Enjoy this week’s hodgepodge of inspiration sponsored by the weekend’s family gathering <3
a doodle
From a real artist! My cousin is featured on Day 1 of Inktober!
a choir
After a dozen competitive rounds of cornhole in the fall sunshine, the littles gathered around the keyboard to collectively sing Jesus, Strong and Kind.
a liturgy
After a phone call of brainstorming, my brother and I landed on a liturgy to Begin a Purposeful Gathering to kick off the feast. We corralled the littles to read the bold responses.
And so we are gathered here, uniquely in all of history, we particular people in this singular time and place.
Accomplish your purposes among us, O God.
Tune our hearts to the voice of your Spirit.
Wake us to be present to you and to one another in these shared hours we are given.
For it is you, O Lord, who have so gathered us from our various places, and you alone who know our hearts and our needs.
Among us are some who arrive anxious. Some who are lonely. Some who suffer pain or sorrow. May we in our joys find grace to enter the sorrows of others.
Among us are some who arrive rejoicing, Hearts made light by good news, good health, glad anticipation. May we in our sorrows find grace to embrace the joys of others.
Let us prize these moments and care for one another deeply, for each of us, and our relationships to one another are precious and fleeting. Amen.
Let us prize these moments and care for one another deeply, for each of us, and our relationships to one another, are precious and eternal. Amen.
Breathe upon our gathering, O Spirit of God.
Grant each of us place to humbly receive and to faithfully serve, that we might know in this brief gathering a foretaste of that greater communion yet to come.
O Father, enlarge our hearts.
O Spirit, expand our vision.
O Christ, establish your kingdom among us.Be at work even now, O Lord. May your will, in us, in these hours, be accomplished. Amen.
a song
After rotating all iterations of cousins across the piano, guitar, and makeshift cardboard cajon, we sang dozens of songs until the sun set and folks headed home. The evening ended with Wei on the martin and me on the korg, enjoying our final song, All Sufficient Merit. Hope you like it too <3
It is done, it is finished
No more debt I owe
Paid in full, all sufficient
Merit now my own
be well, friends!
love,
reb