Author Archives: Rev. Cleo Graham

A Choir of Candlelights

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Wait! What do you see? A Star? Red, white, blue and green? A wooden Cross? A chandelier? Candlelights, sunlight and our reflections? A Choir of witnesses?

Yesterday, we prayed as we lit a candle for each state that experienced incidents of mass gun violence in 2018. We prayed for our nation and world.

Did you know that as of August 2018 there were 268 incidents of mass gun violence in the USA? https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/charts-and-maps

Imagine, our nation held numerous Prayer Vigils and devoted more than 275 days praying for peace, comfort and an end to Gun Violence. God hears our prayers. God is still speaking. Are we still listening?

Candlelights eventually fade yet, a prayer is like an endless flame. We are called to pray without ceasing.

What if we lit a candle daily?

Today is Advent, a time to wait, watch,

When you Park, and Pray at 1:11 pm try lighting a candle.

Light a candle, watch it, hold it and imagine you’re holding a prayer. Ask God to “give you this day your daily bread” in other words fulfill your needs.

Seek the Great Light of God and allow that light to enter those dark places in your life and the lives of others.

A Prayer at 1:11 pm

God of life, Light of the world,

God of Peace and Protection.

Your presence is profound,

Your work is beyond our imagination,

You do impossible things,

Your joy is our strength,

You fill us with Your grace,

You give us ways to conquer our fears,

You heal our brokenness.

You lead us out of our wilderness.

Help us to be a candlelight in the midst of darkness.

Help us to wait, watch and listen for you,

As we listen for your guidance.

Teach us to trust and obey

Guide our feet, O Lord,

Restrain the hands that harm us,

Arrest the wicked hearted,

Strengthen the weary ones, O God.

Transform cruel and misguided minds.

May Your light burn bright in our lives.

In Your Holy Name. Amen

Thanksgiving Meal Blessings

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Dear Prayer Partners,

I am sharing these Thanksgiving “blessings, prayers, and invocations from diverse traditions, for meal times, gatherings, and grateful living” which I found on Gratefulness.org
— Read on gratefulness.org/resource/thanksgiving-meal-gratitude-blessings/

Praying your Thanksgiving is a time of gratefulness and abundant blessings.

Agape,

http://www.parkandprayat111.com

The Sower and the Planter

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God, we thank you for Light, water, seeds and a harvest of earthly blessings. We thank you for challenging us to trust you as we experience growing pains. We thank you for your Word and your promises. Help us to be steadfast as good stewards caring for your creation. Help us to be strong and wise, patient and faithful as your servants who trust you to fulfill your plan for us. God of justice, love and mercy, may we walk humbly with you today and always. In your Holy Name, Amen.

Pray, Run, Vote, Love

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Holy One, we call on you to cast your vote for humanity today. Cast your vote for Justice today. Cast your vote for righteousness, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness and mercy. O Lord, help us to win the race that is set before us. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen

RUN

VOTE

Love never fails!

PARK AND PRAY AT 1:11

Jesus’ Prayer for Protection

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“And now I (Jesus) am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” John 17:11-15 (Scroll down to continue)

Norman Rockwell

Let’s Park and Pray at 1:11 daily for protection, peace and justice for all.

“God, deliver us from evil.”

We remember with heartfelt agony those who perished in the midst of acts of hatred, bigotry and disregard for life.

“God, deliver us from evil.”

We remember with sadness the fatal shooting of two unarmed Black patrons in a Kentucky grocery market.

“God, deliver us from evil.”

We remember with deep concern for our former Presidents, leaders and public officials whose lives were threatened with hateful rhetoric and makeshift bombs.

“God, deliver us from evil.”

We remember with grief the 11 worshippers who were gunned down and 6 injured at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

“God, deliver us from evil”

We remember sinners and saints who touched our lives.

God, protect us from hostile acts and disregard for life.

“God, deliver us from evil.”

We remember acts of loving kindness.

We remember God, who calls us to love one another.

God, Love Divine, who welcomes our expressions of love.

We seek the Most High, the all Wise, Protector and Healer.

We vote, speak and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.

We park and pray at 1:11 pm for all our neighbors.

We cry out and we rejoice in the Lord of Life!

God, whose presence anoints and lifts our spirit.

Merciful God, who delivers us from evil.

“For thine is the kingdom power and glory for ever.” Amen

Overcoming Evil

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I stepped on a thorn and I screamed, “ouch!” Then, I said, “I hate you!”

I crushed beautiful flowers and I said nothing. Yet, some of us have reacted the

same way in our relationships.

A bruised word, an evil thought, evil ways and deeds.

Sometimes it seems hard to overcome evil. But, we can overcome evil.

Evil is unlike the sweet aroma emanating from these beautiful flowers.

Evil stinks!

Sometimes it’s hidden but it never goes undetected.

It seems to be everywhere ! But, it is not.

There is a remedy.

Let’s seek Divine wisdom:

Almighty, Merciful and Wise Spirit, thank you for the gift of your presence.

Lately, evil seems so pervasive in our society.

It’s heartbreaking to mourn the loss of innocent lives who are hated for the image you created them.

It’s hard to understand massacres like the Tree of Life Synagogue and other places of worship where people gather to pray.

It seems difficult to overcome evil.

Yet, many of us are inspired by your word and your ways. You give us guidance and solace in the midst of our pain.

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask you for daily bread, physical and spiritual food to fulfill our needs. We ask you to “Forgive us our trespasses (sins).” We pray, “Deliver us from evil.”

You remind us and equip us to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.” Micah 6:8

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:12

We pray for the victims. We seek ways to comfort our wounds.

Help us pray for the thorns in our lives?

Help us pray for those who crush flowers?

We are called,

To do good. Simply do good.

Help us Almighty One

To be good. To be profoundly good.

