Benediction -
1. an utterance of good wishes.
2. the form of blessing pronounced by an officiating minister, as at the close of divine service.
3. a ceremony by which things are set aside for sacred uses, as a church, vestments, or bells.
4. also called Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. a service consisting of prayers, at least one prescribed hymn, censing of the congregation and the Host, and a blessing of the congregation by moving in the form of a cross the ciborium or monstrance containing the Host.
5. the advantage conferred by blessing; a mercy or benefit.
Tuesday, June 9th
From Adam until now, God created each one of us to glorify and enjoy who he is. He is Father, Son, and Spirit, living eternally in unbroken community. We reflect this with an insatiable longing for such a relationship. Our own testimonies give credence to God’s prominence in our redemption. Humility must mark us. We are his redeemed, bought at the cross, sealed for eternity, longing for a resurrection like Christ’s. For now we serve as his heralds, working in harmony like a body, accomplishing all God has purposed. No longer can we find satisfaction in selfish gain, but only in the sharing of the delight we have in our Father.
by Corey Collier
Tuesday, June 2nd
And as for all who walk by this rule of grace, peace and mercy be upon you, and upon the People of God. Let us not cause ourselves trouble by walking in other way, and may we all bear the signs and marks of Jesus Christ himself.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
by Bryce Langford
Tuesday, May 26th
The Lord has done great things in us! We stand in awe and celebrate His transforming work of grace. He has taken our hearts of stone and transformed them into hearts of flesh. May we not allow this change to simply be for good showing, but may we allow grace to continue its work. We will allow the cross to inspire us to share the gift with a hopeless and hurting world. Freely we have received, may we now, with our whole heart and lives, freely give. We fix our gaze on Christ, the Author and Finisher, of this inspiring work of grace.
Tuesday, May 19th
We are the church–the blood bought radiant bride of our glorious King, and as the people purified for His possession, let us live with and by grace, willingly bearing up those who stumble and humbly seeking help in time of need, knowing that as His body we are the tangible presence of His grace on this earth, called to herald His gospel and to minister His beautiful reconciliation. Let us, therefore, walk in the dignity and responsibility of all that it means to be called His, to be called the Church. Amen.
Tuesday, May 12th
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
Psalm 103:1-4
Tuesday, May 5th
May we all with sober, yet, joyful hearts accept this grace we have been given. May we always run forward into the truth of Christ, and let us never return to what we have left behind. And with faith that is moving toward love, may our actions, our words, our hearts, and even our very lives proclaim “Love!” Love for our Savior. And love for our neighbor.
by Bryce Langford
Tuesday, April 28th
Let us not appear to do justly, but lack the conviction of mercy.Let us not seem to be servants, yet live for ourselves. Let us not merely act, but may we be moved in our hearts. May the love of Christ control us. By this we know love: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. May we also lay down our lives for His cause. May we love one another as Chris loves us.
by Kate Ritchie
Tuesday, April 21st
As we leave this place, may we choose to follow in the beautiful footsteps of Christ Jesus our Savior who although was scorned and spit upon, beaten and shamed, chose to forgive even those who nailed him to the cross. And in light of our great debt that has now been abolished, by that very same cross, may we who have been forgiven much, choose to likewise forgive, to the glory of God our Father.
by Patrick Schlabs
Tuesday, April 14th
Cast off the yoke of slavery because we are no longer slaves.
We are free according to the promise God made on the day man fell to slavery.
Stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of performance
Because we are not set apart to have cleaner hands;
We are set apart for the Good News of God which He promised beforehand concerning His Son, Jesus Christ -
That by Him who was faithful, we have faith,
By Him who was obedient, we are obedient
And by Him who was righteous, we have become the righteousness of God.
by Seth Wieck
Tuesday, April 7th
As we move through Holy Week, may we pause to contemplate the scandal of the cross, and embrace with gladness the beautiful mysteries His cross proclaims:that through humility there is victory, that through suffering there is joy, that through weakness there is strength, and that through death there is life. And in light of these tensions, let us with faith and boldness learn to become like Him in His death, so that we might fully know Him and the power of His resurrection.
by Chris Myers
Tuesday, March 31st
May we all know and come to appreciate fully that though we once were slaves, even then we were guarded. Although, we did not yet know Him, Christ knew us. Though we did not yet love Him, Christ loved us. Christ sought us. Christ found us. Christ bought us.
