Praying is essential to Christian living. There are many ways that we can pray. We all have memorized prayers that we say word for word. Some people have specific morning prayers, meal prayers, and bedtime prayers. There are scriptural prayers, where we pray parts of the Bible back to God. Throughout the day, we lift spontaneous prayers for various situations. This is just a short list of prayer styles. When I attended youth group in the basement of our church, we were taught the ACTS prayer model. That looks like filling in the blanks for: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. I continue to find it helpful in my everyday life to have this shape my prayers. In Matthew and Luke, Jesus instructs the disciples on the components of prayer. Each Sunday at church, we recite The Lord’s Prayer. It’s a beautiful and meaningful practice. I find it comforting to hear the congregation praying in unison. There is power in praying these words of scripture. It keeps us in accord with God’s will. So, my question to you is, “Have you ever customized The Lord’s Prayer to make it your personal version? This was an exercise that was given once in a Bible study program. Our son was young at the time, so I passed the assignment on to him as well. I will share his custom version of the Lord’s Prayer, and you will hear what was on his heart at that time in his life.
We used to recite our family prayer when he lived at home. I liked it so much that I sent it out in Christmas cards. The times we have remodeled our homes, I have written his words on subfloors and framing boards and staircases. We keep a copy in our kitchen by our family pictures. I hope Prentice carries the words of his prayer in his heart now that he’s a grown man. There is power in our prayers. Maybe you and your loved ones would like to spend some time writing out your personally customized version of The Lord’s Prayer. I think you will find this a meaningful exercise. God never gets tired of hearing our requests. He listens, and He cares. He responds to our prayers with his infinite wisdom and the ultimate best for our lives.
In His Name, Heather
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Total absolute quiet. It captivated me and caused me to stop my work, be still, and be present in the moment to absorb the silence. I felt as if I was hearing the sound of the Eternal Now, the presence of God, and the murmur of the creek was His whisper to me, saying: “Be still and know I am God.” It was as close as I have come to any kind of mystical experience. Our cabin is in the mountains of western Montana and is a favorite place for Katie and me because it brings us close to the natural world. For example, a bear’s footprints on our outhouse door! It is an area filled with wildlife of all types, heavily tree-covered mountains, and fields sprinkled with wildflowers in the spring. I first came to that spot with my family when I was about four years old, so it is fair to say it is rooted in my soul. For me, nature is a place to experience the Sacred. Some people claim it as their church, but I would not go that far. However, to me, it is a sanctuary that brings me closer to God, a feeling that millions of others have shared over the years. What makes it so? There are many probable answers to that question, and one that I hold to is that we are a part of Creation; we share it with all other living things. It is our home, and in humility and awe, we realize how miraculous and wonderful it is, just as did the Psalmist long ago we he exclaimed: “The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). Romans 1:20, which declares: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what he has made….” carries the same message. In the long Christian tradition, there are two books of scripture, the book of nature and the Bible. Both reveal God to us; nature does it without words, a silent witness, while the Bible uses God’s Word to do so. Early Christian thinkers viewed the two books in harmony, with the natural world seen as a universal general revelation to all. While it is a genuine way to encounter God, it does not provide the specific details of redemption found in the Bible. For me, on that rooftop, God was present! It is this glorious and mysterious creation that we were formed to help care for, and the Earth Care team offers the following prayer of thanks to God, the creator of all, for His wondrous gift. We hope it is your prayer as well.
In His name, George
seeing the words. I shared encouraging truths with others, but struggled to feel the encouragement they usually provided. I am not alone in this type of season. And I have been surrounded by love. But the feeling remained: a not enough-ness, a something missing, an aching hollow-ness. It is in this season that I stumbled across this quote from St. Augustine of Hippo from an Advent sermon.
It is an incredible thought that the very source of Light would experience darkness. That the very source of food and water would experience the pain of hunger and the dry ache of thirst. That the very source of healing and life would experience such pain and weakness and loss. In his last moments, Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” God himself experienced the lack of Himself, the silence and distance, and loneliness. When I cry out in pain or loneliness or want, my High Priest can call to mind the exact feeling. He himself has wounds that are not healed. He chose this willingly, for my sake. He claimed victory over it all on my behalf. He is the High Priest who intercedes for me. He is the Holy Spirit who prays for me. He is the Creator who provides for me. He is compassionate and merciful. This is the truth and encouragement I can cling to. In His name, Naomi
 another. The word maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “command,” and this simple but profound invitation from Jesus shaped our entire evening.
We began in the most fitting way possible: at the table. In a simple and meaningful time of communion, we were reminded of the grace given to us in Christ — bread broken, cup shared, love poured out. It was a holy, grounding moment that invited each of us, no matter our age, to receive. To pause. To remember that before we do anything, grace comes first. In many ways, the whole evening flowed from that place. Just as Jesus gathered with his friends on that holy night, we gathered too — breaking bread, lingering in conversation, and creating space to be together. There was a tenderness to it. A slowing down. A sense that this moment mattered. And it did. Maundy Thursday is not just about looking back — it’s about being formed. This night helped prepare our hearts for what was to come: the grief and sorrow of Good Friday, and the deep, joy-filled celebration of Easter morning when we proclaim, He is risen. He is risen indeed! What made the night especially beautiful wasn’t just what we remembered — it was how we experienced it together. From the very beginning, the room felt alive. Kids colored on the table runners, friends lingered in conversation, and laughter mixed with the clinking of chairs of those coming and going. There’s something sacred about sharing food, about slowing down long enough to look across a table and really see one another. It set the tone for everything that followed: this wasn’t just another event on the calendar — it was participation. It was community. As we moved into the prayer stations, something even deeper unfolded. Around every corner, different generations were engaging side by side — coloring, writing, praying, wondering. Little hands drew hearts and sunshine as bright notes of encouragement, while adults carefully wrote messages of hope and love for some who could not be with us. No one was too young or too old to jump in. Intergenerational worship isn’t always neat or predictable — but it is rich. It makes space for curiosity, for creativity, for movement and meaning to intertwine. It reminds us that faith is not just something we learn — it’s something we practice, together. And sometimes, it looks like playing. Sometimes it looks like creating. Sometimes it looks like sitting quietly with a stone in your hand, whispering a prayer you didn’t even know you needed to say. Throughout the night, we saw our Love 1st mission come to life in tangible ways. Grace was received. Gratitude was expressed. Love was shared — through words, through presence, through small but meaningful acts of care. It was a living picture of what it means to be the church. A HUGE, heartfelt thank you to the many hands and hearts who made this evening so special. From those who helped with set up, prepared the food, cleaned up, welcomed, and served in countless unseen ways — your care created space for something truly sacred. You helped make this gathering an experience of worship and connection for our entire church family. As we continue to build and nurture opportunities like this throughout the year, we’re grateful for the ways our community shows up in support. Our upcoming flower basket fundraiser is one of the ways we help fund special gatherings like Maundy Thursday —moments where faith is formed, relationships deepen, and love is lived out across generations. What a gift to experience and grow in … A church that prepares hearts — together. A church that gathers. A church that loves first. With grace & gratitude, Kierstie |
