Prayer for Dedicating a Memorial Garden

Trinity Garden Dedication

Dedication of the Trinity Sarasota Garden of Hope

PRAYER OF DEDICATION
by Rev. Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com

In the beginning,
God chose to express God’s creativity and companionship
God’s nurture, harmony, and blessing by creating a garden

In the end,
When all of God’s desires are fully fulfilled
There will be a garden

It is in this promise and grace
That we dedicate the use of the NAME OF THE GARDEN
To the glory and use of the One, True, Living God

May it be a quiet place for those who need rest
May it be a joyful place, delighting the senses
May it be a peaceful place, for those who remain here until the last trumpet
and those who come to remember them

May these flowers remind us to keep blooming
May these benches remind us to stop and sabbath
May this tree remind us to root ourselves in Christ
and shelter one another in grace

In every season,
may this garden welcome our neighbors
and draw us all to the goodness of our Savior and Creator

We ask all this in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Trusting You, O God, will do abundantly more than we can ask or imagine
Amen.

To adapt this prayer for the dedication of a public or home garden which was not a memorial garden, change this line “May it be a peaceful place, for those who remain here until the last trumpet and those who come to remember them.” to “May it be a peaceful place, reviving the servant-hearted.”

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Prayer for Dedicating a Memorial Garden © 2021 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
(by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com)
Leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Bless Christ, Through Whom All Things are Made

Fresco of Christ creating the sun, moon and stars from the St. Paraskevi Shrine, Greenlawn, NY

This hymn text was born during my seminary days during some quiet time spent with Colossians 1:15-18.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. (NRSV)

In this passage, creation is described as an ongoing act. The fullness of Trinity is found: Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer; yet all things are created and are held together through Christ, the Word spoken in creation, the eternal Word made flesh.

I woke up this morning surprised to be reminded of this song. I haven’t thought about it in years, but it wants to accompany me this holy week. I pray it is a welcome companion to you as well. – Lisa <><

Bless Christ Through Whom All Things Are Made
by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
a hymn text based on Col. 1:15-18
Meter 88.88 (LM)
Suggested Tune- POXON

Bless Christ through whom all things are made.
Join seen and unseen in their praise
of One who both creates, sustains
who goes before, in justice reigns.

Who makes the lion and the lamb
the farthest star, the smallest hand
dominions, rulers, and their pow’rs
the steadfast mount, the fleeting hours?

Who made the ore for blood soaked nails?
Who made the thorns and whipping tails?
Who made the sun that would not shine
and made the tree on which Christ died?

Who makes the waters of our birth?
Who makes the dust where we return?
Who makes the way for us to die
and rise to everlasting life?

Bless Christ though whom all things are made.
Join seen and unseen in their praise
of One who both creates, sustains
who goes before, in justice reigns.

This text was selected to be part of a United Methodist worship resource entitled Worship and Song. Each lyric or liturgy I write feels like a gift. I am excited and thrilled that this gift will be shared with so many.

For a PDF of the hymn as it will appear in the Worship and Song pew edition, click here Bless Christ, Through Whom All Things are Made

© 2000, revised 2009
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution. (by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, http://www.revlisad.com) Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Breath Prayers Based on Luke 21

summer in the scriptures luke (1)

Breath Prayers based on Luke 21:29-33
The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Silently pray the phrase after IN on your breath in. Then silently pray the phrase after OUT on your breath out. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Choose one, a few, or all of them as is most helpful to you. ⁠

IN: Creator,
OUT: help me see

IN: Creator,
OUT: open my eyes to your signs

IN: Creator, speak to me
OUT: through your creation

IN: You will fulfill
OUT: Your promises

IN: Heaven and earth will pass away
OUT: But your words will not

IN: The kingdom of God is near
OUT: breathe out in silence

IN: You are near
OUT: breathe out in silence

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For the next few months, I’m reading a chapter from the Gospels each day. This is part of the Summer in the Scriptures reading plan sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Click Here for the reading plan.

