Contributed by Steven Alloway, Granada Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

What would your life be like if you had extraordinary superpowers? What would you do and how would you use them? What if one day you discovered that everyone in the world had the same superpowers as you?

Expanding the Promise

Amber Case studies the interaction between humans and technology, in a field known as Cyborg Anthropology. This can include things such as prosthetic limbs and electronic implants in the brain, but more commonly deals with computers, smartphones, and other devices that people use every day.

“A cyborg is simply someone who interacts with technology,” says Case. “The technology can be a physical or mental extension, and doesn’t need to be implanted in the person.”

As we interact with this technology, it gives us abilities that just a few years ago were purely in the realm of science fiction, from sensors that turn lights on and off as we enter or leave a room, to camera phones that allow us to speak face to face with someone on the other side of the globe.

“A cyborg is not a Terminator or Robocop,” says Case. “Everyone that uses technology is a superhuman. It’s not so strange anymore because it’s the norm—most everyone else around us is also a superhuman.”

Discussion Questions

• What kind of technology do you use in your everyday life? What does it allow you to do?
• What can you do with technology now that you weren’t able to do five years ago? What can you do that your parents couldn’t do when they were your age?
• Are there disadvantages to this technology? What do you do when your batteries run out unexpectedly, or you’re in a place where you’re unable to connect?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, December 16, 2012 (Third Sunday of Advent)

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Philippians 4:4-7

Luke 3:7-18

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

The Jews were God’s chosen people: the children of Abraham. He had set them apart from the rest of the world, blessing them and giving them a rich inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. As such, it was hard not to feel superior. But John tells the people something different. Being children of Abraham doesn’t make them superior. The Lord can raise up children of Abraham from the stones!

It seems an odd passage to study in the middle of Advent. Where’s the “peace on Earth, good will to mankind”? Instead, we get, “You brood of vipers!” and promises of axes and fires poised for the judgment. But if you look more closely, it’s actually a very appropriate passage. Advent is the preparation for the coming of the Savior. And that’s exactly what this is. John was sent to prepare the way of the Lord: to get the people ready for the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It’s just not what we’re used to at Christmas.

Still, at its core, it’s a very hopeful passage. It’s a foreshadowing of what Jesus came to do: to take the promise given to the Jews, and open it up to everyone. To make us ALL children of Abraham, and recipients of a rich inheritance—salvation.

But that doesn’t make it easy. Though anyone can now receive the inheritance of salvation, John makes it very clear that not everyone will. Only those who bear fruit will receive the promised blessings. The rest will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So how do we bear fruit? First we must be baptized. Baptized not only with water, but with the fire of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t like the fire that will burn up the refuse that produces no fruit. Rather, this fire burns within us. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to be “on fire” for the Lord, filled with the joy of salvation and spreading that joy, that fire, to those around us. And that’s what the coming of the Savior is all about.

Discussion Questions

• Do you tend to feel superior to the people in your life who aren’t Christians? Or do you try to spread the good news of Christ to them, so that they can have the same fire that you do?
• “Baptism by fire” is sometimes used to mean a painful or harrowing ordeal which makes us better people, once we’ve come through it. In what way has your Christian life been a “baptism by fire”? What are some difficulties you’ve had to endure for your faith, and how have they made you a better person, or a better Christian?
• What are some things that you have now, or are able to do now, that wouldn’t be possible without Christ in your life?

Activity Suggestions

Read the promise first made to Abraham in Genesis 17. Compare it to the promise in Romans 4, that we can all be children of Abraham.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for the promise that you made to include us in the inheritance of Abraham. Make your Spirit burn in us, so that we may bear fruit, sharing that promise with those around us and spreading the joy of your salvation.  Prepare our hearts for your unexpected coming into our lives and our world. Amen.

Contributed by Jay McDivett, Thiensville, WI

Warm-up Question

What is the most important thing on your “to do” list between now and Christmas?

What’s the Point?

