Sermon Second Sunday after Pentecost

Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28
Psalm 31
Romans 1:16-17, 3:22b-31
Matthew 7:21-29
Now having Ordinary time in the church calendar, I'd like to pause and review where we have come from, that is to remember what God has done over the last few months. In a sense that is one way I think we can understand the Deuteronomy passage: a call toremember and be formed by that remembering. When Church of Jesus Christ Reconciler had its officially began at the beginning on Advent it was also the beginning of the church year. We as a church from our beginning have waited the coming and celebrated the coming of Christ. We have walked with Christ from baptism into the desert and then to the Cross. We have rejoiced in the Resurrection and sat at the feat of the resurrected Christ teaching that everything from his birth to his death and resurrection had been anticipated. We have seen Jesus Christ ascend into heaven, and we have sat in the upper room with the disciples at the birth of the Church. Finally, we have proclaimed the name of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, three in one, one but three.
Our little church has been through much already as we have walked through these festivals and fast. We have gone through, changes and transformations, darkness and hope. We are seeking and have been seeking to follow in the way of Christ, and we have seen that way, we have seen the works of God in Jesus. Both in this church and in the liturgy, I hope we have all seen and experienced these things in our day to day lives as well.
Now after Pentecost, we find ourselves faced with the continual question put to us by our Scripture texts for today: is church and the story of Jesus just nice ritual and a pleasant fable, or does the mythology the liturgy truly mean something, do we really believe that all this actually happened. Is it real, is it actual, in history, in this church, in our lives?.
The temptation of all the trappings of the historical faith that we as members of this ecumenical church have chosen to make use of is to find comfort in the ritual and liturgy, alone. It is why historically people in all three of our traditions (in various ways and to varying degrees, but especially among the Baptist and Pietists) have argued for simplicity in worship, for the dominance of word and speech.
The temptation for us or any church that chooses the height of ritual (which we do not really approach, though it might seem so to Baptists and low church Covenanters) is that Christianity is understood as a mystery religion.
At the time of the birth of the Church there were religious pagan cults whose ritual themes were very similar to Christian themes and worship: These cults are known as mystery religions. The members of these cults like in Christianity had an initiation ritual that reenacted the death and resurrection of a god or demigod. There was also a ritual meal in which one was united with the god or demigod. These rituals were in and of themselves salvific, and ultimately it did not matter if there ever was an actual event behind these rituals, the ritual itself was all that was required, to took you to a certain spiritual place, lifted one out of the common world into a spiritual plane of existence. For the mystery religions the rituals were the means and the end, they both brought the participant out of the world and there was nothing beyond the ritual, the ritual was the spiritual reality.
Alexander Schmemann, in his Liturgical Theology reminds us that Christian worship however ornate or however simple is not about the ritual and liturgy, its not even about the sermon or the experience of worship. Meaning not that vestments, icons, festivals and fasts, seasons and church calendar, sermons and emotions are meaningless and unnecessary, but that all these things are grounded in the actuality of the mythology we commemorate and participate in through the church calendar, the festivals icons and vestments, hymns and sermons. When we are baptized Jesus does not enter the tomb again, rather we ourselves die in Christ, we are joined to the actuality of JesusDeath and resurrection. When we walk through holy week we are doing so because it actually happened, and not because our liturgies make the fable real. Our liturgies and worship are connected to what God has actually done in history, even as this actuality transcends are ability to measure and comprehend and make real.
Christian worship depends on faith, on trust. It is founded in faith for faith (To paraphrase Paul in our Romans text). Our worship does not effect our salvation, it calls us to salvation, that is it calls us to faith. We worship we vest we come and eat bread and drink wine not because these things save us but because God entered our physical world and saves the whole world in the flesh and blood of a human person, Jesus Christ. Our salvation has already been accomplished. Through faith, and its manifestations in liturgy in fasts and feasts, song art, and in our daily life, we enter into that which has been accomplished by God already and actually, and is being accomplished in us and in the world today already and actually.
