Taize Prayer for Peace

On Sunday evening, we'll be having our annual prayer for peace at Robertson-Wesley United Church (10209 123rd Street) at 7 p.m. All are welcome to join us, and please, bring friends. Our world needs peace and some prayer might help...

For those who are unable to join us, here's a chant that we'll be singing. Give peace to every heart, we pray O God.

Taize Thanksgiving Prayer Sunday October 11th is CANCELLED

It's impossible to know how to reach everyone who might want to attend Sunday's Taize Prayer at St. Thomas D'Aquin, but it turns out that there won't be enough musicians available to lead the prayer. If you know anyone who was planning to attend, please pass the word along.

Heartfelt apologies to those who might not receive this news. Hopefully we'll all meet again soon.

Upcoming Taize Prayer events

Because of the Laudato Si Sunday reflections, I haven't been moodling about Taizé very much this fall, but Taizé Prayer events are still happening. Here are the details about three events planned for October...

A student's group is starting Taizé Prayer on campus at the University of Alberta. Their first prayer will take place at 5 p.m., Friday, October 9th at St. Joe's College Chapel (west end of the college) on 113 Street and 89 Ave. You don’t have to be a student to join them!

The next monthly prayer (for Thanksgiving) IS CANCELLED on Sunday, October 11th at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas D'Aquin Catholic Church (8410 89 Street).

And last but not least, Concordia University, King's University (Micah Centre), and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace are teaming up to host a Prayer Vigil for Ecological Justice on October 25th at 7 p.m. at Concordia University (7128 Ada Boulevard). This is a wonderful opportunity to pray together for our planet's needs and to take action to encourage world leaders to make wise decisions at December's Climate Change Summit in Paris.

All are welcome to all of these events, to join us in prayer for justice and peace... Bring a friend!

Alleluias galore!

Tonight is our annual Taizé Easter Prayer, with Alleluias galore! I love the return of the Alleluias after a long Lent without them – and especially in Taizé prayer because they are so many and varied!

If you are able to join us tonight at the First Church of God (9224 82 Street in Edmonton) at 7 p.m., we will be singing alleluia at least a hundred times or more (I counted how many alleluias we sang at a prayer three years ago, and it was something like 261)! Bring a friend if you like – the more, the merrier, and alleluias are supposed to be the merriest!

And if we’re too far away from you, here are a few alleluias from Taizé just for you. Happy Easter!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs6NN3Ip_Go

Trusting the Holy Spirit

My main work this week (and odd days before that) has been preparing for our Taizé Prayer in 2015, and in particular, for tonight’s prayer to kick off the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Done in little spurts, it never seems like much effort, but if I added up all the hours spent contacting churches to set dates, designing the schedule, and choosing and organizing music and readings for the prayers, it's probably more than I think. But that's quite alright -- I get so much more out of the prayer than I put in!

This January prayer has been a particularly challenging one, due to factors beyond my control, and a few less-than-wonderful decisions on my part. To make a long story short, our singing group is rather small this time because several musicians can't come, I chose a few too many new chants, and we'll likely have more new participants than usual because of an article published in yesterday's Edmonton Journal (don't get me wrong -- it's always exciting to have new people pray with us!) The thing about Taizé prayer is that it's the work of the Holy Spirit, and no matter how we human beings do things, the Spirit always makes it into something beautiful.

I'd like to take this opportunity to invite you to join us for our prayer this evening at Providence Renewal Centre (3005 119 St) at 7 p.m. We'll be singing the chant below, but using these English words, mostly (though I love the original Portuguese in the video):

I will sing to the Lord my whole life long;

I will worship my God as long as I live.

For the Lord brings joy to his people.

For the Lord brings joy to his people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVs0QAODPx4

Come, Holy Spirit,
bring us all to reconciliation
and unity.
+Amen.

Monday, January 19th

For the record, it was a beautiful prayer last night. The Holy Spirit definitely did her/his thing, praying through us. Thanks to all who joined us.

Taize Prayer 2015

If you’ve never experienced Taizé Prayer, I would encourage you to visit the website at www.taize.fr, and check out a playlist of music on YouTube by clicking here. Taizé is a beautiful place, with only one mission – to bring Christians together to focus on our similarities, not our differences, that all may be One in God.

If you would like to spread a little ecumenism, you can email me by clicking on The Moodler -- the email address is in my profile -- and I'll email you a file to print and share. Hang it wherever Christians gather, and spread the word!