Wednesday,  July 8, 2020

Welcome each of you to Celtic Prayer.

Iona Pilgrimage:  The sixth location on our journey path is The Hermit’s Cell, St. Columba’s place of solitude on this Scottish Island.  Now only a ring of stones, situated on the North Tip, it could have been a sheep fold or a Celtic beehive hut.   At Columba’s place of hermitage, perhaps we, like  him centuries ago, can find God’s voice deep within us through reading Scripture or viewing Creation.   St. Columba is credited as saying, “If you want to understand the Creator, seek to understand created things.” 
                                                                                                                    ... deep peace of the Son of Peace to you...Amen

Peace Be With You... And Also With You... Let us pray.

Quotes from Today’s Lectionary July 8

Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike.  Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God.  Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.                                                                                                                                                  Deuteronomy 1:17

Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!  Amen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Romans 9:5

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.  Look, your house is left to you desolate.  For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”                                                                                          Matthew 23: 37-39

The Anglican Church honors Conrad Weiser  July 13.
Conrad Weiser was an 18th Century American diplomat who worked for peace and reconciliation between European settlers and Native Peoples of Pennsylvania.  Born in Germany 1696 and moving to the US at age 17, he lived among the Mohawks of NY learning their language and culture.  Later he resettled in SE Pennsylvania where among the Iroquois his natural diplomatic gifts made him invaluable to negotiating settlements, land deeds, and treaties.  Let us be a light to the darkness and be effective ambassadors no matter our careers or vocations.

                                                                                                                     Information taken from Holy Women Holy Men, Church Publishing Inc. 2010
                                                                           

Let us continue our worship this evening by saying The Lord’s Prayer.

Let us pray for our personal needs and thanksgiving.

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,
      for ever and ever. Amen.

  The Evening Prayer Service is based on the prayers of the Iona Abbey Worship, Iona being the island off the west
  coast of Scotland, a place of ancient Celtic Spirituality and a cradle of Christianity in Scotland. 

  The service on Wednesday nights at 7:00pm is attended by faithful Christians seeking a mid-week spiritual
  devotion and usually numbers between 4 and 9 participants.  It is 20 minutes of quiet  prayer, the three daily 
  Lectionary readings plus Psalm, a homily of the "Saint for the Day" listed in Holy Women Holy Men, and Prayer
  Requests.
  The service is followed by fellowship in the Parish Hall.  We enjoy conversation and refreshments.

  Please join us for evening Prayer on Wednesday nights.  It is an excellent discipline no matter the season of the
  Church calendar

A Prayer from Iona Abbey Worship Book by the Iona Community 2000
Now that evening falls, gently fades the light;
Moon replaces sun and day takes leave of night.
Gratitude we raise for the day that's gone
And for the love that stays till dusk is kissed by dawn.
To the Maker's care we in faith commend
All we love and long for, all we still intend.
Glory be to God, glory to the Son,
Glory to the Spirit, ever Three in One.

Wednesday Evening Celtic Prayer

Here is a Celtic Prayer attributed to Saint Columba:  

Alone with none but Thee, my God,
I journey on my way;
What need I fear, when Thou art near,
O king of night and day?
More safe I am within Thy hand,
than if a host did round me stand.

My life I yield to Thy decree, 

and bow to Thy control
in peaceful calm, for from Thine arm
no power can wrest my soul.
Could earthly omens e’er appal
A man that heeds Thy heavenly call.

The child of God can fear no ill,
His chosen dread no foe,
we leave our fate with Thee tonight and wait Thy bidding when we go.
Tis not from chance our comfort springs, Thou art our trust, O king of kings.

Hoping that you have time to pray this today . . .
Peace in Christ . . . Susan

We meet in the sanctuary at 7:00 pm.  All are welcome.