Ok ~ so a little more about St. Peter's Episcopal Church from last Sunday...
This is one thing that really impressed and surprised me: On the inside of the bulletin (well, it's more of a booklet, since there are so many readings and such to follow along with), this is what it said:
Prayer Before Worship
Use the time before the liturgy, when the church is quiet, to pray.
Here are some things to pray for:
1. Jesus' powerful, healing, life-changing presence
2. Those gathering to worship, that they meet God today
3. Our guests, for whom this is all new, that they feel at home
4. Our clergy, that the Holy Spirit speak powerfully through them
5. All the ministries of our church, that God will guide and empower them to transform people's lives and the world
Can it get any more genuine than that?? I love it!
And here is their vision, printed on the back of the booklet:
To be a City on a Hill that Cannot be Hid: Praising God, Seeking the Lost, Welcoming All, Growing Together, Sending Servants, Changing the World.
One of my favorite parts of the service was the "peace be with you" time of greeting one another. We were genuinely and warmly and even enthusiastically welcomed by folks who just had the love of Jesus coming out their pores. How neat to find that in a liturgical setting!
Is anyone else as surprised as I am to find these things in an Episcopal church?
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