St. Thomas' Episcopal Church: Youth Mission Trip 2008 Spiritual Program

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Sunday Evening

SUNDAY : The MISSION

Matthew 10: 1-16                                                            1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.                                                                                    5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, "The kingdom of heaven has come near.'8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.                                                 16 "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

TRAVEL LIGHT, HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

I just returned from a trip to Spain with my family—a trip that took nearly a year to plan. The details of the trip, where we would go, where we would stay, what we would see and importantly, how much it would cost were all carefully planned, researched and arranged—right down to the clothes that I would need for the events. Most of our travel was planned to be by bus, rail and on foot and so as a seasoned traveler, I made my lists and then pared down what I had planned by a third, trying to leave some room in the bag for acquisitions along the way and in real awareness that whatever I packed, I would have to carry.   Even so, in no way could I match the apostles’ instructions to “travel light”. I took plenty of bags, tunics, and modern day gold on my trip—and all the stuff that was so necessary to my travel comfort made it impossible to hide that I was a Tourist with a capital “T”. There was no chance that I would be perceived as a native.

How differently the apostles were dispatched! In the passage, Jesus sends them out with only the clothes on their back empowered to heal and care for those who were receptive to their message of good news. Solely dependent on the hospitality of their audience for survival, the apostles would appear no different and no better than those they sought to teach despite the power of their gifts. The power of redemption was hiding in plain sight: Christians in camouflage, if you please. Only the power of their faith and their commitment to their mission would make them visible to those who were ready to see.   That’s the beauty of camouflage; to see something, you have to be looking for it.

Chungkai, Burma was a notorious Japanese prison camp during World War II. One inmate, Ernest Gordon recounted his time as a prisoner of war many years after the fact, noting that the disease, backbreaking labor, daily beatings, and slow starvation of the camp caused the inmates, mostly Allied soldiers, to become nearly as barbaric as their captors. Soldiers stole from each other, robbed the dying, fought over scraps of food, shortchanged rations to serve themselves. At a point in his imprisonment when Gordon was very ill and he was ready to die to leave the experience behind him, two new prisoners arrived in camp. Though they were equally sick and frail, the new prisoners shared their meager meals and volunteered for extra work. They cleansed Gordon’s wounds and took care of him in his illness. Over time, Gordon’s strength returned and with it, his dignity.

Their goodness was contagious. Gordon began to treat the sick and share his rations and to give away his belongings. Other soldiers followed suit. Sacrifice replaced selfishness.   Soldiers held worship services and Bible studies. Life in the camp was transformed.*

As you begin this week, you can enter the mission as a tourist—clearly here to watch and see but not engage—or you can come with no baggage, without expectations of benefit and identified only by your mission—to proclaim the good news—by your actions, your caring and your being—traveling light, hiding in plain sight.

TANGIBLE: CAMOUFLAGE T SHIRT

*story excerpted from “Barbaric Behavior” in Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado.

Let us pray:

Lord, we are ready. We are here in this place to be your servants. We all desperately want to please you, both those of us who have done this before and those of us who are brand new at it. We enter this week looking to receive nothing in return. We expect nothing from those we will serve. Your son taught us to love without condition. We will show the world that kind of love this week, Lord. We will work with each other side by side. We will put away our differences and do your will. We are energized Lord! We can’t wait to begin! Pace us, though, Father. Help us keep this feeling the entire week. Keep our hearts and minds on the work before us as we know we are the only “Jesus” that some of these people will ever see. Help us to show them the true Christ, the Son of God. Help us to show the unconditional love of our Savior. With your help we can. Amen.

“Mission Week Prayers-day one” prayer from The Book of Uncommon Prayer by Steven Case

Monday Morning

YOU’RE IN THE ARMY NOW:   MONDAY MORNING

A reading from 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 - 11

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When they say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4 But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5 for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7 for those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

The Lord's Army from http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/texts/topics/discipleship/lordsarmy.shtml

A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. The pastor said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!"

My friend replied, "I'm already in the army of the Lord, Pastor."

The Pastor questioned, "How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?"

And with a totally straight face, he whispered back, "I'm in the Secret Service."

Let us pray:                                                                           Almighty God, whose loving hand hath given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our substance, and remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

YOU’RE IN THE ARMY NOW: MONDAY LUNCH

A reading from Jeremiah 1:6-10

6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Truly, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." 7 But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, "I am only a boy'; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord." 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant."

“The Blacksmith's Shop” from Shaped by God by Max Lucado

In the shop of a blacksmith, there are three types of tools.

There are tools on the junk pile: outdated, broken, dull, rusty. They sit in the cobwebbed corner, useless to their master, oblivious to their calling.

There are tools on the anvil: melted down, molten hot, moldable, changeable. They lie on the anvil, being shaped by their master, accepting their calling.

There are tools of usefulness: sharpened, primed, defined, mobile. They lie ready in the blacksmith’s tool chest, available to their master, fulfilling their calling.

Some people lie useless: lives broken, talents wasting, fires quenched, dreams dashed. They are tossed in with the scrap iron, in desperate need of repair, with no notion of purpose.

Others lie on the anvil: hearts open, hungry to change, wounds healing, visions clearing.   They welcome the painful pounding of the blacksmith’s hammer, longing to be rebuilt, begging to be called.

Others lie in their Master’s hands: well tuned, uncompromising, polished, productive. They respond to their Master’s forearm, demanding nothing, surrendering all.

We are all somewhere in the blacksmith’s shop. We are either on the scrap pile, in the Master’s hands on the anvil, or in the tool chest. (Some of us have been in all three.) From the shelves to the workbench, from the water to the fire…I’m sure that somewhere you will see yourself.

Paul spoke of becoming “an instrument for noble purposes.” And what a becoming it is! The rubbish pile of broken tools, the anvil of recasting, the hands of the Master- it’s a simultaneously joyful and painful voyage.

And for you who make the journey—who leave the heap and enter the fire, dare to be pounded on God’s anvil, and doggedly seek to discover your own purpose—take courage, for you await the privilege of being called “God’s chosen instruments.”

Let us pray:                                                                       O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

YOU’RE IN THE ARMY NOW: MONDAY EVENING

A reading from Ephesians 6: 10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

I am a soldier in the Army of my God
I promise to support and defend the Word Of God against all enemies!
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commander in Chief
The Holy Spirit is my Secretary of Defense
The Holy Bible is my Code of Conduct
Faith, Prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare!
I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity and tested by fire!
I am a Volunteer in this Army, and I am enlisted for eternity!
I will either retire from this Army at the Rapture…or die in this Army!
I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out!
I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable!
If my God needs me, I am there!

