“Bless the Lord, O my soul… who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103:1a, 5 (ESV)
As we journey through Lent– remembering our fasts, praying our prayers, and choosing to give– we remember that repentance and change is for the sake of renewal and new life. I am praying that you are finding satisfaction in the good that the Lord gives and finding renewal in your choices to worship. At the end, I’ll throw in 2 songs to sing as you go: One for when you’ve lots of energy to bless the Lord and One when you need to be reminded that God is our sanctuary, our hiding place, where we belong. God meets us in the quiet and He meets us in our shouts.
As clergy, it was good to be led in the renewal of our ordination vows by our bishop this week.
As a church, we will have an opportunity to BE renewed in our forthcoming Lenten Retreat.
Bless the Lord. He satisfies you with good. See you on Sunday, -David
Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic Renewal of Clergy Vows
Restoration hosted all of the clergy in our diocese yesterday for our annual, Renewal of Clergy Vows. Bishop Chris led us in a meaningful liturgy to remind us of our calling. This is a picture of lunch. All of our staff were involved in making it happen and they were complimented over and over for their gracious hospitality. We have a wonderful team and they work really well together.
Here is the preamble to the vows that we affirmed:
“Dear friends, the ministry we share is none other than the sacrificial ministry of Christ, who gave himself up to death on the Cross for the salvation of the world. By his glorious resurrection he has opened for us the way of everlasting life. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, he shares with us the riches of his grace.
We are called to proclaim his death and resurrection, to administer the Sacraments of the New Covenant, which he sealed with his blood on the Cross, and to care for his people in the power of the Spirit.
Bishop: “Do you reaffirm your promise to be a faithful servant of all those committed to your care, patterning your life in accordance with the teachings of Christ, so that you may be a wholesome example to your people?”
Clergy: I do.
Lenten Retreat: March 23, 8:45 to 12pm
We offer this retreat so that you also can have an opportunity for renewal during the season of Lent. We will spend the morning at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, DC: gathering together for morning worship, having some time of quiet on the beautiful grounds on our own, and then gathering again for a final time together. If you haven’t been before, this is a lovely place, that will feel as if you’ve truly “gotten away” for a few hours. RSVP here.
