Collage from Jan. 22 service
Jan. 29, 11:00am – Morning Prayer, Youth Sunday
Catherine’s sermon for Epiphany 4 on Jan 29, 2023 may be called the “African Violet” sermon to illustrate the readings. She brought 3 of her violets.
The readings this week are like a mission statement – what should we do ? What are the essential things ? The sermon uses the Prophet Micah as a resource and Jesus teaching in the Beatitudes.
“So with the right soil, enough water and enough light, these African violets are growing and thriving. We are like the leaves that fall from my African violet. Without the essential things we need to live and grow, we just wither away. But when we have all we need, we too can grow and thrive and live in a thriving community with one another, in the human web of life.
“Micah speaks to a people who have been led astray by other gods and by leaders who have failed to look to God’s ways. His message “And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Jesus speaks his message to the poor and lost and the message is the Beatitudes which considers the areas of Micah
In today’s gospel, Jesus teaches the disciples about loving kindness—blessed are those who mourn, who are willing to let the sorrows of the world in and to feel the world’s pain, blessed are the ones who are merciful. Jesus teaches the disciples about doing justice—blessed are the peacemakers, the ones who work for justice, for when there is justice for all, God’s peace be realized on this earth.
Jesus teaches the disciples about walking humbly with God—blessed are the poor in spirit, the ones who know that they are completely dependent on God; blessed are the meek, those who live under God’s control rather than their own wills.
Jan 29, 2023 Epiphany 4 as well as the last Sunday of the month and youth Sunday. The youth were the readers of the lectionary. It was Morning prayer and the youth contributed some prayers printed below, printed in the bulletin. You can see what is important for them to bring to God
Prayers from our Youth
Dear God, Heavenly Father, thank you for the life you have given us. We thank you for our talents and what makes us unique. Amen
Dear God, Heavenly Father, thank you for the family you have given us and the friends we make along the way, especially my brothers and my sister. Amen
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the beautiful world we live in and thank you for all the animals that inhabit this earth. We pray that one day there will be no more fighting across the world you created. We will live in peace and harmony. Amen