I am a Soldier. . . I am in place saluting my King.
Obeying His orders, praising His name and building His Kingdom!
I am committed! I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around!
I cannot be discouraged enough to cause me to quit!
When Jesus called me into this Army, I had nothing!
If I end up with nothing, I will still come out even! I will win!
My God will supply all my needs! I am more than a conqueror!
I will always triumph! I can do all things through Christ!

I am a Soldier! Even death cannot destroy me!
For when my Commander calls me from this battlefield He will promote me
to Captain and then bring me back to rule this world with Him!
I am a Soldier, in the Army, and I am marching, claiming victory!
I will not give up! I will not turn around!
I am a Solider, marching Heaven bound! Here I stand!
WILL YOU STAND WITH ME?

GUESS WHAT?
If you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, you're already enlisted.
Question is: are you on..
Active duty: serving the Lord faithfully, daily, and on duty 24x7, 365 days a year.
Reserve status: Serving only when called upon, or twice a year- Christmas and Easter.
Guard status: Backing up the Active Duty group, or
AWOL: Absent without the Lord.

excerpt from “I am a Soldier” from http://soldiersforchristministries.org/index.htm

TANGIBLE: DOG TAGS

Tuesday morning

BASIC TRAINING: TUESDAY MORNING

Exodus 20: 1-20

1 Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. 8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. 18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19 and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die." 20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin."

Let us pray:

God, we complain too much about the rules. You gave us the sunshine and we celebrate it. You gave us the rain and we rejoice in that too. Even the sky reveals all the gifts you give us. You hand us a world with everything we need to be happy and then you give us your laws and we complain like children. Everything that comes from you is good because with your laws, you give us wisdom. With wisdom, you give us the ability to choose our own paths. It’s hard to see our own failures, Lord. Keep us safe. Don’t let the world tell us what is good, pure, and true. We know the things that come from you are what matter. We will rejoice in your laws like we rejoice in the rain that ends a drought. We will rejoice in your laws as we rejoice in the sunrise after a long, dark night. Make our actions acceptable to you, God. Help us to show the world the truth about your love. Amen.

“God’s Law” prayer from The Book of Uncommon Prayer by Steven Case

BASIC TRAINING: TUESDAY LUNCH

PLAYING THE RIGHT CARD

Today’s story has a story behind it; in fact this story is the behind our theme this week of “soldiering” for Christ.

My father was, like most of his generation, a soldier during World War II. He spend his time in service stateside, managing an intelligence unit centered in Seattle, flying reconnaissance over the western coast of the US, Canada and the Aleutians. He never saw combat.

For as long I could remember, Daddy carried a simple one-fold wallet, which like most men’s was stuffed with accumulated debris—photos of his children, business cards, little slips of paper with names on it, receipts and (ha,ha!) very little money. Occasionally, he would sit down and clean out his wallet to debulk it so he could get it into his trouser pocket more easily. It was a ritual that I observed countless times in my childhood.

At the back of the money pocket there was a folded piece of paper—badly creased and stained that Daddy always kept. It was the last piece of paper he removed from his wallet and the first piece he returned. He never opened it to read it—surely, he knew what the paper was, though there was nothing on the outside of it to identify its contents. When I was older, I sometimes wondered what piece of paper was, but I never asked.

My father died when I was nineteen—sometime after his death, there came the inevitable cleaning out of drawers and possessions and I came upon Daddy’s wallet among his effects. As I thumbed through, I came upon that same dirty, worn, folded piece of paper, and curious to see what it was, I gently opened it. Wrapped in the paper was a single playing card—the king of hearts-- and on the paper was typed the story I am sharing with you today.

During the North African campaign, a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike and they arrived in a little town called Casino. The next morning being Sunday, several of the boys went to church.

A sergeant commanded the boys in church and after the Chaplain had read the prayer, the text was taken up next. Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out, but this one boy had only a deck of cards, and so he spread them out.
                The Sergeant saw the cards and said, "Soldier, put away those cards."
               After the service was over, the soldier was taken prisoner and brought before the Provost Marshall. The Marshall said, "Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?"

"For playing cards in church, Sir."

"And what have you to say for yourself, son?"
"Much, Sir," replied the soldier.
The Marshall said, "I hope so, for if not I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished."

The soldier said, "Sir, I have been on the march for about six days. I have neither a Bible nor a prayer book, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions." And with that, the boy started his story:

"You see Sir, when I look at the Ace, it reminds me that there is but one God.    And the Deuce reminds me that the Bible is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testaments.                                                                                                                              When I see the Trey, I think of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.           And when I see the Four, I think of the four Evangelists who preached the Gospel; there was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
And when I see the Five, it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps; there were ten of them: five were wise and were saved, five were foolish and were shut out.                                                                                                                   When I see the Six, it reminds me that in six days, God made this great heaven and earth.                                                                                                                           When I see the Seven, it reminds me that on the seventh day, God rested from His great work.                                                                                                                   And when I see the Eight, I think of the eight righteous persons God saved when He destroyed this earth; there was Noah, his wife, their sons and their wives.    And when I see the Nine, I think of the lepers our Savior cleansed, and nine out of the ten didn't even thank Him.
When I see the Ten, I think of the Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses on a table of stone. When I see the King, it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven, God Almighty.                                                                                                 And when I see the Queen, I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is Queen of Heaven.                                                                                                                                     And the Jack or Knave is the Devil.

When I count the number of spots on a deck of cards, I find 365, the number of days in a year. There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year. The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Each suit has thirteen cards, there are thirteen weeks in each quarter. There are 12 picture cards, the number of months in a year.

So you see, Sir, my pack of cards serves me as a Bible, an Almanac and a Prayer Book. Most importantly, it reminds me that I need Jesus, 365 days, 52 weeks and 12 months a year and that I should always pray 4 others.”

I’ve learned since that the story has been around a long time in multiple versions dating back to the 1700s—the sites of battle and particular details of the incident changed to match the period of conflict—the current version features Afghanistan.

My father was not a church-going man; he found his faith in planting seeds in the soil and in the beauty of the out of doors. Still, in the King of Hearts, he found a card worth keeping.

TANGIBLE: A DECK OF CARDS

The King of Love my shepherd is,                                                   whose goodness faileth never;                                                       I nothing lack if I am his,                                                         and he is mine forever.

BASIC TRAINING: TUESDAY EVENING

Matthew 16: 13-20

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

Who do YOU say I am?

This passage is really relevant to our world today. As we look at these lines, we see disciples giving a spectrum of differing answers about the perception of Christ; that is also the case in today's world. What is the image of Christ in today's world? Is he a fortune provider, just a idol to worship in a ritual, a savior, a friend? How do you describe him to someone else?