And though they may try, no longer can this world define us. We are now defined as His son. His daughter. His child. His lover. His friend. We are defined most simply as HIS.
By Bryce Langford
Tuesday, March 24th
Though many of our deepest questions will remain unanswered in this life, may we learn to rest and rejoice in the God who is faithful to keep every promise He has made. And in light of His faithfulness to these promises, may we freely worship our Father God who works in and through human history to redeem His people, and who will one day bring to a close the story He began when He first spoke the world into existence.
By Christopher Myers
Tuesday, March 3rd
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Tuesday, February 24th
May you know from the depths of your heart, that in Christ Jesus, your creator God is now your loving Father.
May you understand that by the power of the Cross you are now a child of God.
May this relentless love awaken you to relentlessly love.
And may you rejoice and worship Jesus as you remember the radical beauty of this amazing grace.
AMEN.
by David Ritchie
Tuesday, February 17th
Let us then be crucified with Christ and live our lives no longer as WE would live, but cleave to the hope everlasting Christ who lives in us. Grant within us oh Abba a new heart and a new spirit that stone may be turned to flesh and law turned to love from which springs the well spring of obedience.
by Tanner Hargrove
Tuesday, February 10th
May we, who once were sinners of the foremost, remember our savior and His patient and constant parade of mercy, how He runs after us in loving abandonment as the father to his prodigal son. May we continually pray, shifting our focus against our private advancement and towards Jesus, our first love. That we would co-labor with you, Jesus, who makes constant intercessions for the things of which we are ignorant and unaware. Let us take hold of eternal life to which we were called, doing all things unto God, and keep the commandment unstained with him who gives life to all things; to him who alone has immortality. Amen.
by Josh Godsey
Tuesday, February 3rd
Let us offer our broken lives to Jesus. May we no longer imprison ourselves, but let us resurrect from the grave of sin and pain, and by the strength of Jesus Christ run to His throne of grace. Let us trade our mess for a new life and a new name.
by Kate Ritchie
Tuesday, January 27th
May we, with continuous transparency, expose our lives before the Great Light of the world, and live genuinely before one another, so that the One who loves can, with His blood, cleanse our uncovered sin and make us shine and shout the Gospel of Truth – the truth of who we were and of who we are now are in Christ – the brightest Son. Amen
by Meg Schlabs
Tuesday, January 13th
Remind yourselves of this: We who were slaves to sin; the sin that when fully grown becomes death; that awful separation from God; We who were bound to decay and marked for the grave; we have been buried with Christ.
But to this end: that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. By His resurrection we live in a life where death shall have no dominion, but grace shall. For the life that Christ lives, He lives to God, and so shall we all. That is cause to celebrate.
by Seth Wieck
Tuesday, January 6th
May we always remember that we all were once separated from Christ, that we were strangers without hope and without God; and may we always know, that in Christ Jesus, we who were once far off have now been brought near by the blood of Christ, the true and better Passover Lamb who was, who is, and is to come. AMEN.
By David Ritchie
Tuesday, December 9th
O Father God, who makes us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of Your only Son Jesus Christ, we pray that we may joyfully receive Him for our Redeemer, so that we may behold Him with sure confidence when He comes to be our Judge. To Him be glory and dominion, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, world without end. AMEN.
by Pastor David Ritchie
Tuesday, December 2nd
Oh Lord and Father, raise up, we pray, your power, and come among us, and with great might help us; for because of our sins and wickedness, we are hindered in running the race that is set before us. So we pray that your bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom- with you and the Holy Spirit- the honor and the glory, world without end. AMEN
by Pastor David Ritchie
Tuesday, November 25th
Merciful God, who sent your messengers, the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN.
