |
♪ Alleluia ♪ | 11:28 | |
♪ Praise with us the God of grace! ♪ | 11:31 | |
- | Let us pray. | 11:48 |
Most loving and gracious God, | 11:52 | |
we confess that we are nobodies | 11:57 | |
trying to tell everybody | 12:01 | |
about that somebody that can transform all people. | 12:05 | |
Forgive us of our sins. | 12:11 | |
Those we commit knowingly | 12:14 | |
and those we do without reception of how we hurt others. | 12:17 | |
Open our hearts to hear your truth | 12:23 | |
and to understand or feel you. | 12:27 | |
So that we might be able to reach new levels of wisdom | 12:30 | |
and bring honor and glory to your name. | 12:36 | |
Fill this place and fill us with your presence | 12:40 | |
so that as we worship you today our praise might go up | 12:44 | |
to you like sweet smelling savor. | 12:49 | |
Hear these our petition as we ask it humbly, | 12:53 | |
in Jesus name, amen. | 12:56 | |
- | Let us pray for illumination. | 13:10 |
Open our hearts and minds, oh God. | 13:14 | |
By the power of your holy spirit, | 13:17 | |
so that as the word is read and proclaimed, | 13:20 | |
we may hear your message with joy this day. | 13:23 | |
Amen. | 13:28 | |
The first lesson is written in the Gospel of St. John, | 13:31 | |
the sixth chapter, beginning at the 51st verse. | 13:35 | |
I am the living bread which came down from heaven, | 13:41 | |
if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever | 13:46 | |
and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world | 13:50 | |
is my flesh. | 13:54 | |
The Jews then dispute among themselves saying, | 13:57 | |
how can this man give us his flesh to eat? | 14:01 | |
So Jesus said to them, | 14:05 | |
truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the | 14:08 | |
son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. | 14:12 | |
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life | 14:18 | |
and I will raise him up at the last day. | 14:24 | |
For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed. | 14:28 | |
He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, | 14:35 | |
abides in me and I in him. | 14:40 | |
As the living father sent me | 14:44 | |
and as I live because of the father, | 14:47 | |
so he who eats me will live because of me. | 14:51 | |
This is the bread which came down from heaven | 14:56 | |
not such as the fathers ate and died, | 15:00 | |
he who eats this bread, will live forever. | 15:05 | |
This is the word of the lord. | 15:10 | |
(muffled congregation speaking in unison) | 15:13 | |
The Psalm appointed for this morning is | 15:16 | |
number 111, found at page 832 of the hymnal. | 15:18 | |
Standing, let us read responsibly. | 15:24 | |
(congregation shuffling to stand) | 15:29 | |
Praise the Lord. | 15:36 | |
Congregation | I will give thanks to the Lord with my | 15:38 |
whole heart, in the company of the upright, | 15:41 | |
in the congregation. | 15:44 | |
- | [Mr. J. Samuel Hammond] Great are the works of the Lord, | 15:46 |
studied by all who have pleasure in them. | 15:48 | |
Congregation | His work is honor and majesty. | 15:52 |
His righteousness endures forever. | 15:56 | |
- | [Mr. J. Samuel Hammond] Who has caused his wonderful | 15:59 |
works to be remembered. | 16:01 | |
The Lord is gracious and merciful. | 16:03 | |
Congregation | He has given food to those who fear him. | 16:06 |
He always remembers his covenant. | 16:09 | |
- | [Mr. J. Samuel Hammond] The Lord has shown his people | 16:12 |
the power of his works by giving them the heritage | 16:14 | |
of the nations. | 16:17 | |
Congregation | The works of the Lords hands are | 16:19 |
faithful and just, precepts of the Lord are trustworthy. | 16:21 | |
They are established forever and ever, | 16:27 | |
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. | 16:30 | |
- | [Mr. J. Samuel Hammond] The Lord sent redemption to his | 16:34 |
people and has commanded his covenant forever. | 16:36 | |
