Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Ghost Ranch Sunday


Early in May, a group of twenty members and friends of our church made a pilgrimmage to Ghost Ranch, a Presbyterian retreat and conference center in New Mexco. Last Sunday, they led our worship service, incorporating slides, chants, music, and reflections from and about their journey, which had them climbing through rocks to mesas; visiting Native American, Muslim, and Benedictine communities; sharing personal journies; and learning new music.

I was particularly taken with this version of the Lord's Prayer which they brought home to us, from New Zealand in the Anglican Maori tradition:

Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and shall be,
Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
Let the hallowing of your name echo through the universe,
The way of your justice be followed by the people of the world,
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings,
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever.
Amen.

(The image is from Christ in the Desert Monastery.)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

That version really is beautiful, GG.

Lori said...

Thanks for sharing that version. It's a reminder to me that God speaks in all traditions. And non traditions.

Terri said...

I love that version, have used it on occasion....

Jan said...

Thank you for sharing this version. It is lovely. The picture makes me want to go there.