It is a restless seeker for the Love that only it remembers from the womb.
When, my Beloved, will I see your face and feel your presence within me?
With gratitude and love I extol your steadfast hold of me as I walk and rest throughout the day and night.
Beloved, let not my fear and sorrow of these times keep me from radiating your light.
Strengthen and guide me dearest Creator and Oneness of all things. In you, I hope. (Psalm 42- Reinterpreted in a Pandemic, Deven Horne)
Reading:
"...the expression of sorrow is an expression of love. You mourn what you love. Grief for the world and love for the world are two sides of the same coin. Inseparable…. If you try to pave over the pain because it hurts or pathologize it or drug it then you are losing touch with that great love which, as you experience it, is the great reciprocity at the heart of the universe. It is a two-way street. As you allow yourself to love your world it is loving you back. It is here to discover like jewels in this time of darkness" - Joanna Macy
Silent Reflection
Intentions:
Warrior-Spirit Prayer of Awakening. . . . Response – May it be so.
May all beings be granted the strength, determination and wisdom to extinguish anger and reject violence as a way. Response – May it be so.
May all suffering cease and may I seek, find, and fully realize the love and compassion that already lives within me and allow them to inspire and permeate my every action. Response – May it be so.
May I exercise the precious gift of choice and the power to change [as] that which makes me uniquely human and is the only true path to liberation. Response – May it be so.
May I swiftly reach complete, effortless freedom so that my fearless, unhindered action be of benefit to all. Response – May it be so.
May I lead the life of a warrior. Response – May it be so.
Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Sensei
Silence to add your own intentions.
Closing Prayer:
Beloved soul mate, you have time and time again showed us how much you love us through your suffering with us and your celebration with us. You have told us not to be afraid and that just as you have cared for the single feather on each bird’s head and each blade of grass and flower in all of your creation, so too do you love deeply for us. May we hold tightly to this promise and walk with faith in your love in this community ever planting your desires.
Song – There Will Be No Love Dying Here by Gregory Porter
Ann came to the Upper Room after a long search for an inclusive church community focused on the gospel teachings of love and compassion. She believes the wisdom at the upper room is that each person in the community has gifts to share.
Ann received her Certificate of Chaplaincy from Global Ministries University in 2021.She has been inspired by Judy Cannato’s book “Field of Compassion” and looks forward to offering the gift of compassionate listening to anyone seeking kindness and understanding.
Ann spent many years teaching in both public and Catholic schools, before joining her husband working in a family owned business.John and Ann were married for 36 years before his passing in 2004.Together they have two daughters, one son, two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law and eight grandchildren.Ann loves spending time in her garden or hiking and walking in nature alone or with family and friends.
Julie was ordained a priest on September 18, 2021, through the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests and in the company of her beloved Upper Room Inclusive Catholic Community. Julie brings her belief that we are all here to care for each other to her chaplaincy work Capital District Psychiatric Center and in the community. She loves to create special rituals for weddings, baptisms, healing, funerals, and all the wonderful moments of life in between. Julie is also a writer, editor, and yoga and meditation teacher.
My call to ordination: "I first heard my call in childhood, a time and place when there were no women priests. So I set it aside and built a different sort of life for myself. Decades later, in the supportive community of the Upper Room, I finally stepped into the fullness of my call to priesthood. Around this same time, I discovered my main ministry of chaplaincy, the beautiful work of companioning individuals through the most challenging times of their lives."
As a nature photographer who specializes in close-ups of insects and plants, Denise can often be found out on a trail with her husband Scott, often on her knees or belly, inspecting some tiny living thing.She is constantly amazed at the beauty of nature and the Divine Presence in all of it.Denise has two grown children, Emily and Nathan, and six unique, interesting, and loving grandchildren, who share her enthusiasm for the natural world. Denise holds a degree in Elementary Education and a Master's Degree in English, both from the College of Saint Rose. She recently earned her Doctor of Ministry from Global Ministries University. She is an instructor for People's Catholic Seminary, and has designed and teaches a story-based course for adults who wish to accompany the children in their lives on the spiritual path. Denise enjoys crafting both liturgical and non-liturgical services for her beloved Upper Room community, facilitating meditative walks in nature, and using her writing and photography skills to enhance these experiences. She also loves recognizing life's sacramental moments, and creating services to help celebrate or mark these moments. From Baptism or child blessing, to Marriage or couple blessing, to Healing services, to wake and funeral services, Denise is always honored to hold these sacred moments and the people living through them in tenderness.
