Coming up next.... One

And an Autumn Rambles gift for subscribers

Introducing our next series

Our next series in our 5 Senses to Prayer Room is called ‘One’. The name for our theme comes from the U2 song, ‘One’ and is inspired by the following lyrics.

“We're one but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One!”

Each week we’ll have two prayers, each one using a single object. Some of the prayers are favourites from the past for those who’ve been around here since 2018, and others are newly written for this series. We’ll take a single coffee bean, a tea-bag, a salt shaker, a mandarin, a stone, a peg…. and more single items, to prompt our sensory prayer experience. All of the prayers will be suitable for individual use or for sharing in groups and church settings.

These are prayers for our world, prayers for others, prayers for our communities, our neighbours, our friends and our families. In my collection of prayers these are grouped as Intercession Prayers. To intercede means we pray to God for the current needs and challenges of others.

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

Our world is facing many challenges and difficulties right now. Feeling overwhelmed, powerless, frustrated, angry, sad, fearful and so many other intense emotions seems to be a fairly standard response to what is going on around us. To come to God in simple prayer is a way to ground us and to provide an avenue for response and action for the needs of others.

“There’s the idea that we get to carry each other. ‘Get to’ is the key. ‘Got to’ would be too obvious and too platitudinous. ‘Get to’ suggests it is our privilege to carry one another. It puts everything into perspective and introduces the idea of grace.”

- The Edge, from U2 on U2 (about the song ‘One’)

Read the lyrics from One and/or listen to the song here.

Each week through the One series there’ll be two prayers offered. The good news for free subscribers to this newsletter is the first prayer will sit above the paywall each week. I’ll also include a share button. Please share with your friends and colleagues by clicking on the share button. I respectfully request that you do not forward the email. In this way, by sharing, your friend will still receive one free prayer and if they’re interested in subscribing and recieiving the full content I’d love to have them join us by signing up themselves. At any time you can gift a subscription to others too.

I’ll be back on Saturday (NZT) with the first edition in our One series.

On the journey

Caroline

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Over the last few weeks I’ve been writing Autumn Rambles with Janice Maclean from The Prayer Bench. I’m very delighted with how it all looks and can’t wait to share it with others.

We have 14 days of digital scrapbook content delivered by email over a two week period in Autumn. Take notice of the signs of change. Ease into Autumn. Enjoy slowing. Look into the wisdom to be found in the season. Use the pages daily or pace them out as it suits you. You might like to go for your own Autumn Rambles and make your own discoveries or find other ways to lean into the season.

We’ll be repeating Autumn Rambles twice this year. Once in April and again in October. We’re starting this coming Saturday 23rd April and for those who would like to join in with the New Zealand timed Autumn Rambles you sign up via our Kereru Publishing website.