Reveal Yourself to Us: Gathering Meditation and Resources for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A

Reveal Yourself to Us: A Gathering Meditation
Based on Acts 7:55-60

God,
There are days when we feel like Stephen,
standing alone before Inquisitors armed with rocks,
who accuse us of being
too fervent or extreme,
too intense for their liking
about our faith.

These are the days
we need most
to see an open heaven above our heads,
to experience the Risen Christ anew,
to know that you are with us, always.

Reveal yourself to us anew, we pray,
before their rocks
bruise and tear our flesh.
Amen.

In God Alone We Seek Refuge: A Call to Worship for Psalm 31

In God alone we seek refuge.

In God we are safe; in God we are hidden.

Into your hands God, we commit ourselves.

We commit ourselves to you, God -- our time and our abilities, our substance and even our thoughts.

Let your face shine upon us, O God.

Let your face shine upon us, O God, as we offer you praise and thanksgiving on this day. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

"Let not your hearts be troubled…" (John 14:1, KJV)
Loving God, we hear these comforting words from Jesus ringing through time and eternity, reminding us that you are with us, both here and in the life to come.
On days when we are tempted to be discouraged, remind us that you have prepared a place for us and that the place we are right now is only a short stop on a journey that leads to your presence.
When we feel helpless and ill-equipped, remind us that you have already shown us the way.
When we feel powerless, remind us of the startling promise that we have been charged and empowered to do greater works in your name. Amen.