photo: (c) Rev Kathryn M Schreiber, 2015; altar at Community United Church of Christ in Fresno, CA.
Originally written and delivered at the opening of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center annual gathering in the early 1990’s in Memphis, Tenneessee.
Come Spirit, Come!
Rise up from this very ground,
in this very city, on this very day.
Rise up through our bodies,
though our bones and blood and skin.
Speak the wisdom of the ancestors.
Move through our memories.
Rise up – that we might FIND You here.
Come Spirit, Come!
Move amongst us.
Move so that we actually see You
in the face of each sister and brother.
Flaunt Your good and loving presence
in every blade of grass and grain of sand.
Move amongst us – that we might find You HERE.
Come Spirit, Come!
Fall down upon us.
Fall down upon our heads,
which try to trap You in our agendas.
Awaken our desire to travel into the mystery
of radical, world-changing compassion.
Fall down upon us – that we might find YOU here.
Come Spirit, Come!
AMEN.
Credit: Written by Rev. Kathryn M Schreiber (c) 2023. This prayer was originally written and delivered by in the early 1990’s at the annual meeting of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center in Memphis, Tennessee, my hometown.
Residency Acknowledgement: This content was written in Huichin Village, unceded territory of the Lisjan- Ohlone people, where I dwell and serve as a local church pastor. Please support indigenous rematriation efforts, the #LandBack movement, and give to Sogorea Te’ Land Trust Soghttps://sogoreate-landtrust.org/ and other non-profits that reform, balance, and heal relationships with our indigenous hosts. Thank you!
Online Publishing Date: May 23, 2023.
Permission: Permission is not granted to share or distribute this resource beyond your community without additional permission from the author. Please attribute source and observe ethical use of all resources. Follow your platforms’ publishing requirements for all created content especially if publishing online or broadcasting. Thank you!
Donation: This content is free. If you’d like to support the congregation I serve as pastor – Berkeley Chinese Community Church – we’d be most grateful for your support. Please send checks to: BCCC UCC, 2117 Acton Street, Berkeley, CA 94702, Attn: Diane Huie, Treasurer. Thank you!
This prayer was written and delivered by Kathryn Schreiber in the early 1990’s at the annual meeting of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center in Memphis, Tenneessee.
in the big love 