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New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Liturgy for Morning Prayer," Upper Room Worshipbook

Used by permission from the Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. This prayer appears in “A Liturgy for Morning Prayer” in Upper Room Worshipbook.

 

Today’s Reflection

We develop new faith communities in Jesus’ name so more people will get a chance to experience the fullness and unfailing love of God through Jesus. We plant new churches so that many will see the glory of God’s children at work in the world. As a church planter, your responsibility is to lead people to knowing Christ and to walk with them as a fellow follower of Christ. You invite new disciples to grow in their faith and service along with other disciples of Jesus as together, you share the love of God with all God’s children in need of God’s welcoming and redeeming love.

—Bener Agtarap, Curtis Brown, Ready, Set, Plant: The Why and How of Starting New Churches (Discipleship Resources, 2021)

Today’s Question

How have you experienced “God’s welcoming and redeeming love”? How can you invite others to experience it too? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.
—1 John 4:16 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Each day this week, add a different person or group of people to this simple prayer:

Lord,
Help me plant seeds of faith so _________ will get a chance to experience the fullness and unfailing love of God through Jesus and see the glory of God’s children at work in the world.
Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

2021 still has a long way to go. Visit The Upper Room Online Store and save 45% on The Upper Room Disciplines 2021 with the promo code DISC45. Includes both regular print and enlarged print, while supplies last.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.

4 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted April 12, 2021 6:40 am

    Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Good news! A new pastor is on the way. Two churches will share a pastor. Hasn’t been done in a while, but has been done successfully before.The transition is in progress. Thank You, Lord.

  • Julie Posted April 12, 2021 8:59 am

    Wherever there is kindness there is God. God is kindness and love and through kindness and love we see God. I see God here. I also immediately felt accepted and valued and heard. Thank you one and all.
    Prayers of rejoicing along with Robert and his church that a new pastor will continue the good work of these fine people.
    Prayers for safe travel for Jill and for Lou’s family. I pray Jill and Lou were both renewed by their family connections.
    Prayers for Ally’s thumb, that the pain lessen and healing be swift and David’s continued improving health.
    Megan and I are reveling in the freedom of h’s being gone for a week. We are so much less stressed and anxious. If only this would last. We are seeing a vague fascilmile of life after the divorce. We spent yesterday shopping and enjoying a trip to the Pittsburgh Botanical Gardens. It was the last day of their Spring Show and the tulips, daffodils, lilies and many other flowers were beautiful. The whimsical scenes they installed for this show were fascinating and sweet.
    Prayers for the UR

  • Jill Posted April 12, 2021 12:57 pm

    The human form of His welcoming love was extended to me by my small group. Non-judgmental, earnest, authentic. I picture Christ as subtly drawing a person to Himself – and conversation is honest and sublime. Time passes without notice and there is no desire to move on or leave. Just stay for a spell and be enriched.
    Very grateful for my time away. The renewal of non-stop sunshine every day, sand between my toes, and no concern for what time it is was so long overdue. The time with dad, my sister and brother-in-law went very well. But – I am also glad to be home with Roger – he is super glad and is utterly oblivious to the fact i am leaving again in 3 days. He was so vocal and loving. Poor guy. This short turnaround is less than ideal, but nothing I can do about it. I found myself looking forward to this upcoming experience – so that is a good thing.
    So glad today was my “easy” day at school. And with the alternating days – I will miss 2 of my “hard” days at school, and only one “easy” day. Trying to get things in order for my sub.
    Sorry to hear the news about your broken thumb, Ally. May you behave yourself so that it may heal properly (saying this with a grin on my face…). I know all too well about how hard it is to behave when injured/hurt. Good to hear of Lou’s wonderful visit with her family.

  • Ally Posted April 12, 2021 3:44 pm

    I experience this love in our church, in my family, my close friends, and in our UR family. In today’s scripture, we are admonished to abide in love. I don’t always live up to this, but I’m thankful for God’s grace. David’s home health PT told us He thought David would benefit from a few more weeks of therapy, so we decided to stay with it. He has made great progress and we want him to continue to progress. My thumb us better: only taking pain meds twice a day now. I am retooling my resume today and will apply for several telework case mgt. positions today. Please pray for my home church in Alabama. The conference is having to make some moves in order to fill pulpits, so pastor is moving in June. He is a wonderful pastor and teacher and has been there for our family through some tough times. The church is heartbroken. Pray also for pastor and his wife , as this was unexpected. We get our 2nd Pfizer dose tomorrow. Please pray for minimal side effect. Robert, so thankful to hear that your church is sharing a 2 point charge. The church back home will do this
    as well. It is good to share the burden sometime. Prayers for a smooth transition. Julie, glad you and Megan are getting a break and that you enjoyed your visit to the botanical garden. It sounds lovely! Prayers continue for your divorce process: that God will grant you safety and the grace and wisdom to see with what is coming. Praying also for justice and a fair settlement. Thank you for your prayers. Jill, sounds like you and Larry had a wonderful time with your sister in Florida. There is nothing like sand between your toes! Prayers for your next trip and for little Roger. Thanks also for prayers for my thumb. You are so right: it is hard to behave and when I overdo, it lets me know lolol. Thankfully, its a little better. Praying that Marcy is feeling better and glad to see the joy in Lou over her family being together. I pray that all of us meet Jesus in a meaningful way during these days between Easter and Pentecost. Blessings to all!

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