July 12: Tuesday Refocus

“I pray for courage to mourn so that I may be strengthened.” - Madeleine L’Engle

Courage is required in mourning because we must first acknowledge that the world is not as it should be, that our lives are not as they should be. Honesty from our deepest depths is deeply vulnerable. It is honesty that says ‘My Father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…’ (Matthew 26:39). 

Our hope in our mourning is that “…the Lord, who daily bears us up…” is also One who is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Psalm 68:19, Isaiah 53:3). The One declared ‘…nevertheless, not as I will but as You will (Matthew 26:39).’

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

Lord, bear us up, comfort and strengthen us, and give us courage. Amen.

Amen,

AB

April 15: Liturgy + Set List

Enter in Silence [Isaiah 53:3-7, Matthew 26:26-29, Matthew 27:28-31, Mark 15:33-34]

Welcome and Corporate Confession:

Merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, By what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In Your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, And direct what we shall be, So that we may delight in your will and walk in Your ways, To the glory of Your holy name. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. [Book of Common Prayer]

• WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS

• KING OF KINGS

Corporate Confession:

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, and save Your people whom You bought with Your own blood. Do not turn away from us because of our sins. Remember us according to Your steadfast love, and Your gracious work for Your people. Deliver us that we may enjoy the benefits of Your chosen ones, and share in the joy of Your people, and join Your inheritance in giving praise. Amen. [Adapted from Seed Grains Prayer]

Individual Confession: Psalm 51:1-3

• NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

  Sermon

• MAUNDY THURSDAY HYMN

Corporate Confession Based on Psalm 51:

ALL:
Have mercy on us, O God according to Your steadfast love and abundant mercy. We confess we have committed overt and secret sins against You. We’ve done evil in Your sight and our sin is always before us. We’ve tried to right our own wrongs in pride but our guilt causes our heads to hang low.

LEADER:
For those who hide themselves in the work of Christ, our High Priest, you’ve been give a broken spirit, a contrite heart. Your transgressions are blotted out. Your iniquities cleansed. You’ve been washed whiter than snow. In Christ, you can know joy and your broken bones rejoice! God renews our spirit and creates in us a clean heart. Because God’s renewing power, we can sing aloud of His power and goodness.

Communion

• HOW CAN IT BE

• IS HE WORTHY

  Final Word, John 19:30, when ready, people leave in silence

• JESUS PAID IT ALL

December 20: Blue Christmas

For many Advent and Christmas are seasons of joy and celebration.  And still, for many others, Advent and Christmas bring back painful memories of what has been and reminders of all the ways that life is different than we had hoped.  This is the gift of a Blue Christmas.  Typically held on the longest day of winter, a Blue Christmas service invites people to hold the tension of grief and sorrow in a season of joy and celebration.

Whether your grief is acute and specific, or just the background hum from a difficult year, take time today to place all your longings before God (Psalm 38:9).  Our Savior is a Suffering Servant, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53). Pour out your heart to Him, for He cares for you (Psalm 62:8, 1 Peter 5:7).  He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).  Take heart, nothing is unseen and your every tear is caught by the One who overcame the world (Hebrews 4:13, Psalm 56:8, John 16:33).

In His First Advent, He stepped into our pain.  

In His Second Advent, He will wipe every tear and set all things right.  

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

How can you hold the tensions of gratitude and grief, sorrow and joy?

How can you pray for friends and family for whom this season feels particularly painful?

To download the full devotional, click here.

Lent Devotional [Free Download]

Lent gives us space,

the Psalms give us the language,

to remember, reflect, and repent.

To lift our eyes to our Suffering Servant Savior who has come, and is coming again.

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21 December: Blue Christmas

Life is hard.  It can be unpredictable and often painful.  Jesus reminds us that in this world we will have trouble (Jn 16:33).  2020 has left no one unscathed from the realities of living in a broken and troubled world.  Celebration and suffering can often seem at odds - as if you must ignore one or the other.  I think what Advent teaches us is that we live in a tension between the now and not yet.  We live with longing, expectation, and hope, like people who say ‘all my desires are before You…’ and clinging to the prayer ‘and if not…’ He is still good (Ps 38:9, Dan 3:18). 

A Blue Christmas service often held on the longest day of Winter, is an invitation to hold the tension of loss and expectation.  To acknowledge that grief and celebration can exist together.  To bring every part, good, bad, and ugly to the One who invites us to share our weary, and heavily burdened heart to the One who knows our need. 

Whether your grief is an acute and specific, or a general hum from a difficult year, set aside time today to place all your desires before God.  Pour out your heart to Him (Ps 62:8).  He cares for you (1 Pet 5:7).  Even when grief feels like it will swallow you whole, He will never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5).  Our Suffering Servant was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isa 53).  Take heart, nothing goes unseen by the One who loves you, and He has overcome the world.  His first Advent, He stepped into our pain, in His second, He will do away with it once and for all.  

'Come, let us return to the Lord;

    for He has torn us, that He may heal us;

    He has struck us down, and He will bind us up.’ 

- Hosea 6:1

To download a complete PDF of the O Antiphon Advent Devotional, click here.