Love Supreme, you are good! All the time!

Help us to answer your call.

We prayer in our Savior’s name. Amen.

God Help Us

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Let us Park and Pray at 1:11 pm daily

“God of all wholeness and peace, our world yearns for your presence.  We call out to you day after day, wondering why we do not see you and why we feel so abandoned.  And yet, time and time again, you remind us that we only need to look around us to find you.  Help us to look with clarity and compassion into the faces of your children, no matter how unimportant they might seem, so that we might find you there.

Help us to see you in the faces of those who mourn.  As news breaks of the deaths of seven children and many others suffering from a virus outbreak at a health center in New Jersey, United States, remind us of the deep pain of those around the world who have experienced the loss of a child.  Open our ears to listen and open our arms to comfort.

Help us to see you in the faces of those who suffer.  As we hear about inhumane conditions in the prisons of Madagascar and the forced “re-education” of Uighur Muslims in China, fill us with a thirst for justice for all people who are abused due to poverty, gender identity, and all other vulnerabilities.

Help us to see you in the faces of those who are being affected by disasters.  As a major hurricane makes landfall in Mexico keep survivors of all disasters, both natural and human-made, safe from harm, and help us to keep them in our hearts.

Help us to see you in the faces of those we consider our enemies.  As the President of the United States threatens to withdraw aid from countries that allow refugees and asylum seekers to travel across their borders toward the United States, remind us of the humanity of all people, regardless of their skin color, language, and country of origin.  Remind us that everyone, from the most powerful leader of a nation to the most vulnerable and impoverished of refugees, is a beloved child of God.

Help us to see you in the faces of all who are grief stricken, discouraged and ambivalent by the recent Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre, where hatred dominated. You remind us we are all made in the image of God.  Remind us of our connection to all of your children as members of your universal family.  Fill us with your love and compassion, so that we might act as your hands, feet, and voices in the world.  Make your presence known and felt in all places, so that your kingdom might grow to the ends of the earth.”

Amen.

“World In Prayer” Adapted

http://worldinprayer.org/

Where Are You at 1:11?

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It was 1:11pm when Rev. Dr. Kathy Henry prayed a blessing for our meal at my Sacred Heart Academy High School Reunion. It was amazing, unplanned and timely.

I have been indoors, outdoors, in stores, restaurants, in the pool, and even overseas in a ship.

I’ve been blessed to be with some of you in body and spirit at 1:11 pm. Thank you for being a prayer partner.

The other day, Earnest Cox, a spiritually gifted musician, educator, administrator and I prayed at 1:11 pm.

Sometimes, I happened to pray at incredible places such as a 111 address.

One day, I was in a hurry to find a parking space on a crowded street. I pulled into the last space. An amazing thing happened.

Friends! I “Parked and Prayed at 1:11pm.” and I was behind a 111 car! As I caught my breath, I expressed my thanks for signs of God’s presence and nudges.

Please, Pray with me.

Dear Lord, thank you! Your Gracious Loving Spirit, watches over our going out, our coming, our joys, frustrations, sorrows and victories. Bless our intentions and hear our prayers when we Park and Pray at 1:11 pm, whenever and wherever we pray. In our Savior’s name. Amen

A Prayer Calendar

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Are you tongue tied or uncertain about what or how to pray. Try this Prayer prompt calendar. There’s a difference Prayer theme each day. Remember, Prayer is about your heart, your intentions and your desire to have a relationship with Spirit.

Prayer is about PEACE

Presence with God

Entering God’s presence

Asking, Answering and Allowing God

Calling, Connecting & Communicating God

Expecting God

Seek God’s Guidance so you may.

Let us pray.

God help me to

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 *

In my Savior’s Name. Amen

On Her Knees

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img_0914Recently, I was inspired with hope by what I saw and experienced. I was the guest pastor at the St. Peter’s Church (Iglesia de San Pedro) in Samana, Dominican Republic, the historical church home for the descendants of enslaved and free African-Americans who left the United States on or after 1824. My sermon, based on the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5 verses 14-16 focused on this theme, “You are the light of the world!” (“Eres La Luz Del Mundo!”), a powerful message.

When I arrived early at the church before worship something caught my attention. It was before people arrived and drenched by the torrential rain. I paused at the entrance of the church. My eyes were immediately drawn to a woman dressed in white and situated on her knees, praying, as if she was begging. I saw her forehead firmly pressed against one of the steps leading to the altar. She laid before the cross as a beacon of light illuminating rays of hope, mercy, justice, compassion and more. I imagined one beam of light piercing through doors. Doors that separate children from their parents. Closed doors that separate us from discovering truth and bearing witness. Tsunamis, devastation, and other challenges. I imagined she carried a heavy load, a burdensome bushel filled with painful memories. She could not bear to stand with such a weight of injustices, a culmination of pain and insurmountable suffering. The light within her shined through her and called me and others to pause as we entered the sanctuary. She lifted her head and her knees. Her face shined like a newly minted coin. Light shined in her face and faces throughout the church beamed with expectations. The Glory of God shined affirming the presence of the Holy One, Source of Light.

Let us Pray Merciful God, Thank you that we can bring our pain, sorrow, doubts, fears, frustrations, disgrace, joys and triumphs to you. We leave our concerns on your thrown of grace. We look to you Almighty and Powerful God to empower us with wisdom and might to overcome the storms in our lives. We pray knowing that your blessed assurance gives us hope and renews our strength. Your loving kindness equips us to be your hands, heart and feet throughout this world. Shine your Light on us and in us so we may be a light in the spiritually dark places in our world. Bless us with your Light as we do the challenging work you have called us to do. We pray on bended knees, with outstretched hands, standing, sitting or simply in the stillness of our being. Loving God, hear our prayers. In our Savior’s Name. Amen.