Thread by @DisabilityJ

Welcome!

Thank you for joining us. This is our weekly live Twitter service loosely based around The Ordinary Office.
We pray that you feel at home here and feel comfortable in the company of the many who gather in what we regard as this virtual sacred space.

3) In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.

All respond by Tweeting
the reply AMEN

4) To those who feel unwelcome

All respond by
Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

5) To those who feel shut out

All respond by
Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

6) To those who feel estranged
from church

All respond by
Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

7) To those who feel damaged
by bad
theology and teaching

All respond by
Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

8) To those who feel abandoned
or adrift

All respond by
Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

9) To those who simply want to be here

All respond by Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

10) To those who are simply curious

All respond by Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

11) To those who join us from church
communities to show us your support.

All respond by Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

12) To those who read this
at a later date or time.

All respond by Tweeting the reply
WELCOME

13)Father, as winter approaches & nights get longer & days shorter many of us begin to feel more isolated than normal.
Evenings are our worst time as getting about becomes more difficult & dark nights daunt us.
May this place become a haven for us,

14) So take this scattered, rag, tag and bobtail band of pilgrims, each making our own way.
Unite us in this online place, draw us close as we gather here, alone and yet somehow together.

15) Enable us to put aside whatever hurt we carry just for the next few minutes that we may be able to hear your voice more clearly free from the pain of past hurt.

16) So we take a moment, to compose our thoughts, to shake off the tensions of the week and to welcome you in to this virtual space, to be right here in the midst of us.

17) We praise You,  Lord,  because we’re ALL fearfully & wonderfully made.
In your house there is room for all, there are no rejects.
There are no able-bodied, no disabled:
there are only His beloved children
all made in His image.
Beautiful in His eyes.

18) Even if the only company we’ve had today has been that of those we’ve shared prayer with online, we thank you for bringing us through this day
and join with all the others of this community, alone yet together.

19) For the times we have turned
away in anger.

All respond by Tweeting the reply
LORD HAVE MERCY

20) For the times we have blamed you

All respond by Tweeting the reply
LORD HAVE MERCY

21) For the times we have ignored you calling

All respond by Tweeting the reply
CHRIST HAVE MERCY

22) For the times we have closed our
hearts and minds

All respond by Tweeting the reply
CHRIST HAVE MERCY

23) REFLECTION.

For tonight’s reflection I’d like you to go to this link and listen to this short video I recorded for the Ordinary Office recently.
Let us pause for a moment.

24) Even in the dark of night,
You leave a light on for me,
and are always watching over me.
 
Lamplighter! lover, friend,
You are the keeper of my dreams.
 be ours this night.

25) When our feeble faith deserts us
and fear runs amuck, lend us yours.

We know that will be enough
As it has been so many times before

26) Let us take a few moments for you to post your bidding prayers

27) Here I am God, Alone!
So many churches don’t meet my needs, I can’t climb the stairs, I can’t hear the celebrant.
The language is too complex, I can’t read the literature, I have been so hurt by bad Bible teaching I simply can’t face it again.

28) We come to this online place where so many gather, alone & yet strangely together. In our loneliness, our brokenness, our feelings of being cut off, cast adrift & yet find much comfort here as we build this online community, an expression of your eternal love.

29) Father we thank you for this time together tonight, be with us as we learn to live with each other, with all our brokenness and pain, with our loneliness and isolation and bring us comfort in being alone together.

30) Father we thank you that although we are scattered, isolated or alone we have been able to be together in this virtual space, to share in your fellowship and love.

31) A BLESSING

Be our night light
Our beacon
Our moon
Our stars
And guide us through to morning
Bring us safely home

32) GO IN PEACE

In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.

All respond by Tweeting the reply AMEN

33) Please could you now go to
anordinaryoffice.org.uk/index.php/nigh…
and click the
AMEN
button to let others know you have
been praying with them tonight.