Holy and wondrous is God's name. | 16:40 | |
Congregation | The fear of the Lord is the beginning of | 16:44 |
wisdom, all those who practice it have a good understanding. | 16:46 | |
His praise endures forever. | 16:52 | |
(organ music) | 16:56 | |
(choir sings) | 17:05 | |
(rustling noises while congregation sits) | 17:55 | |
(light organ music) | 18:16 | |
(choir sings) | 18:23 | |
(singing intensifies) | 19:01 | |
(organ music) | 19:58 | |
(choir singing softens) | 20:44 | |
(choir singing intensifies) | 21:06 | |
- | The second lesson, is written in the second and third | 21:27 |
chapters of the first book of the Kings. | 21:31 | |
Then David slept with his fathers and was buried | 21:37 | |
in the city of David. | 21:41 | |
And the time that David reigned over Israel was 40 years. | 21:44 | |
He reigned seven years in Hebron and | 21:48 | |
thirty three years in Jerusalem. | 21:52 | |
So Solomon sat upon the throne of David, his father | 21:55 | |
and his kingdom was firmly established. | 22:00 | |
Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of | 22:04 | |
David his father. | 22:08 | |
Only he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. | 22:10 | |
And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, | 22:16 | |
for that was the great high place. | 22:19 | |
Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings | 22:22 | |
upon that altar. | 22:25 | |
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night | 22:27 | |
and God said, ask what I shall give you. | 22:32 | |
And Solomon said, thou hast shown great and steadfast love | 22:37 | |
to thy servant, David, my father. | 22:42 | |
Because he walked before thee in faithfulness, | 22:45 | |
in righteousness and in uprightness of heart toward thee. | 22:49 | |
And thou has kept for him this great and steadfast love | 22:54 | |
and has given him a son to sit on his throne this day. | 22:58 | |
And now oh Lord, my God, thou has made thy servant king | 23:03 | |
in place of David, my father. | 23:08 | |
Although I am but a little child, | 23:11 | |
I do not know how to go out or come in. | 23:15 | |
And thy servant is in the midst of thy people who thou hast | 23:19 | |
chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or | 23:23 | |
counted for multitude. | 23:26 | |
Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern | 23:29 | |
thy people, that I may discern between good and evil. | 23:33 | |
For who is able to govern this, thy great people. | 23:38 | |
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this | 23:43 | |
and God said to him, because you have asked this and not | 23:46 | |
asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of | 23:50 | |
your enemies and have asked for yourself understanding | 23:55 | |
to discern what is right. | 23:59 | |
Behold, I now do according to your word. | 24:01 | |
Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, | 24:05 | |
so that none like you has been before you and none like you | 24:10 | |
shall arise after you. | 24:14 | |
I give you also what you have not asked, both riches | 24:17 | |
and honor so that no other king shall compare with you, | 24:21 | |
all your days. | 24:26 | |
And if you will walk in my ways, | 24:28 | |
keeping my statutes and my commandments as your father | 24:32 | |
David walked, then I will lengthen your days. | 24:36 | |
This is the word of the Lord. | 24:42 | |
(congregation speaking muffledly in unison) | 24:45 | |
- | Prayer begins in the action of God. | 25:00 |
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to | 25:06 | |
Solomon in a dream by night | 25:09 | |
and said, ask what I should give you. | 25:12 | |
It is the same throughout scripture. | 25:19 | |
While still sleeping in the sanctuary, | 25:23 | |
Samuel was summoned | 25:27 | |
by God several times before he responded with the words, | 25:29 | |
speak for thy servant hears. | 25:34 | |
