Weekly News | 5.8.26

You may have noticed that a priest prays over the offering each week. You might wonder, “What are they saying?”

We are praying a quiet, extemporaneous version of this liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer:

Celebrant: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for everything in heaven and on earth is yours; yours is the Kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as Head above all. All things come from you, O Lord,

People: And of your own have we given you.

1 Chron. 29:11, 14b

“All things come from you, O Lord, and of your own have we given you.”

Those words speak not just to offering, but to the ability to celebrate in the midst of offering. Giving, prompted by gladness and gratitude.

The busy months of the year often feel like they extract from us. Offering ourselves and what we have may feel less prompted by gladness and gratitude and more like a bill has come due.

Patience becomes thinner. You may silently say to yourself, or remind someone aloud, "We made a commitment." The weather gets hotter, and our kind words are harder to find, or delivered through clenched teeth.

“All things come from you, O Lord, and of your own have we given you.”

The Feast of Pentecost comes at a tricky time this year (5/24). Finals for some. Memorial Day weekend. Sweaty drives while our A/C plays catch up.

And yet it comes. It comes not bringing heat, but tongues of fire. It comes noisily. It comes on a busy weekend. And the people speak a better word in a new way.

The Spirit of God is generously given in the midst of life as it is, not as we'd have it be.

“All things come from you, O Lord, and of your own have we given you.”

As we near Pentecost and prepare our offering for the feast (even if it's just showing up!), may God give us eyes to see His generosity in our everyday lives.

Peace,

Sarah+