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?
Author
Don H. Remick
Don Remick is Bridge Conference Minister.