The initiative of God in prayer is graphically depicted | 25:39 | |
in the book of Revelation. | 25:45 | |
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. | 25:48 | |
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door | 25:53 | |
I will come in. | 25:57 | |
And Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray | 26:01 | |
in the book of Matthew, said that God knows | 26:06 | |
what we need even before we ask. | 26:10 | |
Ask what I should give you. | 26:18 | |
Wow. | 26:22 | |
It's like being handed the genie-bearing magic lamp. | 26:24 | |
Or at least that is the way some of us have chosen to | 26:31 | |
understand God's initiative with us in prayer. | 26:35 | |
Ask what I should give you. | 26:42 | |
Well what do you want? | 26:46 | |
Are there any of us who are really satisfied where we are? | 26:50 | |
Do we ever have all that we want? | 26:57 | |
Nothing to resent. | 27:02 | |
Finally content. | 27:06 | |
We have heard a lot | 27:10 | |
about better communities to live in. | 27:13 | |
A new job, an ideal relationship. | 27:17 | |
Less hassle, more relaxation. | 27:22 | |
And in honest moments | 27:28 | |
we want to become better people. | 27:31 | |
More committed with simpler lives. | 27:34 | |
That's all we want God. | 27:39 | |
But what if we got it all, what then? | 27:42 | |
I am reminded of a country western song a man sings after | 27:49 | |
he and his wife run into his high school flame | 27:52 | |
at a football game. | 27:57 | |
She was the one that I had wanted for all times, | 28:00 | |
and each night I'd spend praying that God would make her | 28:04 | |
mine and if he'd only grant me | 28:07 | |
this wish I wished back then, | 28:11 | |
I'd never ask for anything again. | 28:14 | |
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers. | 28:17 | |
Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers. | 28:22 | |
And If we face the truth of it | 28:28 | |
we could sing along with that refrain. | 28:31 | |
So here we are. | 28:35 | |
Faced with the story of Solomon | 28:38 | |
and once again, we are reminded that prayer begins with God. | 28:42 | |
Ask what I should give you. | 28:49 | |
Solomon answers, | 28:54 | |
your servant is in the midst of the people | 28:57 | |
whom you have chosen. | 28:59 | |
Give your servant therefore an understanding mind, | 29:02 | |
to govern your people. | 29:07 | |
Able to discern between good and evil. | 29:09 | |
For who can govern this great people? | 29:13 | |
It is important to know what we want. | 29:20 | |
It is more important to know what we should actually ask. | 29:24 | |
Solomon asks for an understanding mind. | 29:31 | |
The word literally means, a hearing heart. | 29:36 | |
It has to do with being able at the core of one's being | 29:43 | |
to function obediently. | 29:48 | |
And the key is that Solomon ask that he be equipped | 29:52 | |
to care for those entrusted to him by God. | 29:57 | |
That he be able to function as God's officer in the | 30:02 | |
midst of God's people. | 30:06 | |
Solomon apparently got the petition right. | 30:11 | |
Because we know how God responds. | 30:15 | |
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. | 30:18 | |
But there's more. | 30:23 | |
God said to him, because you have asked this and have not | 30:25 | |
asked for yourself long life or riches | 30:29 | |
or for the life of your enemies but have asked for | 30:33 | |
yourself understanding to discern what is right. | 30:38 | |
I now do according to your word. | 30:44 | |
Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind. | 30:49 | |
I give you also what you have not asked. | 30:55 | |
Both riches and honor all your life. | 31:00 | |
If you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes | 31:05 | |
and my commandments as your father David walked, | 31:10 | |
I will lengthen your life. | 31:15 | |
While one commentator writes, to be sure what we know of | 31:20 | |
