Welcome to a Gathering of EChurch@Wartburg
Here is our Order of Worship
May my own difficulties make me sensitive to others link.
Lord our God,
you have made me in your own likeness and you love all that you have made.
I thank you
for all that has been positive in my life.
I ask that I may live in such a way that I may learn
from whatever I may find
is negative or hurtful in my life.
May my disabilities and weaknesses
teach me how to be sensitive to individuals,
that I may grow more caring and compassionate for others who experience difficulties.
May I grow in strength of character through all that happens to me, living fully each day.
Amen.
A Prayer of Martin Luther link
Look, Lord,
on an empty vessel that needs to be filled.
In faith I am weak – strengthen me.
In love I am cold – warm me and make me fervent
so that my love may go out to my neighbour.
I doubt and am unable to trust you completely.
Lord, strengthen my faith and trust in you
You are all the treasure I possess.
I am poor, you are rich, and you came to have mercy on the poor.
I am a sinner, you are goodness.
From you I can receive goodness,
but I can give you nothing.
Therefore I shall stay with you.
Amen
Luke 4:14-22 (NASB Bible Gateway)
And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.
And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
A Prayer and Reflection on Aging by Dr Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784 link
Almighty God,
by whose mercy my life has continued for another year,
I pray that, as my years increase, my sins may not increase.
As age advances,let me become more open,
more faithful and more trusting in you.
Let me not be distracted by lesser things from what is truly important.
And if I become infirm as I grow old, may I not be overwhelmed by self-pity or bitterness.
Continue and increase your loving kindness towards me
so that, when you finally call me to yourself, I may enter into eternal happiness with you, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
An Evening Prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer link
O Lord my God, thank you for bringing this day to a close.
Thank you for giving me rest in body and soul.
Your hand has been over me
and has guarded and preserved me.
Forgive my lack of faith
and any wrong that I have done today,
and help me to forgive all who have wronged us.
Let me sleep in peace under your protection,
and keep me from all the temptations of darkness.
Into your hands I commend my loved ones. I commend to you my body and soul.
O God, your holy name be praised.
Christ in my sleeping
Lord, you mark when I walk or lie down; all my ways lie open to you.
When I cease activity, calm my mind.
When I am by myself,
be my companion and friend.
When I am weary and heavily laden, may your Spirit renew me.
When I lie down, may it be in peace for sleep to heal and refresh me,
for you alone, Lord make me dwell in safety.
Watch my sleeping, guard my waking, be always near.
Amen
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RE: Availability of church By-laws, etc.
In the past 35 years,My husband has pastored, or eldered, in Evangelical Free, Conservative Baptist & North American Baptist churches. In all of these the By-laws were readily available any time in the church office, and were printed by the dozens, stored in boxes & lugged out to the auditoriums before all Congregational business meetings.
A copy of the by-laws was always included in the ‘new members package’.
Our current church–Missouri Synod Lutheran (it’s a loooong story) also does this. We are just members at this church. Although it is a fairly large church, all business things are very open.