Bled, Slovenia
Opening Prayer
It was you, Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that grows on it; you give breath to its people, and spirit to those who walk on it. -Isaiah 42:5 (silent reflection) Prayer of the Bible I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”…Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? -Psalm 89: 1-2, 5-6 (Free expression of praise and thanksgiving to God) Confession of Sin When I have sinned against You, and when I have turned back to You and confessed my sin, hear from heaven and forgive my sin and restore me. Teach me the good way in which I should walk. -I Kings 8:33-34, 36 (Time of silence for confession of sin) The Words of Jesus After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. -Mark 16:19-20 (Think deeply on the life and words of Jesus) Prayers for Ourselves and Others When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. -Matthew 18:19 (Time to bring before God our own needs and the needs of others) Closing Prayer Lord our God, we thank you for all you have done for us, for all you are doing for us, for deliverance from need and death. We thank you for all the signs you give us that you hear our prayer when, without wavering or weakening, we set our hopes on you. We thank you that we can be without fear of sin and death, for you stand by us in everything. In spite of our imperfections you show us your goodness again and again. May the light in our hearts never be extinguished, the light that enables us to look into heaven and earth and see the good that is on its way to us today. May joy remain with us, and may we have the strength to be a community that follows the paths of life which bring praise and honor to you. Amen -Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (1842-1919) 
Motovun, Croatia
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