Earth and All Flesh: Advent Prayer Gathering
With our hearts yearning for God’s shalom, we invite you to start your Saturday mornings during Advent among like-hearted people of prayer. We will gather on Zoom for a time of community, guided meditation, and contemplative prayer. Join us as we open our hearts to the hope, faith, joy, and peace that Earth and All Flesh long to embody.
When: Saturdays, November 29, December 6, 13, 20 from 8:00 am to 8:30 am MST. Drop in when you can, leave when you must.
Saturday Prayer Program
A reading from Martin Luther’s Christmas Book
“Luther did not believe lightly,” writes author, historian, and scholar Roland H. Bainton, editor of Martin Luther’s Christmas Book. “He was simply amazed that all the characters in the Christmas story were themselves able to believe. He was able to compose the incredulous reflections of Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Wise Men because these were precisely the doubts with which he was wrestling.”
In this book, excerpts from Luther’s Christmas sermons have been compiled by Bainton into a consecutive narrative and commentary. Our time together will feature a short reading each week following the themes of hope, faith, joy, and peace.
Guided Meditation
We will take a few minutes to quietly ponder/journal/sketch in response to the reading. Make a note to have your preferred doodling tools at hand.
Song and/or Poem
Some songs and poems are prayers in liquid form. We will let the flow of music and poetry draw us nearer to the heart of Divine Love.
Silent Contemplation
A time of silence to set aside our thoughts, pencils, and sketchbooks and simply be in the presence of the One who promises to be wherever two or three are gathered.
Prayers of the People
Whether named in our hearts or on our lips, we will close our time together by expressing prayers of intercession for places, people, and other beings in need of God’s hope, faith, joy, and peace.
Sending Prayer
About your facilitator
Sheri Brown was a news reporter, documentary producer, and video editor in the first half of her career. A family move to rural Arizona resulted in a return to school and twelve years of teaching self-contained elementary school students with emotional/behavioral challenges. Her teaching career was ended in 2018 by a student assault that caused severe physical and emotional damage. She regained mobility and identity by becoming an avid walker.
Sheri began writing liturgy for her local congregation in 2009 and has continued to write prayers, poems, reflections, homilies, and sermons ever since. Sheri has led contemplative retreats since 2021 and currently facilitates the monthly Spirited Book Club discussion for Spirit in the Desert (also on zoom) and weekly Centering Prayer (also on zoom every Monday at noon).
Sheri and spouse, ELCA pastor Kirk Anderson, currently live in northern Idaho where Pastor Kirk serves as interim pastor for Lutheran Church of the Master in Coeur d’Alene. He hopes to retire for a second time in the coming year. Sheri has just completed a two-year Lay Ministry Associate program and is in conversation with her bishop to serve a congregation as a Synodically Authorized Minister (SAM).
Sheri led … Examen 2021 … Tidings of Comfort & Joy: An Advent of Making for Advent 2022, 40 Days of Caring for Creation: A Lenten Practicum for Lent 2023 and Earth Rising for Easter 2023 in Summer 2023, Climate Theater. For Advent 2024, Sheri prepared a special virtual program titled Advent Centering Prayer: Restore Our Hope.
Daily Devotions During Advent
Spirit in the Desert offers an Advent-specific daily devotion via email beginning Sunday, November 30 and ending on Christmas Day. If you would like to receive a special devotional reflection by Sheri Brown in your inbox each day during Advent, register here.