Thus, Christianity is an ethical religion: in ways that the mystery religions werent. Christian worship, correctly interpreted, leads to a particular life style, a radical ethical actuality in the world. Here again not because ethics saves us, or living a moral upstanding life saves us, but because worship and ethics for the Christian is from faith for faith. It is about faithfulness and trust; that is, it is all about relationship with God with a person who is, was, and will continue to be. We worship with our whole selves and bodies, ritual and liturgy, because there is nothing not affected and effected by the life death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the Logos, second person of the Trinity.
Jesus leaves us with a challenge in some very evocative images. Look Jesus says there are these people who bow and prostrate themselves before me, they go to church without fail week to week sit in the pew sing the hymns say the amen to the preacher, or there is preacher who knows the Bible and has charisma and people throng to the preachers pulpit. Yet in all this activity and insistence something is missing. Jesus says to this throng of activists, liturgists, preachers and good church goers, coming and saying Lord Lord, I never knew you, who are you, why do you come to me, you have done nothing I have said. You came to church and you went home and lived your week as if I had nothing to do with your life. Had you known me had Lordmeant something in your mouth the world would have been different your office would be a different place, your music and art would be different, I would have lived in you. As it is you thought church and sermons and rituals and the right words were your salvation. You may have spirituality and religion but where is your faith. You cant say you know me if you never realized that I am concerned with your whole self. There is nothing that was not mine if you were truly known by me.
This seems harsh and so Jesus gives us a picture of two types architects/house builders. One is concerned with something that will last, he is concerned with the materials and ultimately this architect is concerned with the foundation the ground on which the house is to be built. If the building is to last, the architect understands that the ground on which the house is built must be solid unwavering, faithful and able to withstand the elements.
Another architect is concerned only with shelter and technique, this builder is in a hurry to get the building built, and does not look to see if the ground on which the house is to be built is solid, if there is any consistency to the soil, that there is something solid in which to ground the house. This architect whether realizing it or not is unconcerned with the future of the building unconcerned with whether or not it will last.
Jesus says that those who think that Christianity, that is following Christ, is about technique, looking to Jesus teaching or life for a mythology for living or rational for a certain activism, one may have a very fine house a very fine life, but that does not make one a follower of Jesus, a disciple. One can sit at Jesusfeet, I can preach the most astounding sermons, we can be enriched by liturgy and fasts and festivals, but if they are not grounded in the actuality of Jesus and thus find their expression in the actuality of our life, as life shifts and in that ultimate shifting of life our death, we will find that what we built out of the stuff of Christianity ( the life and teachings of Jesus) will crumble upon us. Our very religion and spirituality without accepting the actuality of faith, trusting in Gods actual acts in Jesus and living that salvation out in our actual lives as artists as office workers as friends as family, as neighbors, will be our death.
If what we do here if our vestments the icons the Eucharist the fasts and feast of the church year have no foundation on what God actually has done and is doing in the world and in our lives than we are living in a death trap of a house, and it is condemned already by the divine building inspector.
But Jesus says do what I have taught, dont just listen to sermons do what is preached. Dont be transfixed by the icon but encounter the actuality that is the meaning of the icon, dont merely eat and drink but thirst after God hunger for the way of Christ. We walk the path from Advent to Pentecost not to be comforted with a nice story or to attain some spiritual plain of existence but to be transformed into Christ, that the world might be transformed because we know trust and love Christ because Christ holds us firm in his grasp. From faith to faith, from Christs faithfulness to our trust, from our trust to Gods faithfulness born in us, that we may do the works of faith, and truly live life.

