St. Barnabas’ Church in Blue Rocks, NSA #heartbeatprayer from the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
Anglican Heartbeat
As members of an Advent weekly Conversation Circle we began by sharing with each other the variety of ways we pray and affirmed that we have found strength in prayer especially at difficult or challenging times and that we truly believe prayer to be the best way of keeping in touch with God.
We mentioned particular stories about Jesus that touched our hearts including: calming the waters, healing people’s infirmities, Lazarus, the call of the disciples to drop everything and follow him, and his call to the children to come to him.
Responding to the reading of John 15: 12-17 we focussed on Jesus as a friend, that he has chosen us not we him, and that he laid down his life for us.
Our hearts were gladdened when the Church moved to permit the remarriage of divorced members, when women were ordained, when the church and her people made us feel welcome and celebrated our ministry, when it comforted us in times of sorrow and grieving, when her clergy befiended us and cared for us.
Our hearts ached when we were called to close churches and amalgamate congregations, when members showed little interest in working together and sharing.
We were particularly hopeful when Diocesan ACW members came this year and worked with us, when we attended other churches and found them to be vibrant centres of the Faith, when we are included in planning and offering parish worship.
At the heart of our prayer we expressed a desire that all may be one and that together we may share the load. We would love to see our community continue to grow in numbers, in faith and in a variety of ministries, and especially that St. Barnabas will continue to be of service long after current members are gone.
Sharon’s Prayer
“Dear Father, let the Church always be a reminder of the love that you show each one of us and always be the outward sign of the most powerful force that heals people who live out their journeys throughout all the world. So when people find it hard to go on that they know this is the place to come and be truly loved no matter what race , colour or gender you may be. Amen.”
St. Barnabas’ Church in Blue Rocks, NS