NORTH BUFFALO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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Sunday School: The Restoring Builder

4/17/2021

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Good morning!
​We're so happy that you've joined us today!
When we meet together in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other before we focus on our Sunday school lesson. Think about your needs and concerns right now, and if you like, you can share them in the comments.

Today’s lesson is about Nehemiah, a man who loved his people and his homeland, a man of prayer, a man who was willing to take risks and to work. Because of those qualities, Nehemiah made a difference in his time and his place, just as we can make a difference in ours. Think of situations where you see a need, perhaps in your family, your work or your church. Then ask yourself how God might use you to make a difference there.

The prayer below may serve to guide us in our opening prayer. It is from a service of the Order of the Daughters of the King, an Episcopal organization founded in 1885 that still exists today. Its motto is “I am but one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do. Lord, what will you have me do?"
God of love, God of life, God of holy strength, guide us, that by our daily practice of prayer and service we may draw others to Christ. Help us to reach up in hope, receive in spirit, respond in faith, and reach out in love for all. We pray that Your Kingdom will come for all creation, all people living together in love and peace, for His sake. Amen.

This week's lesson is on Nehemiah 2:11-20.

​Introduction
Look around our area and you will see signs from people wanting to buy houses in any condition. Some say, “We Buy Ugly Houses.” Apparently the people or companies who post these signs are interested in renovating such “ugly houses” in order to sell them for a profit. The original home was undervalued because of its various flaws; the refinished product is intended to have good return on investment. The proliferation of television shows, magazines articles and websites devoted to “flipping” houses demonstrates the wide appeal of this business.

Long ago, Nehemiah was interested in renovating an “ugly city,” the once great city of Jerusalem. He wanted to address a condition of disrepair and confusion in Jerusalem, but his deeper motives and his leadership skill in so doing still have much to teach us today.

Lesson context
It was King David who consolidated power among the tribes of Israel and made Jerusalem the center of its government. His son Solomon added to its greatness by building a magnificent temple there. Following Solomon’s death, the kingdom divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. In both kingdoms, ungodly kings rose to power and allowed idolatry and abhorrent practices to flourish in the land. In 722 BC, Assyria invaded the northern kingdom of Israel, effectively wiping the that kingdom from existence.

Jerusalem, which remained the seat of power for the kingdom of Judah, became filled with such wickedness and evil that the judgment of God fell on it. In 586 BC the Babylonians finally breached the city walls, following a siege of 18 months. The Babylonians ransacked the city and the temple and took all the leaders and skilled workers into captivity. The city’s state of massive disrepair still existed in the time of Nehemiah, some 140 years later.

While the Jews were in captivity, the Persian Empire conquered the Babylonians in 539 BC. Cyrus, ruler of the Persians at the time, permitted any of the Jews who wanted to return to their ancestral homes to do so. But there were, like the members of Nehemiah’s family, who chose to remain in Persia.

Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes, who ruled from 465 to 425 BC. Nehemiah 1 describes what happened in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes reign, which would have been 445 BC. Nehemiah received news from his brother, Hanani, about the sad state of affairs back home in Jerusalem.

“Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3)

Deeply troubled, Nehemiah responded with tears, fasting and fervent prayer. He confessed his sins and the sins of his fellow Jews and begged the Lord to honor his promise to bless his people if they turned from their sinful ways. He also asked the Lord that he might receive favor from the king, which involved Artaxerxes’s granting permission for him to travel to Jerusalem and lead and effort to repair the wall and the gates of his beloved city of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah’s request included protection for the journey and also provisions of supplies needed for the planned projects. The king did, indeed, grant Nehemiah’s request, but Nehemiah knew that any favor he was shown ultimately came from the Lord. When Nehemiah arrived, he gave the territory administrators the letters from Artaxerxes that verified the king’s support for the undertaking. They also confirmed that the king had allocated the resources needed for the rebuilding effort.

I. Surveying the City: Verses 11 to 16
The journey from Susa, the capital city of the Persian Empire, to Jerusalem was nearly 1,100 miles. A daylight walking pace of two miles per house for six days per week (resting on the Sabbath) means a trip of about three months. After his arrival, Nehemiah rested for three days. The three days provided some needed rest after such a long journey. The break also gave him the opportunity to plan his strategy, an approach he would use again before confronting another problem.

