Creating the Holy Space of Prayer
Throughout the year we offer special worship services that are meant to create an extra bit of space for you to be inspired and enriched. When imagining how these special opportunities might serve our community, Stephen and I think about how to create a space for all of us to be still enough for just a moment to be surprised and inspired by the eternal story and promise of God’s love. In my purest hope for you I imagine an “oh wow” moment in which distractions fade into the background and the most important thing for all of us crystalizes. I know, it sounds ambitious. That said, almost every time we have had a special service together, I believe this has happened. God creates a space of respite and inspiration for us. It is to this possibility that Stephen, our choir, and our readers devote themselves this Sunday.
This coming Sunday we will hope for such holy space to be created for us as we gather for Evensong. One of the blessings of our faith tradition as Episcopalians and part of the Anglican tradition is that we have centuries-old time-tested and prayer-formed services that have been handed down for our edification. One of the most fundamental priorities and influences in our church is daily prayer. When Thomas Cranmer put together our first prayer book that was printed in 1549, he placed at its heart the intention of daily prayer for all church people, including and especially lay people like you. This was revolutionary at the time and has borne fruit in the deep and nourishing life of worship we share.
So we will gather in the tradition of our faith for Evensong (a churchy name for music based Evening Prayer) on the Feast and celebration of the Transfiguration this coming Sunday at 5:00. We will have childcare and a beautiful reception. It will be a wonderful and worshipful celebration before we begin Lent together next week. To God be the glory for such wonderful fruits of our faith and tradition.
We love you and God loves you,
Josh Condon+