Weekly Update

We have now entered ordinary time according to the church calender, the season after Pentecost. It is the season of the Church where the lectionary begins to focus on the teachings of Jesus, on what it means to follow Christ. If from advent to Pentecost we are reminded of what God has done and worship God for what God has done. In the season of ordinary time we focus on what God continues to do in the world and through the Church, and what our responce to God's acts should be. The color of this season is green, fitting as a symbol of life and eternal life because in this season we are challenged with what it means to truly live, to have life abundantly.
Even as we are looking for a permanent space and using the chapel of the Community of the Holy Trinity God has continued to bless us with many visitors. We have been blessed by their presence and have been blessed by those who have visited and returned a second time. We are glad you have come and have returned to worship with us again.
There are still challenges ahead of us as we seek to be an ecumenical church, the least of which is finding a space to worship. If anyone has some suggestions for space please do let the pastoral staff know so we can add them to our list of possible spaces. We are preparing for completing our first draft of our constitution and by laws, and we continue conversations with the leadership of the local regions of our respective denominations.
May God bless you in this season after Pentecost and strengthen you in faith as you seek to follow Christ in the world.
Peace,
The Pastoral Team

Trinity Sunday

Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20

This gospel today contains one of the most famous passages in the Bible. It even gets its own name: “The Great Commission.” Seems like in Christian circles, we talk about it all the time. A few years ago, this was even the theme of my diocesan youth summer camp. The program and projects centered around The Great Commission, tied in with Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go. As it happens, I even rewrote the scripture for use that week. A different sort of RSV: the "Revised Seussian Version:"

Go, therefore—yes, you! Now go right away
To make disciples (that’s followers of Jesus) today.

Tell all kinds of people, from all kinds of places
All shapes and all sizes, all colors of faces.

Baptize them then, using all of God’s names:
The Father, the Son and the Spirit who came.

Teach them all to obey everything I have taught;
To believe and to follow, just as they ought.

Remember now, each of you, as you walk as my friend
That I’ll always be with you, from now ‘til the end.

Now, the reason we did this with the kids is that this is important. This is our mission statement, if you will, handed down by upper management. As Jesus’ disciples, this is what we are to be about: sharing the Good news of love God has for us, and the salvation Jesus’ life and death and resurrection make possible, and the grace and strength and healing mercy that exist in the presence of the holy Spirit.

Easier said than done, isn’t it? Truth be told, we often don’t do this very well at all. Sometimes, it’s that we (and I say “we” advisedly; Episcopalians are especially famous for this one) don’t want to be “pushy” or aggressive about forcing faith on another.

Sometimes it’s that we get caught up in the internal efforts of discipleship (church activities, and prayer groups, and various ministries) on top of the busy-ness of our daily lives, that we lose sight of the God-given imperative to reach outside ourselves, to offer what we’ve found to others.

And sometimes, it’s a lack of confidence. Our faith seems faltering, or uncertain, or insufficient. Doubts creep in; and how can we share that?

Let’s look at the passage here again. “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.” the Bible we're reading says. And “when they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.”

I want to take this one step further; bear with me while we have a Bible geek moment. There’s a translator’s interpretation here. In the Greek, that word “some” is not present. The verse literally says “And when they saw him, they prostrated themselves, but (or and) they doubted.”

The word some is not there.

With the help of my NT professor, we did a little checking on this; and we discovered there is not a universal consensus about this. Some translators feel justified in adding it, while others do not.

Let’s think about the implications of this. Here you have the eleven remaining apostles, who have lived through the crucifixion of their beloved teacher. They have, according to other Gospel accounts, been hiding in fear for their own lives for several days. Then ( just a few verses earlier) they have some women come to them with this fantastic story of eathquakes, and angels, and an empty tomb, and orders to go to Galilee to meet Jesus. So they go, climbing up the mountain to which Jesus directed them. And sure enough, they find him there, just as they had been told. There he stands, the fulfillment of all those promises. And what is their response?

They fell on their faces in worship... and they doubted. All at the same time.

Faith and doubt. . . these are not such opposites, really. Seems to me that one rises out of the other.

I think of my husband, for example. He’s an intelligent man; he knows a great deal about any number of things, and has some well-informed and strongly held opinions. But if you ask him what he thinks about one topic or another, the answer you'll get will almost inevitably begin with, “Well, it depends...” He is confident in his abilities, and in what he knows; but he’s not arrogant. He retains a healthy skepticism that lets him be open to other factors: to the possibility that he might be wrong, or not have all the information he needs to make an accurate judgment.

Faith, tempered by doubt.

It goes the other way, too. I’ve been on something of a medical merry-go-round, the last few weeks; tests and doctors' visits... good news and bad news and no news... overall, a distracting time, and not without anxiety. There have been moments where what I've been tempted to do is to crawl in a hole, and wrap myself in that anxiety like a blanket; to feel pessimistic and forlorn and alone, waiting for something else to go wrong. But thanks be to God, I have folks around to remind me that I am not alone: that I am loved, far better than I deserve; by God and the community of saints and disciples in which I live my life.

Doubt-- not eliminated, but overcome by faith.

