Welcome to a Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg
Here Is Our Order of Worship
If you are new to EChurch, please click on this link for an explanation
A song (above by Fernando Ortega) and a prayer from the Odes Project Link
The Odes of Solomon are hymns of praise and devotion that we inherit from an early poet. The author, the Odist, was a Jew, conceivably an Essene because he intermittently evidences that he knew the Thanksgiving Hymns (the so-called hymnbook of the Qumran Community). The Odist eventually believed that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and imagined: “The dove fluttered over the head of our Lord Messiah, /Because he was her head” (Ode 24:1).
Since 1909, when the Odes were found in a Syriac manuscript, scholars have edited the extant Greek, Coptic, Latin, and Syriac texts, and translated them into many modern languages, included English, German, and French. While the Odes are well known to historians and scholars, they are virtually unknown to theologians, church leaders, and the laity. The purpose of the Odes Project is to render a voice to the Odist’s creations and make the Odes familiar to all. A movement is now sweeping the world; it is a recognition that the Odes invigorate worship and supply a joy and happiness to liturgy.
Here is a Prayer: Ode 13
Join with our brothers and sisters from the Ist century.
Behold, the Lord is our mirror.
Open (your) eyes and see them in Him.
And learn the manner of your face,
And so declare praises to His Spirit.
Then wipe the paint from your face,
And love His holiness and put it on.
Then you will be unblemished at all times with Him.
Hallelujah
A Prayer/Poem/Reflection found by C.S. Lewis Link
They tell me, Lord, that when I seem
To be in speech with you,
Since but one voice is heard, it’s all a dream, One talker aping two.
Sometimes it is, yet not as they
Conceive it. Rather, I
Seek in myself the things I hoped to say But lo!, my springs are dry.
Then, seeing me empty, you forsake
The listener’s role and through
My dumb lips breathe and into utterance wake The thoughts I never knew.
And thus you neither need reply
Nor do; thus, while we seem
Two talkers, thou art One forever, and I No dreamer, but thy dream.
Amen
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:2 (NASB Bible Gateway)
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Brother Rogers Prayer Link
Brother Roger Schutz is Prior of the Taize Community in France.
Heavenly Father
Like your disciples on the road to Emmaus,
we are so often incapable of seeing that you,O Christ, are our companion on the way.
But, when our eyes are opened,
we realise that you were speaking to us, even though perhaps we had forgotten you.
Then the sign of our trust in you is that, in our turn, we try to love, to forgive with you.
Independent of our doubts or even our faith, O Christ, you are always there:
your love burns in our heart of hearts.
Amen
Faith and Worship Link
Loving Father,
all the fancy words
in the world,
expressed in eloquent prose,
decorated with emotion,
spoken with conviction,
cannot compete with a heartfelt
'sorry'
when all other words fail.
There are times
when we are all too aware
of our limitations,
conscious of sin,
and the distance it creates between us.
Sometimes 'sorry'
is all the heart can bear to say aloud.
It is only you
who can read and understand
the language of our hearts,
only you who can translate our 'sorry'
into the prayer we would have prayed,
if we had the words within us.
Then you forgive,
and having forgiven
surround us in an embrace of love,
drawing us close to your heart,
as it was always meant to be.
Thank you, Loving Father,
that you listen to hearts,
as well as voices
Thank you.
Romans 15:5-6 (NIV) Benediction
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen!
Amen.
Wade, just a word to tell you how much I enjoyed your dad’s sermon last week and look forward to a continuation on the topic of criticism.
And a hearty “Congratulations” to you and Rachelle on becoming grandparents!
As always, your words were so very helpful and somehow always manage to be relevant to current situations in my (and others’) life. Especially helpful to me was your illustration of enduring a bone marrow transplant for the healing of a loved one to reveal Jesus’ love for us when enduring the shame of the cross.
While I couldn’t relate to your wrestling match illustration, I did have a circumstance in my life where I needed to tag-team Jesus. I was on a tall ladder about 12′ off the ground when it began to tip. As I was falling, I had the foresight to turn slightly so as to not fall on my face. I landed on my backside but the fall knocked the breath out of me and I found myself on the ground unable to breathe. All I could do was reach out to Jesus by saying His name over and over in my spirit/mind and He came to my rescue. The outcome could have been much worse than a splintered rib or two, but I’ve never forgotten that time when I turned my focus onto Him in the midst of a difficult/dangerous situation and knew He heard me. So thank you for the reminder to focus on Jesus.
Dee and Deb, the “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” was so beautiful and appropriate. Thanks again to both of you for providing such beautiful worship hymns.
Mary Ann
Victorious / Mary Ann,
Thanks for sharing that wonderful testimony with us!
Emmanuel Enid sang “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” last Sunday just before Wade preached the message in this EChurch post. The credit goes to their music minister. I enjoy his song selections.
Wade, bless you. I was overwhelmed as I heard you say that I was Jesus’ joy. I don’t remember being told that before. How awesome. I needed to hear this.
I would like to ask my fellow echurch members to pray for a family member who is having a difficult time dealing with the passing of a loved one.
Thank you all and thank you Dee, Deb, and Wade for being a place of refuge for us.
scooters mom, your family member will be in my prayers.
scooter’s mom,
I will also be praying. I’m so grateful Wade is an encouragement during this difficult time.
Scooter’s mom,
Your family member is in our thoughts and prayers!
Victorious,
Thanks for your kind comment! Blessings to you!
Unfortunately, I am one of those that was originally taught or thought that Heb. 12:2 WAS as if we were running towards Jesus. I loved this clarity on it. Much more comforting knowing He is “on my team”!
Prayers, scooters mom…
thank you all for your prayers.
Eagle – I am so glad to read that you will “wade into the water again”. After many years, I also have found a church that shows nothing buy love. It is an episcopalian church which my old church would say is preaching heresy. I found though that they are not heretics and for the very first time in my life, I can’t wait to get up on Sunday and go to church. the prayers, communion, all of it is uplifting. this is the first time that I have left a church service and felt better than when I went in. (except for E-Church, of course!!!) I find the liturgical service to be comforting and a real connection to God and past saints. I pray you will find the same joy as I have.
Eagle,
I’m proud of you for having the courage to “wade into the water again”. You have come A LONG WAY since you first commented here at TWW, and I am grateful.
You are an inspiration to me, and I’m keeping you in my prayers.
Eagle,
Thanks for your kind comment. I, like Deb, am thrilled to see you “wade into the water again.” You have far too much to offer in terms of the Kingdom!
Tammy,
Your comment encouraged me because at least you “taught” Hebrews 12:2 and weren’t restricted from doing so! 🙂