A person once went to a wise storyteller in his town to discover the best way to tell his friends about Jesus.

“I want to know how to tell Jesus’ story to others,” said the young man.

The wise storyteller’s response surprised the young man, “You first must spend time with Jesus and learn from Him. Have you done that?”

“No, I’ve been too busy trying to get His story out.”

“Then go spend time with Him and come back later, and then we‘ll talk about the three steps of storytelling.”

Several days later the young man came back to the storyteller and asked what the first step was.

“You’ve done it,” said the wise storyteller. “Knowing and obeying Him is the first step to telling His story. The more of Him and His story you know, the more His light, love, hope, joy and peace will be reflected in you.”

The young man said, “Now tell me how I tell my friends His story.”

Then the storyteller went on and said, “The second step in telling His story is listening to their story. When you’ve listened to them long enough, they’ll ask you about your story. As you listen to their story and tell yours, I want you to be real and honest with them about it.”

“What if…” and before the young man was finished, the storyteller told him, “No, what if. Just honesty and realness. By the way, as you spend time with them listening to their story, I want you to continue spending time with Jesus and His story.”

“When do I tell them His story? What is the third step?”

“The third step happens when you see the connection between their story and needs and His story and provisions. Telling His story isn’t just about His death. That’s why I told you to continue discovering more and more about Him and His story. The power of Jesus’ story is that it connects with different people in different ways. Be kind and compassionate as you introduce His story to them. If they’re ready to become a part of Him and His story, pray with them and then continue teaching them His story. Some call that discipleship. If they’re not ready, keep praying for them and listening to their story until there’s another moment where you can show them how His story connects to theirs.”*

Later in this passage, Jesus told Peter—‘You are Peter and on this rock I would build my church.” We might think that this statement is only targeted to Peter and is of no relevance to us. However, take note that Peter represents the Church-- US, hence we are all rocks, and we are called to use our gifts to build his church and spread salvation to people around us. If we know who our Savior is, how can we be silent?

* “Three Story Evangelism” by Bill Muir at http://www.scyfc.com/pdf%20files/3%20Story.pdf

Wednesday morning

SUPPLY LINES: WEDNESDAY MORNING

A reading from Jeremiah 17:12 - 14

12 O glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, shrine of our sanctuary! 13 O hope of Israel! O Lord! All who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be recorded in the underworld, for they have forsaken the fountain of living water, the Lord. 14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.

Drink Plenty of Water! from http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/texts/topics/discipleship/drinkplentywater.shtml

I've heard it. I've read it. As long as I have been running, it's always been the same message: "drink plenty of water."

All along most race courses are water stations, and most runners slow down to drink a cup of cool water. Keeping your water level up is critical when you run. If you get slightly dehydrated, you will not run well. If you get moderately dehydrated, you will become disoriented. If you get seriously dehydrated, you can die. It's serious business.

The first year I ran was 1991, and I was inexperienced (also younger, slimmer, stupider, etc.) I passed water stop after water stop, occasionally drinking a swallow or two. I felt good, and I wasn't going to waste precious seconds drinking water, even though it was a hot, humid day.

Big mistake. As I neared the final mile, I "hit the wall." My energy level dropped to zero, I began having to walk some, and I realized I would have to work hard just to finish. I did make it across the line, but only with a tremendous headache and hardly enough energy to walk. It was not much fun.

I learned an important lesson that year. Stopping for water doesn't actually slow you down. In fact, you will run a better race if you do drink water. The bottom line is that your body is simply not designed to function without water.

In the same way, your spiritual stamina depends on stopping for regular drinks of "spiritual water." The dilemma for busy believers is finding time to invest in reading the Word and meeting with God in prayer. Like the runner intent on reaching the finish line, we tend to put off those regular drinks of water until we are totally parched.

But in the long run, you will run a better race if you will stop for spiritual water. In fact, finishing the Christian race at all may depend on it. And runners who don't ever slow down to take a drink often stumble off the course far short of the finish line.

In this year's race, I saw a man become dehydrated just a mile from the finish. Strangely, he didn't seem to recognize that anything was wrong. He was swaying from side to side as he walked, mumbling over and over, "I'm fine. I'm fine." He was so disoriented that he didn't even recognize his own sick condition.

If you let yourself become spiritually dehydrated, you may not even be able to recognize it. Stop today to drink some cool "living water." For serious runners, it's a must.

Let us pray:                                                                     We are growing weary, Lord. Our hands hurt. Our feet ache. More than once we’ve asked ourselves, “Why are we doing this?” Then we remember. We see the faces of those we serve. We see our accomplishments. We see the roads we’ve begun to journey down, and we remember why we want to do this. Give us strength, Lord. Our hearts are willing—but our bodies need help! But we want you to strength our resolve—not just our bodies. Strengthen our hearts. . .and our hands will follow. Let us feel your love, and the rest will be easy. Your servants will not fail you. We are of one mind and heart. We are here to do your work. We are here to spread your love and your word. Give us rest and peace of mind. Let us put away those things that distract us from the job at hand. Help us to remember that we are here in the name of your son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“Mission Week Prayers-Midweek” prayer from The Book of Uncommon Prayer by Steven Case

SUPPLY LINES: WEDNESDAY LUNCH TIME

Matthew 11: 25- 30

25 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. 27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Ice cream
Author: Unknown from http://heartnsouls.com/stories/g/s647.shtml

Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"
As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."
"Really?" my son asked.
"Cross my heart," the man replied. Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes; and my soul is good already."

TANGIBLE: ICE CREAM SPOON

SUPPLY LINES: WEDNESDAY EVENING

63   Deus, Deus meus

1      O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; *

     my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.

2      Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, *

     that I might behold your power and your glory.

3      For your loving‑kindness is better than life itself; *

     my lips shall give you praise.

4      So will I bless you as long as I live *

     and lift up my hands in your Name.

5      My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, *

     and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

6      When I remember you upon my bed, *

     and meditate on you in the night watches.

7      For you have been my helper, *

     and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

8       My soul clings to you; *

     your right hand holds me fast.

SUPPLY LINES: WEDNESDAY EVENING

REQUEST FOR TRANSFER from http://www.skywriting.net/inspirational/stories/request_for_transfer.html

TO: Commander-in-Chief Spiritual Armed Forces, Jesus Christ
Dear Lord:

I am writing this to You to request a transfer to a desk job. I herewith present my reasons: I began my career as a private, but because of the intensity of the battle You have quickly moved me up in the ranks. You have made me an officer and given me a tremendous amount of responsibility. There are many soldiers and recruits under my charge. I am constantly being called upon to dispense wisdom, make judgments, and find solutions to complex problems. You have placed me in a position to function as an officer, when in my heart I know I have only the skills of a private.

