Prayers of the People | Lent 3C | February 28th, 2016

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Prayers of the People

3rd Sunday in Lent (Year C)

February 28th, 2016

God of Our Lenten Journey,
you are a good and generous God.
Since creation's dawn,
you have showered your steadfast love upon us
that we might flourish and be a blessing to others.
Ever since you called your people out of Egypt's bondage,
you have promised to walk with us through thick and thin.
Sometimes we have followed faithfully.
Other times we have stumbled and fell.
In the good times and in the bad ones,
your steadfast goodness has been the only true constant in our lives.
Thank you for being our God and calling us your children.
Because of your goodness to us,
we will bless you as long as we live;
we will lift up our hands and call upon your name.

We confess, merciful Lord,
that this journey to which we are called is hard.
Together, as a family of faith,
we have been called into a wilderness
where improvisation is the name of the game.
We don't know what is around every corner,
and we fear what we don't know.
We beg your forgiveness for the moments
when we forget to trust in your care for our wellbeing.
Forgive us for the moments when we trick ourselves into thinking
that there are places we can go where you cannot care for us.
Remind us that whether the way be clear or the way be wild,
there is no place we can go to escape your providence and protection.

We give you thanks, Abundant Lord,
for the many blessings in our lives that show your steadfast love:
     for the companionship of friends and family, both new and old...
     for the warmth and protection of shelter and the provision of food...
     for access to affordable healthcare and medical services...
     for a loving community of faith that guides, upholds, and supports...
     for the gift of the Lenten wilderness that grows us in new ways...
     for the promise of fruitfulness to come and the opportunity to flourish...
We lift up our spirits to you with all thanksgiving and praise
for it is good that we should do so.
We rejoice with a gladsome song that we are called your children.
Receive now our song of thanksgiving!

Yet, God of all mercy and guidance,
surely you know that there are those among us who are in barren places.
With all honesty and courage, we lift them to you, O Lord:
     for those missing friends and family, both those alive and those deceased...
     for those who do not have the warmth of shelter in this cold months...
     for those without access to affordable healthcare and medical services...
     for those seeking communities of support and protection...
     for those struggling in wildernesses that only they can name...
     for this congregation, that they may be led through this wilderness and brought to a place of health, joy, and fruitful discipleship...
     for those whom we lift up to you either silently or out loud, we pray...

Above all, Gracious God,
we would ask that you would look upon our places of barrenness
as opportunities for your fruitfulness to abound!
Give us courage to see ourselves that way,
that we might have hope and faith
that we will be led through this wilderness.
Remind us, God of coming resurrection,
that we do not go into the wilderness to die
but that we go into the wilderness to discover who we are
that we might arrive on the other side with a renewed sense of life!
This we pray in your Son's name, through the power of the Spirit.  Amen!

 

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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.