As the economic recovery continues to be slow, the U.S. “shopping season” got off to a huge start on “Black Friday” (11/23, the day after Thanksgiving) this year, with record numbers of shoppers lining up in person and shopping at home online.

Each year, analysts and business owners, together with stock-watchers and folks looking for signs of economic hope, wait to see how big an event “Black Friday” will be – as an indicator of how the rest of the holiday retail season will pan out. In recent years, Black Friday has been joined by “Cyber Monday” (the Monday after Thanksgiving, when online retailers offer deals for shoppers who prefer to stay home and purchase things while wearing their pajamas) and “Small Business Saturday” (the Saturday after Black Friday, when folks are encouraged to shop locally and support small businesses).

In addition, non-profit organizations are getting into the holiday spirit with “Giving Tuesday” (the day after Cyber Monday…after Small Business Saturday…after Black Friday…after Thanksgiving), encouraging folks to “cut through the noise” of retail and spend the day (or season) learning how to “give more, give better, and give smarter” during a season when people express their generosity in lots of different ways, including both gift-giving and charity.

It remains to be seen how many of these money-charged “festival days” have staying power – or generate any “real” hope for economic recovery in this country or around the world. And, of course, we’re several paragraphs into this story about the “holidays” (Christmas being at least one of the biggest holidays celebrated this time of year), and with all this talk about hope, no one has yet mentioned Jesus.

Discussion Questions

• How many of your friends and family did some (or most, or all) of their shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend? Was it fun? Stressful? Exciting? Meaningful? Anyone have a shopping story they want to share?
• Why do you think we focus so much energy and interest on the shopping aspect of this season?
• How do you feel about “Giving Tuesday” as a part of (or response to) the shopping emphasis of the kick-off to the holiday shopping season?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, December 9, 2012 (Second Sunday of Advent)

Malachi 3:1-4

Philippians 1:3-11

Luke 3:1-6

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

Talk about “cutting through the noise.” The reading in the Gospel of Luke for this day begins with a long list of totally unpronounceable names. Luke places the story of John the Baptist (son of a very important priest) in its context – the context of empire, politics, religion and rule. These are the people who have power over the lives of the people surrounding Jesus: people like Tiberius, Herod, Pilate, Philip, Lysanias, Annas, Caiaphas… and so on. These were important people, who demanded attention, homage, and obedience from the poor folks living in Galilee and the regions surrounding the Jordan River. People like Mary and Joseph.

Into this noisy and complicated time, God sent John – an important man who threw away his power and prestige and devoted his life to pointing. John’s job was to point: to point out the dumb and dangerous nonsense that clouded people’s lives; to point to the water where they could be washed and changed and given another shot at living a meaningful and faithful life; and most of all, to point to the One who was coming into the world who would make all things new – for us and for all of creation.

Pointing – that’s the job of the church and its faithful few. Our job is to cut through the clatter and clutter and point: to point out how silly it is to think that the future depends on how many people line up at the crack of dawn to buy mostly useless stuff; to point at how many people are living in poverty and hunger while the rest of us are wearing our pajamas in a warm house and clicking away on Amazon or Etsy; to point out that real, lasting hope cannot be purchased; and more than anything, to point to the fact that real, lasting hope will mean a total re-arranging of the world as we know it… which means, of course, that we might not want to spend so much time worrying about the ups and downs of the world as we know it.

John tells us that the coming of God into the world will mean filling in valleys and tearing down mountains. That makes environmentalists cringe – if, of course, they are taking these things literally. But maybe what John is really saying is that repentance (that is, a changed mind/heart/life) is something that totally rearranges how we understand our world, our lives, and the things we value. What better time than this season to be reminded of what really matters. (Hint: you can’t buy it in a store. It is a gift, but it is one that can only be given to us, by God.)