I realize that You have promised to supply all I would need for the battle. But Sir, I must present You a realistic picture of my situation. My uniform, once so crisp and starched, is now stained with tears and blood of those I have tried to assist. The soles of my boots are cracked and worn from the miles I have walked trying to enlist, encourage, and instruct the troops. My weapons are marred, tarnished and chipped from constant battle against the enemy. Even the Book of Regulations I was issued has been torn and tattered from endless use. The words are now smeared.

You have promised You would be with me throughout, but when the noise of the battle is so loud and the confusion is so great, I can neither see nor hear You. I feel so alone. I'm tired. I'm discouraged. I have Battle Fatigue. I would never ask You for a discharge. I love being in Your service. But I humbly request a demotion and transfer. I'll file papers or clean latrines. Just get me out of the battle -- please, Sir.

Your Faithful, but tired, Warrior.
            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TO: Faithful, but tired, Soldier, Spiritual Armed Forces
LOCATION: The Battlefield
SUBJECT: Transfer
Dear Soldier:

Your request for transfer has been denied. I herewith present My reasons: You are needed in this battle. I have selected you, and I will keep My Word to supply your needs. You do not need a demotion and transfer. Besides, you'd never cut it on latrine duty anyway. You need a period of "R & R" (Renewal and Rekindling). I am setting aside a place on the battlefield that is insulated and fully protected from the enemy. I will meet you there and I will give you rest. I will remove your old equipment and "make all things new."

You have been wounded in the battle, My soldier. Your wounds are not visible, but you have received grave internal injuries. You need to be healed. I will heal you. Also, you have been weakened in the battle. You need to be strengthened. I will strengthen you and be your strength. I will instill in you confidence and ability. My Words will be rekindled within you, giving you renewed love, zeal and enthusiasm. Report to Me tattered and empty. I will replenish you.

Compassionately,

Your Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ

An Order for Compline

Use highlighted choices of responses and psalms

The Officiant begins

The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect

end. Amen.

Officiant                   Our help is in the Name of the Lord;

People                   The maker of heaven and earth.

The Officiant may then say

Let us confess our sins to God.

Officiant and People

Almighty God, our heavenly Father:

We have sinned against you,

through our own fault,

in thought, and word, and deed,

and in what we have left undone.

For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,

forgive us all our offenses;

and grant that we may serve you

in newness of life,

to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Officiant

May the Almighty God grant us forgiveness of all our sins,

and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Officiant then says

                O God, make speed to save us.

People       O Lord, make haste to help us.

Officiant and People

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as

it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Except in Lent, add    Alleluia.

One or more of the following Psalms are sung or said. Other suitable selections may be substituted.

Psalm 4 Cum invocarem

1   Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *

    you set me free when I am hard‑pressed;

    have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2   “You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory? *

    how long will you worship dumb idols

    and run after false gods?”

3   Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful; *

     when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

4   Tremble, then, and do not sin; *

    speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.

5   Offer the appointed sacrifices *

    and put your trust in the Lord.

6   Many are saying,

     “Oh, that we might see better times!” *

    Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.

7   You have put gladness in my heart, *

    more than when grain and wine and oil increase.

8   I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *

    for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.                        (go to yellow *)



Psalm 31 In te, Domine, speravi

1   In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame: *

   deliver me in your righteousness.

2   Incline your ear to me; *

    make haste to deliver me.

3   Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,

for you are my crag and my stronghold; *

   for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

4   Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *

for you are my tower of strength.

5   Into your hands I commend my spirit, *

   for you have redeemed me,

   O Lord, O God of truth.

Psalm 91 Qui habitat

1   He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High *

   abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

2   He shall say to the Lord,

“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *

    my God in whom I put my trust.”

3   He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *

   and from the deadly pestilence.

4   He shall cover you with his pinions,

and you shall find refuge under his wings; *

   his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.

5   You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *

   nor of the arrow that flies by day;

6   Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *

   nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid‑day.

7   A thousand shall fall at your side

and ten thousand at your right hand, *

   but it shall not come near you.

8   Your eyes have only to behold *

   to see the reward of the wicked.

9   Because you have made the Lord your refuge, *

   and the Most High your habitation,

10    There shall no evil happen to you, *

   neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

11    For he shall give his angels charge over you, *

   to keep you in all your ways.

12    They shall bear you in their hands, *

   lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13    You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *

   you shall trample the young lion and the serpent

                    under your feet.

14    Because he is bound to me in love,

therefore will I deliver him; *

   I will protect him, because he knows my Name.

15    He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *

   I am with him in trouble;

   I will rescue him and bring him to honor.

16    With long life will I satisfy him, *

   and show him my salvation.

Psalm 134 Ecce nunc

1    Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, *

   you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.

2    Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; *

   the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.

*At the end of the Psalms is sung or said

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

   as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. (go to yellow *)

One of the following, or some other suitable passage of Scripture, is read

Lord, you are in the midst of us, and we are called by your

Name: Do not forsake us, O Lord our God. Jeremiah 14:9 ,22

People Thanks be to God.

or this

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy‑laden, and I will

give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;

for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for

your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28‑30 (go to yellow *)

People Thanks be to God.

or the following

May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our

Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of

the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you

may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his

sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Hebrews 13:20‑21



People    Thanks be to God.

or this

Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls

around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Resist him, firm in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8‑9a

People Thanks be to God.

A hymn suitable for the evening may be sung.

Then follows

V. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;

R. For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.

V. Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye;

R. Hide us under the shadow of your wings.



Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Officiant and People

Our Father, who art in heaven,                          Our Father in heaven,

   hallowed be thy Name,                          hallowed be your Name,

   thy kingdom come,                                your kingdom come,

   thy will be done,                                 your will be done,

    on earth as it is in heaven.                         on earth as in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.                             Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,                Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those                                  as we forgive those

   who trespass against us.                           who sin against us.

And lead us not into temptation,               Save us from the time of trial,

but deliver us from evil.                            and deliver us from evil.

Officiant              Lord, hear our prayer;

People                   And let our cry come to you.

Officiant              Let us pray.

The Officiant then says one of the following Collects

Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy

defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the

love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours

of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and

chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.                    (go to yellow *)

Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne, and

illumine this night with your celestial brightness; that by

night as by day your people may glorify your holy Name;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the

enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in

peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

One of the following prayers may be added

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or

weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who

sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless

the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the

joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.                                  (go to yellow *)

or this

O God, your unfailing providence sustains the world we live

in and the life we live: Watch over those, both night and day,

who work while others sleep, and grant that we may never

forget that our common life depends upon each other’s toil;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Silence may be kept, and free intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered.

