"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful,
for beauty is God's handwriting." -Ralph Waldo Emerson 
 

The Bishop's Committee has set a threshold number for active cases in the Tri-county area to determine whether to offer in-person worship. When that threshold is crossed, we will have only live-stream worship on that particular Sunday. The decision will be made every Friday and put in an email with the regular Saturday announcements We will always live-stream!

LIVESTREAM

As we have done since our pandemic responses have been in place, please let me know if you wish to receive communion at home or wish for a pastoral visit in person or by Zoom. We will look forward to seeing you, one way or another, on Sunday.

Love one another.
Pray for one another.
Stay calm.
Wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your hands.

A Prayer for Quiet Confidence
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning
and rest we shall be saved, 
in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: 
By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, 
to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer, p. 832

~FEBRUARY~

The Last Sunday after the Epiphany - Transfiguration Sunday

Beholding God’s glory in the world about us, and in the faces of our sisters and brothers, we offer our prayers, responding, as I pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory and you respond by praying.... in your mercy, hear our prayer

+ Word made Flesh, enlighten the world with the fruits of your peace, that all your children may be fed, educated, sheltered, and loved;....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+ Bearer of the Cross, strengthen us to pick up the gods of this world, and dispel their power, that we may live according to your commandments, and in the liberty of the Holy Spirit;.... For peace in all places of war, violence and unrest, that barriers may crumble and suspicions and hatred may cease. ....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+ Rabbi and Teacher, empower your priests to preach the gospel and to live its message, proclaiming to others your forgiveness and love, your eternal generosity and daily presence in our lives;....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+ Son of God, transfigure your Church by giving us the faith and courage to choose those things that bring spiritual life to the community, and to let go of those things which drain energy and joy;....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+For this faith community called St. Paul's Marfa as we embark on the journey of Lent that we may walk humbly and honestly in God’s presence each day. For this parish family, as we live out our mission to be a welcoming, prayerful, caring community actively sharing the love of God.......let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+ Rock of our Salvation, strengthen those who work in the service industry, help them deal with difficult people and situations, and empower their employers to provide fair wages and safe working environments;....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer.

With the light of Christ to reveal the glory of God, we continue our prayers.

+ We give thanks for the light of your blessing.....those who bring treasures to the poor and needy of the world, offering precious gifts of hope to God’s fragile people.... Let us take time and name who and what we are thankful for.....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+Hear our prayers for all who need your light.... For the many who are suffering economically, that God will watch over those who have lost employment, struggle to pay their bills or have enough to eat.....For all whose lives have been touched by storms, fires, and the pandemic, ALS, Cancer and other diseases that they may find help, hope, and compassionate care from those around them....Let us remember by name those we know and can name in the silence of our hearts; for those we don’t know but know about, and for those worldwide who suffer...Awaken in us compassion and humility of spirit, as we seek and serve Christ in all persons....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

+Hear our prayers for those who have ascended with Elijah and Jesus into your eternal light, especially.... Clara May Bogel Cowsar & John D Cowsar, Victims of Covid-19 and those we wish to name at this time,....let us pray....Lord, may all that we do be to your greater glory....in your mercy, hear our prayer

Concluding Collect: Holy and everliving God, grant us grace to ascend to your holy mountain and to see the dazzling vision of your transfigured reality in our worship and prayer this day, and then strengthen us to listen to your voice and to follow you in faithful service, even when you are hidden from us, until at last we see you face to face in your eternal and everlasting glory, in the power of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, our Savior.  AMEN+

For Our Country

Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our
heritage: We humbly ask you that we may always prove
ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and
pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend
our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought here out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue
with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in your Name we entrust
the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we
may show forth your praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Prayer for St. Paul's 
(adapted from a prayer written by Richard Rohr)

O Great Love,
thank you for living and loving in us and through us.
May all that we do
flow from our deep connection with you and all beings.
Help our faith community become a community
that vulnerably shares each other’s burdens and the weight of glory.
Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our world.
Guide us in living out our mission to to be a
welcoming, prayerful, caring community
actively sharing the love of God . . .
Knowing you are hearing us better than we are speaking,
we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God,
Amen+

Prayer for the Pandemic

Loving God, hasten the day when the virus will have run its course; quicken scientists to develop medications and vaccines; call out the best instincts of your people- love, neighborliness, compassion, and a sense of caring for every member of your beloved community on Earth. We pray out of the depths to you, O God of hope. Amen.