Discussion Questions

• What, in your opinion, “really matters”? How does the “holiday season” help and/or hurt your ability to focus on the things that really matter?
• Where do you think you would find Jesus on the Friday-Tuesday (and beyond) following Thanksgiving?
• If John the Baptist showed up at your school, what would he point to that would need to be changed? What would he point to that would be a sign of hope and joy and life

Activity Suggestions

Materials needed: cardstock, writing utensils, current newspapers and/or magazines.

Using cardstock, invite each participant to cut out 5-10 “pointer fingers” (number varies according to the time you have allotted for this activity), about 1” square (these can be decorated, or not). Then, invite each participant to rifle through the news sources for stories/ads/images that s/he thinks John the Baptist would point to in his effort to call people to repentance and hope. Include both signs of danger and nonsense as well as signs of life and hope and joy. Cut out those pictures/ads/stories and tape a pointer finger to each one. Assemble these into a collage, clumping together signs of danger and signs of hope. Invite participants to share why they chose the items they chose.

Closing Prayer

God, you send us people like John to point to what’s really important – and to remind us of all the stuff that isn’t. Help us to listen to those voices, so that we can spend less time on stuff that doesn’t matter and more time on the things that do. Help us learn how to become pointer fingers ourselves. But most of all, remind us during this crazy beautiful season that you – and you alone – have given us hope; and you – and you alone – will give us life, now and forever. Amen.

Contributed by Lindean Barnett Christenson, Bozeman, MT

Warm-up Question

How well would you say you can multitask? What are some tasks you frequently do at the same time? What do you find distracting (music, friends, text messages, concerns)?

Pay Attention!

It seems that many people pride themselves on their skills at “multitasking,” doing several things at one time rather than doing them sequentially, one at a time. Research has shown, however, that multitasking simply isn’t possible. When it comes to paying attention, multitasking is a myth, says developmental molecular biologist, Dr. John Medina.

Perhaps that explains why more and more states and cities are strictly limiting, or banning altogether, the use of cell phones and other devices while driving. Statistics show drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to crash than non-distracted drivers. Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, which is the equivalent, if you’re driving 55 mph, of driving the length of an entire football field without looking at the road.

Many states have state-wide bans on cell phone use while driving. Other states leave it up to individual cities or municipalities to draft and enact their own bans. Missoula, Montana is one such city. A ban on the use of hand-held cell phones while driving was passed by the City Council just over a month ago. The hope is that strict enforcement of the new ban will not only help (force?) people to take the ban seriously, but also increase road safety in the city.

Discussion Questions

• How often do you talk on the phone or text while driving or performing some other task that would benefit from undivided attention? Have you ever missed out on something because you were distracted?
• Why do think people who know the dangers of texting while driving still do it?
• Why is it difficult to postpone communications or entertainment- why is waiting so hard?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, December 2, 1012 (First Sunday of Advent)

 Jeremiah 33:14-16

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Luke 21:25-36

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

It’s the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a new liturgical year in the church. For the next year, most of the lectionary Gospel readings will come from the Gospel according to Luke. Yet instead of beginning at the beginning of the Gospel, our first reading echoes a parallel reading from just two weeks ago from the Gospel according to Mark. (And for an excellent discussion of the purpose and uses of apocalyptic writing, see Dennis Sepper’s Faith Lens reflections for November 18^th).

In our passage from Luke, and the verses that precede it, Jesus teaches the crowds in the temple about the coming of the Son of Man and the arrival of the kingdom of God in all its fullness. The predictive signs are things that always seem to be happening: wars and insurrections (v 9), earthquakes and famines (v 11), the changing of the seasons (v 30). Jesus urges his listeners to be on guard, to be alert, to be paying attention to the world around them. He doesn’t want them to be so distracted by the pleasures or the worries of life that they miss the arrival of the kingdom of God in their midst. He wants them to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man.

Given that it’s been close to two thousand years since Luke wrote down this account of the Gospel, many Christians today find it difficult to live in constant anticipation of Jesus’ return. And yet Jesus’ words are for us, too: be alert, be on guard, don’t forget to keep the main thing the main thing.