The service concludes with the Song of Simeon with this Antiphon, which is sung

or said by all

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake

we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

In Easter Season, add    Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Lord, you now have set your servant free *

   to go in peace as you have promised;

For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *

   whom you have prepared for all the world to see:

A Light to enlighten the nations, *

   and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *

   as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

All repeat the Antiphon

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake

we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Officiant   Let us bless the Lord.

People                 Thanks be to God.

The Officiant concludes

The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

bless us and keep us. Amen.

Thursday morning

IN THE TRENCHES: THURSDAY MORNING

Ezekiel 37:1-14

1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord."

Putting meat on your bones

At the time of the prophet Ezekiel, the Israelites were far from their home, having been taken captive by Babylon. They were suffering physically as well as spiritually. This was all brought on by their own sin and God was working to bring them back to Him through these trials. But they wondered what had happened to God. They felt alone and didn’t know who they were. The Israelites felt hopeless. They felt like dried up bones, dead. This accounting of Ezekiel’s vision was a message of hope to his people, to give them hope and bring them back to God. In saying the words that God commanded, Ezekiel was the means by which a multitude “lived and stood on their feet”. In this vision, God is promising the Israelities that he will resurrect them; bring them back to life and their home. He is foretelling his action so that they will know it was His doing when it happens.

What is the message for us in this vision? As we labor “in the trenches” alone or together, we may wonder if God cares about us. We may wonder if he is there ; we may feel dead and dried up.   So let go of whatever is keeping you from living the resurrected life.. Whatever is making you feel dry and dead, give it to God. He will breathe new life into you. He will bring restoration to your soul. He loves you deeply, more than we can even comprehend. He only longs to bring you back to a healthy life in Him. All you need to do is accept the gift of life he offers and give your problems and questions to Him. And share the story. . .in speaking of your own restoration, you may be the means by which His spirit restores others.

IN THE TRENCHES: THURSDAY LUNCH

John 9:12-17                                                                   12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

"I Knew You'd Come" by Douglas F. Parsons

During World War I a soldier discovered that his friend, wounded, had fallen between the trenches out in "no man's land." Turning to his commanding officer he asked, "Sir, may I go and get him?" The officer replied curtly, "No one can live out there! I would just lose you, too!"                                                                                                                                                        But ignoring the officer's command, he dashed from the safety of the trench to try to save his friend. With his friend on his shoulder, but now himself mortally wounded, he staggered and fell back into the trenches. The friend, they discovered, was now dead.    The officer, in lofty tones, rebuked him, "You fool! I told you not to go. Now I have lost both of you. It wasn't worth it!"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    With his dying breath, the brave soldier replied, "But sir, it was worth it!" The officer was unimpressed. "Worth it?" He retorted. "Rubbish! Your friend is dead and you soon will be!" Then the soldier's final words. He said, "It was worth it, sir, because when I got to him, he said, 'Jim, I knew you'd come!'"

Out there is the devil's no man's land, our friends are harboring a secret, often unrealized hope, that we will come with some rescue from an ever-increasing hopelessness. The tragedy is that our commanding officer, rather than rebuking foolish impetuousness in rushing to their aid, has commanded that we leave the safety of the fold's shelter and the companionship of the ninety and nine to go and bring them in!

There are no seasons to the search - it goes on around the clock throughout the calendar. No one is excused from the task. All are commanded to go. Jesus has promised to go with us. I don't know what reasons you might conjure up for not going or for the possibility of failure. All I know is that your friends are "out there" wounded, dying, waiting. Will you hear them say, "I knew you'd come?"

from http://www.allaboutfamilies.org/sh/percep200027.html

IN THE TRENCHES: THURSDAY EVENING

Mark 12: 28-34

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." 32 "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

“Spiritual Warfare” found in Tell Me the Story by Max Lucado

You only need to remain calm; the Lord will fight for you.                         Exodus 14:14

John Cole knew something was wrong the moment he walked into the house. It was quiet—too quiet.

“Honey?” he called.                                                                                                                     “Andrea? Jeff? Anyone home?”                                                                                                      “Up here, John.”

John climbed the stairs. He found his son and wife in Jeff’s room, the boy facedown on the bed crying into the pillow. Andrea was sitting at his side.

John didn’t say anything. He sat on the side of the bed and put his hand on Jeff’s back. After a moment he looked up at Andrea. “The Bryan boys again?”                                          She spoke slowly, trying to control her anger. “They were waiting for him after school. When he came out, the oldest one, Bobby, was sitting on Jeff’s bike, and the other brothers were blocking Jeff’s way. When Jeff asked for his bike back, one of the boys pushed him down.”                                                                                                                        “Did they hit him?”                                                                                                                    “No, but they said they would if I didn’t give them a dollar,”said Jeff, looking at this father, his face wet with teas. “It’s not right what they did, Dad. It’s not right.”               “I know, son, I know.” John cupped Jeff’s face in his hands and rubbed away the tears. “We’ll talk more after dinner.”

**********

Jeff could not see the two visitors who entered his room while he rested. He could not hear the flurry of their wings—or their conversation.                                                             “What could they want with this little fellow?” It was Paragon who spoke first. “He has harmed no one.”                                                                                                                          “They lurk around the young, Paragon. And they find evil hearts to do their bidding,” replied Aegis, his companion.                                                                                                The strength of the two angels filled the room—wide shoulders rounded with muscles, strong arms folded, swords ready in their belts, faces firm and solemn . Their soft white robes glowed. And their eyes were filled with anger.

**********

After dinner John had an idea. “Let’s go into the living room,” he suggested.   “I’ve got something to show you.”                                                                                                         When the three were seated on the couch, John reached over to the coffee table and picked up the large family Bible. He opened it carefully to one of the color plates. It was a picture Jeff had looked at many times—Moses standing near the edge of a sea, the sky behind him black with clouds, his hair and robe blown back by the wind. An army of chariots raced toward him from one side, and a large group of people stood in front of him.   The soldiers in the chariots looked mean, and the people looked afraid, but Moses seemed calm. He was holding up his staff and facing the heavens.                                                   The words just below the picture read, “Remain calm. The Lord will fight for you.”        “Who do you think said those words, son?” John asked.                                                  “Moses?” Jeff guessed.                                                                                                               “You’re right. Do you think he was afraid?”                                                                               “I would have been. With all those bad guys coming and all those people asking for help, I would have been afraid.”                                                                                                               Andrea spoke up. “He’s trapped. He has the sea on one side and the army on the other—where can he go?”                                                                                                                  “That’s how I felt today with the Bryan boys, Dad,” said Jeff. “I felt trapped.”             John closed the Bible and put it back on the table. “I know son. That’s why we have to do what Moses did. We have to ask God to take over.”