Prayers are asked for…..

The Church

Justin, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael, our Presiding Bishop, Michael, our 

Bishop and Michael, our Vicar….In the Anglican cycle of prayer we pray for the Anglican Church of Canada, The Diocese of South Ankole – The Church of the Province of Uganda, The Diocese of West Ankole – The Church of the Province of Uganda, The Diocese of Antananarivo – The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean, The Diocese of Antsiranana – The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean, The Diocese of Araucanía – Iglesia Anglicana de Chile, The Diocese of the Arctic – The Anglican Church of Canada (Rupert’s Land Province), ....In the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: Our Lady in the Valley, Albuquerque, Hispanic Ministries, Ministry to the Displaced,…We also pray for St. James, Alpine, St. Stephens, Ft. Stockton, Santa Inez, Terlingua, Chapel of St. Mary & St. Joseph, Lajitas, and the Marfa and Alpine Ministerial Alliances…. For Connor Travis and the ministry of Young Life

For Our Leaders

For Joseph, our president, Greg our Governor, Manny our mayor and the mayors and city managers of our surrounding communities…. For Joe, our president-elect and 

Kamala, our vice president-elect and all newly elected officials as well as our elected officials in Washington and all who exercise authority at any level of government. For all who struggle to make a more just society

St. Paul’s Prayer Box and Prayer Wall

Living out our mission to be a welcoming, prayerful, caring community actively sharing the love of God….On our wall…To day I Pray: Peace...our President...Healing...for my business...for accountability...for Tom and family...For truth and light...Rudy with ALS....Today I Hope: Happy...Joyous...Free...health and healing for all...Blessing of grandchildren...for my child...For the future...safety of Jorhey...Today I Thank: my family...thankful for my daughter...sobriety...chosen family...opportunities/expanded community...my family +community...family & health...For a safe trip...For a home, work...my sister...The Earth...Jesus,... Heavenly Father...St. Paul's....Merry Christmas....God for Camillia my friend....His grace, patience, guidance...Prayer Box: For our long trip and our families far away...Becca's recovery from a broken ankle...For our family friend "R" who is facing serious surgery on October 1...Mariano Faiardo reecovery from cancer (my father)...Victor Amram, grandfather of 92 that is struggling for strength...Zanfini...

