In the face of the unknown, Lord, have mercy.

In the face of peril and apprehension, Lord, have mercy.

In the face of mighty winds, thunderous sounds, strong rains,
and surging waves, Lord, have mercy.

In the face of complete uncertainty, for our loved ones,
here or elsewhere, Lord, have mercy.

In the face of our own vulnerable mortality, Lord, have mercy.

For the strength that God alone can give us, Lord, have mercy.

For all that it takes to keep our children calm and safe, Lord, have mercy.

For faith that can move mountains and remove all fear, Lord, have mercy.

This litany is adapted from one written by The Reverend Thomas Weitzel, specifically for the hurricane and tornado seasons. It resonates with all of us because we recently endured a rare hurricane threat here in New Hampshire. While “Irene” may have chosen a path less perilous than originally feared, her remarkable force touched places much too near our loved ones and friends. For me, the Vermont communities of Brattleboro and Ludlow evoke childhood memories; on this day my heart remains connected with them both, but is heavy with sorrow and concern.

Storms of all forms and varieties are a daily threat, particularly those without meteorological forecasting and preparation; the “storms” I truly fear and resent are called “illness, “ “betrayal,” “injustice,” “violence,” and “loss.” Many a storm on the horizon can bring us back to our core.  Where is God in all of this? Who is the God that I pray to when devastation beyond my imagining occurs? The more difficult questions about storms – those storms we might have created or made more intense by our action or inaction – also need to inhabit our prayers and reflections.

Starting the Church’s program year as we have just endured a storm is strangely helpful for me.  It reminds me to remain focused on that which is truly important and of God.  As ever, the need for community resonates in my heart and mind; I am convinced that storms cannot be endured if we hunker down alone and in isolation … for by their very nature storms make us dependent upon one another and invariably call us together as one.

God of all love and hope, we ask you to touch our confusion,
anger, loss, and even despair.

Allow our hearts to be grateful for your gifts to us of resilience,
strength, and conviction.

We lift up those who have suffered injury, damage, or loss;

we ask you to comfort them with your healing love.

As we continue through this turbulent season, help us always

to place our hope, our fears, and our trust in you.  Amen.

This is a Nichols’ Worth.

Kevin+

Please join us for one of the many events scheduled in coming days,
as we welcome among us Katie Solter and her family.
What a gift it is to have them among us!