Thursday Prayer

As I sit behind the multiple locked doors of this fine church building, in a city where gates and fences, and systems and policies, keep people from really seeing, hearing, and knowing each other, as I work on our budget, and fill in each little box, each line item, O God, help me to dream. Help me dream of wide open doors, and of bold, generous columns, and of abundant postures and generous decisions. Help me to dream of what this little institution could be, if we took seriously your call to grace, and faith, and sharing. Help me to dream what this community could be, if we busted through a couple of privacy fences, and through a whole lot of old privileged policy, and sat together in the street, with snacks and music and laughter, and then we fully funded community programs and supports for our neighbors. Help me dream what your church could be, if we had the courage to let go of just holding on, and took some real risks, financial risks, breaking-down-the-walls kinds of risks, spending-down-the-endowment kinds of risks, wild, generous, abundant-life-believing, faith-filled, hope-inspired risks for the sake of living like Christ called us to live.
Can you imagine? (Of course you can. But, can I? Can we?)

Help me to dream. Help me to believe. Help me to act. Help me to try.

AMEN.

Inspired by this week’s Gospel lectionary text, Luke 16:19-31.

Rev. Erin Counihan serves as pastor at Oak Hill Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in St. Louis, MO. She really hopes you’ll join us this January at the RevGals Big Event!

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