(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
(704) 599-9810 | Worship Sundays @ 10:55 a.m.
Lord, teach us to pray.
In a world of noise and striving, prayer reclaims our sacred center and reawakens our belovedness.
Seventh Sunday After Pentecost – Worship Service – July 27, 2025
Bulletin-07-27-2025
Gospel Lesson: Luke 11:1–13 | Modern Lesson from Pádraig Ó Tuama
This Sunday, Pastor Chris led us into a sacred exploration of prayer—not as performance, but as presence. Preaching on Luke 11 and drawing from the poetic theology of Pádraig Ó Tuama, his sermon “Lord, Teach Us to Pray” invited us to rediscover prayer as a posture of openness, courage, and communion with God.
In a moment of personal witness, Pastor Chris shared a touching video of his six-year-old son, Carter, who is autistic, praying aloud at the dinner table for the first time. It was a holy moment—a reminder that prayer does not have to be polished to be powerful. Whether spoken, signed, sung, or silent, **prayer in any form is an act of belovedness**.
The sermon reminded us that prayer is not about manipulation but relationship. “Shameless persistence,” as Jesus calls it, is not about pestering the Divine—it’s about trusting God enough to keep showing up as our full selves. Prayer dismantles ego, holds space for lament, and becomes an embodied act of justice when our hearts and lives speak together.
The service included a time of shared silence and interactive prayer stations—inviting us to engage with prayer through creativity, global intercession, and expressions of gratitude. In a culture of striving and spiritual perfectionism, this worship called us back to the core: we pray not to prove anything, but to stay close to the heart of God.
“Contemplation is the soul’s rebellion against the busyness of oppression. In silence, we remember we are beloved.”
— Dr. Barbara Holmes
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