Discussion Questions

• Do you tend to be distracted more by fun and pleasurable things or by worries and fears?
• How is life different (or how could/would it be different) when you live each day looking for signs of the kingdom of God? What do you think the kingdom of God is like? What other Bible stories do you know that teach about the kingdom of God?
• What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had? How has your faith, or someone else’s faith, surprised you?
• Some people seem to be obsessed with figuring out exactly when the world will end, some people live as though the world won’t ever end. Where do you fall along that spectrum? Why?

Activity Suggestions

• Check out some of the research on multi-tasking at Brain Rules: http://brainrules.blogspot.com/2008/03/brain-cannot-multitask_16.html
• Use a concordance (online or a printed version – check out your congregation’s library or ask a pastor for one) to look up verses about the kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven and discuss what you find.
• Make Advent Calendar chains to celebrate the season of Advent and count down the days to Christmas.

Supplies:              25 strips of blue paper for each person in the group.

Pens and pencils

Staplers or tape

Figure out how many Bible verses/activities/prayers each member of your group will need to come up with (if you have 5 participants, each person will come up with 5 activities).

Have each person write each of his/her activities on a strip for each person in the group.

Distribute the strips so each person has one strip for each day of Advent, then use the staplers or tape to make a paper chain out of the strips.

Each day during Advent, participants can take one link off the chain and read the verse/do the activity, etc.

Closing Prayer

O Lord, come. Come into our busy lives and into out distracted minds and hearts. Give us eyes to see the world you love and the coming of your kingdom. Bless us with faith to wait and to trust you in the details and distractions of our everyday lives. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen

Contributed by Dave Dodson, Shalimar, FL

Warm-up Question

Who do you consider to be a good leader?

Leader of the Free World

Three weeks ago, the longest election cycle in United States history ended with the re-election of President Barack Obama.  The race received a great deal of media attention, not only within the United States, but worldwide.  Even citizens of European, Asian, African, and South American nations often favored one candidate over another and followed the race from their own countries.

This seems a little much, doesn’t it?  After all, the President does not have absolute power, even in the United States.  His power is balanced by powers given to Congress and the Supreme Court.  The President cannot pass laws on his own; he can only ratify or reject laws approved by Congress.  Why, then, were so many people, both inside and outside of the United States, so very invested in the result of the Presidential election?

To a large degree, the Presidential race matters because it represents the United States as a whole: what the majority of our citizens believe, what values we hold to be most important, and what we’re willing to fight for.  Since the Cold War, the President of the United States has often been given the nickname “Leader of the Free World”, suggesting that his leadership defined the values and actions of democratic countries around the world.

Certainly, the President has a very important political position.  To the rest of the world, though, he is also a very powerful symbol of the will of the citizens of the United States.

Discussion Questions

• Can you think of any other leaders, political or otherwise, in recent world history who have exemplified the values of their followers?  (Prompt your students to “think outside the box” if need be!  Examples could be political figures, such as Nelson Mandela or another US President.  They might be ideological, like Martin Luther King or the Dalai Lama)

• Should we hold political leaders to a high ethical standard?  What about leaders in other fields, like music, sports, and business?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, November 25, 2012 (Christ the King Sunday)

Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Revelation 1:4b-8

John 18:33-37

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

When Pilate stands before Jesus to question him, we can tell that he desperately wants to put some sort of label on him.  Jesus has been accused of no specific crime against the Roman Empire at this point.  The Pharisees and their followers have simply dragged Jesus before Pilate, insisting that he be put to death, without giving a reason.  Pilate isn’t concerned with Jesus or the Pharisees.  All he wants out of Jesus is a quick answer so he can label him, pass judgment, and dismiss him.

“Are you the King of the Jews?”  Pilate wants Jesus to simply confirm that he is on some power trip, trying to gain control of the nation of Israel.  If Jesus says “Yes”, he can probably be dismissed as a crazy person, found guilty of no crime against the Roman Empire, and released.  If he says “No”, he can be written off as a victim and, again, probably released.

