Happy New Year!

This Sunday we launch into the new year with a series entitled via sacra (sacred road), a series focused on the wisdom of ancient and common Christian spirituality. We are not looking for something new, but things both old and true. Our theme this weekend is The Psalms as the School of Prayer.

For some years now, the Westside community has made it a tradition to begin each new year with days set aside for prayer. This is a shared and sacred time, an intentional break from the busyness of life, days purposed for quietness and space to be with God. During these days, we desire to listen to what God says, and answer back from our truest selves. We do this because we believe that prayer is both basic and necessary to the life of faith.

Every year we construct a prayer walk. This year we have themed our prayer walk to follow this weekend’s message, learning to pray in the way the psalms teach us.

We invite your participation. Our prayer walk will be available all day this coming Monday and Tuesday, from 9 am to 9 pm. You are welcome to come at anytime, follow the prayer walk at your own pace, and record your experience in the guidebook prepared for you. As well, your may wish to attend the specially focused sessions at 10:10 am and 7:07 pm on those days.

Consider this prayer from Psalm 116:

I love the LORD because he hears my voice
and my prayer for mercy.
Because he bends down to listen,
I will pray as long as I have breath!
Death wrapped its ropes around me;
the terrors of the grave overtook me.
I saw only trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“Please, LORD, save me!”
How kind the LORD is! How good he is!
So merciful, this God of ours!
The LORD protects those of childlike faith;
I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again,
for the LORD has been good to me.
He has saved me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
And so I walk in the LORD’s presence
as I live here on earth!

Bob