Wedding Prayer for Blended Family

The following prayer comes primarily from the prayers of the people in the marriage ceremony found in the Canadian Book of Alternative Services (Anglican Church). It has been adapted to be suitable for a second marriage that includes children. Responses can be added as desired.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, in whom we live and move and have our being, look graciously upon the world which you have made and for which your son gave his life, and especially on all whom you make to be one flesh in holy marriage. May their lives together be a sacrament of your love to this broken world, so that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy overcome despair.

May name and name so live together that the strength of their love may enrich our common life and become a sign of your faithfulness.

May they be blessed as they, along with their children, (names of children here) build a new home and family life together. May this be a place of truth, security, and love; and their lives an example of concern for others. In all that they face together as a new family, provide for them strength and courage, and spirits of joy and thanksgiving.

May those who have witnessed these vows find their lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed. And as a community, may we all offer support and encouragement to one another so that all our relationships might be a reflection of your love shown to us through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Praying for Haiti

In preparing my sermon this week, the week of the tragedy in Haiti, I found myself taken by the prayer of Isaiah for Jerusalem in chapter 62 of that book (vs. 1-5). Following is my reworking of that prayer on behalf of the people of Haiti. May we all pray with hope in the promises and love of God.

For Haiti's sake I will not keep silent, and for the sake of the Haitian people I will not rest, until their vindication shines out like the dawn, and their salvation like a burning torch.
2The nations shall see your decency and goodness, and all the World leaders your dignity; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.
3You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord.
4You shall no more be termed devestated, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called a Bride of God, for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride.
5Your children will commit themselves to you, nation of Haiti, just as a young man commits himself to his bride. Then God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

(This was an exercise we did during a book discussion group that looked at the person of Jesus and our experience of him in history and in our lives today. The following is an "alpha-poem". You will note that each line begins with a letter that spells out the title.

Walking in the midst of us
Holding each person with care, gently
Out of love and with compassion.
Dancing, laughing, singing
Out loud and loudly.
You lived fully, truly and with vigour. You
Organized disorganized hopefuls,
Understood those misunderstood,
Stood
And waited for those who needed time. Yet
You also pushed
Those who refused to move;
Hated that which betrayed love.
All the world belonged
To God
In your eyes,
And you lived and died reaching out to
Meet that world waiting for your embrace.