Nehemiah news that not everyone was on board with his plan. Thus the best way to examine the city was under cover of darkness with only a few others. Perhaps his companions were residents of Jerusalem who knew the layout of the city or maybe some trusted advisors from Persia who could offer counsel. Nehemiah was secretive about his intention to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and gates. Disclosing his plans too early could put the entire enterprise in jeopardy, so he bided his time to gather information. His sense of appropriate timing was a quality that made Nehemiah a capable leader.

What he found was the remnants of the devastation that had taken place 140 years earlier. The scene was very much in keeping with what his brother Hanani had described to him. Nehemiah’s survey of the walls and gates must have disturbed him. It’s one thing to hear a report of destruction and quite another to see it firsthand. Nehemiah returns, retracing his steps and re-entering through the same gate where he had started.

Still Nehemiah had said nothing to the officials or the Jews of Jerusalem about what he was planning to do. In these initial stages, there was wisdom in gathering information and considering his plans carefully without questioning a large group of people about the strategy needed to address the required repairs. To have revealed his plans too soon may have resulted in immediate negativity — a “we can’t do that” attitude.

Assessing the Situation
The Sunday school lesson author tells how he served as an administrator and professor in Christian colleges for many years. In each one, they assessed their work. There was regular peer review of teachers’ classes as well as student input about their classes. External and internal auditors scrutinized financial operations. As Christian colleges, they asked individual and church supporters whether they were fulfilling their mission. All of these assessment tools helped them carry out the mission of providing excellence in education.

Nehemiah’s first step toward rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall was assessing the damage caused by the Babylonian siege many decades earlier. The Bible encourages us — by example and command — to assess our personal spiritual condition. How does doing so prepare us to serve Christ?

II. Summoning the Leaders: Verses 17-18
Nothing is said about the span of time between Nehemiah’s excursion and this meeting. Most likely he convened it as soon as he could, given that the condition of the wall left Jerusalem vulnerable to attack. Even though it had been that way for many years, Nehemiah must have made a decision that the time for planning and for secrecy was past. It was now time to get to work.

In addition to providing physical protection, a strong wall provided an emotional bulwark as well. The city was the object of derision and mockery in its current state. Think of your own home. Leaving it open and in disrepair tells people something about the value that you place on it and on what is inside. Jerusalem was the holy city, the site of God’s temple. It needed to be maintained in a way appropriate to this distinction.

Nehemiah used the first person plural pronouns “we” and “us” to identify himself with those who were concerned with the dismal condition of Jerusalem. The solution as he saw it was of practical value. Rebuilding the wall offered protections well as going a long way toward rehabilitating the feeling that Jerusalem itself was in ruins. Three considerations determined where ancient cities were built: (1) access to water, (2) access to trade routes, and (3) defensibility. A great city needed all three! A city without walls was vulnerable to enemy armies.

Nehemiah was speaking to people who may have become rather skeptical about God’s plan and purpose for them and for the city. Over the years since the return of the exiles from captivity, various attempts to rebuild Jerusalem had been thwarted.

His proposal at first may have sounded like just another plan that would fail and simply add to the people’s disillusionment. But when he spoke of “the gracious hand of my God on me,” he offered reason for new hope of success. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s hand represents the work God does in the world.

When Nehemiah came to the Lord in prayer after hearing about the condition of Jerusalem, he noted how the Lord had redeemed the covenant people, of whom Nehemiah was a part, with his “mighty hand.” Opposition had stymied previous rebuilding attempts, but now Artzxerxes had given his approval and full support to the work. Even so, the true king, the King of kings, was the one in ultimate control of his people’s welfare.

The people responded with, “Let us start rebuilding,” which must have emboldened Nehemiah and lifted his spirits. The fact of God’s powerful hand leading and blessing does not eliminate for human hands to do their part. He prefers to work through people instead of just accomplishing his purposes all on his own.
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III. Scorning the critics: Verses 19-20
​Still, three men are identified as rising up to oppose Nehemiah’s plan. They are Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab. Any worthwhile undertaking for the Lord is bound to encounter opposition of some kind. Consensus is desirable, but it is not alway achievable.
​
The word “Horonite” may indicate that the first man is from Beth Horon, a town about 12 miles from Jerusalem. Although he is probably part of the northern Israelite tribe of Ephraim, this man always opposed Nehemiah’s work on behalf of Judah and Jerusalem. I wonder if there might be a note of envy in Sanballet’s opposition. The northern tribes had been given their share of the promised land, but they had separated from the southern tribes of Judah and had lost their inheritance when the Assyrian army conquered Israel.

Tobiah is identified as an Ammonite official. The Ammonites were enemies of the Israelites, and Tobiah is no exception. He was related by marriage to some of Nehemiah’s companions and had many supporters among the Jews.

