From Maintenance To Mission

Most of the parish staff and many parishioners left this weekend, heading off on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. They will be visiting holy sites in Israel and Palestine, including the places where Jesus was born, where he performed different miracles, where he taught and healed people, where he was crucified, where he rose from the dead, and where he ascended into heaven. They are carrying with them the prayer intentions you wrote on cards and deposited into the box in the back of the church over the past few weeks, and they are remembering you and our entire parish community in their prayers. Please keep them in yours!

Prayer for Pilgrims in the Holy Land

 Jesus, I pray that our pilgrims will be spiritually nourished as they travel to the holy places shared by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Recognizing the tension and conflict they may encounter, I pray for their safety and well-being, and that they will minister to one another and those they meet with patience, kindness, and compassion. I pray that they will encounter you as they walk in your footsteps, and that they will be freshly inspired to teach, pray, welcome, love, and evangelize as you did. And when they return, I pray that they will share their experiences of faith and understanding, not only within our parish, but with the wider world. Amen.