**********

Paragon and Aegis stood behind the family looking at the picture.                                            “I don’t remember Moses as being that tall,” Paragon said.                                               “He wasn’t,” Aegis explained, “but the guy who painted the picture didn’t know that.”        “The rest looks right, though. Remember when God send us down to blow open the sea and let the people through?”                                                                                                            “You bet I do. That was great. Looks like we’ll be called to stir up a few more things pretty soon.”

**********

It was almost midnight when John walked into his son’s room. Jeff was asleep. Andrea was asleep in the other room. But John had spent almost an hour sitting on the couch with the open Bible on his lap, reading God’s promises of help:                                                      “I made you and will take care of you . I will carry you and save you.”                  “The Lord searches all the earth for people who have given themselves completely to him. He wants to make them strong.”                                                                                                   “The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear God, and he saves them.”          “He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.                                       “Don’t think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you they have angels in heaven who are always with my father in heaven.”                                                                                “Wow!”” John said out loud. “Those are the words of Jesus!” With each verse he could almost feel the power of God in the room. He set the open Bible on the table and walked quickly up the stairs, with Aegis and aragon close behind. He knelt beside his son’s bed and began to pray.                                                                                                            “Paragon, quick!” Aegis cried. “Look out the window!”                                                                 In the blackness of the night sky shadowy black followers of the devil were coming toward Jeff’s room. As the father prayed, the angels went into action.                                                 “Oh, no you don’t! they cried at the same time! In an instant, Paragon and Aegis were in the sky with wings spread and swords drawn.                                                                              “This boy is not yours to take!” Aegis declared.                                                                         Just the sound of the angels’ voices made the black shadows flee.                                                 “And don’t come back, you turkeys!” yelled Paragon after them.

**********

When Jeff awoke the next morning, he found a note from his dad on the pillow. “Remember the words of Moses, Jeff, ‘Remain calm. The Lord will fight for you.’ I don’t know how He will do it, son, but trust God and he will take care of you.”                                  As Jeff rode his bike to school, he kept saying the words of Moses over and over. “Keep calm. The Lord will fight for you.”                                                                                 Jeff had just turned the first corner when he saw a barricade blocking the road which was flooded with water. “Funny”, he said to himself, “I didn’t hear it storm last night.”   He turned his bike around and took another street to school. As he rounded the corner, he heard a crash and a thud. He looked up and saw a boy lying next to a parked car with his bicycle on its side, wheels still spinning.                                                                              Jeff raced to the fallen boy, who was groaning in pain. It was Billy Bryan—the youngest of the Bryan brothers! “I wasn’t looking,” Billy moaned. “I didn’t see the car. I just rode right into it.”                                                                                                                             Billy was holding his elbow. When Jeff saw the blood, he knew what to do.                       “Stay right here. I’ll go get some help, “ he said. But when he turned, he ran right into the arms of a man. It was his dad! “I was following you,” he explained. “Just in case something happened.”                                                                                                           The next few minutes were a blur of activity—Jeff telling his dad what had happened, John carrying Billy, Andrea bandaging Billy’s arm.                                                         That’s when Billy realized where he was. He’d been crying so hard he hadn’t even noticed who had helped him. “Wait a minute,” he said, “you’re Jeff Cole.”                                 Jeff didn’t speak.                                                                                                                               “We took your bike yesterday.” Jeff still said nothing. “But you helped me anyway. “ Billy’s voice was soft with wonder.                                                                                  Andrea smiled at Jeff. “Things will be better now.”                                                         John smiled at Andrea. “God did it again.”

**********

And above the group, Aegis smiled at Paragon. “That was a clever move—blowing the water across the road so Jeff would take a different road to school.”                                           “I learned it at the Red Sea,” Paragon chuckled. “I wonder if someday someone will paint a picture of Jeff helping Billy.”                                                                                         Aegis laughed. “If they do, I hope they don’t make him look too tall.”

TANGIBLE: BANDAID

Friday morning

The VICTORY; FRIDAY morning

Ephesians 1: 3-10                                                                3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ ^F2 before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Revelation 21:1-7                                                                          Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell ^F76 with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

A Simple Prayer

My son Gilbert was eight years old and had been in Cub Scouts only a short time. During one of his meetings he was handed a sheet of paper, a block of wood and four tires and told to return home and give all to "dad."

That was not an easy task for Gilbert to do. Dad was not receptive to doing things with his son. But Gilbert tried.

Dad read the paper and scoffed at the idea of making a pine wood derby car with his young, eager son. The block of wood remained untouched as the weeks passed.

Finally, mom stepped in to see if I could figure this all out. The project began.

Having no carpentry skills, I decided it would be best if I simply read the directions and let Gilbert do the work. And he did. I read aloud the measurements, the rules of what we could do and what we couldn't do.

Within days his block of wood was turning into a pinewood derby car. A little lopsided, but looking great (at least through the eyes of mom).

Gilbert had not seen any of the other kids’ cars and was feeling pretty proud of his "Blue Lightning," the pride that comes with knowing you did something on your own.

Then the big night came. With his blue pinewood derby in his hand and pride in his heart we headed to the big race.

Once there my little one's pride turned to humility. Gilbert's car was obviously the only car made entirely on his own. All the other cars were a father-son partnership, with cool paint jobs and sleek body styles made for speed.

A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert's, lopsided, wobbly, unattractive vehicle. To add to the humility Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side. A couple of the boys who were from single parent homes at least had an uncle or grandfather by their side, Gilbert had "mom."

As the race began it was done in elimination fashion. You kept racing as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the finely sanded ramp.

Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there. As the last race was about to begin, my wide eyed, shy eight year old ask if they could stop the race for a minute, because he wanted to pray. The race stopped.

Gilbert hit his knees clutching his funny looking block of wood between his hands. With a wrinkled brow he set to converse with his Father.

He prayed in earnest for a very long minute and a half. Then he stood, smile on his face and announced, "Okay, I am ready."

As the crowd cheered, a boy named Tommy stood with his father as their car sped down the ramp. Gilbert stood with his Father within his heart and watched his block of wood wobble down the ramp with surprisingly great speed and rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second before Tommy's car.

Gilbert leaped into the air with a loud "Thank you" as the crowd roared in approval.