Solomon's policies does not coincide with the moral | 31:26 | |
proverbs of the Bible, | 31:31 | |
there are innumerable references | 31:34 | |
that lead us to believe that God delivered to Solomon | 31:38 | |
all that was promised. | 31:42 | |
Solomon was able to render a judicious decision | 31:46 | |
with the two harlots. | 31:51 | |
Not only did the queen of Sheba seek out Solomon to test | 31:54 | |
him with riddles, she found his wisdom and prosperity | 31:59 | |
to surpass all that she had heard. | 32:04 | |
Many wisdom sayings in the Bible are attributed to Solomon. | 32:09 | |
Including those in Proverbs, | 32:15 | |
the Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. | 32:17 | |
He largely maintained his father David's kingdom without | 32:23 | |
any major military campaign and carried on trade, | 32:27 | |
industry and building projects. | 32:32 | |
Including the temple and palace in Jerusalem. | 32:36 | |
So it seems we have an open and shut case. | 32:42 | |
God initiates it all with, ask what I should give. | 32:48 | |
Solomon asks for understanding and discernment. | 32:54 | |
God grants the request | 32:59 | |
and heaps on a whole lot more. | 33:03 | |
What we have here is a classic case | 33:07 | |
of Deuteronomic Theology. | 33:12 | |
The Old Testament is full of it. | 33:15 | |
Reading back over Israels history, | 33:19 | |
the Deuteronomic editors | 33:23 | |
distilled a theology, demonstrating that Israel flourish | 33:25 | |
qualitatively and quantitatively, | 33:31 | |
when God's promise | 33:35 | |
to be faithful corresponded with the people's | 33:37 | |
faithfulness and obedience. | 33:41 | |
The explanation of such a theology goes something like this. | 33:45 | |
If you love and obey God, | 33:51 | |
things will go well for you. | 33:55 | |
If you don't, they won't. | 33:58 | |
But from Job to Jesus, | 34:02 | |
we know this just does not wash. | 34:05 | |
It does not explain everything that happens. | 34:09 | |
I do not like saying these words any more | 34:15 | |
than you like hearing them. | 34:18 | |
But as another preacher puts it, | 34:22 | |
God does not promise us | 34:26 | |
a way out but a way through this life. | 34:28 | |
And there is no other exemplar of this fact than Jesus. | 34:35 | |
C.S. Lewis writes, | 34:43 | |
In Gethsemane the holiest of all | 34:46 | |
petitioners prayed three times | 34:49 | |
that a certain cup would pass from him. | 34:54 | |
It did not. | 34:58 | |
After that, the idea that prayer is recommended to us | 35:01 | |
as a sort of infallible gimmick may be dismissed. | 35:07 | |
In a petition from the Lord's prayer, stained with his | 35:15 | |
sweat and blood, | 35:20 | |
Jesus answers God's silence to his three prayers with, | 35:23 | |
then Father, thy will be done. | 35:29 | |
When those words, thy kingdom come, | 35:36 | |
thy will be done | 35:40 | |
trip blithely from our lips | 35:43 | |
we might do well to remember | 35:48 | |
that no more powerful invocation is uttered than this. | 35:50 | |
It gets at God's desire and design for our lives | 35:56 | |
and for the whole world. | 36:01 | |
Let me underscore that I am not talking about | 36:05 | |
a few of the so called inevitabilities | 36:10 | |
which we are quick to pass off | 36:14 | |
as the will of God because they are not our will. | 36:17 | |
This is a petition with both personal and social | 36:22 | |
implications, that God's rule | 36:27 | |
and will be accomplished | 36:30 | |
not merely in your life or in mine | 36:33 | |
but on all the earth. | 36:38 | |
For Jesus and for his chosen in the church, | 36:43 | |
a hearing heart and the ability to discern good and evil | 36:48 | |
are part and parcel of God's will and rule. | 36:53 | |
That is true of each and everyone of us. | 36:57 | |
Of our individual lives and conduct. | 37:02 | |
Moreover, it is true of how we collectively face the world. | 37:06 | |