Instead, Jesus’ answers to Pilate’s questions indicate that he is not the “King of the Jews”, but is a king in a far greater way. Jesus is much more than a worldly king.  His kingship extends to more than just the nation of Israel.  His power passes far beyond that of a political ruler.  And most of all, his message of peace and love is for absolutely all people everywhere.  Jesus is clear about this when he answers Pilate: “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.”

Sometimes, Christians and non-Christians alike have been guilty of the same mistake that Pilate makes.  We want to put a single label on Jesus so that we can dismiss the fullness of his mission and ministry.  We want to limit Jesus’ message to just the parts that make us comfortable or help us win an argument.  We want Jesus’ words to make us feel good all the time, and we ignore the parts of Jesus’ teachings that challenge us.  Sometimes, we even seem to forget that it isn’t just Christians who are part of God’s people — that Jesus’ message is for all people everywhere.

Let’s learn from Pilate’s mistake.  Rather than trying to make Jesus fit our expectations, let’s open our minds up to hear his teachings again, and let him tell us about his kingdom!

Discussion Questions

• Jesus is the ultimate example of a faithful leader.  What sort of traits did Jesus have that we should emulate?  How does this differ from the values of secular culture?
• How do leaders in your church follow Jesus’ example in their actions and ministries?

Activity Suggestion

Create crowns from posterboard (or gather cardboard crowns from a local fast food restaurant).  On the crowns, write the attributes and attitudes that Jesus modeled through his words and guidance (peace, forgiveness, love, faith, etc).  Decorate the crowns.  (If you wish, invite students to make a gift of the paper crowns to church members who exhibit these traits in their congregational leadership.)

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, you gave us a magnificent world and abundant blessings.  Help us to be good leaders in your world and spread your love and blessings to all people.  Let us be your hands in a world that longs to feel your touch.  Amen.

Contributed by Dennis Sepper, Tacoma, WA

Warm-up Question

What kind of stories do you like?  What have you learned from those stories?  Is there any “truth” you learned that you thought was good advice or applied to your life?

LOL

Sometimes a story can convey the truth in a more powerful and meaningful way than just stating it.  For example, there is no real Harry Potter or Hermione Granger, but the stories about them reveal the truth of friendship, the struggle to form helpful values and relationships, and the fight between good and evil.  The same could be said of Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games trilogy.  In the Bible there are several places where an author uses a story full of symbols to give encouragement and hope to their readers.  These stories have a technical name you may have heard: they are called apocalyptic writings.  Daniel in the Old Testament and Revelation in the New Testament are prime examples of apocalyptic writings.  Daniel and Revelation were written during times of persecution so the authors had to be careful so that the persecutors wouldn’t know what they were saying to their people.  They used symbol and wild imagery to confuse the people in power and give hope to people suffering oppression.

I have a friend who received a text from a female co-worker.  She was sharing with him a funny thing that happened to her that day and ended the text with the abbreviation “LOL”.  My friend was concerned that she had some feelings for him because he interpreted “LOL” to mean “Lots of Love”.  After he showed me the text I assured him that she was not hitting on him and that the abbreviation meant “Laugh Out Loud”.  He was relieved and embarrassed!

But that is the way apocalyptic writing works.  The powerful oppressor thinks the author is saying “Lots of Love” when the author is signaling his people to “Laugh Out Loud” because, no matter how bad things are, God is with them and the goodness of God will triumph over the evil of the oppressor.  It is meant to give them hope in the face of suffering and what might look like a hopeless situation.

