Tornadoes

This litany of supplication, penned by Bishop Parsley, is posted on the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama website.

Blow the Birds Point levee?

Apparently, one option to relieve some of the pressure in the Mississippi River may be to blow up this Missouri levee and intentionally flood two counties. The thought of the destruction brings tears to my eyes. Please pray for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi Valley Division as they make painful decisions.

Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

May it be so, dear Lord, for all those living along the Mississippi River.

Isaiah 44:1-3

“Yet hear me now, O Jacob my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen.” (Isaiah 44:1)
      Lord Jesus, help all whom you have chosen hear and answer your call to them.

“Thus says the LORD who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.’” (Isaiah 44:2)
      Holy Spirit, helper and friend, set us free from baseless fears.

“‘For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;’” (Isaiah 44:3)
      Holy Spirit, pour your living water upon us and our children, for we are thirsty. Flood the dry grounds of our lives; pour out your Spirit up our children and your blessing on their children. Thank you.

Praying the Nicene Creed, a word received 12/29/07: Each day I want you to take a phrase from the Nicene Creed and pray that phrase. My people need to hear what is true and make it their own.
I believe in one God,
      Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for being one and thank you for your love for one another. Please help me, help your people live in the reality of your unity and love. Thank you.
the Father Almighty,
      Father, thank you for being a father to me. Thank you that by your might you have made your son Jesus known to us so that we can become your children.
maker of heaven and earth,
      Thank you, Father, for your creation. Please help us by your Holy Spirit to be better stewards of your creation.
and of all things visible and invisible;
      Father, we know that we are surrounded by your angelic hosts and that whole company of heaven, that cloud of witnesses that has gone before us. Help us to be steady in you till we reach that place of rest. Thank you.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
      Father, guide us by your Holy Spirit so that every other “lord” in our lives is brought under the sovereign rule of Jesus and he becomes our one Lord. Thank you.
the only begotten Son of God,
      Father, thank you for sending your one and only son to us so that we might become your children.
begotten of his Father before all worlds,
      Jesus, you have always been there; help us receive you into every part of our lives.
God of God, Light of Light,
      Jesus, you are God and you are the light to take us through this time of darkness in the church and in the nation. You are the word of God and are a lamp to our feet.
very God of very God,
      Jesus, you and the Father are one; please help us come to know you and him better.
begotten, not made,
      Father, thank you for choosing Mary to bring Jesus to us. Help us to respond as she did.
being of one substance with the Father;
      Jesus, you came to us bearing the image of the Father so that we might know his love for us. You are one with him and there is no division between you. Please help us by your Holy Spirit to know the unity and character that you share with the Father.
by whom all things were made;
      Jesus, everything we have was made by you, there is nothing that we can have that we can call our own except for your cross and resurrection. It is all a free gift of yours; thank you.
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven,
      Jesus, thank you for being willing to give up the glory of heaven to come and live with us. Thank you that day by day your Holy Spirit is willing to live in us in the midst of all our sin.
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man;
      Holy Spirit, thank you for Mary’s willingness to receive your over-shadowing and her willingness to risk all to bear Jesus for us.
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate;
      Thank you, Jesus, for what you endured on the cross for us.
he suffered and was buried;
      Jesus, thank you for dying for us while we were still sinners. You went to the cross and the grave for us because of your love for your father and for us. Thank you.
and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures,
      Holy Spirit, thank you that you enabled Jesus to rise from the dead. Thank you for his victory over sin and death. Please bring us to new life in him.
and ascended into heaven,
       Jesus, thank you for your ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of your father. Thank you that you ever live to make intercession for us.
and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;
       Father, thank you for giving Jesus such a place of honor; please help us honor him by our words and deeds and belief.
and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead;
       Jesus, you are Lord and you are judge; help us to fall into your hands and not the hands of men.
whose kingdom shall have no end.
       Thank you, Jesus, for your endurance to the end on the cross. Thank you for establishing an eternal kingdom.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord, and Giver of Life,
       Father, we desperately need the renewing power of your Holy Spirit in the life of the Episcopal Church
who proceedeth from the Father and the Son;
       Holy Spirit, thank you for helping us know both the Father and the Son!
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified;
       Holy Spirit, please help us know you, worship you, and glorify you.
who spake by the Prophets.
      Thank you for your word in Scripture and your words to us today.
And I believe one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church;
       Holy Spirit, I believe that apostolic teaching which has been taught in all places and in all times. Thank you for the faith that you delivered to the saints. Help us to keep steady in your teaching and grace. Thank you.

Sunday: 146, 147 * 111, 112, 113; Isaiah 43:8-13; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-7
HC: 111 or 118:19-24; Acts 2:14a, 22-32 or Genesis 8:6-16; 9:8-16; 1 Peter 1:3-9 or Acts 2:14a,22-32; John 20:19-31
Monday: 1, 2, 3 * 4, 7; Dan. 1:1-21; 1 John 1:1-10; John 17:1-11

      Notes from the Front Line

***** Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2011
From: Deacon Alan Hart
Subject: PT report
PRAYER TABLE REPORT St. Mary’s of Lake Luzerne (Sat., April 30, 11:30-noon, in front of Parish Hall prior to our weekly Community Luncheon. Deacon Alan Hart presiding at His table.)

Note: The weather was absolutely stunning and gorgeous. It provided repose and happiness — for a change — for a community which was ravaged by rising waters of the Hudson River the previous two days when people in homes along the river had to be evacuated because of flooding. Parts of the community had roads closed. Many people were inconvenienced and we had a great amount of property damage, but … praise God — no lives were lost.

a–denotes anointed with Holy Oil.
t–denotes received wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina.

a–EDITH — This woman is a regular at His table. She had a great thanksgiving to report: her brother ROBERT for whom she has come for prayer in the past months has had his cancer KILLED by radiation and of course by Christ’s healing hand. He has to go for a scan this week but it appears the cancer is gone! Also, her friend (no name given) also is “doing well,” and Edith cannot give Christ enough thanks for prayers answered. Edith also gave thanks for all the people who were saved from the flooding up here. “You can replace furniture, but not lives,” she correctly said.

a,t — LINDA — She sought prayer for her sister HOLLY who undergoes gastric bypass surgery this coming Wednesday at Schenectady’s Ellis Hospital. Please pray for Holly’s successful surgery and recovery.

VALERIE — This woman is originally from Brooklyn and came to the table to give thanks that she is in good health and that she has been blessed by the reinstatement of her disability rights for nerve damage she received as a teacher many years ago while teaching fifth grade in a public school in New York. It has been a long legal and physical fight for her, but she is finally seeing peace and justice and better health. She is getting tranquility in her life after many years of pain and suffering. Praise God.

Albany Intercessor