Thursday August 6^th, 2020
A daily e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
 
Dear Friends,
 
Thank you for those who came to last night’s Wednesday Night Prayer Zoom. We prayed for family, our church family, DREAAM, schools, teachers, police, people making changes, health care and business leaders, and . . .  Lord, hear our prayer.
 
Litany for the Church
 
That we may accept the responsibility of our freedom, the burden of our privilege, and so conduct ourselves as to set an example for those who will follow after;
 
O God, be our strength.
 
That we may not be content with a secondhand faith, worshiping words rather than the Word;

O God, be our strength.
 
That we may find joy in the study of Scripture and growth in exposure to new ideas;
 
O God, be our strength.
 
That we may be part of our churches, communities, and presbytery, sharing in the great mission, which you have set before us, and always seeking the common good;
 
O God, be our strength.
 
That we may find in your church a prod to our imaginations, a shock to our laziness, and a source of power to do your will;
 
O God, be our strength.
 
O God, who gave us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise; send your Spirit among us; that, confronted by your truth, we may be free to worship you and serve you as you have called us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.       
(adapted from The Worshipbook, 1970)  
 
Take on Race:
 
Antiracism is everyone’s work:
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/interview/antiracism-everyone-s-work
 
News:
 
Your Covid-19 Response Team meets this evening. Please remember them in prayer as they access how we are doing and when we might begin more face to face activities.
 
Humor/the body edition: (Serious times call for re-creation, joy, and humor.)

What did one banana say to the other? I find you a-peeling.