Morning Prayer

Our Morning Prayer service is an opportunity for contemplation, stillness, and spiritual grounding. Through August 2, we will be inspired by Barbara Brown Taylor’s An Altar in the World. Each week, we'll practice finding the sacred in our everyday lives, living with purpose, paying attention, and experiencing awe.

We offer you a warm welcome, and as is our practice, we remember that the land on which we meet is, was, and always will be native land. We acknowledge those indigenous tribes to Oklahoma: the Wichitas, Caddos, Plains Apaches, and the Quapaws, as the original custodians of the land in this place. We grieve the violence done to native language, culture, and personhood, and seek to honor the sovereignty and dignity of native peoples.

Glenda Stansbury

Let us begin the day with this time of consideration, holy listening, supported silence, song, and prayer. We invite you to settle into your seat, let your shoulders drop, and take a deep breath. Remember: your whole self is welcome here.

Today we consider how to recognize the inherent holiness in ordinary things, and we ask:

• What people, places, or moments in your daily life might you overlook that deserve your blessing?
• Barbara Brown Taylor writes that we are "often embarrassed to do and say the things that really affect us.” What holds you back from expressing the things that matter most to you?  
• Do you find it easy or difficult to bless (and embrace) things as they are instead of waiting until they are what you think they should be?

In Solitude, Hymn 521 (verses 4 & 5)
New Century Hymnal

All: And when my heart is burdened down with cares for those I love, too deep for words, with groans and sighs, descends the holy dove.

With psalms and hymns and songs of praise before my God I'll come, till death itself is past and gone, and I arrive at home.

Rev. Sheridan Irick

One: Holy One, you tell us, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

All: We pray for the poor, the hungry, and the forgotten. Help us as we work to make a world in which all have enough and none are left behind.
 
One: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

All: Be with those whose hearts are filled with grief. Give us the strength to bear with them the burden of sorrow, bring healing and wholeness to those who are sick, and offer hope to those in despair.
 
One: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

All: Challenge the power of the corrupt and arrogant and raise up leaders who walk with humility and act with gentleness. Forgive our greed, teach us to stand with the oppressed and marginalized, and teach us to share this fragile earth with reverence.

One: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

All: Hear all who cry out against injustice and oppression. Grant us the courage to work against prejudice, poverty, and discrimination until all your children are filled and respected.
 
One: Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

All: We pray for an end to bitterness, retaliation, and hard hearts. Help us to break cycles of division in our own lives, choosing accountability, restoration, and grace instead.
 
One: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
 
All: We lift up areas torn apart by war, division, and violence. Make us active instruments of reconciliation, courageous enough to break down walls and build up communities. This we pray, in the name of the One who called us blessed and called us forth to bless the world around us. Amen.

One: You can do this hard thing. You can do this hard thing.
It's not easy I know, but I believe that it's so. You can do this hard thing.

All: You can do this hard thing. You can do this hard thing.
It's not easy I know, but I believe that it's so. You can do this hard thing.

All: You can do this hard thing. You can do this hard thing.
It's not easy I know, but I believe that it's so. You can do this hard thing. 

Rev. Sheridan Irick

This morning we’re going to practice pronouncing blessings by attempting to write a few.

A blessing is an intentional way of recognizing the sacred worth of a person, place, or moment. It does not have to be formal or poetic. Below are some general guidelines:

• Pay attention. Take a moment to truly see the person, object, or situation before you. What do you notice?
• Acknowledge what is true. Speak honestly about the qualities you recognize. Let your words be sincere rather than exaggerated.
• Speak life-giving words.  A blessing offers gratitude and affirms dignity and worth.
• Release the outcome. A blessing is a gift, not something you can control. Offer it freely without expecting a particular response.

As you practice, remember that blessings are not reserved for special occasions. They can be spoken over everyday moments, ordinary encounters, and the people you meet along the way. The more you cultivate the habit of noticing the sacred in daily life, the more naturally words of blessing will come.

As you go out into the remainder of the day, may you carry the still, small voice of the Divine within you. May your hearts be filled with peace, your hands moved by compassion, and your steps guided by love. Go in peace. Amen.