Arabians like Gesham were a Transjordan people. During this period, they engaged in a lot of trade and commerce, and so Gesham may have seen any program to promote the welfare and prosperity of the Jews as a threat to his business dealings.

The three combine to ask what Nehemiah and his supporters are doing. They question if they are really rebelling against the king. Such an accusation had succeeded in halting an earlier rebuilding effort by Ezra (Ezra 4), but Nehemiah now has the full backing of the king. He knew the claims of his critics were baseless.

Nehemiah does not even bother to mention the king in his response. Instead, he appeals to the authority and the “God of heaven,” who had guided Nehemiah and would not abandon him or the people. As for those in opposition, Nehemiah reminds them that they have no share in Jerusalem and no historic right to it anyway.

The Hebrew word “share” is used to refer to God’s division of the promised land among the tribes of Israel. This may be directed at Sanballet. Regarding the idea of “historic right,” Nehemiah is probably saying that none of the three has a legal claim or history to Jerusalem that would give them the authority to stand for or against his work. Nehemiah boldly drew a clear line that would remain intact despite any continued resistance directed his way.

Conclusion
Often when asking for help, we say, “Give me a hand with this.” An often told tale illustrates the wisdom of asking for help when a task is too big for us.

As he story goes, a father watched through the kitchen window as his small son tried to move a large rock in the yard. The boy couldn’t get quite enough leverage to tip the rock over.

At one point the father came outside and asked the boy, “Can’t you life the rock?”
“No, Dad, I just can’t do it.”
“Are you using all the strength you have?”
The boy responded, “Yes, but I just can’t move it.”
The father replied, “No, you’re not using all the strength you have because you haven’t asked me to help.”

Nehemiah was going to have, not just one rock, but a whole pile of rocks and rubble to move in order to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. But heavenly and earthly hands would give him more than enough help.
​
Nehemiah could have sung, as precursor to the old hymn, “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” Like the little boy, our efforts matter, but they will not succeed all on their own. If we ask our Father for help, he has us and every task he gives us in his hands as well. Fervent prayer on the part of Nehemiah played a vital part.

Prayer
God, give us your powerful hand! Without it we are weak; with it we have strength to overcome any obstacle. Let us rise up and build your church, confident in your promise to be with us. May our hands be strengthened for the work to which you have called us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
For our closing hymn, I thought we might try something new. The video shows all the words, if you would like to try singing along.
Benediction
Today's benediction is from the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
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Next week's lesson will be on Lamentations 5.
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Sunday School: The Faith-In-Action Preacher

4/10/2021

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Good morning!
We're so glad that you've joined us today!

When we meet in person, we usually share our joys and concerns together. Think over the past week, and what has brought you joy, or made you worry. If you have anything to share, you can add it as a comment to today's lesson. When you are ready, you can use the prayer below (from the Presbyterian Mission Agency).
God of grace and peace,
in Jesus Christ you stand among us
as a sign of healing, hope, and joy
in our fearful, wounded world.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit
so that we may have faith and life
through Christ, our risen Savior.
Amen.


This week's lesson is on Ezra 10:1-12.

Lesson Context
Ezra is perhaps not a familiar book for us. We've done several units on prophets in the last year, and Ezra has not been among them.

In 586 BC, Jerusalem was conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. People in Jerusalem were exiled to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:5-20; 2 Kings 25:1-21). [Note that this exile only effected two of the tribes of Israel. The other ten had been exiled by the Assyrians previously.]

Then, the Persians, led by King Cyrus, defeated the Babylonians. Cyrus allowed the Jewish people to return home in 538 BC in order to rebuild the temple (Ezra 10:1). ​Later, in 458 BC, Ezra led a second group of exiles back to Jerusalem. He wanted to restore the people to a state of faithful adherence to God's law (Ezra 7:7, 13, 25-27). A final group of exiles returned to Jerusalem in 444 BC. This group was led by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:1-9; we'll learn more next week).

Ezra was a teacher of the Law of Moses. He was made aware that the people of Israel were already sinning against God, even though they were just returning from exile. The most glaring example, and the one this lesson focuses on, is that they were intermarrying with people outside of Israel. This was forbidden (Deuteronomy 7:3). Our book notes that this was forbidden because foreign faiths, "will turn your children away from following [God]." Further, if men were divorcing Jewish wives to marry pagan women, the former wives would be suffering hardship (see also Malachi 2:13-16; Matthew 19:1-9).

