Natalie's Grace Notes

  Service of Worship Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church January 24, 2021 Rev. Natalie Bowerman, Pastor   Let us pray: Just for today, help me, God, to remember that my life is a gift, that my health is a blessing, that this new day is filled with awesome potential, that I have the capacity to bring something wholly new and unique and good into this world. Just for today, help me, God, to remember to be kind and patient to the people who love me, and to those who work with me too. Teach me to see all the beauty that I so often ignore, and to listen to the silent longing of my own soul. Just for today, help me, God, to remember You. Let this be a good day, God, full of joy and love. Amen Jonah 3: 1-10 Jonah Goes to Nineveh 1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:  2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now...

  Service of Worship Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church January 17, 2021 Rev. Natalie Bowerman, Pastor   Let us pray: Holy God. Today, we remember Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle for equality, justice, and dignity for African Americans that inspired so many other reform movements that seek to highlight the plight of the oppressed in society. We pray that all of those in civil and religious authority be reminded that we all have been created in your image, and that there is an intrinsic dignity in each of us that calls for uplifting every man and woman, young and old. We pray that your Holy Spirit remind us all that you show no partiality with regards to nationality, race, ethnicity, or gender, and to do so is to go against your great commandment of love toward one another. We pray that the church will not be complicit of injustice by being silent, but that it can rise up with a prophetic voice that speaks truth to power and advances the values...

  Service of Worship Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church January 10, 2021 Rev. Natalie Bowerman, Pastor   Let us pray: Most Blessed Holy Trinity, We thank you for many blessings. We pray you may bless and fill our family with love, peace and prosperity. We also pray for joy, abundance and strength. We pray for great health and continued healing. We pray for our loved ones. We pray for your kindness and mercy. We pray for your guidance and protection, Amen. Mark 1: 4-11 John the Baptist Prepares the Way 1The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” 4And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5The whole Judean countrysi...

  Service of Worship Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church January 3, 2021 Rev. Natalie Bowerman, Pastor   Let us pray: God whose love reaches to the highest heavens how can we keep silent? God whose righteousness stands like the tallest mountain how can we keep silent? God whose justice is deeper than any ocean how can we keep silent? God whose grace flows like a never-ending river how can we keep silent? How can we not proclaim your majesty from generation to generation? How can we not raise the lamp of your Salvation for all the world to see? God whose love reaches to the highest heavens we praise your mighty name!   Matthew 2 The Magi Visit the Messiah 2  After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi [ a ]  from the east came to Jerusalem  2  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship h...

  Service of Worship Eastern Parkway United Methodist Church December 27, 2020 Rev. Natalie Bowerman, Pastor   Let us pray: “At the start of each day, help us to recognize you above all else. Enlighten the eyes of our heart that we might see you and notice how you're at work through our lives. Give us the wisdom to make the best choices, fill us with a desire to seek after you more than anything else in this world. Let your Spirit and power breathe in us, through us, again, fresh and new. Thank you that you are greater than anything we may face in our day. Thank you that your presence goes with us and that your joy is never dependent on our circumstances, but it is our true and lasting strength, no matter what we're up against. We ask that your peace lead us, that it would guard our hearts and minds in you. We ask for your grace to cover our lives this day. We love you Lord...we need you. In Jesus' Name, Amen." - Debbie McDaniel   Luke 2: 22-40 Jesus ...