Instead of enjoying riches however, | 37:14 | |
Jesus disciples may find themselves | 37:18 | |
among the poor and the hungry. | 37:22 | |
Rather than honored, his followers may be humbled. | 37:27 | |
And in contrast to long life, faithful pilgrims | 37:33 | |
may know sickness, mourning and death. | 37:38 | |
As the theologian, Karl Barth, points out. | 37:44 | |
What was begun in Solomon is fulfilled in Jesus. | 37:48 | |
In Solomon we see the splendor of a | 37:54 | |
solitary man's life and wisdom. | 37:57 | |
In Christ, | 38:03 | |
we too become children of God | 38:05 | |
and obtain life eternal | 38:10 | |
and the wisdom of faith. | 38:14 | |
God says, ask what I should give you. | 38:18 | |
Do we have any idea what we want? | 38:24 | |
And more importantly | 38:28 | |
do we know what we should actually ask? | 38:31 | |
We may feel somewhat like Scarlett O'Hara, | 38:36 | |
who describes her nightmare to Rhett Butler. | 38:41 | |
I just run and run and hunt and I can't find | 38:45 | |
what I'm hunting for. | 38:50 | |
It's always hidden in the mist. | 38:51 | |
I know if I could find it I'd be safe forever. | 38:56 | |
"Is it a person or a thing?" | 39:03 | |
Asked Rhett. | 39:06 | |
"I don't know", she answered. | 39:09 | |
"I never think about it". | 39:11 | |
God says, ask what I should give. | 39:15 | |
What do you want? | 39:23 | |
Think about it. | 39:25 | |
A hearing heart and the discernment | 39:28 | |
between good and evil | 39:33 | |
may well lead us toward doing God's will. | 39:36 | |
But if we think by our petition, | 39:41 | |
we can earn God's mercy, | 39:45 | |
we are sadly mistaken. | 39:49 | |
Such an arrangement never works | 39:53 | |
because by the very definition of the word, | 39:56 | |
grace is God's free gift. | 39:59 | |
If to merit mercy, our petitions are useless | 40:04 | |
but if by any means, | 40:12 | |
to fulfill the will of God | 40:15 | |
then in our petitions we will find a life | 40:19 | |
blessed by God. | 40:24 | |
Further, | 40:28 | |
we can approach God confident in the wisdom | 40:29 | |
and love of God for us through Jesus Christ. | 40:34 | |
Jesus Christ, the very one | 40:39 | |
who offers us | 40:43 | |
all that we could want and really need. | 40:45 | |
His body. | 40:51 | |
His blood. | 40:53 | |
And life forever. | 40:56 | |
Amen. | 40:59 | |
(organ music) | 41:08 | |
(choir sings) | 41:40 | |
(choir sings) | 43:22 | |
- | The Lord be with you. | 44:02 |
(muffled congregation speaks in unison) | 44:04 | |
Let us pray. | 44:06 | |
Teach us to pray, oh God. | 44:20 | |
For we know not how to pray. | 44:24 | |
Give us the discerning heart, | 44:29 | |
so that we might know your will | 44:36 | |
and do what you would have us to do. | 44:41 | |
We come to day, oh God | 44:49 | |
praying for those who are sick. | 44:50 | |
We ask your blessing and love upon them. | 44:56 | |
We pray especially today for | 45:02 | |
members of this congregation who | 45:05 | |
lay on beds of affliction. | 45:08 | |
Remember patients in the Duke Hospital. | 45:11 | |
And pray, oh God that you will deliver them | 45:16 | |
from their infirmities. | 45:18 | |
Strengthen their resolve to accept your will. | 45:21 | |
Grant them patience in their afflictions | 45:26 | |
and if it pleases you, oh God | 45:29 | |
restore them to health, | 45:32 | |
activity and wholeness. | 45:35 | |
Lord in your mercy. | 45:39 | |
Congregation | Amen. | 45:41 |
- | We pray for those who are broken hearted. | 45:44 |
Pour out your love, oh God, we beseech thee. | 45:49 | |
For those who are lonely, | 45:56 | |
abandoned or unloved. | 45:59 | |
Strengthen their hope to meet the days ahead. | 46:03 | |
Give them courage to form a new life-giving | 46:09 | |
relationship with you. | 46:13 | |
And bless them with the joy of your eternal presence. | 46:16 | |
Lord in your mercy. | 46:21 | |
Congregation | Amen. | 46:24 |
