A Prayer Inspired by Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 3:1-6

A Prayer Inspired by Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 3:1-6

Advent 2C

December 6th, 2015

A prayer for use in worship inspired by the lectionary texts for the 2nd Sunday of Advent (Year C), December 6th, 2015.  Inspired by Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 3:1-6

God of every valley,
we confess to you that many of us are in valleys,
     valleys of chronic depression,
     valleys of lost loved ones,
     valleys of physical and mental illnesses,
     valleys of divorce and domestic violence,
     valleys of unemployment and underemployment,
     valleys of racial oppression and ethnic warfare,
     valleys of homelessness and ridiculous rates of incarceration.
We confess that there are many parts of our lives that need to be lifted up.
Your prophet Malachi reminded us of our need for purification,
our need for your aggressive attention to our shortcomings and brokenness.
Come, refining God, and mold us into a people willing to partner with you
to usher in your kingdom where the low and the mighty are brought together.

God of every mountain,
we also confess that many of us are on mountains,
     mountains of racial privilege,
     mountains of disproportionate financial wealth,
     mountains of stigmatizing mental illness,
     mountains of white privilege,
     mountains of consumerism,
     mountains of apathy, ignorance, and stubbornness.
We confess that there are many parts of our lives that need to be "taken down a notch."
Your prophet, John the Baptist, came from the wilderness
proclaiming a baptism with the repentance of sins.
Help us to listen to the voice of any prophet that turns us to you and away from our sinfulness.
Help us to welcome your leveling kingdom whether we are in valleys, mountains, or both.

Help us to realize that peace never happens on its own.
Give us wisdom to accept that the pursuit of your peace
requires that some things be brought up and others, brought down.
No matter the status of our lives, help us to welcome you to our lives
as we continue to wait for your Child, our Hope, and our Salvation.  

Click here for other liturgies for the 2nd Sunday in Advent (Year C)

Click here for original hymns for the season of Advent (Year C)

 

Comment

Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.