Daily Devotions
Meditation, Prayers, and Assorted Stuff for July 15, 2020
Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, “Being Broken”
Jesus was broken on the cross. He lived his suffering and death not as an evil to avoid at all costs
but as a mission to embrace. We too are broken. We live with broken bodies, broken hearts,
broken minds, or broken spirits. We suffer from broken relationships.
How can we live our brokenness? Jesus invites us to embrace our brokenness as he embraced the
cross and live it as part of our mission. He asks us not to reject our brokenness as a curse from
God that reminds us of our sinfulness, but to accept it and put it under God’s blessing for our
purification and sanctification. Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.
Today’s prayer is from “Awed to Heaven, Rooted to Earth” by Walter Brueggemann.
Your word is a light to our feet and a lamp to our path.
Your word is a glue of the universe
wherein the whole creation coheres.
Your word is the address of promise
and command by which we live.
Your word has come fleshed among us full of grace and truth.
We are creatures of your word
and we give thanks for it.
For all that we are more dazzled
that your word
is carried, uttered, acted
by frail vulnerable human agents.
We ponder and give thanks
for those who this day speak your word
where it is desperately needed
and deeply resisted.
We ponder and give thanks
for those who this day
act your word for newness
and peace and justice.
We ponder with trepidation that among us
you will yet designate such carriers,
such speakers,
such actors.
In our thanks for your word,
we pray for courage in the name of the one
who emptied himself. Amen
Today’s links!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/best-weirdest-finds-lost-luggage-store/You know that luggage you lost the last time you flew? It might have ended up in an Alabama store. Find out more about the Unclaimed Baggage Center here, and shop the store’s many
finds here. https://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/06/drawing-grandmas-lessons-1918-distillery-donated-800-gallons-hand-sanitizer/Over 800 distilleries across the country turned their distilling talents to making sanitizer during this pandemic. Only one of them, though, gave all their product away. Read about the distillery, and the moonshining nurse/grandma who inspired them, here.
https://nowiknow.com/smile-of-the-century/ Those emoticons we all type? 🙂 Turns out they’ve rewired our brains—in a good way.
https://civileats.com/2020/06/15/youth-are-flipping-an-abandoned-north-carolina-prison-into-a-sustainable-farm/Youth are turning an abandoned prison in North Carolina into a farm, as well as a place of healing
and refuge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj3fpujjFisHere’s Sister Rosetta Tharpe singing “This Little Light of Mine.”
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In person worship resumes this Sunday at 8:00 a.m. Please call the church office at 475-2947 to make your reservation.
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Zoom church will continue – Sunday worship at 9:15 AM, https://us02web.zoom.us/j/815064120, Meeting ID: 815 064 120
****************************************** Dial in to participate at +1 312 626 6799.
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Copies of “Our Daily Bread” have arrived in the church office. Feel free to stop by and pick up a copy, or help distribute them to others.
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Warnecke Building Restoration has started work here at the church. Feel free to stop by for a look, but PLEASE keep a safe distance!
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This note comes courtesy of the Church Council and Wanda Heively:
We are excited that we are moving forward with the August 16 Chicken Dinner! This is an important part of the church budget, and everyone looks forward to that yummy fried chicken!!
Please mark your calendars and help where you are able:
August 8 8:00 am Clean kitchen
August 15 8:00 am Clean chicken
August 16 8:00 am Chicken dinner, carry out/drive through only, 11 am until sold out
We will need individuals to: manage the cash box (2), help as runners (many), work on the serving line (5), wash dishes (1-2), make mashed potatoes (1-2), and fill in when other workers need a break. I’m waiting to hear from the carry out crew, fryer crew, youth, etc. to see where
we need more help.
We realize some won’t be comfortable working in our current environment. However, we greatly appreciate anything you can do to help with this major event. There will be more to come as I have more to share.
To volunteer, call (475-2947) or email (stjuccdesknail@att.net) Beth at the church office.
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Stay safe and stay well!