Sharing is Praying

Day 7: September 21, 2013

Isaiah 58:5-11

It’s hard to remember to pray. I try to give God thanks before every meal, when I wake up, and when I’m preparing for bed. But it’s just as easy to feel guilty and ashamed when we forget or are too exhausted from the day’s work.

Thankfully, our God has given us other ways to give thanks and praise to our Creator. The prophet Isaiah explains that we may also give praise to God by sharing what we have with others. Isaiah wants us to know that God sees our “light breaking forth” whenever and wherever we practice justice, love, and liberation. A mouthful of food might get between us and our daily prayers, but when the table is shared with others the meal itself becomes a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Holy and Merciful God, we give you thanks.  Guide our hands and feet, O Lord, that we might seek out those in the world who are standing in need of our presence.  Help us become ambassadors of your love and justice.  Help us remember to pray, not only with our lips, Lord, but with our whole being. Amen.

Rev. Nathan Dannison

First Congregational Church, UCC

Kalamazoo, MI

www.kazoofcc.org

Hide and Seek

Day 5: September 19, 2013

Amos 5:14-15

As a child, I played Hide and Seek with my grandmother and sister. I preferred being the one hiding. Seeking required more effort.

Seeking good requires extra effort, too. Yet, Amos tells us we must do it so we may live. Seeking good not only allows us to live but others, too. Amos would say this is one game of Hide and Seek that is worth the extra effort.

Gracious God, For a world where all children can play Hide and Seek, we pray. For a world where children can seek good and not live in fear, we pray. Help us establish justice in your gate, so all may live. Amen. 

Rev. Susannah DeBenedetto

United Church of Christ Minister

serving St. Giles Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)

Raleigh, NC

www.saintgiles.org/

Measure Up, While Growing Up

Day 3: September 17, 2013

Isaiah  28:14-17

On the chimney in the attic of the parsonage are the names and heights of children who grew up here long ago. We have done the same on a doorway on the second floor.  Measuring one’s height and age in comparison to siblings is something many have done.

We like to know how we measure up. God invites us to use justice and righteousness as the measuring stick of our lives. Built upon the foundation of faith in God, we can trust that we will be bearers of peace as we grow in our faith.

Holy God, help us to see your standards, presented in your word.  Help us to trust that in living according to your word, we will make a difference in the world for all. Amen.

Jeffrey S. Dick

Pastor

First Congregational Church, UCC

South Haven, MI

www.uccsouthhaven.com

"You're welcome . . . sort of"

Matthew 10:40-42

In our congregations, often kids are welcome to be seen, not heard.  Members love to see many little ones gather for Children’s Moment but would rather not hear them before or after.  Sound familiar?  Do young people read liturgy?  Does the preacher only use big words in the sermon?  How many of our congregations include children on the Board or search committees, even those hiring a Children’s Minister?  


Welcoming implies an opportunity for leadership and acceptance, not simply lip service or tolerance.  We must continue to advocate for true welcoming in the whole life of the church and beyond. This is our calling as followers of Jesus’ teachings – “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.”  Is that so hard? 

Prayer

Welcoming God, Implore us to receive with open arms the little ones in our midst.  Help us to go beyond lip service and strive to empower young people to be leaders in our churches, that we may open the doors to You and Jesus by doing so.We ask this as Disciples of Christ, Amen.

Rev. Sarah Renfro

Associate Minister for Families, Youth & Children

First Christian Church

Frankfort, Kentucky

http://www.1stchristianfrankfort.org

Leading Astray

Matthew 18:6-7

Children depend on adults to teach them right from wrong and good from bad. In today’s world there are many adults who are not up to the challenge. If we do not show children the right path how can we expect them to walk it?

Today’s children are surrounded by poverty, violence, war, and social degradation. If there is no one in their life who will teach them how to rise above this, they will inevitably repeat the cycle. The children are our future. How do you want to spend it? 

Prayer

Lord of guidance and truth; Help us to have the wisdom to lead the children. That we may show them the right path and help them to overcome all the stumbling blocks in their lives. Amen

Angela Kern

Portland, Tennessee

Being God's Eyes & Ears

Genesis 21:15-20

How often in the news do we see the tragedies that effect families and children? Often children suffer most for the mistakes of parents or uncaring adults.  Fortunately most of us will never know the desperate situation Hagar faced when she placed baby Ishmael under that bush. Unfortunately there are others in our world who do know this sense of anguish.

In the horn of Africa thousands are fleeing famine in search of food and have lost children to a horrific cholera epidemic. Here in the U.S., since 2000, the number of children living in poverty has increased by four million. We can only imagine the choices these families face.

