Thy Kingdom Come: Pentecost (May 19)

 Thank you for joining us on the eleven-day Thy Kingdom Come journey from Ascension Day to Pentecost. Hopefully you found some inspiration during these days of intentional prayer and meditation. 

ENTER

Read the account of the first Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4.

Read the account more than once. Can you imagine the scene? What are the sounds, the sights, the feelings?

Is there something that jumps out at you—a word or phrase or image?

Are you feeling a call to action after these eleven days of meditations?

WALK

As you walk today, take with you the image or sensation you felt during reading the story of Pentecost.

How is the Holy Spirit speaking to you and working in you now?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

St. Michael’s, Tucumcari
St. Paul’s/Peace, Las Vegas
Holy Trinity, Raton
St. John’s, Farmington
Holy Spirit, Gallup
All Saints, Milan

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Empowers (May 18)

 

ENTER

Read Isaiah 61:1-4 and Luke 4:18-19

Jesus claims the promise of Isaiah when he reads the scroll in the synagogue. He announces, the Lord has anointed me;he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

God empowers us with the same promise, and sends us to do the work of reconciliation, love, and reclamation. We too are to comfort all who mourn…raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities. AND we do this in and with the empowerment of God. It’s not something we can do by ourselves. It is God’s work of building Beloved Community out of the ashes of our own self-created devastations.

Where do you feel the need to work for justice, freedom, peace, and love?

WALK

As you walk, talk with God about whatever in the world, or in your life, is troubling you. Perhaps God is empowering you to make a difference there. Frederick Buechner says, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

What needs your passion plus God’s love?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

Trinity, Portales
Ascension, Cloudcroft
St. Stephen’s, Ft. Stockton, TX
St. Luke’s, Deming
St. John’s, Alamogordo

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Challenges (May 17)

 

ENTER

Read Matthew 4:18-22

Jesus says, “Follow me.” He challenges the disciples to leave the normal, everyday routines. He challenges Peter and the others to step out in faith without knowing what’s next.

Jesus offers the same invitation to you and me. He says, “Follow me,” without offering a road map of what will happen next. It can be a little unnerving to step out in faith, even if it just means taking a little extra time each day for prayer or smiling at a stranger.

In what big or small ways is Jesus saying, “Follow me”?

WALK

On your walk today, imagine you are Peter and the other disciples (men and women) walking with Jesus on the dusty roads of Galilee. What might you see or hear along the way? Is that a Roman soldier in the distance? Do you hear the sheep in that field? What is Jesus talking about?

Listen in your heart to Jesus’ invitation. Can you trust God knows the right path for your life?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

St. Phillip’s, Belen
Church of the Epiphany, Socorro
Good Shepherd, Silver City
Christ Church, Hillsboro
St. Paul’s, T or C

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God who Saves (May 16)

 

ENTER

Read John 3:16-17

God loves the world, not just a few special parts or people. God loves with open arms and bountiful hands. We slip into the trap of thinking God’s love is limited, because ours is.

For this moment, can you allow yourself to be open to God’s bountiful and total love?

WALK

On your walk today, be aware. Look at the details of leaves and flowers and trees. Feel the warmth of sun, or movement of the breeze, or peppering of dust in the wind. Listen to the sounds—birds, dogs, cars, children… Touch things as you pass them. The rough wood of a tree, the softness of a flower petal, the solidity of a fence.

Can you sense God lovingly caressing your senses?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

Church in Lincoln County, Ruidoso
Grace, Carlsbad
St. Andrew’s, Roswell
St. James’, Clovis
St. Paul’s, Artesia

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Listens (May 15)

 

ENTER

Read 1 John 5:14-15

God promises that he will listen and respond to our needs and desires. According to Isaiah 65:24, Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

The First Letter of John adds we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.  

Do you believe God listens to you and answers your prayers, or do you think you have to earn God’s love, first?