Lesson
Our lesson opens after Ezra is made aware of the sins of the people of Israel. Ezra is mourning over the sins of the people of Israel. A large crowd gathers around. They follow Ezra's behavior as an example of what they should do.

Then, they must determine what to do about it. It is recognized that the sinfulness of the people caused the multiple exiles to happen. They hope that by repenting of their sins, and fixing their behavior, that they can obtain forgiveness.

The solution is to, "send away all these women and their children." All of the people are called to Jerusalem, and agree that this is the answer. Our book notes that we think of this as a very harsh thing to do. The rational for the decision is that the pagan wives could still exert some influence on their Jewish husbands, and thus lead them back into sin. Only by severing their influence could the men of Israel be certain that the wives wouldn't tempt them to idolatry. 
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Conclusion
Today's lesson was one of many instances in the Old Testament in which the people of Israel rebel against God's commandments. Then, God restores the covenant people. 

There are two parts to this that we can look at for ourselves. First, we need to maintain our obedience to God. His laws are for our good and His glory. Second, we have something that the Israelites did not have: the forgiveness and grace we receive when we believe in Christ Jesus.

Prayer
Dear Father, guard our hearts against rationalizing our sins! Convict us so that repentant action may follow. May your word ever guide us to be faithful. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Benediction
Our benediction this week is from the New International Version.
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Next week's lesson will be on Nehemiah 2:11-20.
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Sunday School: The Suffering Servant

4/3/2021

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Good Morning!
Happy Easter!

When we met in person, we shared our joys and concerns together. Take some time to think over your last week. What joys and concerns do you have? If you would like, you can share those as a comment so that the rest of us can pray as well. When you're ready, use the prayer below (from Woman's Day) to get started.
Lord, we lift our hearts to you. As the dawn breaks, may we carry the unity we share into every moment knowing that we are one with the risen Christ.
Lord, we lift our eyes to you. As the sun rises, may this moment stay with us, reminding us to look for the beautiful colors of promise in your word.
Lord, we lift our prayers to you. As the dew air falls, may we breathe this morning in and know that like the earth, you sustain us, keep us and work within us always.
And so, we lift our voices to you. We celebrate the greatest day in history, when Jesus rose from death, defeated darkness and bathed the world in stunning resurrection light. May we ever live to praise you!

​Amen.


Today's lesson is on Isaiah 53:4-11. The devotional reading is Philippians 2:1-11. 

If you have any thoughts or observations on the scripture passages from today, you can share them in the comments.
Our benediction this week is from the Complete Jewish Bible.
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Next week's lesson will be on Ezra 10:1-12.
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Sunday School: Prophet of Courage

3/27/2021

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Good morning!
We're so glad you've joined us today on Palm Sunday!

Today is Palm Sunday. If we were meeting in person, we would be making palm crosses to wear while we discussed the lesson. Take some time to think about your past week, and any joys or concerns you may have. You can share those in the comments as you feel comfortable. When you are ready, use the prayer below to get started.

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Sunday School: Prophet of Wisdom

3/20/2021

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Good morning!
We're so happy you've joined us today!

When we meet together in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other before we focus on our Sunday school lesson. Think about your needs and concerns right now, and if you like, you can share them in the comments.
The lesson for today is about King Josiah, who ruled Judah when a lost book of the Bible was rediscovered. Reading it, he was horrified to learn of God’s displeasure and anger because of his people's idolatry. Josiah repented on behalf of himself and his people. Reading and studying the Bible is important because, among other benefits, it enables us to understand the seriousness of sin and God’s willingness to forgive those who sincerely repent.
The prayer below may serve to guide us in our opening prayer. It is from the blog Katy and the Word by Katy Stenga.

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Sunday School: Prophet of Conquest

3/13/2021

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Good morning!
We're so glad that you've joined us today!

When we met in person, we shared our joys and concerns together. The last time our Sunday school class met together in person was March 15, 2020, almost exactly one year ago. Take some time to think over your past week, and consider what joys and concerns you have. Then, consider the past year, and any worries or feelings of thankfulness that brings as well. If you would like, you can share your thoughts as a comment to this post. When you feel ready, use the prayer below:

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Sunday School: Prophet of Deliverance

3/6/2021

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Good morning!
We're so glad that you've joined us today!

When we meet in person, we share joys and concerns together. Think about your past week, and the prayer concerns this brings up. Feel free to share any joys or concerns that you would like in the comments below today's lesson. When you are ready, use the prayer below to get started:

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Sunday School: Called to Serve

2/27/2021

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Good morning!
We're so glad that you've joined us today!

