by Rev. Roger Jones*

Please join me now for these words of prayer and for a minute of silent reflection.

Spirit of Life, breathe in us now.  Call us forth into days of peace, courage, healing and hope.  God of Love, shine in our hearts.  Shine forth in our words and our actions.  Let us give thanks for the many gifts of life, including the gift of this new day.  Here in a circle of community, we are surrounded by seekers of all ages and stages of life, every one of us with hurts and hopes, many of us with joys and glad surprises, and all of us with gifts to offer a world in need.

We call to mind those who are not with us this morning—those traveling or starting new ventures in a new place, those ailing or frail, those in pain or otherwise unable to make it here, and those who have departed this life.  We hold them in our hearts with the warmth of love.

This day of ingathering for us is also a day of anguished memory in the United States: September 11.  This is the 15th anniversary of a cruel and violent crime, a series of attacks on innocent people.  {PAUSE in silence.}

We mourn the lives lost.  We extend our condolences to the bereaved.  We thank those who gave of their time and energy–and sometimes their lives–to help:  to rescue, recover, rebuild and restore hope.

We remember also those lost in the wars that have taken place following that day, the many service members lost, and the many innocent people lost in distant lands.  We remember the suffering survivors.  We pray for those who continue to be trapped in zones of conflict, oppression, desperation and fear.  We pray for those who are trapped in intolerant ideologies, humiliation, and rage.  We pray for peace.

We give thanks for those who have made their way to a safe place, many of whom are making a new home in this area.  We give thanks for the new friendships now emerging here, in this congregation and beyond our walls.  Together, may we learn and remember the miracle of kindness. May kindness bring healing to our hearts and to every soul in every land.

Each doing our part, may we give, speak, work and pray to help the spirit of love shine forth in our hearts and all over this world.

Amen and blessed be.

*BEFORE BEGINNING THE PRAYER, I SAID THESE WORDS:  Please open your order of service to see the words of the hymn Spirit of Life.  After our time of Prayer and Silent Meditation, we will the tune of our hymn played through once completely.  Then we join in singing it two times through.  Please remain seated.