Through Stained Glass: The Praying Community: Joys & Concerns

“Prayer does not blind us to the world, but it transforms our vision of the world, and makes us see it, all [people], and all the history of [hu]mankind, in the light of God. To pray 'in spirit and in truth' enables us to enter into contact with that infinite love, that inscrutable freedom which is at work behind the complexities and the intricacies of human existence." ~Thomas Merton

 As a people of faith, we pray. We respond to God's grace through the gift of prayer. Recently I was asked why I pray. My response was simple, "I pray as a way of opening myself to God." I pray, and I suspect you do, too, because we long to be in communion with the Triune God. We connect with the Holy Community through personal prayer and communal prayer. Personal prayer may take a variety of forms, such as conscious conversation with God; attentive and expectant silence; meditating on Scripture; the use of prayer books, devotional aids, and visual arts; and singing, dancing, or other movements. 

 Communal prayer can take a variety of forms, too. For the sake of this post, I'm specifically speaking of prayer in worship. In response to the word, we pray for the world God so loves—joining Christ's ministry of intercession and the sighs of the Spirit, too deep for words. Or, to put it another way, we pray to embody our faith. These prayers are not the work of a single leader but an act of the whole congregation as Christ's royal priesthood. We affirm our participation in the prayer through our "amen" and other responses. 

 One of my favorite practices of our church is the way we communicate our joys and concerns. Before the pandemic, we would pass the microphone through the pews, and we would share those graces that gift us with joy, as well as those burdens that concern our hearts. In our current season, we are suspending this practice until we can be together without restrictions. Our new approach for in-person worship is to invite those in attendance to fill out the green prayer cards [photo above] and place them in the offering plate. During the doxology, the usher will bring the offering and the prayer request forward, which will allow me to have them as I lead us through the people's prayers. The prayer card indicates whether your request is a joy or a concern and if you'd like to add it to the bulletin. It isn't the same as we used to do it, but it'll be a good way of keeping us connected in our prayers for where we are now. 

 Another challenge we face is getting the joys and concerns from social media to me during the worship hour. Our associate of technological ministry, Zack, will compile those he sees online and get them to me during service. If you would like to assist Zack in this endeavor on Sundays, let me know, and we will connect you all! 

 Prayer is what brings us into the life of the Trinity. The Spirit brings us into the Holy Community, where we are invited to the table to rest, listen, share, and receive hope. We pray for ourselves, yes, and those in need—especially the weak and vulnerable. Through prayer for the world, the church, creation, country and community, and First Presbyterian Church, we enter into solidarity with our neighbors, especially those suffering. We pray because it leads to action. For prayer to be prayer, we must embody what it is we pray for and what God hopes for us as a people. 

 Honestly, that's reason enough to pray and share my joys and concerns with you!