Brainstorm

I did a little thinking and here are my notes for the upcoming EPIC:

potluck
prayer
blessing/ceremony - go outside? stand in a cross facing in
song - Jackie can we sing "for the turning of the world"
discussion of direction of EPIC season
benediction

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton

A Blessing for the EPIC season
God of us, God of everything
We come to you as ragged journeyers
Welcome God,
Have we said that enough?
We are the deliquents.
The ones who want to shout out in the middle of the sactuary "But what about this?!"
The ones who stay up too late on Saturday,
The ones who would rather go to brunch on Sunday,
The ones who talk about you over cocktails and keg beer
God, we don't know anything, but we really like to try and figure it out.
So, we ask you to give us a little laser pointer towards the truth.
We do our best to love others, as you first loved us
As we serve each other, we serve you
Help us remember that its about you, its about love
Not us.
As we begin our new season
bring us chaos, bring us peace
bring us truth, bring us song
And as your people we all say:We Believe


Over apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah

On Rosh Hashanah eve, at the start of the festive meal, it is customary to dip some cut raw apples into some honey as symbolic of asking God to grant a sweet new year.

The blessings for the apples and honey:

ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם בורא פרי העץ

Transliteration: Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam, borei p’riy ha-eitz.

Translation: Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

A bite of apple dipped in honey is eaten, which is followed by:

יהי רצון מלפניך ה׳ אלהינו ואלהי אבותינו שתחדש עלינו שנה טובה ומתוקה

Transliteraion: Y'hee ratzon mee-l'fanecha, Adonai Elohaynu v'elohey avoteynu sh'tichadeish aleinu shanah tovah um'tuqah.

Translataion: May it be Your will, Lord our God and God of our ancestors that you renew for us a good and sweet year.