Sunset

Image Source = Chad Teer

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sunset_in_Coquitlam.jpg)

A prayer from the Ethiopian Orthodox liturgy, quoted in In Spirit and In Truth:  A Worship Book, published in 1991 for the Seventh Assembly of the World Council of Churches

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Remember, Lord, the down-coming of the rains and waters and rivers, and bless them.

Remember, Lord, the plants and the seeds and the fruits of the fields of every year, bless them and make them abundant.

Remember, Lord, the safety of your holy church and all the cities and countries.

Remember, Lord, the safety of humankind and of beasts and of me, your sinful servant.

Remember, Lord, our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep and gone to their rest.

Remember, Lord, the captives of your people, and bring them again in peace to their dwelling place.

Remember, Lord, the afflicted and distressed.

Remember, Lord, your servants, the poor who are under oppression, have pity upon them and keep them in the right faith and make them a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, through our spiritual joy and the love of humankind.  Amen.

Nile Delta, Egypt

Image Source = NASA, via Wikipedia

A prayer from the Coptic Orthodox liturgy, quoted in In Spirit and In Truth:  A Worship Book, published in 1991 for the Seventh Assembly of the World Council of Churches

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Pray for the raising of river waters this year,

that Christ, our Lord,

may bless it and raise it to its measure,

grant a cheerful touch

unto the lands,

support the human beings,

save the cattle

and forgive us our sins.

Lord, have mercy.

Pray for the trees, vegetations

and land plantations this year,

that Christ, our Lord, may bless them

to grow and bring forth

plentiful fruit, have compassion on his creation

and forgive us our sins.

Lord, have mercy.

Accord it, O Lord, a cheerful touch unto the earth,

water it,

and dispose of our life as deemed fit.

Crown this year with your goodness,

for the sake of the poor of your people,

the widow, the orphan, the stranger

and for our sake.

For our eyes are focused upon you, our hope,

and seek your holy name.

You provide us our food in due course.

Deal with us, O Lord, according to your goodness,

you, the feeder of everybody.

Fill our hearts with joy and grace,

that, as we always have sufficiently of all things,

we grow in every good deed.

Amen.

Rays of Light

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Parish School Hymnal (1926), of the United Lutheran Church in America

Words by George Edward Lynch Cotton (1813-1866), Anglican Bishop of Calcutta (1858-1866), who drowned in the Ganges River after consecrating a cemetery

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1.  We thank thee, Lord, for this fair earth,

The glitt’ring sky, the silver sea;

For all their beauty, all their worth,

Their light and glory, come from Thee.

2.  Thine are the flow’rs that clothe the ground,

The trees that wave their arms above,

The hills that gird our dwellings ’round,

As Thou dost gird Thine own with love.

3.  Yet teach us still how far more fair,

More glorious, Father, in Thy sight,

In one pure deed, one holy prayer,

One heart that owns Thy Spirit’s might.

4.  So while we gaze with thoughtful eye

On all the gifts Thy love has given,

Help us in Thee to live and die,

By Thee to rise from earth to heaven.

Elliptical Galaxies 13.5 Billion Light Years Distant

Image Source = NASA

(http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/spitzer/news/spitzer20110412.html)

Words by the Reverend Herbert F. Brokering (1926-2009), a Lutheran (American Lutheran Church then Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) pastor and seminary professor

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

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1.  Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets,

sing to the Lord a new song!

O victory, loud shouting arm,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain:

He has done marvelous things,

I, too, will praise him with a new song!

2.  Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Flowers and trees, loud rushing dry leaves,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

3.  Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Harp, lute, and lyre, loud humming cellos,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

4.  Engines and steel, loud pounding hammers,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Limestone and beams, loud building workers,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

5.  Classrooms and labs, loud boiling testtubes,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Athlete and band, loud cheering people,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

6.  Knowledge and truth, loud sounding wisdom,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Daughter and son, loud praying members,

sing to the Lord a new song!

Refrain

Cardinal

Image Source = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Hymn Source = The Hymn Book of the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada (1971)

Words by Mary Susanne Edgar (1889-1973), Canadian Anglican poet

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1.  God who touchest earth with beauty,

make my heart anew;

with thy Spirit recreate me

pure, and strong, and true.

2.  Like thy springs and running waters,

make me crystal pure;

like thy rocks of towering grandeur,

make me strong and sure.

3.  Like thy dancing waves in sunlight,

make me glad and free;

like the straightness of the pine trees

let me upright be.

4.  Like the arching of the heavens

lift my thoughts above;

turn my dreams to noble action,

ministries of love.

5.  Like the birds that soar while singing,

give my heart a song;

may the music of thanksgiving

echo clear and strong.