St. Paul’s Prayer List

Gail, Patty, Holly,  D'Ette, Merit and the Fowlkes family, James, Shere, Kevin and Jay, Lesly, Lila, Melodie, Mimi, Pat & Mary, the Vana Family… FOR Jeanie Olivas, Vijaya, Frank, Larry, Jack Risen, Kathryn Anschutz, Sue Ellen, Kelly, Brian Hutchins who have cancer… for Michael Simpson, Lee Ann,. for James, Brian Neal & Jacob, Linda, for Jenny, Megan and Elizabeth, for David who has MSA, Frank, for Ralph...Kathleen….Bishop Jerry and Jane Lamb…Jessie Ann….Francisco Javier Del  Hierro Vega, Juan Paul Del Hierro Vega, Arlyn Del Hierro…..Canon Carole McGowan... Help us remember that whereas some sections of the media are skewed and biased or even untruthful, Your essence is truth and light...for the media that  they present with truth, compassion and unbias... Douglas...for those with the coronavirus, those living in isolation because of the virus, caretakers and researchers to find a cure and a vaccine...MEMBERS OF THE TIPTON FAMILY...Amanda, a nurse on the frontlines in New York City....Debbie Hamilton who is a paramedic on the front lines in San Antonio....Dawn who has cancer..Airman First Class Sidney Davis who is overseas.....Andrea, a nurse recovered from COVID-19 and back at treating others, Safe travels, Protection from COVID-19,...Ellen Boyd. After 15 years of being cancer free, her cancer has returned.... Itze who is in hospice...For the Kinney-Morrow family...Father Phil West recovering from a stroke...Gary Stonum who has Covid-19....for Katie who is dying.....Aurie....Mary Steele who is battling stage 3 breast Cancer...Kellie and Rick on their journey together....Pearl....Paul Woods, Cancer....Dorothy Swanson who fell and now has the Coronavirus....Lee Ann....Kaley Bowerman & Judah...Kristy Kimmell...Burt and Doris Ann Brownfield.......Corina & Carlos and their daughters, Iris and Lily....Rudy and Allison....Roberto who has cancer and Julia his wife....Luane Porter...Carol Janocek who has cancer...Layne who is struggling....Marina Z with Covid-19....Yvonne who is in hospice care...Roger Cribdin, Cancer medical trial...Patricia, congestive heart failure....

Those who have died

Clara May Bogel Cowsar & John D Cowsar, Victims of Covid-19,...

World News This Week in Prayer

O Lord, all the world belongs to you,
and you are always making all things new,
what is wrong, you forgive
and the new life you give,
is what’s turning the world upside down.
(from a hymn by Patrick Appleford*)

Thank you for the signs that life is still there, emerging and changing: for the snowdrops brightening many a British garden; and for the smallest reptile in the world found, still surviving, in Madagascar.

Yet, that reminds us of the need to care for all our environment; we pray about the people who trade in, steal, kill, collect the rarest and the most important. As experts investigate a probably poisoning of endangered Andean condors, in Bolivia, we pray for understanding of the remarkable interdependence we have with our world. Similarly, for the area of the Tapovan Dam, Uttarakhand state, India, where 170 people are still missing following the dam collapse caused by a glacier burst. The United States is experiencing its worst avalanche season and related deaths in a 100 years and this pattern is repeating elsewhere in so many aspects of nature. We give thanks for the multiplicity of often small-scale ventures trying to stabilize and reverse this trend of climate warming affecting all our weather systems and therefore life for us all.

Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

As the news from the WHO report is that the pandemic is unlikely to be caused by a virus escape from a lab in Wuhan, China, we pray that Governments pause to reflect then act on the findings.

We pray for:

• the people of Tanzania as their Government shows how to make smoothies to protect from Covid-19.
• for the people of Ghana whose Parliament will be closed for 3 weeks following a virus outbreak.
• for the fake news from anti-vaccinators focussing on ethnic and minority groups in so many countries including sadly even by missionaries to tribes in São Francisco reservation in the state of Amazonas, Brazil.

With so few countries able to sequence and identify new strains we pray for the scientists now faced with the new, possibly annual, struggle to update vaccines.

Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

• As we hear of one child and her mother, from El Salvador, held for over 500 days in an immigration centre in the US, we recognise that if this happens once it happens again and again. So we pray for justice.
• for the Amazon workers fighting to found a union in Bessemer, Alabama, USA, we pray for justice
• for the creative artists in the music industry, we pray for justice as Universal, the world’s biggest music label seeks to expand even further.

Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer.

So much biodiversity, Lord, that it’s easier to stick with fake news – for what is human-made can be understood by people. We thank you that in your mercy you hear our prayers.  Grant us the ability to be your answers for each other.

AMEN+

"SEE" YOU SUNDAY!

The Rev. Michael Wallens
Vicar - Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
P.O. Box 175, Marfa, Texas 79843

stpaulsmarfatx@gmail.com
Office - 915.239.7409  |  Cell - 214-862-7292

Parish website - www.stpaulsmarfa.org
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Pauls-Episcopal-

Church/366568286865722