Author: Pastor Stephen Heimer

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Evening Prayer During COVID – Service of Light & Psalms 141, 70, 23

SERVICE OF LIGHT

Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening, and the day is almost over. Let Your light scatter the darkness and illumine Your Church. The Spirit and the Church cry out: Come, Lord Jesus. All those who await His appearance pray: Come, Lord Jesus. The whole creation pleads: Come, Lord Jesus.

PHOS HILARON

Joyous light of glory: of the immortal Father; heavenly, holy, blessed Jesus Christ. We have come to the setting of the sun, and we look to the evening light. We sing to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: You are worthy of being praised with pure voices forever. O Son of God, O Giver of life: the universe proclaims Your glory.

THANKSGIVING FOR LIGHT

Blessèd are You, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who led Your people Israel by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Enlighten our darkness by the light of Your Christ; may His Word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path; for You are merciful, and You love Your whole creation and we, Your creatures, glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

PSALM 141

Let my prayer rise before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. O Lord, I call to You; come to me quickly; hear my voice when I cry to You. Let my prayer rise before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips. Let not my heart incline to any evil thing; let me not be occupied in wickedness with evildoers. But my eyes are turned to You, O God; in You I take refuge. Strip me not of my life. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Let my prayer rise before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

PSALM 70

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!  Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!” May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!

PSALM 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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Video Bible Study This Week November 16-22, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life”

Scripture Study leading to Sunday, November 22, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life” Pastor Emeritus Howard Patten and Pastor Stephen Heimer examine the upcoming scripture lessons for Sunday, November 22, 2020, Christ the King Sunday, the Last Sunday of the Church Year

Scripture:

  • Ezekiel 34:11–16, 20–24
  • 1 Corinthians 15:20–28
  • Matthew 25:31–46
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Video Bible Study This Week November 9-15, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life”

Scripture Study leading to Sunday, November 15, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life” Pastor Emeritus Howard Patten and Pastor Stephen Heimer examine the upcoming scripture lessons for Sunday, November 15, 2020, the Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost.

Scripture:

  • Zephaniah 1:7–16
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
  • Matthew 25:14–30
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Video Bible Study This Week November 2-8, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life”

Scripture Study leading to Sunday, November 8, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life” Pastor Emeritus Howard Patten and Pastor Stephen Heimer examine the upcoming scripture lessons for Sunday, November 8, 2020, the Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost.

Scripture:

  • Amos 5:18–24
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
  • Matthew 25:1–13
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Video Bible Study This Week October 26 – November 1, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life”

Scripture Study leading to Sunday, November 1, 2020

“Lessons for Liturgy, Lessons for Life” Pastor Emeritus Howard Patten and Pastor Stephen Heimer examine the upcoming scripture lessons for Sunday, November 1, 2020, All Saints Day.

Scripture:

  • Revelation 7:2–17
  • 1 John 3:1–3
  • Matthew 5:1–12
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Loud Tables – Week 4 of Spiritually Vibrant Homes at Zion

Please continue to pray for all who are at risk under the current threat of COVID and all the conditions afflicting our community and families.

Many of you are working in “essential jobs” outside of the home. All of you are essential in the kingdom of God at home, to everyone in your households, and those to whom you relate from afar. This is a time to pray for and encourage those who are sick and those caring for them in homes and in the hospitals. It is a time to also reach out to those who are well but waiting and waiting and waiting with longing for normalcy. In this waiting, take some time to put into practice some of what we have been learning about Spiritually Vibrant Homes. God is with you. His Spirit is at work in your household of faith. 

This Week’s Focus: “Spiritual Conversations”

Spiritual conversations with the people in your household are important, but you may be having fewer of them than you think. Don Everts writes, “The latest research tells us we are having fewer spiritual conversations. In fact, [Lutheran Hour Ministries] and Barna found that a full three-quarters of all self-identified Christians have fewer than ten spiritual conversations a year. This includes a conversation with anyone about faith: a discussion at a Bible study counts, a conversation with your spouse counts, discussing the recent sermon counts. Most Christians are having less than one of those conversations per month. Most Christians are, as the researchers concluded, “reluctant conversationalists.” Our tables are pretty quiet.”

God wants us to think about things that are true and excellent (Phil 4) and talking about work, about sports, about politics, about the latest star performer can certainly fall in those categories. ALSO, and most eternally vital, God wants us to talk about His story, His promises, and our experiences in His grace.

These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Dt 6:6–7

Barna’s research learned this when examining spiritually vibrant homes: 

  • Finding 1. Households that engage in spiritual conversations tend to do a lot together.
  • Finding 2. Many conversations happen around a table.
  • Finding 3. Spiritual friendships are important. “Our most frequent companions and our most dependable ones tend to be the same.”
  • Finding 4. Spiritual coaching helps. (Somebody takes the lead in initiating conversations, often a grandparent or mother)
  • Finding 5. Some people struggle more with conversations. (Millennials have an easier time than boomers. Dads really struggle)

How Can I Help My Household Have Spiritual Conversations?

Don Evert has a whole section in Chapter Four of his book that offers many good suggestions.  Check out the book.  We’ll soon be offering a small group study of the book at Zion.  Let me know if you are interested in participating.  A tool I’ve tried out (and mentioned in my ermon on Sunday) is the Vibrant Conversation Deck that can help if you have kids or grandkids with you (or to talk to online). The card deck contains 52 conversation starter questions in four categories: applying spiritual disciplines, extending hospitality, engaging in spiritual conversations, and food and fun. (find them here).

Some stewardship questions to consider this week:  Who in your household is the hardest to talk to?  Who is the easiest? Will you be driving together, eating together, doing chores around each other this week?  What simple question might be a first step toward deeper conversations?

God bless your week!

in Christ’s peace,
Pastor Stephen

Want to dig deep into the research behind our fall series? The basis for our study this fall is The Spiritually Vibrant Home: The Power of Messy Prayers, Loud Tables, and Open Doors by Don Everts.

The Senior VP of Research at Barna Group explains, “The Spiritually Vibrant Home unpacks the research and what it all means for our households. This book provides Christians with a roadmap to developing intentional rhythms that nurture their spirit, honor their heavenly Father, and pass on their faith to the next generation.”

Find this book and related resources developed by the Barna Group and Lutheran Hour Ministries at https://www.lhm.org/households/