3.31.10

I attended a meeting today called by Habitat for Humanity who was looking for faith groups (churches, synagogues, mosques, etc) interested in coming together in an “interfaith build” to help construct a house for a qualified family. I can’t tell you how proud I was to walk into a room, introduce myself as being from Otter Creek Church and have most of the group recognize our church family. Over the next few months we’ll be signing up volunteers interested in working side-by-side with Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and other faith groups to build a Habitat house. After the Tennessean article form a few months ago and the outcry from several churches and individuals within the Church of Christ tribe I suspect we may be offered more words of judgment and advice. What’s interesting is that it’s only a small group from within the Church of Christ that wants to tell us we should be keeping to ourselves and be alert to being too much in the world. While I learned early on not to get into a debate over this (no one is going to convince anybody) I can’t help but wonder how Jesus would respond to this. Actually I don’t have to wonder – I just have to read form the four gospels and see that his actions of spending time in the world and hanging around with questionable folks brought out the critics from within his own tribe as well. Maybe we’re in good company.

A few weeks ago I was asked to offer the “family prayer” at the Sunday service at Otter Creek. Several folks have asked me for a copy of the prayer so I thought I’d post it to this blog for your reflection and comments:

Lord God, we gather today both as a product of our prior week – whether that be a week of worship or a week of struggles – and as a plea for the week to come – that our lives might be more aligned with what you have called us to be. Not that anything we do will increase your love or favor with us – we strive to live each day out of the love that you have for us – whether or not we recognize or accept that love.
We acknowledge our need for community with you and with our brothers and sisters even though many of us fear and resist that community – we question how you could accept us after all that we have done and we struggle to truly trust our family to love us and not judge and gossip about us – because, we confess, that’s what many of us do – forgive us and change us. You created us for community so we gather today with our insecurities and fears and ask for an extra measure of your Spirit to allow us to move closer to being one with you and one with our brothers and sisters. As we confirm our shepherds today who will lead this community for the next season may we as a community unite with them and under them to give you the glory and honor in all that we say and do.
We ask you to show us your peace as we face illness, death, setbacks and disappointments. Give us wisdom to see the path to your peace and faith to accept that peace as you provide it to us.
And now Lord show us your presence as we raise our worship to you – for you are always with us, and so we say together and in faith the prayer that you taught your disciples to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth
As it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory forever
Amen