You’re most welcome to read along and to join the Facebook discussion group, Summer in the Scriptures. You don’t need to be a Methodist or attend a Methodist church. All are welcome and all means all.

As part of the Facebook group, I’ve been supplying prayers based on the day’s reading. Feel free to post your prayers and observations based on the readings here or there as well.

May the grace of the Gospels, the challenge, and the call, inspire us to great faith and great good works in Jesus’ name. – Lisa <

Breath Prayers based on Luke 21 © 2020 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

A Prayer and Poem for Earth Day

USA_10096-7-8_HDR_Antelope_Canyon_Luca_Galuzzi_2007

Antelope Canyon by Luca Galuzzi. Photo via Wikipedia Commons

Happy 50th anniversary of Earth Day!- Lisa <><

Glorious One
Maker of galaxies
Maker of mountains
Maker of me

Thank you for your grace
Thank you for reaching out
For speaking through the majesty of your creation
For speaking into the smallness of my soul

Help me listen and act
Help me honor and protect your world
Help me join their sacred witness and song
Now and always
Amen

Bless Christ Through Whom All Things Are Made
a hymn text based on Colossians 1:15-18
Meter 88.88 (LM)
For a PDF of the hymn as it appears in the Worship and Song pew edition, click the link Bless Christ, Through Whom All Things are Made

Bless Christ through whom all things are made.
Join seen and unseen in their praise
of One who both creates, sustains
who goes before, in justice reigns.

Who makes the lion and the lamb
the farthest star, the smallest hand
dominions, rulers, and their pow’rs
the steadfast mount, the fleeting hours?

Who made the ore for blood-soaked nails?
Who made the thorns and whipping tails?
Who made the sun that would not shine
and made the tree on which Christ died?

Who makes the waters of our birth?
Who makes the dust where we return?
Who makes the way for us to die
and rise to everlasting life?

Bless Christ through whom all things are made.
Join seen and unseen in their praise
of One who both creates, sustains
who goes before, in justice reigns.

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Prayer for Earth Day © 2012 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Bless Christ Through Whom All Things Are Made © 2000, 2009 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use these works in a worship setting with proper attribution. Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form.

Earth Day: God Who Brings the Cleansing Rain (Psalm 148)

Song_of_the_Silent_Snow_by_Martina Carnesciali

Song of the Silent Snow by Martina Carnesciali

Psalm 148:7-8 NRSV
Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!

One winter, while we were living in North Carolina, it snowed. I sat for a long time in silence at our bedroom window watching the soft flakes float to the ground. It was fascinating to me. I grew up in Florida and had only seen snow a couple of times in my life. The perfect peace of that experience birthed the snow verse of this hymn. As I began to think about other natural experiences, the other verses came to be.

Today, we’ll be experiencing severe thunderstorms where I live. I’m thankful. We desperately need rain. It’s also the week of the 50th anniversary of earth day. It’s also a time of unprecedented change due to coronavirus. As I look at this text 20 years after writing it, I’m struck by how it continues to speak to my world.

How does this text connect to your experience? – Lisa <><

God Who Brings the Cleansing Rain
by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Meter 77.77
Suggested tune: THE CALL (United Methodist Hymnal #164)

God who brings the cleansing rain
saturate our thirsty bones
with the milk of mercy sweet
with the blood that brings us home

God who rules the fiery sun
kindle now our brittle hearts
set ablaze our tender lives
forge our ways till sin departs

God who rides the winds of change
anchor us against its wrath
set our face toward holy ends
fix our walk upon your path

God who sends the silent snows
quiet us against your breast
cover us with hope-filled wings
whisper soft your word of rest

God who steps into our time
Take away this needless fear
Turn our lives to songs of praise
Play us for your world to hear

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God Who Brings the Cleansing Rain © 2010 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution. Please leave a comment for information and permission to publish this work in any form. Lisa is especially interested in collaborating with someone to set this text to music.