- | We pray, oh God, for your church. | 46:26 |
Grant, oh God, that your holy Catholic church | 46:30 | |
might continue to serve you, faithfully. | 46:37 | |
We pray today, especially for your church in China, | 46:45 | |
in Poland, Cuba, Haiti, Israel and Guyana. | 46:51 | |
Where we are divided, heal us. | 47:00 | |
Where we are faint of heart, embolden us. | 47:05 | |
Where we are faithful, strengthen us. | 47:10 | |
Where we have doubts, make us faithful. | 47:15 | |
Hear our prayer for the people | 47:22 | |
and clergy of this congregation. | 47:25 | |
Open our heart to your word. | 47:30 | |
So that our lives of labors may proclaim your love. | 47:33 | |
Bless us with your holy spirit, | 47:39 | |
that we may not fear the challenge that lie before us. | 47:42 | |
But grant us that we might be faithful in our lives | 47:47 | |
until the end of time. | 47:52 | |
Lord in your mercy. | 47:55 | |
Congregation | Amen. | 47:56 |
- | We pray for the people of the world. | 47:58 |
God of peace. | 48:02 | |
We beseech your blessing upon this torn and troubled world. | 48:04 | |
You have promised us a peace, which the world cannot give. | 48:10 | |
Help us, oh God, to seek your peace | 48:16 | |
above our desire for justification. | 48:19 | |
Above our need for vindication. | 48:23 | |
Above our impulses to war with our neighbor. | 48:27 | |
Teach us God to love, | 48:32 | |
rather than to hate. | 48:36 | |
To build up rather than to destroy. | 48:39 | |
To nurture peace, hope and life for all. | 48:43 | |
We pray especially for those today who are recovering | 48:49 | |
from natural disasters. | 48:53 | |
For victims of war. | 48:56 | |
For refugees. | 48:58 | |
For the unemployed and those facing unemployment. | 49:00 | |
For those who live with violence. | 49:05 | |
Sustain them with your presence. | 49:09 | |
And grant these and all our petitions through Jesus Christ, | 49:13 | |
our Lord, amen. | 49:18 | |
(muffled noises from congregation) | 49:25 | |
(choir sings softly) | 49:53 | |
(choir sings softly) | 51:03 | |
(choir singing gradually intensifies) | 51:15 | |
(shuffling of choir sitting down) | 53:37 | |
(organ music) | 53:48 | |
(organ music intensifies) | 53:59 | |
(choir sings) | 54:56 | |
- | Let us give thanks to God. | 55:56 |
God of all blessings, | 56:00 | |
source of all life, | 56:03 | |
giver of all grace. | 56:06 | |
We thank you for the gift of life. | 56:09 | |
For the breath that sustains life. | 56:13 | |
For the food of this earth that nourishes life. | 56:17 | |
We thank you for setting us in community | 56:22 | |
and for your presence here in our midst. | 56:26 | |
Abide with us and lead us in paths of righteousness | 56:31 | |
for your names sake. | 56:36 | |
Give us lives of prayer, oh God, | 56:38 | |
that would reflect, oh God, what it means to walk with you, | 56:43 | |
as children of prayer and faith. | 56:48 | |
Hear these our prayers of thanksgiving | 56:52 | |
as we ask these through Jesus Christ, your son, | 56:55 | |
who taught us when we pray to say. | 56:59 | |
- | [Whole Congregation] Our Father who art in heaven, | 57:04 |
hollowed by thy name, | 57:07 | |
thy kingdom come, | 57:09 | |
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. | 57:11 | |
Give us this day, our daily bread. | 57:16 | |
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those | 57:19 | |
who trespass against us. | 57:24 | |
And lead us not into temptation, | 57:26 | |
but deliver us from evil. | 57:29 | |
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. | 57:31 | |
- | Amen. | 57:37 |
(organ music) | 57:41 | |
(organ music intensifies) | 58:01 | |
(choir sings) | 58:25 | |
- | And now unto God who is able to keep us from falling. | 1:04:14 |
To the only wise God, | 1:04:19 | |
be glory, power and dominion, | 1:04:23 | |
now and forever. | 1:04:27 | |
Amen. | 1:04:30 | |
(fast-paced organ music) | 1:04:34 |