I think this is part of what is behind Jesus’ commandment. I believe he knew what was in the apostles’ hearts. I believe he knew of the doubt muddling their worship. But he did not chastise them for it. Instead he gave them a gift, as his final word with them: along with his instructions, the reassurance of his presence with them “always, even to the end of the age.”

It’s the same today, my brothers and my sisters. Today is designated Trinity Sunday; the day we celebrate a Christian doctrine that has confused and raised doubts for millennia. And we’ve been trying to explain it, and falling short, for almost as long. One in three and three in one? Father, Son and Spirit? Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier? All of these expressions contribute in some way to our understanding; but they also fall short of being able to express the diversity and the unity of God. And so we wonder, and we question: how can this be? It doesn't make sense.

And truthfully, I have no answers. I cannot say how God does this, or that trying to contemplate this mystery has not confused and challenged me. It still does. I do not understand, and sometimes it seems that the more I think about it, the less I understand.

But just as the disciples learned on that mountain in Galilee, I have learned this: God knows of our doubts and fears, and is not diminished by them, and does not leave us alone in them. Jesus calls us to service in the midst of them. And the Spirit remains with us, in the face of them.

This is the faith, which balances the doubt.

This, my brothers and sisters, is the reality-- the gift-- of the Triune God to which we as Christians witness.

Reconciler (Almost) Weekly Update

Where is that fire which once descended
On thy Apostles? thou didst then
Keep open thy huse, richly attended,
Feasting all comers by twelve chosen men.
-George Herbert,Whitsunday

Sunday's service was a great gift to the pastoral team. When five guests appear at our church, our ranks seem to swell out of control. How can so few bring such great joy? We want to say that it is the work of the Hoy Spirit. It descends upon us all bringing grace and hope and forcing us to make room on the floor as we sit on pillows before the altar. Grace and peace to all who visit. We are thrilled to have you present with us.There are a couple of announcements. First, we will have a guest presider on May 29. Rev Mark Juchter will be visiting with us and has accepted our invitation to serve at the altar. Thank you, Mark.

Secondly, there is a Constitutional Committee meeting on June 26th. We hope that as many as possible can come to this meeting. If all goes well, this will be our last committee meeting before we vote as a congregation to accept the constitution.

Thirdly, Tripp visited with Rev. Dr. Larry Greenfield, the Interim Executive Minister, this Tuesday to discuss how Reconciler can begin the formal process of affiliating with the ABC-MC. The meeting went very well, and we have begun the process. It is possible that the Region could formally accept us at the Annual Meeting in November. Tripp will be available for questions about this on Sundays or you can email him at tripp@anglobaptist.org. It is good news. Also, the Executive Minister will be the guest preacher at North Shore Baptist Church this Sunday. The service begins at 10:00. If you are interested in hearing him preach and meeting him, this is a good opportunity.

This coming Sunday is Trinity Sunday. We look forward to seeing you there. In that light, read these words from Paul.

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. (2 Cor. 13:11-13)

In The Name of the Three in One,
The Pastoral Team

Pentecost Sermon

Acts 2:1-21
Numbers 11:24-30
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
John 7:37-39

Whitsunday

Listen sweet Dove unto my song,
And spread thy golden wings in me;
Hatching thy tender heart so long,
Till it get wing, and fly away with thee.


Where is that fire which once descended
On thy Apostles? thou didst then
Keep open thy house, richly attended,
Feasting all comers by twelve chosen men.

Such glorious gifts thou didst bestow,
That th' earth did like heav'n appear;
The stars were coming down to know
If they might mend their wages, and serve here.

The sun which once did shine alone,
Hung down his head and wisht for night,
When he beheld twelve suns for one
Going about the world, and giving light.

But since those pipes of gold, which brought
That cordial water to our ground,
Were cut and martyr'd by the fault
Of those, who did themselevs through their side wound,

Thou shutt'st the door, and keep'st within;
Scarce a good joy creeps through the chink:
And if the braves of conqu'ring sin
Did not excite thee, we should wholly sink.

Lord, though we change, thou art the same;
The same sweet God of love and light;
Restore this day, for thy great name,
Unto his ancient and miraculous right.

- George Herbert

Thanks to Katia for reading this aloud.