WALK

As you walk today, talk to God as you would speak to a close friend. Tell God what is on your heart. If you find it hard to believe God hears you, tell God that and listen quietly for a response.

How does God respond—in your heart, in nature around you, in the words of a friend, in the tune of a song, some other way…?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

Santa Inez, Terlingua, TX
St. James, Alpine, TX
St. Paul’s, Marfa, TX
St. Christopher’s, Hobbs, NM
St. Luke’s, La Union, NM

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Walks With Us (May 14)

 

ENTER

Read Micah 6:8

In this citation God is holding out God’s hand and saying walk with me. Together we will do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.

God wants us to walk with us every day. Throughout the Bible, we hear invitations to individuals, to the Hebrew people, to the disciples, and to us.

Jesus invites us to be yoked with him (Matthew 11:28-30) in an intimate working relationship.

What do you think about when you think of being yoked to Jesus and/or walking with God?

WALK

You might want to look up the words, or a video of In the Garden by C. Austin Miles. The words, “He walks with me and he talks with me and tells me I am his own…” might be something to carry with you on your walk today, or throughout your chores.

On your walk, imagine Jesus as your companion. What will you say to him?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

St. Mary’s, Albuquerque
St. Michael and All Angels, Albuquerque
St. Thomas of Canterbury, Albuquerque
Holy Cross, Edgewood
St. Francis, Rio Rancho

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Gives (May 13)

 

ENTER

Read Luke 6:38 or the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:18-23).

The excerpt from Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount tells us that God is a generous God, and we are to be just as generous. …give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

This is counter to common culture that preaches scarcity of money, jobs, food, resources, etc.

Think about the bounty of nature and the massive abundance of seeds that each plant produces, many of which never sprout or grow. Do you think of God as bountiful or miserly?

 

WALK

This is a perfect time of year to see the abundance of God’s creation. Trees are leafing out, plants are sprouting, birds are nesting. Everywhere you look, you can see bountiful nature.

As you walk, ponder the evidence of God’s bounty. Where can you see bounty in your life? Or where do you need to see bounty?

 

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

Cathedral of St. John, Albuquerque
Hope in the Desert, Albuquerque
Our Lady in the Valley, Albuquerque
St. Chad’s, Albuquerque
St. Mark’s, Albuquerque

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Creates (May 12)

 

ENTER

Read Genesis 1:1-2:4

Think about the progression of Creation as listed in Genesis: Light/Water-Vegetation/Stars, Sun, Moon/Sea Creatures/Birds/Land Creatures & Man.

God called each part of creation “Good.” Think about some part of creation you might not like (mud, snakes, storms…). Can you think of it as part of the whole of creation and call it ‘good,’ too?

 

WALK

Be amazed by the aspects of Creation that you see on your walk. Pray for the dirt and sun and plants and animals you see.

Perhaps you want to clean up trash on your walk today to honor creation.

 

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

 

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God who Speaks (May 11)

 

ENTER

Read Exodus 3:1-16 (the call of Moses) or Luke 1:26-38 or 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (the call of Samuel) as times when God speaks to God’s people.

Have you ever heard God speak to your heart?

WALK

During your walk listen for God’s voice in nature, in silence, and even in the normal neighborhood sounds of barking dogs and cars. What is God saying through them?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

Trinity on the Hill, Los Alamos
St. James’, Taos
St. Jerome’s, Los Alamos
St. Stephen’s, Espanol
St. Matthew’s, Los Lunas

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: The God Who Loves (May 10)

 

ENTER

Read John 3:16-17 and 1 John 4:7-21

Today’s image by the Rev. Chris Duffett shows God holding the world. You may want to listen to a rendition of the song He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, like this one by the African Children’s Choir from 2012 The African Children's Choir - He's Got the Whole World in His Hands [Live] (youtube.com).

As you look at the image, think of all the various people on the earth. Pause to think of those who don’t know about Jesus, or even God. Pray for those who have been harmed by religion and turned from God.

