Friends,
So we pray.
We are in week three of self-quarantine. I am sure you are following the news and taking the advice of the experts. We are limiting our contact. We are washing our hands. We are staying at home as much as we can. We are being good citizens.
But more than being good citizens, what do we followers of Jesus Christ do?
We pray. We bring this all before God.
Years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. That was a fearful uncertain time when I didn’t know what would happen to me. In recent days, I am realizing how many people live with uncertainty every day due to health issues or relationship struggles or financial challenges. Young people wonder about their future. The elderly battle loneliness. All of this uncertainty can feel like our own personal pandemics. Now we face a shared time of uncertainty.
When I was diagnosed, a kind woman named Susan gave me the prayer below. I carried it in my pocket, and I prayed it throughout the day. I still have the original copy in my nightstand. It is creased and worn from having been read so many times. (And to be honest, when I would pray this prayer, I often didn’t get beyond “Refuge of our Bewildered Hearts.” I was very bewildered.) I have shared this with some of you in the past when you were facing struggles.
God of All Mercy, Shepherd of every hope, The Refuge of our Bewildered Hearts, steady us with your tender mercy, lest the shadows of this hour hide a lifetime of blessings from our sight. Within the shadow of our fears, your love stands waiting upon the very threshold of our need. Though we can not see the way, guide us step by step, and strengthen us for each day’s journey with a peace beyond our making.
Help us to pray for those we love, that we may commend them to your care, not alone by the anxiety of our affection, but by our faith that you also take delight in them, and will shepherd their days and nights with a wisdom greater than our own. Where ever we walk, in sunshine or in shadow, show us the sign of Christ our Lord, who goes before us—in life, in death, in life beyond death—that we might be delivered from fear and in all things trust you with our life. Amen
I am certain of this. The careful way you are living is easing the burden on our health care workers. By the actions you are taking, by staying home, by sacrificing your personal freedom and limiting contact, you are saving lives.
And through your prayers, God responds with grace, and we are delivered from our fears.
Blessings, even now, especially now,
Pastor Cindy
Pastor Cindy Hickman
West Des Moines United Methodist Church
720 Grand Avenue
West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
515-279-0826
Like us on Facebook or visit us at wdmumc.org. Each Sunday at 9:30 we are Livestreaming our worship service.
This Week At WDMUMC
Palm Sunday and Holy Communion This Sunday we will celebrate Palm Sunday and we will also celebrate Holy Communion.
Preparing for Holy Communion Holy Communion is a sacred act in the church. At its core is the act of Christ giving himself up for each of us. In that sense, it is intimate. And at the same time, it is an act of community. Christ gave himself for all. It is the grace of God come down to us in Christ. And the grace of God distributed through us to the community. All that is to say it is personal, a God to a person to person experience. Until this pandemic, communion could only be offered in person, face to face. Our Bishop has permitted churches to offer communion this Sunday via live-streaming. Due to the sacred intimacy of communion, it cannot be recorded and the communion portion of the service, will not be posted on the web later.
To prepare for communion, please have some sort of bread or tortilla ready. If you have juice, that is fine, if not feel free to go without. Do not make a special trip to the store for juice! For centuries, when communion was first instituted in the church only bread was used. Our bishop has prepared a liturgy in response to the pandemic we are now facing. I hope you will join in at 9:30 and share in Holy Communion.
Please send your Palm Sunday and Easter Pictures and Videos! We want to see your lovely faces and join in your Easter celebration! Can you host your own Palm Parade waving something? A scarf? A towel? Your hands? And what preparations are you making for Easter? Snap a picture or a video and send them to contactwdmumc@gmail.com. We hope to put together a collection of videos and pictures to show on Easter Sunday. Please send them by Wednesday, April 8.
ZOOM! Yesterday I participated in three zoom meetings and I am telling you, YOU CAN DO IT! Covenant groups, Sunday school classes, and bunches of friends use the zoom! It is so good to see one another’s faces. Contact Pastor Trevor for directions and training. Watch for more ZOOM events at church.
Sweet Gossip! Keep sending your sweet gossip! Good snippets of news that we would share if we were together. Watch this week’s Link for some sweet sharing! You can reply to this email with the sweet news from your house.
And Pray for Our City! Hannah has created a banner and it is hanging outside our church inviting everyone to pray for our city.
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