Prayers, Noticing, and news for a busy few weeks at St. Matt's!
Dear friends and members of St. Matt's,
Sometimes the most important part of our prayer life is about noticing. Prayer invites us to notice where God is moving, where we are hurting, what we're thankful for, and what is emerging in and around us. The art of noticing - of intentionality - is really important to the life of prayer. To help us do that a little more intentionally as a community this year, we've set up some bulletin boards in the hallway between St. Matt's and WEPCO. These boards will be a place for you to share what you're praying for, what you're thankful for, what challenges you, and what is on your heart. Right now, one board asks who you're praying for; and the other asks what you are most thankful for in creation. We have names, pictures of flowers, feathers, and someone who's very thankful for salami.
I want to invite you in your life to notice what God is up to in and around you. And, when you feel moved, to stop and share it with this community. You can prayerfully add names to that board of intercessions. Or you can draw or write some things for which you're thankful. And in a few weeks, the questions will change and invite you to notice and give thanks for something else.
It's a little thing. And that noticing makes a difference in our daily lives. It can enrich and enhance those sweet moments. It can strengthen us in times of need and challenge. And it helps us to see the goodness that God is imagining for us - even when we don't think we can quite reach for it yet. If you aren't sure how to do that, you might just add some silence to your day, when you settle down, invite God into your heart, and begin to have a conversation about what you noticed that day. This time of year, it's always the leaves that I notice - and the goodness and busy-ness of the beginning of our year together.
Know that you're in my prayers - and that I'm still grateful for all the things I keep noticing about you and about what God is up to at St. Matt's. God bless you. And I hope to see you on Sunday.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
Tags: Welcome from the Rector