Service for Christian Unity,
Thursday, April, 15th, 2021
Meditation
During Eastertide we are following several modern spiritual authors from the reformed tradition.
Everyone belongs to God
Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt (1842–1919) was a German Lutheran theologian and one of the founders of Christian socialism in Germany and Switzerland. He was a well-known preacher.
If you want to be a true fighter for Jesus, don’t be offended when people hate you. Don’t feel insulted or strike back (1 Pet. 4: 12-19). The whole struggle for God’s kingdom consists in laying down your life for others. In this way, even the people who oppose you shall receive life. Rather die than let your love for others be stolen from you. You will certainly make mistakes, like arguing too much with those who disagree with you. But let your aim be to give witness to friendship and goodness, for God is faithful to all people. Hold firmly to the truth that every person, even your worst enemy, belongs to God. Fight with all your strength that more and more people realize this. Believe that God will help each soul to become different. The more faithful you are in this, the more hate against you will be burned away. Hate has a short life. It is love that lives forever.
Christoph Friedrich Blumhardt, Everyone belongs to God, Plough Publishing House, 2015, p. 112
Intercessions
Prepared by our brothers and sisters of Melleray Abbey, France
To adapt according to the place of worship
1/ The Free Baptist Protestant Church of Chateaubriand was able to reopen last Sunday April 11th after being closed for several months because of the health situation and a change in worship location. We share in the joy of the faithful to be able to meet up again..
Lord, bless them, may the Holy Spirit give them a grace of brotherly communion! Carry on working in each of their hearts, so that the links between our different local churches may become ever stronger.
2/ Melleray Abbey, in the Loire-Atlantic area, is situated in a region distinguished by the presence of numerous family businesses.
Lord, we pray for the farmers of our region, and those who work the earth which you have entrusted to us, particularly in the context of climate change, the drops in temperature in April, and all the challenges they have to face every day. May your Holy Spirit, the spirit of life and creation, come and inspire them, that an agriculture which is more consistent with and conformed to your divine plan may develop.
3/ During the Easter Vigil, last Sunday April 4th, 6 people were baptised in the Catholic parish of the Holy Cross in Chateaubriand.
Lord, we bless you for the newly baptised in each of our churches, baptised into the death and resurrection of your son; and we thank you for the celebrations that could take place despite the health situation. Give them a positive faith! May the Holy Spirit go on making u truly your disciples!