Litanies & Prayers

Women: Arise, then, women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears!

Men: Speak up, that all may hear!

W: Say firmly: We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies.

by Ken Sehested

Come close, sisters and brothers, all you who have journeyed to this House of Memory, to this Table of Delight. All you anear, welcome!. All from afar ¡bienvenido!

I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us join the assembly of mercy to hear again the mandate of peace.”

by Ken Sehested

At the conclusion of creation, God saw everything that was made, and behold, it was very good. Surely the earth is satisfied with the fruit of God’s work.

God said: I will make for you a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the air; and I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land.

by Ken Sehested,  following the 2010 British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico

In the beginning, darkness covered the face of the deep.

Then the Breath of Heaven swept across the waters, blessing the sea with all manner of creatures.

Listen close, God.

When we get together and sing

“Down By the Riverside,” we mean it.

Give heed, all you of unquestioned comfort and careless ease:

You who know little of the underside of bridges, the short side of markets, the wrong side of the tracks or the inside of jails.

The Holy One of Heaven is neither kindly uncle nor auntie sweet.

by Ken Sehested

Welcome to this Circle of faith. Today we mark both the pain and the passion of the human journey toward the arms of God.

Jesus, riding a humble donkey, entered Jerusalem, cheered by the crowd.

And God said: I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances. (Ezekiel 11:19-20)

It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.

They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, trusting in the Lord.

Oh LORD, you are my shepherd, I shall not want.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?

You make me lie down in green pastures; You lead me beside still waters.

Let young and old alike gather here, gather here
Let young and old alike gather here
Let young and old alike, proclaim our God’s delight
O’er human wrath contrite, hostile walls tumbling down
O’er human wrath contrite, tumbling down

When sorrow grips the heart, lift your voice, life your voice
When sorrow grips the heart, lift your voice
When sorrow grips the heart, to Mercy’s shade depart
To Heaven’s rest embark, linger there, linger there
To Heaven’s rest embark, linger there.

When joy surrounds your way, rise and sing, rise and sing
When joy surrounds your way, rise and sing
When joy surrounds your way, let love’s embrace convey
Redemption’s bright display, wondrous love, wondrous love
Redemption’s bright display, wondrous love, wondrous love