Prayer

God, remind your people of your presence in the world and equip them to be your eyes and ears, your hands and feet, and most of all your heart in this hurting world. Amen.

Rev. Tracy Parker
First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Paris, Kentucky

http://www.firstchristianparisky.com

Shine the Light

Isaiah 58:5-11

The Children’s Defense Fund 2011 report of the State of America’s Children announces that in the last decade the number of children participating in the National School Lunch Program has increased 15% over the last decade. Finger pointing is useless and the motions of prayer are not enough, says Isaiah. The light of a nation rises when the children are fed.  

Prayer

Lord, we are looking for your guidance. May we find courage and compassion in these forty days to stand up for children who depend on school lunch for nutrition. Show us ways as Church to provide for them when our nation dims its light. Amen.

Rev. Laurel Ragland

First Christian Church

Claremore, Oklahoma

http://www.claremoredisciples.com

God Remembers Those That Suffer

Psalm 9:12-18

God created all of us equal and promised to take care of us. Some children of God are not treated equally by all of us. These children are looked down upon. They are left out because they are different or face challenges. We must strive to make our leaders and planners remember children who are left out. God has promised that, "the needy will not always be neglected and the hope of the poor will not be crushed forever." 

Prayer

Father, may we often be reminded that we are all made in Your image. May we hold those who cause suffering accountable while remembering that you are the arbiter of justice. May we help You eliminate the suffering of those who are different. Amen. 

Jim Price

Member

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

New Martinsville, West Virginia

http://www.nmfcc.com

Seek Good

Amos 5:14-15

Amos warns the wealthy that what they have gained by “trampling on the poor” will be lost.  He tries to redirect the people to “seek good, not evil,” “hate evil, love good.”

When society places its priorities on the accumulation of wealth by whatever means, evil has already taken a front seat. 

Employers closing facilities for cheaper, often exploited labor, leave communities bereft of jobs and public school funding. Seeking good?   Allowing children to attend school in crumbling buildings with out-of-date texts, no basic supplies and over-wrought teachers speaks more to trampling on the poor than loving good.

Who will be the Amos of today to cry out for the children?

Prayer

Lord help us to find our courage to speak for justice “at the gate,” - in the places where the most vulnerable gather. May we seek good and live. Amen.

Rev. Maggie Sebastian

VA Medical Center

Portland, Oregon

Feed My Sheep

Deuteronomy 24:14-20

Just harvesting.  Just living.  Those who are the most vulnerable, the most needy, the text tells us, are to be taken care of first no matter what the normal business policies may be.

Preferential treatment of the poor is the idea that God, as revealed through scripture and experience, expects that the poor, the least of these, are to be given more consideration by the rest of society because of their fragile state.  Nearly 15 million or 21% of children in the U.S. live below the federal poverty level.

Too often in our “pull yourself by your bootstraps” society, we want to condemn those who are impoverished as lazy, stupid, or at least lousy decision-makers. God makes no such judgment. God does not give qualifiers to poverty. God just says, "feed my sheep."


Prayer

Lord, Lord, we want to deem who is worthy of our great beneficence.  Perhaps we should pray, Dear One, that we are worthy to be Christ-like benefactors. Amen.

Rev. Maggie Sebastian

VA Medical Center

Portland, Oregon

Educating Leaders

Isaiah 3:4-9

It is a gloomy picture of Judah.  No one will even want to be their ruler.  Justice is no where to be found. 

The problem is this: uneducated people--children according to the text--are given responsibilities beyond their capabilities.  They have not been taught the ways of just governance.  

So how are we doing in educating our young people to be leaders in the church and community?  If we fail to teach our children justice, fairness, and compassion, we will be like Judah. “The people will be oppressed,” and we, their educators, will be found guilty.

Prayer

Holy One, give us hearts of justice and compassion that we pass on to our children.  May they learn by our example.  Amen.

Rev. Maggie Sebastian

VA Medical Center

Portland, Oregon

God is Not Partial

Deuteronomy 10: 12-22

God is not partial. God executes justice for those in the greatest need. God took care of our ancestors when they were strangers in a strange land. Let us recognize what a loving God does and do likewise. 

In this time of diminishing resources let us remember the generosity of God and extend that generosity to others, without partiality. We, faithful followers of Jesus, must continue to work just as hard for educational opportunities for the children of strangers as we do for our own children.

Prayer

God of justice and impartiality, as we begin this season of prayer for children, open our hearts and give us courage to speak and act on behalf of those who are most vulnerable, the children, in our local communities and in the wider world. Amen.

Kaye Edwards

Church of the Covenant, UCC/Disciples

Lynchburg, Virginia

http://www.chcov.org