Out of the tangle of our lives we come to this house of worship;
Out of the sound and fury of the everyday we come to this place of peace;
Out of the rush and rancor of the world we gather for quietude;
Out of the pressures that beset us we seek grace to carry on;
Out of the burdens we bear we seek solace and strength of spirit;
Out of the responsibilities of living we hope to find here nourishment for our souls.
We need this time and this place and this people to gather ourselves for the days ahead.
Here we seek that strong, still center that nothing can disturb.
We know that we are but fragile human beings, vulnerable to the hurts and pains of this world;
We know also that we are creatures of untapped strength and fortitude who can do what needs to be done.
We know we are finite creatures in a vast universe of being;
We know also that within that finitude there is so much faith and hope and love we have yet to explore and to live.
We have come to acknowledge our mistakes and to make amends;
We have come also to recognize our inherent goodness and the gifts we have given the world.
Let us pull ourselves together - here and now - for the days ahead.
Let us find that still and strong center that nothing can disturb.
return to main page