My call to ordination: Hearing but Not Listening:How My Call Finally Found Me
"I was always the priest for my family.I just didn’t recognize that fact.I was always being called to ordination, I just didn’t listen.Mostly I didn’t listen because I don’t waste my time listening to the impossible.But the call was there regardless.It never let up.Whenever an event occurred; a birth, a death, a birthday or anniversary, the call would come.Usually the call came in the voice of an aunt or cousin, or parent.“Do you want to say a few words, Denise?”And I would be ready with the words.The words that set those moments apart, that cemented them in group memory, like photos in an album, marking them as milestones in family history, connecting them to the Reality that lies within and beyond all of us and all of our events.It wasn’t until years later that the impossible became possible; that the call rose above a whisper, and that I began to listen.As so often happens, listening led to action.Action led to becoming, and here I am, an ordained priest, called out from the community that I love, to serve."
After retiring from a thirty plus year career in education and raising a family in the Catholic Faith, Deven had time to rediscover and follow her heart’s yearnings for groundwork ministry in the community. The work of the Upper Room Community and her Spiritual Direction provided a spring board for the next chapter in her life. To build on her experiences, knowledge, and skills and use those skills to foster the feeding of her soul and align her being with living fully in the great mystery of God’s divine love is a blessing and a challenge. The Chaplaincy course in 2021 was a great avenue for bringing together spiritual and action-based work to live and work in community and to together re-vitalize every day the way of love, compassion and justice. One of her passions is elder care and she has developed and presented on Legacy Wills, living with joy, and caregiver support. Deven is blessed with a diverse family which has kept her humble, grounded and open to the suffering and joy in the world.
Community Chaplaincy Certification has offered Terri the opportunity to ‘give back’ by serving those struggling with change and/or the challenges of everyday life. Terri retired from RPI as their Certified Health Education Specialist. She currently enjoys part time work as a Certified Wellness Coach.
Terri has been married to Walter for more than 50 years, is a mother of two amazing adult daughters and a grandparent of four quite wonderful young men. She enjoys the quiet life of rural Rensselaer County and thrives as a lifelong learner.
Terri believes in the healing power of connection and brings her training in wellness and life balance to Chaplaincy. With gratitude and a little joy mixed in, she promises to listen carefully and offer skilled 1:1 support as you travel your life journey.
The inclusivity of the Upper Room and the lure of a theology of blessing and creation theology are the inspirations behind Lynn’s call to ordination. Belonging to a community that is moving beyond the scolding of atonement is for her, the path less travelled that has made all the difference.Lynn finds it liberating to be in the company of believers who join as full participants in prayer and worship, eager to break open the meaning of scripture as it may have been understood in the early church. Her service as a priest is focused on sacramental occasions, learning from scripture and writing prayers, poetry, liturgical text and meditation vignettes. Lynn previously worked with the NYS Division of the Budget and taught high school and college English. She is married to Bernie Kinlan, also a member of the Upper Room. Their three sons and daughters-in-law and two grandchildren are special joys in our lives.
My call to ordination: Hearing the Call to Priesthood
"The Holy One loves us more than we can imagine. Ever forgiving, always understanding, our Holy One desires an intimate relationship with us. There are innumerable pathways of response to this Divine invitation, none better than others. Ordination to priesthood is one pathway that fits just right for me, like a favorite stretched out sweater on a brisk and gusty day.
I yearn to know the Divine, to immerse myself in the ineffable mystery of God and creation. I want to be ever aware of the Presence of the Spirit of God without losing my head entirely from the practicalities of life (now where is my phone? How late am I for that meeting? Do I put cilantro or chili powder in this recipe I’ve made a hundred times?).
