By The Rev. Don Remick
Associate Conference Minister
A few years ago I was introduced to a concept called “found prayer” As I understood it, the idea was to notice where the Spirit of God was moving during a gathering or event; notice the moments where loving kindness was expressed, where doing justice was embodied and where individuals or the community were walking humbly with God.
During the Annual Meeting I encouraged folks to notice where God was present. At the end of the meeting, in our closing time of prayer and worship I offered my ‘found prayer’ list:
Did you notice where God has been present with us. Did you notice it in the words and in the spaces between the words:
- Gathering in a garage transformed into a sacred space
- Singing to butterflies
- Disaster recovery for homes blown away, washed away
- Unfortunately and Fortunately stories
- God is good all the time, All the time God is good. Todos el tempo, Dios es bueno
- Schedules: counting and shaving minutes, adapting to shifting timelines
- Numbers: 514 attendees, 350 PPM, 99%, 50 years of ministry,
- Haystack: Green congregations, Equipping all ages for faith formation, Vitality in discipleship, Hispanic ministries and centering prayer, Justice LED ministries
- Pentecostally enthusiastic red voting cards
- Ben Guess: liberating monasteries into apartments, a future and a hope. The longing for emergency calls home from camp. ‘The Sun will Come Out Tomorrow’ sung at a talent show. Hotdog roll and ‘Knee Hi grape drink communion. Seeking the welfare of the city (place) where God has put you.
- A 4th Great Awakening with urgency and courage
- A covenantal web of relationships
- Twitter feeds
- Amen Alleluia
- Budget
- Denominationally promiscuous….idolatrous nouns
- The Doctrine of Discovery
- Sweet P E P
- Loves Banner Floating O’er Us
- Paddles: yellow, green and red
- Bylaws and Constitutions
- “Are you grand?”
- Changing lives…generously
- Governance as mission
- Easy and not so easy conversations
- Gender Identity
- Seeking Amendments and Seeking Asylum
- A wonderful ship of fools
- Christ have Mercy, Lord have Mercy, Christ have Mercy on us
So where will you be found… Where will God notice you being transformed and transforming?