Discussion Questions

• Think of a time you were in a situation where things really didn’t look good for you.  What gave strength and hope?  Was it a person?  A story?   A Bible verse?
• Do you think there is a difference between hope and optimism?  Look up the definition of both online.  Which do you think is more powerful, hope or optimism?  Why?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, November, 18, 2012 (Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

Daniel 12:1–3
Hebrews 10:11–14[15–18] 19–25
Mark 13:1–8

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In addition to Daniel and Revelation, each of the first three Gospels contains one chapter which speaks of an apocalypse, specifically the time when the current world will end and Jesus will return.  Mark 13 is one of those apocalyptic chapters (along with Matthew 24 and Luke 13).  In this week’s Gospel text Jesus warns the disciples that they too will face persecution and suffering for the sake of the Gospel but  he says, “fear not,” for God is still in control and God will reign.

Thoughts about the end of the world can be scary, so much so that Hollywood has made a lot of money creating films about either the end of the world or what a “post apocalypse” world would be like (see this list from Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_apocalyptic_films )

However, remember the purpose of apocalyptic writing, to affirm that God always keeps God’s promises and God will always be with us to the end of the age.  That message is strong and clear in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.  We have nothing to fear as always and ultimately we are held in the hand of the God who created heaven and earth, and in the hand of a Savior who showed forth love and compassion even to death on the cross.

You may have also heard that according to some interpretations of the ancient Mayan peoples calendar that world will end on December 21, 2012.  Many predictions have been made over the years, most based on certain Bible passages.  I have a book a cousin gave me many years ago.  It was written by a pastor she interviewed for a newspaper article and in it this pastor predicted the world would end in 1980!  How many years was that before you were even born?  I keep it as a reminder that Jesus knew what he was talking about when he said only God knows the date and time of the end, neither the angels in heaven nor even Jesus knows (see Mark 13:32).

It is interesting to note that the things Jesus presents as signs of the coming end are things that are always going on.  There are always wars and rumors of war, nations do rise against other nations, and there are always famines in our world.  I think two things can be said about this, first, that we do not have to worry about missing the return of Jesus.  When that day comes there will be no doubt about it.  Second, Jesus is encouraging us to keep awake and alert and to carry on our discipleship with a sense of urgency…sort of a “don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today” message.  The Church year season of Advent begins in two weeks and that sense of keeping watch, keeping alert is one of the major themes of the season.

All in all, maybe Martin Luther had the best advice, when asked what he would do if he knew the world would end tomorrow, Luther supposedly said he would plant an apple tree.  We do not have to worry about the end of the world for we are forever held in the arms of God.

Discussion Questions

• The text speaks of a lot of scary events.  What is most personally scary for you; what do you most fear?  How does your faith speak–or sometimes not speak–to that fear?
• If you knew the world would end tomorrow how would you spend the last day?
• Why do you think many persons seem so obsessed with figuring out a timeline for the end of the world?

Activity Suggestions

The people in the Caribbean and all along the east coast are recovering from the damage of Hurricane Sandy.  They are not being persecuted but they sure could use some hope and comfort.  Why not pick a synod or two and send the Bishop of the synod a card or a letter of encouragement which the Bishop could share with the people of the synod?  Let them know that you are thinking of them, praying for them and standing with them in their time of need.  Can you imagine how their spirits could be lifted by cards and letters from youth groups and individuals around the country?  Here is a link where you can find the names of the Bishop and the address of the Synod office.  http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Synodical-Relations/Regions.aspx  Just click on a region on the east coast and then you will see links to the synods in that region.  Do not forget the Caribbean Synod for they suffered at the hands of Sandy too.  It may not be an apocalyptic writing that you send but it still can bring hope!

Editor’s note:  I was serving as Lutheran campus pastor at Virginia Tech when the shootings occurred on that campus.  We received a number of bookmarks from a synodical youth event in New England which expressed care and support during that crisis.  It meant a lot.  This week’s writer is dead on in his suggestion!

Closing Prayer

Loving God, you created the universe and all that is in it and yet you call us by name and hold us in the palm of your hand.  Strengthen all those who are suffering or facing persecution.  Give them hope through your Word and through us, their fellow pilgrims on the journey of faith.  We pray also for those of us who are wondering if things will ever work out for the good, if the good will ever overcome evil.  Speak a word of peace and hope to us and remind us that we can never be separated from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.