Christ’s transformative love we are made new. We
pray together that we are truly sorry and we humbly
repent prior to receiving communion so that we
can approach the Lord’s table with a clean heart,
acknowledging our faults and shortcomings but
longing for our redemption in Christ and knowing
that he loves us, no matter who we are.
I hope that the next time you hear this song
you think of Christ’s call. We are invited deeper into
communion with Christ every time we receive the
bread and wine, his body and blood, a communion
expressed in the hope of love and redemption
for the whole human race. We are saved through
Christ’s everlasting love — a love made manifest in
the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The table is ready,
are you? Happy are those who are called to his
supper.
Sharing Self
WHEN WORSHIP BECOMES MISSION Art & Worship: Patchwork Prayers
Gerlinde Brixius
Parishioner Jan Golann
Parishioner
One day this summer, a friend asked me whether
I would consider leading a session of public prayer
for the City of New York. He expected questions,
but I surprised him with an instant “yes”. Sharing
worship has become as natural for me as sharing
a good recipe. Worship has become a form of
mission!
At first, my service in leading various worship
activities at St. James’
—
from acolyting in the
morning to setting up candles in the evening,
carrying forth the elements or leading morning
prayer— was an effort. But over time, what we do,
say and hear becomes ingrained and part of who
we are. Sharing worship and prayer, then, becomes
sharing self: a self that I gladly share wherever
needed. Not just in church, but also at work by
leading a weekly bible study, a memorial service for
a colleague, and by praying for our executives when
they announce the company’s annual results.
Praying for the City of New York is mission I am
undertaking gladly. If you are curious, let’s chat! Glorious patchwork quilts draw me in with their patterns, stitches,
colors, and pieces. The variety is endless. Separate pieces
represent memories and thoughts that make up the whole — often
contributed by members of a community who have stitched the
parts together as they gather in a circle. When finished, that quilt
warms and comforts those who use it.
For me, communal prayer can be as warming and comforting
as a patchwork quilt — with God giving comfort to the gathered
group stitching together a variety of prayers. Contemplating a
patchwork quilt allows me to imagine each piece as a prayer
that has been joined with other prayers to make a whole. Praying
the pieces out loud brings us into a conversation with God and
warms us with promise.
Ā Bonus content: stjames.org/camino
“Infinite Variety, Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts”
STJAMES.ORG · 13