Spirit of God who hovered over the chaos of the forming planet-

You created humanity to co-create with you. Yet we still haven’t absorbed that co-creating means absorbing and embracing the messiness that comes with renewal and change.

You ask us to carry your precious ekklesia. We hold it too tightly. We are reckless and drop your gift as we see it shatter in millions of pieces.

Forgive us if we have damaged the Church that Christ has gifted us.

As we approach yet another controversial issue, we worry: will this either shatter the hearts of those who have been excluded or shatter the covenant which holds a multi-faceted Church into further broken pieces?

Whichever way your Spirit is blowing, ensure that transformation of hearts happens alongside of this vote. May those who can only see a scripture of exclusion see how God’s love extends beyond pages of text. May those whose hearts are broken in pieces because they feel hated know the love found in you, Holy Comforter.

May our definition of covenant continue to grow. And may our hearts continue to transform and repent when needed.

However this resolves, do not allow us to be noisy gongs or clanging cymbals. May we be bells which resonate love in each toll. Allow our claps be held until the time in which we can all see one another through the eyes of God.

Amen.