09-13-23

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 13, 2023
Each Tuesday, Rev. Paula Gembala puts together and sends out the Joys and Concerns associated with Cypress Creek Christian Church. There is a lot involved, and often it is just keeping track of who is where and whether someone moved. And since there are privacy laws, we always need permission before including a name or situation in the email. But there is something special about knowing the email has arrived in people’s email boxes on Tuesday afternoon, and this is something so very important to many in the life of the congregation. The names on the prayer list are lifted in prayer by a lot of faithful people, and it’s not just the names they know. There is a strong belief that there is sacred energy found in prayer, and through God, we are connected to one another. I’m not suggesting magical powers or that God is waiting around for the right number of prayers, but I have so often seen the faces of people when I tell them, "You were included on the prayer list." There is joy and humility and gratitude, for there is power in the knowledge that both friends and maybe even some complete strangers are praying for us. I love how the Apostle Paul often writes about praying joyfully for ‘all of you.’ I don’t believe Paul wrote those words in his letter just for brownie points, but even from jail (where he sometimes prayed), there was a connection to both God and the larger faith community.

Bring my prayers alongside the prayers of the whole church, Merciful God, as we seek strength and hope for the tasks before us. Amen.