Priesthood is one way of satisfying the burning desire to know the Holy. Study before ordination provided some understanding of progressive theology. Continuing study allows me to see the early pre-empire church as a model and interpret scripture with new eyes. This new way of seeing the Divine is still being constructed and its exciting to be part of that.
Serving as a priest in the Upper Room allows me to give back. I would not have had the courage to be a priest were it not for the people of the Upper Room who bring the Spirit of God alive with warmth and creativity. Finding my way here has been a pathway to grace and contentment. I am forever grateful."
Jim’s call to ministry came early in life but didn’t happen as planned. After leaving Franciscan formation, he was involved in many “local” ministries with youth, the elderly, the LGBT community and those affected with/by HIV and AIDS. In hindsight, ‘those years were very formative’ in developing the pastoral mindset and skills necessary for ordained ministry. In 2010, he met Bridget Mary Meehan and was introduced to the Women Priest Movement. Much to his surprise, ARCWP called him to orders and he was ordained a priest in 2016 as an out, loud, proud, gay man. A graduate of Siena College and retired from NYS Education, he prefers to spend time between Albany and his Florida home. He currently is providing pastoral ministry to the residents of a local nursing home where his mother resides. A graduate of Siena College and retired from NYS Education, he prefers to spend time between Albany and his Florida home. He is available to celebrate all sacraments in any setting.
Dennis McDonald is a life-long Catholic who believes in the community of equals and that all who are called to priesthood be affirmed in their calling. He has spent his life ministering to young people in church ministry as a youth minister and in education as a college administrator. He is a member of The Upper Room Inclusive Catholic Community, a community of equals ministering to members and the greater community through liturgical and sacramental services, as well as educational and social concerns ministry. Dennis was ordained a deacon in 2015 and priest in 2016, after a two-year program of study.In addition, he has a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and a Master’s Degree in Education.Dennis is available for baptisms, weddings, memorial services/funerals, anointings, and visitation to the sick.He is, also, available to just meet and talk with anyone who needs a listening ear.
My call to ordination: A Lifelong Dream Realized – Dennis McDonald
"I responded to the call to priesthood, because it was a call I had heard since early childhood, and one that when it was finally before me there was no other answer than a resounding yes.
Throughout grade school and high school I served as an altar boy, and frequently had thoughts of being a priest, and I had good role models in the priests with whom I interacted. The call was there, clear and inviting.
When I was confirmed I felt I was being called by the Spirit to be open to God’s plan for me.It was a very intense feeling and on the day of my Confirmation I experienced a deep awakening of the Spirit within, and felt for the longest time that the priesthood was in my future.
Falling in love and getting married meant that any sense of ministry through the priesthood was set aside for many, many years. But, over the course of my life I stayed connected to the Church and lived out the call without being “officially” ordained.My positions at both the Diocese and at the College of Saint Rose allowed me to minister to others, to be of support and encouragement during difficult times, to share with others the deep belief that we are each called by God to minister in the world .
As the years have passed, I have often reflected on the deep sense of calling that I have felt throughout the years. And there was always an emptiness, a longing to respond to the call I had felt since a young child, to serve the people of God through the ministry of priesthood.
And so, when Mary Theresa approached me after a few months of being engaged in the Upper Room, on whether I had thought of being ordained, it was like a whole new, old world opening up before me. I was finally able to answer the call that had been part of me all those years.It has been a blessing in my life to offer my ministry to the Upper Room Community and beyond. And the dream that I held finally came to fruition thanks to women being open and inviting to a man longing to answer his call."
My call to serve: "Growing up Catholic formed me. Our identity was that of a Catholic family. We attended weekly Mass and Catholic schools, gathered to pray during Advent, fasted during Lent and celebrated Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, Weddings and an Ordination!
In 1978, my father was ordained a deacon in the Archdiocese of New York. Yet, it disturbed me that though my mother attended every class and retreat required for the men, she was not eligible for ordination. Yet her service was both expected and invisible. The recognition of gender inequity in the Church was born in me when I was not yet 20 years old.