6.  God who touchest earth with beauty,

make my heart anew;

keep me ever by thy Spirit

pure, and strong, and true.

Mount Olympus, Greece

Image Source = Wikipedia

Hymn Source = The Hymnbook (1955), of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, the Reformed Church in America, the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., the United Presbyterian Church of North America, and the Presbyterian Church in the United States

Historical Note:  The Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the United Presbyterian Church of North America merged in 1958 to form The United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., which joined with the Presbyterian Church in the United States in 1983 to create the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Words from The Psalter (1912), of the United Presbyterian Church of North America; the text comes from Psalm 65.

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1.  Thy might sets fast the mountains;

Strength girds Thee evermore

To calm the raging peoples

And still the ocean’s roar.

Thy majesty and greatness

Are through all lands confessed,

And joy on earth Thou sendest

Afar, from east to west.

2.  To bless the earth Thou sendest

From thy abundant store

The waters of the springtime,

Enriching it once more.

The seed by Thee provided

Is sown o’er hill and plain,

And Thou with gentle showers

Dost bless the springing grain.

3.  The year with good Thou crownest,

The earth Thy mercy fills,

The wilderness is fruitful,

And joyful are the hills.

With corn the vales are covered,

The flocks in pastures graze;

All nature joins in singing

A joyful song of praise.

Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois

Source = Dustin M. Ramsey, 2001

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Morton_Arboretum_woodland.jpg)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1933), of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Words by the Reverend Maltbie Davenport Babcock (1858-1901), U.S. Presbyterian minister, humanitarian, and admirer of nature

A link to my post about him, with all the verses:

http://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/feast-of-maltbie-davenport-babcock-may-18/

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1.  This is my Father’s world,

And to my listening ears,

All nature sings, and round me rings

The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world:

I rest me in the thought

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;

His hand the wonders wrought.

2.  This is my Father’s world,

The birds their carols raise,

The morning light, the lily white,

Declare their Maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world:

He shines in all that’s fair;

In the rustling grass

I hear him pass,

He speaks to me everywhere.

3.  This is my Father’s world,

O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world:

The battle is not done;

Jesus who died shall be satisfied,

And earth and heaven be one.

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/proper-29-year-c/

Appalachian Mountains in Yancey County, North Carolina, U.S.A.

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Christian Youth Hymnal (1948), of the United Lutheran Church in America

Words by Thomas Paxton, about whom I can find no information

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1.  God of the glorious sunshine,

God of refreshing rain,

Whose voice bids earth awaken

And clothe itself again.

With life of richest beauty

In plant, in flower and tree:

Thou God of light and splendor,

We rise and worship Thee.

2.  God of the hill and mountain,

Of valley and of dale,

Whose finger paints the rainbows;

Thy beauties never fail

To raise our souls in wonder,

And turn our thoughts to Thee;

Thou God of living nature

We stand and worship Thee.

3.  God of the busy daytime,

God of the quiet night,

Whose peace pervades the darkness

And greets us with the light,

Safe with Thy presence near us,

Whatever we may be,

Thou God, our great Protector,

We love and worship Thee.

4.  God of the whole creation,

God of all life below,

We seek Thy nearer presence,

Thy grander life to know;

When we, Thy heightened splendor,

Thy greater glories see,

Thou God of all creation,

We still shall worship Thee.

Gaberoun Lake, Libya

Image Source = Wikipedia

Prayer Source = James G. Kirk, When We Gather:  A Book of Prayers for Worship, Year C (Philadelphia, PA:  Geneva Press, 1985)

Corresponds to Proper 21

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2013/04/19/proper-21-year-c/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/proper-21-year-b/

http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/proper-21-year-a/

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Your goodness goes beyond us, O Holy Redeemer, and the upright rejoice in your radiant splendor.  Your touch turns deserts into pools of living water; as you embrace the land, its yield abounds.  With wisdom you implant, we shall proclaim your virtue; through our Savior Christ Jesus we shall sing your praise without ceasing.

Prayer of Confession for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/the-greater-our-greed-becomes/

Beaufort Sea

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Methodist Hymnal (1965), of The Methodist Church

Words by Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

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1.  I sing th’almighty power of God,

That made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad,

And built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained

The sun to rule the day;

The moon shines full at his command,

And all the stars obey.

2.  I sing the goodness of the Lord,

That filled the earth with food;

He formed the creatures with his Word,

And then pronounced them good.

Lord, how thy wonders are displayed,

Where’er I turn my eye,

If I survey the ground I tread,

Or gaze upon the sky!

3.  There’s not a plant or flower below,

But makes thy glories known;

And clouds arise, and tempests blow,

By order from thy throne;

While all that borrows life from thee

Is ever in thy care,

And everywhere that man can be,

Thou, God, art present there.