Acts 1:8
Rather, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Over these last 40 days, you have heard our sisters and brothers bear witness to the love of God in the world. As we gather for the coming sessions of the 2013 Annual Conferences, may we be attentive to the invitation to trust in God as we expect greater things across the Tennessee and Memphis Conferences as we live into being disciples.

My life has been enriched by the stories and prayers that have been offered here.

As we engage in the business of the Annual Conferences, may we be attuned to the movement of God’s spirit.

From Jerusalem
to Judea
to Samaria
to the ends of the earth.

We are called to move out from the places where God has planted us into our communities, our state, our nation, even to the ends of the earth.

May we live our lives as faithful disciples and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to guide our mutual work.

I give thanks to God that we are on this journey together.

Prayer: Speak, Holy God, to the concerns of our hearts. Call us to a deeper walk with you in these days of Holy Conferencing as we seek to be your witnesses across the Nashville Area. Speak, O Lord, for we, your servants are listening. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Bishop William T. McAlilly
Nashville Episcopal Area leader

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REFLECTIONS FOR THE DAY | Use a program on your computer, a traditional journal, or feel free to use the comment section of this blog post to record your reflections as a conversation with others…
READ – What spoke to me as I read today’s meditation?
REPENT – Where is God showing me that I have failed to be obedient to the call to discipleship today?
RECEIVE – What words of redemption and grace is God offering to me?
REMEMBER – Who and what is God calling me to remember in prayer related to today’s reading?
RESPOND – How is God calling me to respond today?

RESOURCES:
> DOWNLOADS – 40 Day Walk prayer guide (.PDF), 40 Days of Doodles kids journal (.PDF)
> CLICK HERE for sermon starters/suggestions

Philippians 4: 4, 6b, 12
Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad!… bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks… I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor.

One afternoon as I was driving down Broadway in Nashville, I could not believe what I saw. There she was again. I had seen her three times before – the bag lady. Each time her very appearance had left me visibly shaken. Her presence had hung like an awful omen in my head. Her eyes were hollow. Her skin stretched across her face tight like a trampoline. The once bright colored dress had now faded and had been reduced to rags. And of course she carried her bag – a lopsided old tattered bag – containing all her earthly possessions. This time – I told myself – I would not pass her by. This time I would stop and speak to her, hand her a few dollars, and give her an encouraging word.

But as I approached her, an amazing thing happened. She greeted me with open arms and a warm loving smile. Her words were simply this, “Hi, I’m Anna. God is so good; God is so good; God is so good to me. And now I just want to thank him, yes thank him for his goodness and grace.” But how could this be? How could someone living in extreme poverty, praise God and give thanks? Does this not seem unusual to give thanks when life has dealt us such devastating blows?

What about each of us? Can we say like Paul: “Rejoice evermore….in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you?” And in giving thanks can we remember all the bag ladies – children, women and men – those who are hungry, ill-clad and homeless – by offering Christ to a hurting world.

Prayer: Gracious and loving God, empower us to give thanks in all things and circumstances. Open our hearts to see those who are lost, alone and suffering in a hurting world. May we become your servants by reaching out in ministry with our brothers and sisters whose grateful hearts can touch us and fill us with your Spirit of always giving thanks. AMEN.

The Rev. Bettye P. Lewis
Director of Connectional Ministries – TN Conference
- – - – -
REFLECTIONS FOR THE DAY | Use a program on your computer, a traditional journal, or feel free to use the comment section of this blog post to record your reflections as a conversation with others…
READ – What spoke to me as I read today’s meditation?
REPENT – Where is God showing me that I have failed to be obedient to the call to discipleship today?
RECEIVE – What words of redemption and grace is God offering to me?
REMEMBER – Who and what is God calling me to remember in prayer related to today’s reading?
RESPOND – How is God calling me to respond today?

RESOURCES:
> DOWNLOADS – 40 Day Walk prayer guide (.PDF), 40 Days of Doodles kids journal (.PDF)
> CLICK HERE for sermon starters/suggestions