Let our prayers rise up as we join together in worship.

                                                                                                                                                             "Let my prayers rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

 O God I call to you come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you.

 Let my prayers rise up like incense before you the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

 Keep watch within me God deep in my heart, may the light of your love be burning bright.

 Let my prayers rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

 All praise to the God of all-creator of life; all praise to Christ and the Spirit of love.

 Let my prayer rise up as incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you." 

   

All day long the Psalm canticle from the Holden evening prayer service has been playing in my head.This canticle is my favorite part of the Holden service when we sing it together during worship.The the music and words in this round are beautiful but it is the way our voices go back and forth echoing the phrases, wrapping each of us in praise and vocally producing a sweet sound that matches the visual of incense rising up to God.

As the music of this canticle played in my head today I also heard the voices of our community of faith. It was not as good as being with you but somehow your voices also became faces and I felt much closer to you.This is the mystery of the body of Christ. We are the church when we gather together and we are the church when we are sitting in our homes by ourselves.

It is the Holy Spirit that binds us together with the love of God. The Spirit is not constrained by time and distance. We can worship together even when we cannot be in the same space. This can happen anytime we call on the Spirit to join our hearts and minds with other Christians. Maybe you can try this, this evening. At 6:30 let's light a candle and try singing or saying the above canticle. As you sing or speak the canticle ask the Holy Spirit to join your voice with others that are singing their praises to God at the same time. Then let us take some time to pray for one another;to claim our love and concern for one another. May God keep watch deep in your heart!