Yesterday, scenes unfolded at the U.S. Capitol that shocked, surprised and disturbed us, regardless of our own political loyalties. This is particularly true for us at Epiphany. Many of us have worked in and around our government and know the Capitol and, in some cases, the people who work there, personally.
While my job as your rector is not to enforce a political viewpoint at Epiphany, it is to remind all of us when it is time particularly to pray. In my judgment, this is one of those times. I am calling all of us who are able to join with me and Mtr. Pamela at 7pm tonight on Zoom to pray together for our nation.
We will use two portions of the Book of Common Prayer for our service. One, called “The Great Litany” seems purpose-built for moments like this. The other is the last service of the day, called Compline. There will also be a time of silent, guided prayer to bring particular needs, anxieties and concerns of this time to God.
Here is the service order to open or print off in advance.
Our goal in all of this is not to enter the political fray convinced that God is on our side. It is to acknowledge with our voices, hearts and minds that we are children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to ask for His help for our nation in this moment.
There is a passage in the book of Joshua that I reflect on often when it comes to God’s place in our national struggles of late. “When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘are you for us, or for our adversaries?’ And he said, ‘No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come,’ and Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped…” (Joshua 6.13-14). God is not on any political team’s side. But we as believers can be on His side. The way to His side is through prayer and worship.
God Bless,
