Our Prayer

Written by Rick Butler August 21, 2011

The prayer below is one we are asking everyone in the community of faith to pray the next several months.  It is a prayer for discernment for BVCC in the coming months.  However, the prayer is focused on wisdom for us to come to discernment through new eyes.

One use of the prayer might be to take time for meditation and reflection each week on ONE of the listening requests.  For instance, the first listening request is for "listening not as a church but as followers of Jesus."  Meditating and reflecting on the differences between the two may open new discernment, new understandings, new possibilities.  In your faith journey is it more natural for you to see yourself as a church member or a follower (disciple) of Jesus?

There are no "right and wrong" answers or "correct and incorrect" ways to go about the prayer.  We hope you will pray it, pray over it, pray through it as you open heart, mind, spirit to the One redeeming all of creation and blessing us and all people.

Grace and peace,

Rick

Holy Grace and Peace, grant us wisdom in our discernment and courage to do what we pray.  Dig out our ears, stretch our hearts, bring clarity of sight in…

Listening not as a church but as followers of Jesus
Listening not as converts and believers but as seekers
Listening not as we have been and hope we will be again, but as disciples recognizing the former has passed away and the new is in formation
Listening not as we see ourselves but as those outside our faith communitymight see us
Listening not from what we like about our church but from what difference the Christ makes in our lives individually and our life together
Listening not as ones called out from the world but as missionaries sent into the marketplace, schools, businesses, homes and communities to serve
Listening not from what you can do for us but to what you are already doing throughout creation

Gracious Mercy and Compassion, you are at constant work redeeming creation, blessing us that we might be a blessing to others. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.