Lois did our lesson this week, and requested that we listen to this hymn, "It Is Well With My Soul."

Horatio G. Spafford wrote the text to this hymn. His son only son died of pneumonia. He then lost everything in the Chicago fire of 1871. He planned to travel with his wife and four daughters back to England. However, Spafford was detained with business at the last minute, and his family traveled without him. The ship they were on sank, killing all four of his daughters. When his wife reached Cardiff, Wales, Mrs. Spafford sent a telegram to her husband: "Saved Alone."

Spafford immediately went to join her. The words were said to be written as he approached the area of the ocean where the ship carrying his daughters sank.
When we met together in person, we share our joys and concerns. Take some time to think about the last week. Who might you pray for? What prayer requests do you have? If you have any that you would like to share, you can add them as a comment below. When you are ready, pray the prayer below, including any prayer requests we may have.

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Sunday School: Called to Explain

2/20/2021

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Good morning!
We're so happy you've joined us!
Today is the first Sunday in Lent.

When we meet together in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other before we focus on our Sunday school lesson. Think about your needs and concerns right now, and if you like, you can share them in the comments. This is a time when our church is beginning to think about searching for a new pastor. It is a challenging and exciting time, but as we pray about finding the right pastor for the future, we should remember that we are all coworkers with Christ and with each other in sharing the gospel right now. 
​
The prayer below may serve to guide us in our opening prayer. It is from the Vanderbilt University website.

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Sunday School: Called to Support

2/13/2021

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Good morning!
We're so glad you've joined us today!
CHURCH JOYS AND CONCERNS

Birthdays: Gabriel Molla, Butch Ward, Bruce Burnfield, James O’Hara, Bryan Miles, Savannah Hathaway, Gavin Hathaway 

Anniversary: Dana and Billie Wilson 

Announcements -
Congratulations to Don and Karen Hanes on a new Grandson, Cash Michael Posey born on 2/8/21.

Lenten Bible Study: Finding Hope Through Prayers of Lament
Biblical laments are prayers that can be spoken, sung, painted, or communicated in some other way to God. Lament is a response to a momentous occasion of grief over which we have no control. For Lent this year, we will have a weekly online Bible study centering on prayers of lament, based on the current Horizons Bible Study, Into the Light. Each Wednesday of Lent, starting on February 17, a new lesson will be posted online to the same page that has our Sunday School lessons and worship services. This will be available throughout the day. These will include scripture passages, a lesson, and an opportunity to practice lament. You may share your laments, as you choose. If you have questions, please contact Nellie Baker or Christine Welling.

We added Cody Clifford (Lois Miller’s grandson) to our prayer list this week. He was taken by ambulance from the pediatrician’s office to Children’s Hospital with Diabetic Ketoacidosis. Please pray for Cody and his family as they learn to live with this new diagnosis.
Doug Ward’s infection in his knee is clear doctor wants to wait until May 6th to do a total knee replacement.
Roma Grose is home recuperating from her hip replacement.
John West’s gallbladder surgery went well.
Ed Horne is recuperating from back surgery, please pray this will take care of the pain he has been experiencing in his legs.


Remember our continuing prayer list.
Roma Grose, Ruth Hampe, Susan Schively, Jimmy Davis, Judy Donaldson, Margo Johnson, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Lisa Phillips, Mickey Gubitti, Chip Rogers, Dixie Avoila, Dennis McWreath, Chuck Warlow, Chuck Dicks, Randy Moore, Margaret Knabenshue, Janet Schively, Mary Ann Durila, Patty Nagey, Dr. Craig Fox, Karen Eisiminger, Kelley Gump, Mary Ann McFeeley, Ed Horne, Donna West, June and Keith McGill, Dianna Donaldson, Chuck Montecello, Glenn Miles, Dave Cummings, Doug Ward, Mark Knabenshue, Rick McFeeley, Deron Wood, Susan Alberti, Bryan Dunn, Dana Wilson, Marge McWreath, Tim Knabenshue, Jack Burnfield, Debbie Rugg, Joyce Pastorchalk, Reba Flowers and Jackson Corwin (3 years old).


​When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns together. Consider your past week, and what joys and concerns you have. These might be for yourself, for someone else, or for a community. If you would like, you can share these in the comments so that we can all pray. ​The God of the universe invites us to talk with Him at anytime and anywhere about anything and everything (source). When you are ready, pray this prayer below (fromhere), including your requests and those that have been shared.

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