Hold out your hands like in the image. Imagine the hurts of the world, or just your neighborhood, or even family being offered to God in your hands.

WALK

If you walk today, pray intentionally for each home you pass that they may know they are held in God’s loving hands.

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

Holy Faith, Santa Fe
Holy Family, Santa Fe
St. Bede’s, Santa Fe
St. Andrew’s, Las Cruces
St. James, Mesilla Park

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Thy Kingdom Come: Ascension Day (May 9)

 Welcome to the Thy Kingdom Come (TKC) series from Ascension Day to Pentecost 2024. Each of these 11 days there will be a post to offer ideas for meditations and prayer. Based on the TKC annual, international time of prayer, we've included prayers for the DRG and mediation hints. You will especially want to use the daily TKC image by the Rev. Chris Duffett to deepen your prayer time.  

ENTER

The first day of this journey is Ascension Day. Read the lessons for Ascension Day, or at least the Gospel. Ascension Day – The Episcopal Church

The image today is of the followers of Jesus gathered for the Ascension. Allow yourself to enter the story and the image.

What thoughts and feelings might you have experienced if you were present?

The followers were “continually in the temple, praising God.” When have you felt that joyful?

WALK

If you are using walking as part of your devotions, stand still and look up like Jesus’ followers. What might they have seen or felt?

DEEPEN

You can use the PAINT process to further enter prayer through the image.

Pause: Prepare to Pray through scripture and/or silence

Ask: Sit with the image for a few minutes What is the image saying to me? What part are you focusing on?

Imagine: Imagine yourself in the image. Let your senses get involved. Would you hear or smell or see or feel something if you were inside the image?

Notice: What word, emotion, other image comes to mind? What might God be saying in the image?

Time: Take time to Reflect and Rest in God’s presence. You may want to journal or draw your response to the image and your quiet time. Respond in prayer to God for the message of the image.

PRAY

Pray for the five people on your heart, and/or for these five Diocese of the Rio Grande parishes:

All Saints, El Paso
Holy Spirit, El Paso,
St. Alban’s, El Paso,
St. Christopher’s, El Paso
St. Francis on the Hill, El Paso

SHARE

You can share your insights in the comments or on TKC. You’ll also find further resources and prompts at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come (https://www.thykingdomcome.global/)

Coming in Pentecost: Thy Kingdom Come Prayer Event

 

All women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande are invited to participate in this year's Thy Kingdom Come* prayer event. Follow this website for the images and prompts from Thy Kingdom Come as well as suggestions applicable to our diocese! I hope you will take on this 11-day discipline as a way of praying for the world.

 You can do this personally or with friends. As Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande, you are encouraged to read the daily posts as a starting point for prayer and meditation. We’ll be posting the inspirational art by the Rev. Chris Duffett (from Thy Kingdom Come) and prompts to help you each day.

You can take this to a deeper level by praying for five specific people to come to Christ. Make a wristband from ribbon or string with five knots to remind you of your promise. In the DRG, we'll be praying for five diocesan churches each day. They'll be listed in the daily mediations. 

Using the concept of Prayer Walking as a way to pray during these 11 days. Use the prompts on the daily posts to guide your thoughts. If you walk 10,000 steps daily, you will have walked about five miles each day (a mile for each person you are praying for, perhaps). Over the 11 days, that adds up to 55 miles—or about the distance from Albuquerque to Santa Fe or Las Cruces to Deming or slightly further than Roswell to Artesia. If you aren’t praying for five people, you could pray for specific places in your community like schools or hospitals, or just for the people on the streets you walk along. Of course, walking shorter distances each day is still beneficial! 

You could also include others in your family or church by setting up prayer stations with activities. Maybe you want to organize a vigil to pray for 24 hours.

*The purpose of the ministry of Thy Kingdom Come (TKC) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus. You can learn more at Thy Kingdom Come | Thy Kingdom Come. You can even add your ‘light’ to the world map as you promise to pray. Light Up The World in Prayer | Thy Kingdom Come.