SATB

Proper 16 The Sunday closest to August 24

Grant, we beseech thee, merciful God, that thy Church, being gathered together in unity by thy Holy Spirit, may manifest thy power among all peoples, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Reworked from a Gregorian (590-604 A.D.) collect that the church not be disturbed by assault of the enemy, today’s collect prays that a united church may show God’s power throughout the world. Prayer for church unity seeming utterly futile, a better hope was expressed in the adult Sunday school class at Trinity, Apalachicola last Sunday morning when friend Kristin Anderson suggested harmony instead of unity. Harmony might mean Christians of all different views getting along and living peaceably together instead of behaving so badly toward each other and believing everyone else must be like oneself - the opposite of humility.

In harmony there might be less tension, little condemnation, and no hatred between rich and dependent, between straight and LGBT, between liberal and conservative, among white and black, Hispanic, Asian, ..., between pro-life and pro-choice, among Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, ..., between Democrats and Republicans, Red and Blue, less acrimony and more graciousness, less darkness and more light.

Answer to prayer coming by God's action within us, harmony might manifest right here in the Episcopal Church with the recovery of Anglican Chant, a musical embodiment of harmony in worship.

TW+

Apologetically pinched on line.