Sedona, Arizona
Opening Prayer
O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, have mercy upon us. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy upon us. O God the Holy Spirit, Sanctifier of the faithful, have mercy upon us. O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, one God, have mercy upon us. -Book of Common Prayer (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. -Psalm 143:1, 5-8 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin Let us with trust and assurance confess our sins to God, because we know that, The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all he has made. -Psalm 145: 8,9 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” -Mark 10:46-48 (Think deeply on the life and words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to You. -Psalm 6:1 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer Lord our God, we want to find our joy in you and in all your promises to us. For you have promised that in the midst of all the pain and sorrow, you are preparing what pleases you and serves your honor in every heart. May we experience in our lives the fulfillment of many of your promises, so that again and again we can go forward joyfully, rising above difficult times and situations. Have mercy on us and protect us in your strength. Amen. -Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (1842-1919) 
Salt River, Arizona
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