The Scout Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand and asked the obvious question, "So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?"

To which my young son answered, "Oh, no sir. That wouldn't be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I don't cry when I lose."

Children seem to have wisdom far beyond us. Gilbert didn't ask God to win the race, he didn't ask God to fix the outcome; Gilbert asked God to give him strength in the outcome.

When Gilbert first saw the other cars he didn't cry out to God, "No fair, they had a fathers help."

No, he went to his Father for strength.

Perhaps we spend too much of our prayer time asking God to rig the race, to make us number one, or too much time asking God to remove us from the struggle, when we should be seeking God's strength to get through the struggle.

Gilbert's simple prayer spoke volumes to those present that night. He never doubted that God would indeed answer his request. He didn't pray to win, thus hurt someone else, he prayed that God supply the grace to lose with dignity.

Gilbert, by his stopping the race to speak to his Father also showed the crowd that he wasn't there without a "dad," but his Father was most definitely there with him. Yes, Gilbert walked away a winner that night, with his Father at his side.

from http://heartnsouls.com/stories/d/s353.shtml

Friday evening

The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two

The Word of God

A hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung.

The people standing, the Celebrant says

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

People        And blessed be his kingdom, now and for ever.

Amen.

                                                                                                             In place of the above, from Easter Day through the Day of Pentecost

Celebrant         Alleluia. Christ is risen.

People        The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

In Lent and on other penitential occasions

Celebrant          Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People        His mercy endures for ever.

The Celebrant may say

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our

hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may

perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

When appointed, the following hymn or some other song of praise is sung or said, all standing

Glory to God in the highest,                                                                             and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,                                                                      almighty God and Father,                                                                                    we worship you, we give you thanks,                                                                  we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,                                                            Lord God, Lamb of God,                                                                                you take away the sin of the world:                                                                                   have mercy on us;                                                                                        you are seated at the right hand of the Father:                                                             receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,                                                                   you alone are the Lord,                                                                                    you alone are the Most High,                                                                             Jesus Christ,                                                                                     with the Holy Spirit,                                                                                           in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

On other occasions the following is used

Lord, have mercy.                       Kyrie eleison.                                                    Christ, have mercy.                 or         Christe eleison.                                                      Lord, have mercy.                       Kyrie eleison.

or this

Holy God,

Holy and Mighty,

Holy Immortal One,

Have mercy upon us.

The Collect of the Day

The Celebrant says to the people

         The Lord be with you.

People        And also with you.

Celebrant   Let us pray.



The Celebrant says the Collect.

People                  Amen.

The Lessons

The people sit. One or two Lessons, as appointed, are read,

the Reader first saying

A Reading (Lesson) from____________.

A citation giving chapter and verse may be added.

After each Reading, the Reader may say

The Word of the Lord.

People                  Thanks be to God.

or the Reader may say     Here ends the Reading (Epistle).

Silence may follow.

A Psalm, hymn, or anthem may follow each Reading.

Then, all standing, the Deacon or a Priest reads the Gospel, first saying

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

according to__________________.

People         Glory to you, Lord Christ.

After the Gospel, the Reader says

The Gospel of the Lord.

People                  Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon

On Sundays and other Major Feasts there follows, all standing

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,                                                                                        the Father, the Almighty,                                                                               maker of heaven and earth,                                                                                    of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,                                                                           the only Son of God,                                                                                 eternally begotten of the Father,                                                                          God from God, Light from Light,                                                                    true God from true God,                                                                     begotten, not made,                                                                                           of one Being with the Father.                                                                                     Through him all things were made.                                                                   For us and for our salvation                                                                                 he came down from heaven:                                                                                by the power of the Holy Spirit                                                                                 he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,                                                                        and was made man.                                                                                    For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;                                                             he suffered death and was buried.                                                                        On the third day he rose again                                                                                          in accordance with the Scriptures;                                                                             he ascended into heaven                                                                         and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,                                                        and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,                                                who proceeds from the Father and the Son.                                                                With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.                                                He has spoken through the Prophets.                                                                    We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.                                                         We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.                                                We look for the resurrection of the dead,                                                               and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Prayers of the People

Prayer is offered with intercession for

The Universal Church, its members, and its mission                                                            The Nation and all in authority                                                                               The welfare of the world                                                                            The concerns of the local community                                                              Those who suffer and those in any trouble                                                                  The departed (with commemoration of a saint when appropriate)

See the forms beginning on page 383.

If there is no celebration of the Communion, or if a priest is not available,                            the service is concluded as directed on page 406.

Confession of Sin

A Confession of Sin is said here if it has not been said earlier. On

occasion, the Confession may be omitted.

One of the sentences from the Penitential Order on page 351 may be said.

The Deacon or Celebrant says

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Minister and People

Most merciful God,                                                                                     we confess that we have sinned against you                                                               in thought, word, and deed,                                                                           by what we have done,                                                                                    and by what we have left undone.                                                                       We have not loved you with our whole heart;                                                                 we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.                                                           We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.                                                            For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,                                                                 have mercy on us and forgive us;                                                                       that we may delight in your will,                                                                     and walk in your ways,                                                                                      to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Bishop when present, or the Priest, stands and says

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins                                        through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all                                          goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in                                            eternal life. Amen.

The Peace

All stand. The Celebrant says to the people

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

People        And also with you.

Then the Ministers and People may greet one another in the                                            name of the Lord.

TANGIBLE: MISSION TRIP CROSS

Eucharistic Prayer C

In this prayer, the lines in italics are spoken by the People.

The Celebrant, whether bishop or priest, faces them and sings or says

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.                                                                                           We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.                                                               It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds

God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of                                               glory and praise.                                                                                       Glory to you for ever and ever.

At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of                                 interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses,                                       and this fragile earth, our island home.                                                                     By your will they were created and have their being.

From the primal elements you brought forth the human race,                                                    and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us                                                  the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed                                      your trust; and we turned against one another.                                                      Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight

Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets                                                and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the                                   fullness of time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to                                           fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.                                                     By his blood, he reconciled us.                                                                                 By his wounds, we are healed.

And therefore we praise you, joining with the heavenly                                          chorus, with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and with all                                            those in every generation who have looked to you in hope, to                                          proclaim with them your glory, in their unending hymn:

Celebrant and People

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,                                                              heaven and earth are full of your glory.                                                       Hosanna in the highest.                                                                          Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.                                            Hosanna in the highest.

The Celebrant continues

And so, Father, we who have been redeemed by him, and                                           made a new people by water and the Spirit, now bring before                                              you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be the                                            Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.

At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it, or lay a hand            upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or place a hand upon the cup                       and any other vessel containing wine to be consecrated.