My father’s ordination sparked something deep within me. I buried the idea because it was not even a possibility. Years later, I learned of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests and explored that path to ordination. Yet, it was an internal struggle; I knew it was not for me. I was saddened because it was the path chosen by so many in my spiritual circle. I felt left out and adrift. What was my call?
Through a friend, I heard of One Spirit Interfaith Seminary. I attended an information night and was both intrigued and terrified. Late one night, I heard a voice that said “Step into the life that I have prepared for you.” Shortly thereafter, I enrolled and I was totally immersed in spirituality from an interfaith, inter-spiritual lens. On June 3, 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, I was ordained in my bedroom surrounded by light and love. The energetic connection to my classmates and my One Spirit seminary mentors could not have been stronger, had we gathered together in a church. I have found my call. Here I am. I am ready."
Donna graduated from Lexington Theological Seminary in 2009 with a M.A. in Pastoral Studies. She completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education with Hospice of the Bluegrass in Lexington, Kentucky. Donna was ordained as a priest in 2012 by ARCWP. Donna is a certified Eden Alternative Associate. Donna has studied Buddhism and values contemplative practices. She completed level one of Healing Touch in 2020. Donna moved to New York in 2018 and is part of the Upper Room Community. Donna is a chaplain at Wilkinson Residential Healthcare Facility in Amsterdam, NY. Donna enjoys creating inclusive liturgies and rituals for important life events such as weddings, funerals, anointing of the sick, births and home blessings. Donna is married to Kim Panaro, ARCWP and has three adult, biological, children, Matthew, Elizabeth and Sarah. She has one son by marriage. Donna loves to play golf, walk, travel and meditate. She enjoys being in nature, going to the beach and creating slideshows.
My call to ordination: "My call to the priesthood was a gradual realization. I was raised as a member of the United Church of Christ (UCC) from birth through college age. I was very active in the UCC church. I had a friend who was Catholic when I was young. One day I asked my friend’s mother what a nun was. When I heard her description of a nun I said, “Do you have to be Catholic to be a nun?” The way I felt about being a nun could be my first realization of a call, but my understanding of a call was in an infant stage.
Since there were no UCC churches in my college town, I decided to try different denominations. When I went to the Catholic Church, I was smitten by the poetic prayers, by kneeling during church and by the awe I felt when I attended my first Catholic funeral. After college, I joined RCIA and became Catholic at the Easter Vigil. I began teaching in a Catholic School and took classes to be a certified catechist. The catechist education planted seeds that led me to later go to Seminary. It was a Disciples of Christ Seminary with a small Catholic program. I did four units of Clinical Pastoral Education as a Hospice Chaplain.
The document from the Vatican that shunned ordaining women jolted me. In my angst I discovered the website for Roman Catholic Women Priests. I cried and knew I was being called to be ordained."
Kim was ordained deacon in 2015 and priest in 2016. Her call to a deeper commitment to a life of gospel service came early in her teenage years. The traditional options open to women in the Roman Catholic Church did not fit the mission she felt called to. When ARCWP came to the Capital District and the Upper Room Community was formed, Kim found her spiritual home. Kim is a clinical social worker in a high school. She has a special love of creating unique rituals such as highly personalized liturgies, weddings, home blessings, blessings for people in transitions, grief and healing rituals. She is an avid believer in working for a more just society, church and world. Kim believes strongly in the value of interfaith and interreligious study, meditation and contemplative practice and fostering community. Kim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and a Master’s degree in Social Work. She is a long time devoted vegan and animal activist. She is available to speak to anyone who has an interest in speaking with her. She is happily married to Donna Panaro ARCWP. Kim has one biological son Sam and 3 adult children through marriage.
My call to ordination: "I was touched by a deep experience of God’s presence when I was 12 and attended my first retreat. I knew that the gospel would be a big part of my life. I received a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and connected for several years to various religious orders. Although I have always struggled with issues in the Roman Catholic hierarchy, I have always felt completely at home with the gospel and following brother Jesus.