This poem by George Herbert is full of longing, full of desire for something that appears to be long past, perhaps even long forgotten. There is something despairing in these words. Listen again.


Scarce a good joy creeps through the chink:
And if the braves of conqu'ring sin
Did not excite thee, we should wholly sink.

So little of God is evident. So little grace is apparent in the world. The Spirit, Christ's promised advocate, seems quiet at times, silent except for the work of an heroic few: Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa may be contemporary examples. And if it were not for these heroes, we would surely be lost.

This could be a commentary of our own times as well. Sometimes I struggle with this kind of despair and cynicism myself. Herbert's seventeenth century anxieties and frustrations are so much like my own - fear of what might become of the Church, concerns over the political landscape - I simply wonder if God is near. Promise or no promise, I experience the feelings of God's absence.

And yet, here we are at Pentecost...here we are at the end of the Easter Season and in the face of the Spirit, in in the presence of the tongues of flame in the midst of Christ's promise fulfilled, George Herbert and I are both longing for a fuller experience of God. We are aware of our own lack. And thought I cannot speak for the seventeenth century poet...not with any authority at least...I believe that my experience of God's absence is always and everytime a sign of God's deep and continuing presence.

O, guiding night,
O, night more lovely than the dawn;
O, night that hast united
The lover with His Beloved,
And changed her into her love.
-St. John of the Cross

In the presence of God, what is night is actually day. Darkness is in sharp relief when God's light shines brightest. And when that light shines, I am often aware only of the darkness. And yet, in that darkness I am redeemed. A flame of love alights upon me. I am compelled to speak in a language that is not my own. Like poetry to prose, this is perhaps two sides of the same coin. Sobriety and drunkenness...night and day...death and resurrection...Word and silence...

Yet in God, at Pentecost, what appears to be drunkenness is sobriety. The apparent absence of Christ is the presence of the Spirit of God. The living Word is not silent...though we may not hear Him. Through the gift of the Holy Trinity, Christ is present in His Spirit.

John Calvin says it this way: the signs of Pentecost - flames and many languages - are not signs for the Apostles or those gathered with them. "Those signs which are here set down were about to be profitable for all ages; as we see today that they profit us."

Like the Sabbath, the signs of God are for us. The signs of flames, tongues, bread and wine are for us. And through us they are signs of God for the world.

And though it may appear as drunkenness...
And though it may appear as night...
And though it may appear as absence or silence...

It is the sign of God's presence among and within us.

Yesterday I attended the ABC Metro-Chicago Family Council. Our Interim Executive Minister preached quite a sermon. He painted of picture of what it might look like if the church at Pentecost were interposed upon the ABC-Metro region.
- gathered for mission
- seemingly short of resources
- a variety of nationalities and languages addressed
- God's signs made evident in diversity
- this was a public display
- from the outside it appeared to be confused mess - drunkenness
- from it the truth of Christ is proclaimed and witnessed

At each turn of a phrase, Larry Greenfield's vision for the region become a description of this congregation. We do not have to stretch our imaginations very far to see the correlations. Rev. Greenfield gave many of us present a great gift by reminding us of the signs of the Spirit so that we too may receive God's Spirit.

He named what he saw of God in the ABC. While the ABC struggles with its own identity, we can forget what is at work and what is at stake. The same can be said for my work here at Reconciler. Sometimes I forget what is already at work, and what is at stake. I see darkness when I am surrounded by light. There is nothing lacking! Can I not see?

So many have been generous in naming the Spirit at work here.

Alan Howell of Reba Place has named the Spirit at work in Rogers Park and has placed us within it. This is a good work, he said. Pairing intentional community along side a congregation is a good work. And we are not alone in it. They have been at it for decades and there are others at this same work.

Bob Webber and the students at Northern Seminary showed us amazing hospitality and thus the Spirit. And in their encouragement and challenges they proclaimed God's Spirit at work here. "I believe that this may be the future of the Church." said Professor Webber. I do not know tha I would go that far, but Webber's generosity and excitement are encouraging.

And at the Family Council meeting I was invited to stand as a representative of what the Spirit is doing in Chicago.

- People have witnessed the Spirit at work at Reconciler.
- People have named it so.