On the night he was betrayed he took bread, said the                                                  blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and                                               said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do                                               this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper, he took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and                                        said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new                                    Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the                                             forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the                               remembrance of me.”

Remembering now his work of redemption, and offering to                                            you this sacrifice of thanksgiving,                                                                         We celebrate his death and resurrection,                                                                as we await the day of his coming.

Lord God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and                                               Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: Open our                                               eyes to see your hand at work in the world about us. Deliver                                                  us from the presumption of coming to this Table for solace                                              only, and not for strength; for pardon only, and not for                                          renewal. Let the grace of this Holy Communion make us one                                               body, one spirit in Christ, that we may worthily serve the                                             world in his name.

Risen Lord, be known to us in the breaking of the Bread.

Accept these prayers and praises, Father, through Jesus                                           Christ our great High Priest, to whom, with you and the                                                 Holy Spirit, your Church gives honor, glory, and worship,                                                  from generation to generation. AMEN.

And now, as our Savior                          As our Savior Christ                              Christ has taught us,                                    has taught us,                                   we are bold to say,                                    we now pray,

People and Celebrant

Our Father, who art in heaven,                               Our Father in heaven,                        hallowed be thy Name,                                                 hallowed be your Name,                     thy kingdom come,                                       your kingdom come,                             thy will be done,                                     your will be done,                                on earth as it is in heaven.                                on earth as in heaven.                                Give us this day our daily bread.                       Give us today our daily bread.                       And forgive us our trespasses,                            Forgive us our sins                            as we forgive those                                        as we forgive those                               who trespass against us.                                who sin against us.                              And lead us not into temptation,                   Save us from the time of trial,                     but deliver us from evil.                           and deliver us from evil.                    For thine is the kingdom,                             For the kingdom, the power,                 and the power, and the glory,                                    and the glory are yours,                        for ever and ever. Amen.                            now and for ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread.

A period of silence is kept.

Then may be sung or said                                                                              [Alleluia.] Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;                                               Therefore let us keep the feast. [Alleluia.]

In Lent, Alleluia is omitted, and may be omitted at other times except                                   during Easter Season.

In place of, or in addition to, the preceding, some other suitable                                     anthem may be used.

Facing the people, the Celebrant says the following Invitation

The Gifts of God for the People of God.

and may add          Take them in remembrance that Christ died for                                                 you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith,                                                                     with thanksgiving.

The ministers receive the Sacrament in both kinds, and then immediately deliver it                       to the people.

The Bread and the Cup are given to the communicants with these words

The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in                                                everlasting life. [Amen.]

or with these words

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.]                                                      The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. [Amen.]

During the ministration of Communion, hymns, psalms, or anthems may be sung.

When necessary, the Celebrant consecrates additional bread and wine, using

the form on page 408.

After Communion, the Celebrant says

Let us pray.

Celebrant and People

Eternal God, heavenly Father,                                                                                you have graciously accepted us as living members                                                        of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,                                                                   and you have fed us with spiritual food                                                                   in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.                                                                 Send us now into the world in peace,                                                              and grant us strength and courage                                                                        to love and serve you                                                                                          with gladness and singleness of heart;                                                           through Christ our Lord. Amen.

or the following

Almighty and everliving God,                                                                              we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food                                                          of the most precious Body and Blood                                                               of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;                                                                  and for assuring us in these holy mysteries                                                             that we are living members of the Body of your Son,                                                    and heirs of your eternal kingdom.                                                                        And now, Father, send us out                                                                                to do the work you have given us to do,                                                                 to love and serve you                                                                                             as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.                                                                     To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,                                                                          be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

The Bishop when present, or the Priest, may bless the people.

The Deacon, or the Celebrant, dismisses them with these words

Let us go forth in the name of Christ.                                                           People         Thanks be to God.

or this

Deacon       Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.                                                                              People                  Thanks be to God.

or this

Deacon       Let us go forth into the world,                                                                                            rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.                                                                       People                  Thanks be to God.

or this

Deacon       Let us bless the Lord.                                                                                                People                  Thanks be to God.

From the Easter Vigil through the Day of Pentecost “Alleluia, alleluia”                                 may be added to any of the dismissals.

The People respond   Thanks be to God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Zechariah 9:9-12

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.                                                                                                         12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

Collect of the Day

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor; Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

145   Exaltabo te, Deus

8            The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *

         slow to anger and of great kindness.

9            The Lord is loving to everyone *

         and his compassion is over all his works.

10            All your works praise you, O Lord, *

         and your faithful servants bless you.

11            They make known the glory of your kingdom *

         and speak of your power;

12            That the peoples may know of your power *

         and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13            Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; *

         your dominion endures throughout all ages.

14            The Lord is faithful in all his words *

         and merciful in all his deeds.

15            The Lord upholds all those who fall; *

         he lifts up those who are bowed down.

Romans 7: 15-25a

15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Matthew 11: 16-19, 25 - 30

16 "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 17 "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He has a demon'; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

B I B L I O G R A P H Y

Case, Steven. The Book of Uncommon Prayer: Contemplative and Celebratory Prayers and Worship Services for Youth Ministry, pp 74, 81. Published by Youth Specialties Books, Grand Rapids, MI © 2002

Lucado, Max. “Barbaric Behavior” in Facing Your Giants, p 53-54. Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc: Nashville, Tn ©2006.

Lucado, Max. “The Blacksmith’s Shop” in Shaped by God, p xv-xviii. Published by Tyndale House Publishing, Wheaton, Il ©1985.

Lucado, Max. “Spiritual Warfare” in Tell Me A Story, p 39-43. Published by Crossway Books, Wheaton, Il ©2005.

Muir, Bill. “Three Story Evangelism” at                     http://www.scyfc.com/pdf%20files/3%20Story.pdf

Parsons, Douglas F. “I Knew You’d Come” in             http://www.allaboutfamilies.org/sh/percep200027.html

The Book of Common Prayer. The Seabury Press © 1979.

Unknown author. “I am a Soldier” from           http://soldiersforchristministries.org/index.htm

Unknown Author. “Request for Transfer” from             http://www.skywriting.net/inspirational/stories/request_for_transfer.html

Unknown author. “The Lord's Army” from           http://www.inspirationalarchive.com/texts/topics/discipleship/lordsarmy.shtml

Unknown author. “The Soldiers Prayer Book” from miscellaneous sources, including                      http://www.snopes.com/glurge/cards.asp                                                                                          http://www.appleseeds.org/cardeck.htm                                                                                             http://www.fathershands.com/cards/                                                                                                            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Deck_of_Cards