My work for social justice led me to collaborative work with Pax Christi and the Catholic Worker Movement. This led me to a belief that there is value in making a deep commitment to living the life of gospel compassion and justice in a fully committed way. For many years I attended a relatively progressive and active parish. At some point however, I felt that I grew past that “Sunday morning” lifestyle. I yearned to make a difference in the lives of other disenfranchised Catholics.
In 2013 Mary Theresa Streck, a friend and fellow activist, introduced me to ARCWP. I knew I had my answer. I was ordained deacon in 2015 and priest in 2016. Now, I am happily married to another priest Donna Panaro, and we share a deep love for and commitment to the vision of ARCWP and the Upper Room community. I know my priestly calling is to stand at the outer edge of the inside of the church."
Kathie was ordained on June 27, 2015. She embraces a very Progressive Theology of Blessing and believes we are all one, regardless of our faith tradition.She is no longer focused on doctrines or dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church.Kathie loves presiding and co-presiding with the members of the Upper Room.She is studying other faith traditions with a particular emphasis on Judaism.Kathie has been a chaplain at the Grand Nursing Home and Ellis Hospital.She has also officiated over a dozen weddings of Spanish speaking couples.Kathie assists with ARCWP ordinations and was on the Circle Leader team for 6 years.
Kathie has degrees in Spanish Education, and Masters in Social Work.She has also studied Hebrew at SUNY Albany for 4 semesters.
For over 30 years Kathie worked with individuals who suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD and grief and loss.
Kathie was married for 46 years to Edward Ryan. Ed supported her call to priesthood and studied with her as she completed the required courses.
Kathie’s future goals and dreams are to continue studying, writing homilies, and presiding at the Upper Room.She wants to deepen her trust in the Holy One and have the faith of Jesus.Kathie believes Justice is the key to Peace and helping and loving others is the path she chooses.
Lindy’s ministry includes support for the homeless, survivors of domestic violence, those challenged by brain injury, cancer, other major health issues as well as those experiencing death and dying. She practices Celtic Spirituality using ancient prayers and techniques. She is beginning to teach this approach to others online. Birdwatching, caring for her garden, and observing nature are physical forms of contemplation for her. Lindy grew up in Texas, is a grandmother and has lived in Albany, New York for over 20 years. She is a member of Upper Room Inclusive Community. She was ordained a priest on July 08, 2017.
Mary Theresa Streck, Priest, ARCWP, Ed.D., D.Min., Community Chaplain mtstreck@gmail.com
Mary Theresa was ordained a priest on September 15, 2013 through the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. She is a member of the Upper Room Inclusive Catholic Community in Albany NY. Mary Theresa is available for sacramental services and pastoral care. She is a trained Spiritual Director and available for spiritual accompaniment. Mary Theresa holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and a doctorate in Ministry and a certificate in Community Chaplaincy. As co-founder of the People’s Catholic Seminary, she facilitates courses and seminars in contemporary theology and spiritual enrichment. She is a faculty member of Global Ministries University.
My call to ordination: "At the age of eight, I heard my first call to ministry and decided that I would join the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet when I finished high school. At the age of seventeen I left my family and did just that. My childhood call became my young adult call and that eventually matured into an adult ministry. For eighteen years I worked in schools and eventually began the Ark, Inc., a program for children in a public housing project that focused on breaking the cycle of poverty. In 1984, I left the Sisters of St. Joseph to continue my call to ministry with my marriage partner, Jay Murnane. Together we managed the Ark and for twenty years we hosted a house church in our small apartment in the housing project. During those years, we created liturgies that were rooted in a theology of blessing. When Jay entered eternal life in 2004, I continued my ministry at the public housing project while managing a charter school in Troy. In 2013, I learned about the Roman Catholic Women Priests and began my journey to ordination with them. During the spring of that year, I invited friends to join me for liturgy at my home. That was the beginnings of what developed into the Upper Room in 2014. Today, my ministry continues as a priest, an artist, a spiritual companion, and an educator through the People’s Catholic Seminary."