Book of Commen Prayers
Tuesday, November 11th
As we move forward into the inevitable hardships that will befall us as sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, let us learn to strengthen ourselves in the Lord our God and Father, fixing our affections on God’s anointed, His son and our Savior, Jesus, knowing that in His rejection is our acceptance, in His shame our glory, in His death our life, and that in Him truly our God is at hand. Amen.
by Christopher Myers
Tuesday, November 4th
As we follow You, may we have ears that can hear the subtle ways of Your Spirit, may we be teachable, clinging not to the ways of this world. And may we be filled with humility, as you were humble even to the cross. Oh Jehovah, give us discerning hearts that we may know your soft whisper amidst the noise and clamor of this life, that we may choose to be teachable, and not be hardened of heart as Pharoh was unto Your people. Blessed be the name of the Lord, who takes our foolish hardened hearts, and gives us hearts of humility! To You all glory and honor and power are due. Amen
Tuesday, October 27th
Let us with one heart and one mind receive the extravagent love of Christ this night, for He has loved us with an everlasting love. Let us cry out together in one voice, ‘God, give us eyes to see people with Your eyes of grace.’ Let us carry out the mission of the Cross, driven not by our ambitions, by rivalry, or by jealousy; but counting others as more significant than ourselves. May the love of Christ compel us to love.
And may the worship of our lives declare the Name of Jesus above every name in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth. All we are to the glory and honor of God. Amen.
by Kate Ritchie
Tuesday, October 21st
Let our hope be not in man, but in Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God, whose love for us has never failed, whose promises were never deferred.
Let us find our refuge not in our own strength, but in Him whose strength is proved perfect in our weakness.
Cast yourselves in the shadow of His wings; seek your provision in His abundance; it is better to trust in the Lord than in anything this world has to offer. It is better to trust in the Lord.
by Seth Wieck
Tuesday, October 14th
May Christ, the Captain of our Salvation, yet again give sight to eyes that were blinded by the Fall.
May we deny the enticing calls of our own ambitions, and walk in the meekness of our Saving Lord.
May we be strengthened by the Sacred Power of the Holy Spirit; to walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls us into His own Kingdom and Glory.
And may we inherit all of the glorious promises that we were given in Christ Jesus; our Savior, our Refuge, and our Lord.
AMEN.
Tuesday, October 7th
Whether we find ourselves satisfied with the fat of the king’s table or wandering in lowly exile, stripped of friends and honor and all that brings us comfort, may we learn to abide in the word of God that is both our bread and our sword-bread for the nourishment of our souls, and a sword that lays low all true enemies that seek to prosper against us-resting forever in the knowledge that every word that proceeds from His mouth will abide forever. Amen.
Tuesday, September 30th
Thanks be to our Lord, the Great Hosanna, who has set us free from the curse of sin and death that through his blood we can give ourselves to the Spirit of Christ and thereby deny the flesh of our souls. Teach us to place ourselves into the submission of your presence that through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life would set us free from the law of sin and death.
Father, we take that which we are made of, and give it up on Your behalf, we surrender our bodies on the altar of your presence, and we destroy ourselves for your Glory, Honor, and Power. Amen.
Tuesday, September 23rd
May we constantly remind ourselves of the victory Christ has won for us on the cross; of our sinful nature and our justified death that was buried with Him for three days in the tomb; may we join together to wholeheartedly celebrate our being raised with Christ from the dead through faith in God’s love and ability. And ultimately, may our attachment to His victory bring Him glory. Amen & Amen
by Seth Wieck
Tuesday, September 16th
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful, and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds; for we have tasted and seen Him in this sanctuary, beholding His power and glory, for our hope comes from Him. Amen & Amen.
Tuesday, September 9th
As we go forth empowered by grace and the reality of the cross, may we devote to destruction all our sin that so easily entangles us, may we turn away from every shimmering thing that clamors for our attention, and may we silence the idols that murmur for our affection, knowing that in Christ, we are being remade after the image of Him who is our life, our King, and our salvation. Amen.
Tuesday, August 26th
As we behold the glory of Christ, may His cross become our only boast, knowing that the glory we behold in Him is the same glory we will reflect to others. In light of this wondrous transformation, may we walk as living demonstrations of the Spirit’s power, willingly devoting ourselves to each other and to the beauty of the gospel, for Christ alone is our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption.
by Kate Ritchie
