New Heavens

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Merciful God, our salvation in whom we trust, you who are eternal,

know our daily joys and sorrows and give us grace to bring our needs

before you.

We pray for pastors, teachers, new Episcopal leaders and all the

saints who lead your church. Inspire them by your Holy Spirit

and help us to uphold them.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for newly elected officials and for civil servants. Stir

them to heed justice and rouse the church to hold them

accountable.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer. We pray for those who are sick or in trouble. Comfort them with

grace and empower we your church to minister to them.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all who suffer the violence of human hands or

natural disaster. Shield them with your holy angels and motivate

your church to care for them.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all those who may live in fear of your judgment, who

have known rejection, or who live on the margins of society.

Show them the love that casts out fear and enable them to find a

place in your church, that we may be a community of

reconciliation.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for our enemies. Empower the church to love them and

to look for a day when we may live together in your reconciling

love.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for all those who suffer for the name of Christ. Let your

people in every place be ready to offer testimony to the gospel

and bear persecution with the confidence in your truth.

God in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of mercy, our strength and our might, receive these prayers,

which we offer trusting in your goodness. We ask in weakness

according to our need, but you give wisely according to your gracious

care for all the world. Therefore, we pray in gratitude and in hope,

through our Teacher, Jesus Christ

Almighty God, as the Scriptures are read and your Word proclaimed, reveal to us the way of service in your name, that by the power of your Holy Spirit, we may not grow weary in working to bring your new heaven to earth. Amen.

Isaiah 65:17-25 ¹⁷ For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. ¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. ¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. ²⁰ Nlo more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. ²¹ They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. ²² They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. ²³ They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. ²⁴ Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. ²⁵ The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord. Luke 21:5-19 ⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, “⁶ As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” ⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. ⁹“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹ there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. ¹²«But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³ This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; ¹⁵ for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

Jesus speaks of wars, insurrections, earthquakes, famines, and

plagues, but instructs his followers, “Do not be terrified!” How does

our witness to the gospel include resistance to our natural impulse to

be terrorized by evil? What are ways that we might stay energized in

the seemingly impossible task of being God’s love for creation?

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING — Virginia Olejnik

In a world filled with blessings we celebrate our privilege and our

responsibility to share those blessings. Let us celebrate the God of

overwhelming blessings by continuing our worship through the

offering of our tithes and gifts.

God of the wolf and the lamb, the lion and the ox, we give thanks for these gifts and pray they might be agents of your peace. May they serve your creation as we seek your new heaven and new earth. Help us take these gifts out into a world filled with distress and calm it. Help us take these gifts out into a world filled with pain and heal it. Help us take these gifts out into a world filled with silence and speak up; In Jesus ’name. Amen.

And now may the God of our salvation, our strength and our comfort, guard your hearts and minds this day and evermore. Go out into the world in peace. Give thanks. Work for what is right. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.