Debra E. Trees, Au.D, MPM, Priest, ARCWP, Community Chaplain treesde@aol.com
Deb Trees was welcomed into the diaconate in June of 2015 and ordained a priest of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests on October 8th, 2016 after 20 years of calling and discernment. Finding the community of the Upper Room Inclusive Catholic Community and participating in liturgies and spiritual growth with grace-filled camaraderie is a major part of her lifework. Deb continues her ministry to all others through service to the Upper Room and the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests in leader-servant positions, learning and sharing as she goes. She is active in her home and career environment in several ways and brings her sense of spirit and grace to her work as an audiologist, serving all, including those with limited resources. Her major work as a priest is contemplative, sharing prayer and communing opportunities with all others, and in her striving to learn and illuminate women’s strength in the Catholic Church and society. She has a special devotion to praying the rosary, which she reframed using Original Blessing theology in “The Companions’ Rosary”. She is available to serve in whatever way is requested of her. She completed a Community Chaplaincy Program through Global Ministries University (GMU) and received her Master of Pastoral Ministry degree through GMU. Deb is a full time professional Audiologist with a private practice in the Capital District. She is available for deep listening, companionship and community work, and hopes to bring her sense of abundance and grace to all.
The Roman Catholic Church is celebrating the Doctrine of the Trinity this weekend. A few years ago, I prepared a homily called Trinity as relationship, a relationship between the “three persons”, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and you and me. My understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity has grown and changed.We at the Upper Room are growing and changing too. We question and challenge the meaning of Creeds, Scriptures, and of course Doctrines.Each of us is on a different part of the journey but we are all on the journey together.Dave’s homily today is insightful and challenges us to question and grow.
Opening Prayer
A Trinity of Power
Within each of us there dwells a trinity of power
The power to nurture and sustain like a parent
The power to liberate through our laughter and tears
The power to release in us and in others a creative and loving spirit.Amen.
Gospel:A Gospel reading according to Matthew. (28:16-20)
The eleven made their way to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had summoned them. At the site of the risen Christ, they fell down in homage, though some doubted what they were seeing. Jesus came forward and addressed them in these words: “All authority has been given me both in heaven and on earth; go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of Abba God, Jesus our brother, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always, even until the end of the world.
The community affirms these words with AMEN!
Shared Homily:
As was mentioned, today is Trinity Sunday referring to the Doctrine of the Trinity stating that God is three persons in one God. There is widespread agreement that this was created by the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 CE. The Doctrine of the Trinity was the church’s way of claiming that Jesus was God, while still declaring there is only One God.The Doctrine is so confusing that we were taught it is a Mystery, and one that you and I probably could not understand.Today’s Gospel passage is often used as scriptural justification for the doctrine of the trinity but scholars who study the degree to which the words attributed to Jesus were actually spoken by Jesus have concluded that none of this was spoken by Jesus.
According to Bart Ehrman, the trinity wording was inserted in an effort to foster acceptance of Jesus’ divinity.Paster Dawn Hutchins(https://pasterdawn.com) writes that this kind of outdated, manufactured, and confusing doctrine fails to address the true needs of people today and leaves them wondering why they need “church” at all. Numerous religions have rejected the premise of this doctrine.
Rev. Todd Freeman (http://collegehilltulsa.org) agrees that the doctrine of the trinity is problematic noting that it is “hierarchical and patriarchal,” just as the traditional church has sadly been. However, he sees value in discussing the trinity doctrine as a vehicle for exploring our understanding of God.
Bishop John Shelby Spong suggests that the truth that may be captured by the trinity is that “God is utterly transcendent, as well as present with and among humanity and all creation, as well as within each of us.”The Divine is “living and active in our lives at every turn; creating and recreating, teaching and guiding, refining and empowering.” And because we are made in the image of the Divine, we too can be and do all these things.
