First Call Great

We just finished the first of our Third Tuesdays conference calls focused on prayer. We hope to do these every month.

We had a very small group of 5 which was good since we're working out how praying over the phone works. The call had a good balance of structure and creativity. We used a written prayer culled from several different daily prayer resources (including excerpts from A Place Apart's daily prayer cycle). We spent some time in silence, working on practicing the presence of God. We also took time to pray for the DSC groups in Ohio, Indiana and Texas. The TX group has their first regular meeting tomorrow, so the timing was good.

As a leader in the DSC for years I feel very relieved to see this happening and excited to be a part of it. It feels a bit like when your back has been slightly out of whack and it gets put right. This is something we need. This is good. This is part of who we are meant to be and we are becoming it -- steadily and surely -- because Someone patient and trustworthy is initiating and sustaining the process.

- Jonathan

Come join us on the third Tuesday of February.

First Prayer Reading for Third Tuesdays Call

Here's is the first prayer reading. It's based on several versions of the book of common prayer, and APlace Apart readings compiled and altered for Third Tuesdays Prayer.

Come, let us bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Lord, have mercy.
Judge your earth with mercy, Lord.
Teach us to love justice.
(Psalm 94:2-4:)
Rise up, O Judge of the wicked; give the arrogant their just deserts.
How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked triumph?
They bluster in their insolence, all evildoers are full of boasting.
Judge your earth with mercy, Lord. And teach us to love justice.

Come to me beloved, Embrace me
In the beauty of your completeness.
In the midst of storm,
Through thunder, lightening, and violent wind,
Help me to live in stillness.
As the world races, And humanity falls exhausted,
Quiet my spirit, Lift me to dancing.
Open me to my smallness
Within a galaxy of 200 billion suns,
Within a universe of millions of galaxies,
Make me smaller still;
The tiniest speck
But in your mercy
A speck of light.

Holy Spirit, guide us in the imprint of Christ’s footsteps to pursue justice, counting our neighbor’s welfare to be as important as our own.
Teach us to pray.
Help us turn our attention towards you throughout the day. Draw us towards you.
Teach us to pray regularly.
Open our hearts and lives to you great love which is an ocean that surrounds us everywhere and at all times.
Teach us to pray deeply.
You are good and kind and just and generous. You are love.
Teach us to pray without ceasing.
Teach us to pray.