And as has been stated in other sermons here lately, the Lord is present in Rogers Park. We do not invent this. The Spirit meets us here. The work of God at Pentecost is the work of God now.

Lord, though we change, thou art the same;
The same sweet God of love and light;
Restore this day, for thy great name,
Unto his ancient and miraculous right.

God's work, the Spirit's work is the same as it has always been. We need not invent something new. In fact, it may be impossible to do so. We only need build where the SPirit reveals itself, depending upon wone anoth on occasion to set us aright, to name the Spirit in our midst when all we can see is darkness - we depend upon such signs and symbols to aid our memories.

George Herbert struggled with his own calling. He struggled with illness and marital troubles. He had a hard run of it and died young. Often, as this poem suggests, he seems not to see God in his own life. In stead, others did this for him. His colleagues and parishoners did this. His biographers did this.

Brothers and sisters, the Spirit has been named for us.
This is God's church.
We invent nothing.
Let us rejoice and be glad.

Amen.

Here are the hyms we sang for the service:
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
The Church's One Foundation
I Surrender All
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Update

Jane, Tripp and Larry were invited by Bob Webber, professor at NBTS, to talk with his class about Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler this morning. We were warmly recieved by the group. Our presentation took the form of Bob interviewing us about different aspects of Reconciler: how the three of us came to the point of planting an ecumenical church, the theological underpinings and differences, and how that is reflected in our liturgy. Throughout the interview we took questions from members of the class. The questions were thought provoking and stimulating, occasionally pulling us into territories we have not yet gone as a church, and for which we are still developing answers. It was a joy to spend time worshiping with his class beforehand, sharing with them the vision and reality of Reconciler, and taking part in the seminary's chapel service.

We also joined Bob Webber and some members of his class for a smaller group discussion and reflection over coffee and lunch at a local Starbucks. A very rich time, and fun. We thank Bob for the opportunity and the students for their engagement with us and their thoughtful questions and disputations.

On other fronts:
As we are working towards getting a final draft of our constitution we have also been looking at the ways in which the Community of the Holy Trinity and Church of Jesus Christ Reconciler can be associated and work to gether as church and community. Part of this investigation has been to open up conversation with Alan Howe of Reba Place Fellowship. We have been encouraged to come and visit Reba Place Fellowship at one of their Monday evening Potluck's and Bible Studies. We are looking at planning to attend Monday the 23rd of May. We want to encourage all from Reconciler who can to come.
Through our conversation with Alan Howe we hae been made aware of two other church plants in Roger's Park and hope to be able to enter into conversation with them. One church plant is Living Waters Church, started by members of Reba Place. The other church plant is a Christian Reformed church start.
We take the presence of these other new churches that God is doing a work in Roger's Park and hope we can find away to work knowingly along side each other as we follow the leading of the Spirit.

Lord God, look upon your Church and send us Your Holy Spirit to unite us in one body, with one faith and one hope. So may we grow together into the perfect love of you Kingdom with Christ our Lord.

The Pastoral Team

Update

Almighty God, We exult in thankful Joy; your Son is really risen and has entered the glory of your love. By his victory, we too are sure of victory; may this be our hope and our goal, all the days of our life, through Jesus Christ who lives and reigns now and for ever.

We have much to be thankful for even as we find ourselves needing to find a new space to meet. We received the grant we had applied for with North Shore Baptist Church. We are thankful to God and to North Shore for their support in this way.
Until we find another space we will be worshiping again at the Community of the Holy Trinity, 6443 N. Bosworth Ave #2. There are various possibilities for future space: we are talking with the management company of the building where Chase Cafe was located, but they are currently not certain how they want to deal with the space. We also planning to talk to Heartland Cafe which may have some space we could use. And we are going to look into using space in a church in Rogers Park. We are praying that God will keep us opened to the right space as we move forward.

Psalm 8
O LORD our Governor, *how exalted is your Name in all the world!
Out of the mouths of infants and children *your majesty is praised above the heavens.
You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *to quell the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,
What is man that you should be mindful of him? *the son of man that you should seek him out?
You have made him but little lower than the angels; *you adorn him with glory and honor;
You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *you put all things under his feet:
All sheep and oxen, *even the wild beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.
O LORD our Governor, *how exalted is you Name in all the world!

Peace,
The Pastoral Team