01/24/2026
From Pastor JoAn:
We will NOT have Sunday School or worship tomorrow morning. With a Winter Weather Advisory in effect and the chance of some freezing precipitation, Leadership Chairpersons and I prefer to prioritize everyone’s safety. We may not get much precipitation, but still feel it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Please be sure to check on one another and call for help, as needed!
Sometimes, a change in our normal routine gives us an opportunity to acknowledge God’s presence and guidance in new and different ways. I encourage you to take some time to engage in the following exercise sometime this weekend.
A Blessing Exercise (from The Upper Room, upperroom.org)
Blessing is the art of being spiritually present to others in prayer. It is asking for God to surround a particular person or situation with love, healing, and peace.
Begin by finding a comfortable and quiet place to pray the blessing prayer. Take several slow, deep breaths while letting go any tension in your neck and shoulders. Imagine that you are held in God’s gentle, loving hands. Let yourself rest there and savor the quiet.
1. Pray for yourself. Focus on the light and warmth of God’s love as it surrounds you. Rest in that light and warmth.
Bless me, God, with your love.
Bless me with your healing.
Bless me with your peace.
(Take a moment for several slow, deep breaths.)
2. Pray for a good friend. Bring them to mind as vividly as you are able. In this image, hold them in your heart and extend love and grace to them. Now imagine them in God’s gentle, loving hands. Allow them to rest there in God’s hands for a moment.
Bless them, God, with your love.
Bless them with your healing.
Bless them with your peace.
(Take several deep breaths.)
3. Pray for someone for whom you do not have strong feelings. This may be an acquaintance you cross paths with on occasion but don’t know well.
Bless them, God, with your love.
Bless them with your healing.
Bless them with your peace.
(Take several deep breaths.)
4. Pray for someone you dislike—an enemy. Imagine them in God’s loving hands, and try to hold them gently in your heart. Release to God any anger or tension that may arise in you. Let these feelings go by setting them free to God’s care.
Bless them, God, with your love.
Bless them with your healing.
Bless them with your peace.
(Take several deep breaths.)
5. Finally, pray for all four people together—yourself, a friend, an acquaintance, and an enemy. Extend God’s blessing further—to everyone around you, to everyone in your neighborhood, to those in your town, and eventually to all people, everywhere. Imagine that we all are held in God’s hands and are sustained by God’s love.
Bless all people, everywhere, with your love.
Bless all people with your healing.
Bless all people with your peace.
(Take several deep breaths.)
