A morning prayer.....

Dear Trinity friends,

One of the lovely things about being here in Longport NJ is the chance to reconnect with friends and family. In addition, the morning sunrise over the ocean and the evening sunset over the bay mark each day with spectacular beauty. I am filled with gratitude each day for God's Creation!

A longtime Church of the Redeemer parishioner shared this beautiful prayer with me today and I will include it in our liturgy down here on Sunday. I look forward to being back with you all as we kick off our fall season of faith and fellowship! See you soon. In the meantime, I hope you will join me in this morning prayer that speaks to our times, our hopes, and our faith and our reliance on God in all that we do:

Lord God, out of the darkness of these times, we come to the light of this new day, seeking Your love and grace. Loving God, by whose voice worlds were made, by whose breath we breathe, and in whose Word we hope, be with us today. Make Your presence known to us. Speak tenderly to us and hold us in Your gentle hands. Merciful God, bring healing to the sick, bring comfort to the grieving, bring friends to the lonely, bring rest to the weary, bring calm to the anxious, bring food to the hungry, bring place to the homeless, bring forgiving to the estranged, bring peace to the conflicted, bring healing to our planet, and bring thankfulness to us all. Amen.

Peace and blessings, with gratitude for our ministry together,

Nancy+

Photo: NJH Sunrise over the Atlantic