As suggested by Bishop Spong, maybe today’s liturgy is an opportunity to open ourselves to thinking of God not as a noun to be defined but a verb to be lived. Or, as Rev. William Wallace suggests, think of the Divine not as a proposition to be debated but a presence to be experienced. Wallace writes: “If you have experienced the presence of God, you do not have to prove it. If you have to prove the existence of God it is likely that you have not experienced the presence.” (progressivechristianity.org)
The church has always been trying to preserve the divinity of Jesus.And I could not help but wonder what would happen if we came to understand that Jesus was not God, but rather, fully human and deeply connected with his divinity. What if his spark of the Divine was the same spark that we all have? Or the same spark that empowered people like Ghandi and Mother Theresa? Would we think less of Jesus’ outreach to the poor, the marginalized and the sick? Would the healing he brought to so many mean less? Would his message of radial love lose some of its generosity or potency? Would our motivation to live as he lived suddenly decrease? Whether we have come to believe Jesus is the second person of the Trinity or have journeyed on a different path, is not what is important.The importance in living our lives is in choosing to preserve not an image of Jesus but rather his mission.
Statement of Faith:
We believe in the Holy One, a divine mystery beyond all definition and rational understanding, the heart of all that has ever existed, that exists now, or that ever will exist.
We believe in Jesus, messenger of the Divine Word, bringer of healing, heart of Divine compassion, bright star in the firmament of the Holy One's prophets, mystics, and saints.
We believe that We are called to follow Jesus as a vehicle of divine love, a source of wisdom and truth, and an instrument of peace in the world. We believe in the Spirit of the Holy One, the life that is our innermost life, the breath moving in our being, the depth living in each of us.
We believe that the Divine kin-dom is here and now, stretched out all around us for those with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and hands to make it happen.
As we prepare for the sacred meal, we bring to the table our prayers and intentions: We pray for these and all unspoken prayers of our hearts. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
With open hands and hearts let us pray our Eucharistic Prayer together:
All: O Holy One you have sent prophets and messengers to show us the way-Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, Moses and Jesus, Buddha and Mohammad, Hildegard and Teresa, Oscar and Dorothy, and all of here and now who celebrate this liturgy today.
Everything we do, we do together with You. We cannot be without You. We cannot be without each other. You are made visible in this world with our acts of love and kindness. With grateful hearts we raise our voices and sing:
Holy, Holy: Here in This Place by Christopher Grundy
All: Holy One, slowly this world is moving toward oneness. Your pattern of Love is in everything and there are messages of Love in every pattern.Help us to stand with each other inlove and suffering.The pain of one, is the pain of all.May we co-create with You and restore balance and harmony in our world.
On the night before he died Jesus did more than ask us to remember him.He showed us how to live when he washed the feet of his friends.
lift the bread
All: At the table, he took the Bread, spoke the grace, broke the bread and offered it to them saying:
Take and eat of the Bread of Life
Given to strengthen you
Whenever you remember me like this
Go and share your love with one another.(pause)
lift the cup
ALL:Jesus then raised a cup of blessing, spoke the grace saying:
Take and drink of the covenant
Made new again through my life in you.
Whenever you remember me like this,
I am among you.
We share this bread and cup to proclaim and live the gospel of justice and peace. Please receive this bread with the words: God and I are one.
Communion Song: “You are the face of God” by Karen Drucker
ALL: Holy One we know you as the voice of kindness within us and the constant hope that lives in our hearts. We are grateful for the gift of your Spirit, always drawing beauty and balance out of chaos. And like Jesus,
Standing where he stood,
and for what he stood,
and with whom he stood,
we are united in your Spirit
now and forever.Amen.
Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus:
Adapted from Miriam Therese Winter
O Holy One who is within, around and among us, We celebrate your many names. Your wisdom come; your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us. Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits and we let go. You support us in our power, and we act with courage. For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us, and the celebration among us, now and forever. Amen.
All: Loving Source of our being, we are called to live the gospel of peace and love. This is our faith, to embrace life, to increase love, to have courage to be and walk into the mystery of your presence.
Please extend your hands and pray our blessing together.
May you know you are one with all creation, and our God is not a noun but a verb to be lived. Love intentionally, love extravagantly, love unconditionally. Our world waits in the darkness for the light that is you.Amen.
Closing Song: I Am the One – Janis Ian, video by Denise Hackert-Stoner
