A Collect for the First Week of Advent

Brendan Murphy on November 29, 2022

As part of #AdventWord 2022, the Rt. Rev. Sam Rodman wanted to share an offering for Tuesday, November 29. The day’s word is “teach, and it brought to mind a collect written by Byron Rushing. Too long for some social media channels, we offer the full post here and gives thanks to Byron Rushing for giving us permission to share it.

#AdventWord, November 29: Teach

New occasions #teach new duties,” the familiar hymn instructs us. In this first week of Advent, we remind ourselves that language that glorifies light and demonizes darkness can be hurtful to people of color. Consider this alternative collect, for this first week in Advent, from former Vice President of the House of Deputies Bryon Rushing:

“I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.”

Let us pray.

Dear God and Savior of us all: We — the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement — have been called to be a new and re-formed church whose way of life is the way of Jesus and Jesus’ love. Give us the strength and perseverance to no longer be centered on empire and establishment, to no longer be shoring up imperialism and white supremacy or anything else that endangers, hurts or harms anyone made by you in your image. By your grace may we become a church that follows Jesus, becoming a church that looks and acts like Jesus. Lead us and all our members from prejudice to truth; deliver us from hatred, cruelty and revenge, to the reconciliation of all who are at variance and enmity; and in your good time enable us to stand reconciled before you.

Amen.