Worship
Mary Cat Young (she/her)
CHAPLAIN
Chaplain Mary Cat Young grew up as an Episcopal camp kid in the Diocese of Arkansas and Minnesota. She has been a church professional for over twenty years, having served as a lay youth minister, summer camp staffer, diocesan staff, parish priest and college chaplain in parishes of all sizes in the Midwest, Northeast and the South.
Mary Cat has been the Associate Rector for University Ministry at the Chapel of the Cross/UNC-Chapel Hill, NC since 2019. She loves camp, crafting and community.
Options Through the Week
Chaplain Chats - a time when Mary Cat will offer some reflections on the theme(s) for the day and lay some groundwork for the rest of the day from reflection questions to compline to crowd-sourcing. (Meeting in the Fireplace Lounge at 7:30AM)
Crowd Sourcing - Mary Cat has put together questions for each day. Each day the questions with post-it notes of a corresponding shape will be made available for folk to add their own answers to the flip chart. These questions will also be included for reflection groups.
Compline - Mary Cat has pulled resources from a variety of places to create different end-of-day prayers and reflections. They speak to the theme(s) for each day and offer a variety of reflections and experience.
Morning Prayers
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Mark 8:22-30
22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Can you see anything?’ 24And the man looked up and said, ‘I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ 25Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Then he sent him away to his home, saying, ‘Do not even go into the village.’
27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ 28And they answered him, ‘John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ 29He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
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Jerimiah 31:1-3
31At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus says the Lord:
The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
3 the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. -
Ephesians 3:16-19
16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
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Matthew 5:2-11
2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
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Deuteronomy 26:7-11
7 we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. 8 The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; 9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. 11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.
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Hebrews 13:20-21
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Evening Prayers
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Opening
The Savior of the nations has come,
To light our way and heal our wounds.Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life, which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Song of Praise
You, O Christ, are the One: the might and goodness of fatherhood.
You, O Christ, are the One: the wisdom and kindness of motherhood.
You O Christ are the One: The light and grace of the blessed love;
You are Trinity; you are Unity.
You O Christ, are the One: the high sovereign goodness of all manner of things.
You are the One who makes us to long.
You O Christ ar the One:the endless fulfilling of all our true desires.
Scripture
When Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, Thesis my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matthew 13:15-17Reflection
Confession
Holy One, we encounter you in our lives and try to follow faithfully,
But so often we get lost or turn away.
We try to love our neighbors as ourselves,
And even, by your grace, to love our enemies,
But we fail.
We take the wrong path and stray from the way o your love.
Forgive us, Lord, and guide us back to you.
Assurance of Pardon
We turn to you, God of Love, and
We accept your grace.
We accept your pardon.
We accept the gift of a new path,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayers
Among the lowly you were born.
Lord Jesus, save us.
The wise and powerful bowed down before you.
Lord Jesus, teach us.
You have come to lead us to holiness.
Lord Jesus, guide us.
You ask us to call on you, and so we offer these prayers of our hearts:
Intercessions and thanksgiving may be offered silently or aloud.
Lord Jesus, hear us.
Lord’s Prayer
Jesus, you revealed yourself to the world so that all people might look to you and be saved: may we know the wholeness that you bring. Be our light in the darkness that we may not stumble, and lift us up again if we fall; all this we ask in your name. Amen.
The Savior of the nations has come
to light our way and heal our wounds. -
Complinebegins on page 127 of the BCP
Leader: + God Almighty, Grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end. Amen.
Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord;
Response: The maker of heaven and earth.Leader: Let us confess our sins to God:
All: Almighty God, our heavenly Father:
We have sinned against you,
through our own fault,
in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have left undone.
For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
forgive us all our offenses;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.Leader: May the Almighty God grant us forgiveness of all our sins, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Leader: O God, make speed to save us.
Response: O Lord, make haste to help us.All:
Glory 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.Psalm 31
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never by put to shame;*
deliver me in your righteousness.
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.2 Incline your ear to me;*
make haste to deliver me.3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.5 Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me, O LORD, O God of truth.All
Glory 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.A Reading
Leader/Reader:
May the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever and ever.
Hebrews 13:20-21
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.Leader: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;
Response: For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.
Leader: Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye;
Response : Hide us under the shadow of your wings.Leader: Lord, have mercy
Response : Christ have mercy
Leader: Lord, have mercyAll (please pray the Lord’s Prayer in the language of your heart)
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.Leader: Lord, hear our prayer;
Response: And let our cry come to you.Leader: Let us pray:
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
At this time silence may be kept, and free intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered.
Tonight we pray for…
And we give thanks for …
Song of Simeon (beings on the bottom of BCP page 134)Antiphon:
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch
with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.Lord, you now have set your servant free,
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior,
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A light to enlighten the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.Glory 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.Antiphon, repeated by all:
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch
with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.Leader: Let us bless the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Leader: +The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen.
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Opening
If anyone is in Christ,
There is a new creation.Doxology
Creating God, your reign of love makes all things new: Plant seeds of confidence and gladness in our hearts, so that, trusting your word, we may live no longer for ourselves, but for him who died and was raised for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.May none of God’s wonderful works keep silence, night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas, sources of rushing rivers:
May all these break into song as we sing to Creator, Savior and Holy Spirit.
May all the angels in heavens reply:
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Power, praies, honor and eternal glory to god, the only giver of grace.
Amen! Amen! Amen!Scripture
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new! All this from God, who reconciled us through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. -2 Corinthians 5:17-18Reflection
An invitation to reflect individually or as community may be offered.Confession
We confess
That we have considered the earth be our own,
Believing God gave us dominion and thus absolute control over it.
We affirm that “the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it,
For he has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.” (Psalm 24: 1-2)We repent.
We know we need to change our understanding of creation
Taking our share of responsibility for its care and protection.We believe
That the Spirit, God’s recreating power,
is active in us and in the world.God Creator of all,
May humankind be freed from greed, which is destroying the earth;
And may our courageous churches take up cause against the forces that threaten life.
Amen.Assurance of Pardon
God does not deal with us according to our sins,
Nor repay us by the measure of our failings.
As vast as the distance from one end of creation to another,
God’s love for us is even greater.
As far as the east is from the west from greater than this distance
does God remove our sin from us.
Thanks be to God.Prayers
Holy One, we praise you for the wonders of your creation:
Make us joyful and faithful stewards.As the day grows long,
Bless us with the gift of laying down our burdens.And not ours only:
Help us lift the weights we have placed on others and on your creation.We offer these prayers of our hearts:
Intercessions and thanksgiving may be offered silently or aloud.Create in us, again and always, your heart of grace.
May we rest on the sure foundation of your love.Lord’s Prayer
Give us strength to understand and eyes to see;
Teach us to walk the soft earth as related to all that lives. Amen.If anyone is in Christ,
There is a new creation.