All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island, SC
Three congregations, representing two of the world’s three great religions, cooperated in building the home for Betsy Polite and her children. They were All Saints Episcopal Church, Congregation Beth Yam Synagogue, and Queen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The prayers were written to respect the beliefs of both Judaism and Christianity, honor events in the spiritual lives of each of those religions, emphasize our commonalties, give thanks for our many blessings, and reflect the state of construction of the Polite home.
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The Polite Family home was dedicated on May 8, 2004. Betsy’s children are Shynequil (“Shy”), age 15, Davon, age 12, and Tanzania (“Tan”), age 10. In their new home, the children will no longer have to share one bedroom. |
(The first two prayers were offered when a small group of volunteers
worked on February 12 and 13 to prepare for the barn raising. Timber was
cut to size for all interior and exterior walls. The exterior walls were
then assembled.)
Let us pray.
Lord God of the universe, you have taught us that unless the Lord builds the house, their labor is in vain who build it: Guide us now as we attempt to do your will, using the gifts you have given us. Guide our hands and minds that our measurements and cuttings will be true, and that our assembly will be straight and strong.
We pray this in the name of the God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us pray.God and Father of all, through your covenants with us you have taught that we should love and care for one another: Send us to our tasks this morning with concentration and strength, for these are the parts that will become the keystone of this building. May our work be so true that the construction of this house might be transformed into a home of strength, warmth, and love for the Polite family.
This we pray in the name of the one, holy, and gracious God of all, the Lord of our strength and our salvation. Amen.
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(February 15 - 21. This prayer recognizes that Christians and Jews worship the same God and that each of us is asked to carry out in the world the two covenants made with us by God.)
Let us pray.
God and Father of all, God of Israel, God of Christ Jesus: Help us as we continue our work today. We join with one other to erect roof trusses and construct the shell of this building. Our work now is prominent and obviously strategic, essential for its strength and integrity.
Help we realize that we too are essential elements in carrying out your covenants with us. We are part your foundation, part your framing. Part your trusses, part your plywood. Each of us is essential to the strength and integrity of your churches and synagogues. As we look at this incomplete house, help us ponder this: you may not be finished with us either. Amen.
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(February 22 - 28. The themes are the brotherhood of humankind and thanks for the work of Millard Fuller, whose life-changing experience led him to found Habitat for Humanity.)
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father of all, we pray that we might pass on the rich heritage we have received from patriarchs, prophets, sages, apostles, martyrs, and people of every generation who have reflected your love of all humankind. One man who touches our lives this morning once devoted his life to the accumulation of money, and greatly disrespected others based only on the color of their skin. In your great love, you softened his heart. He became a new man, whom we know today as the founder of Habitat for Humanity, Millard Fuller.
Soften our hearts, Father, to accept all people as our brothers and sisters, for we are all the children of God. May we also touch the lives of others. And, as Christians begin to observe a holy Lent by self-examination of the sins that are ever before us, we pray that you, O God, create in all people clean hearts and renew a right spirit within us. Amen.
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(February 29 - March 6. The theme is God’s call to us to be faithful. On many days, some of our volunteers worked next door on the house sponsored by the Habitat Resale Store. This prayer combines the two houses in the text.)
Let us pray.
Lord God, King of the universe, you promised to Abraham an inheritance and, by faith, he set out for a faraway, unknown place. You sent your Son Jesus Christ to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you. By faith, we follow him. Again and again you have called us into covenant with you and taught us to hope for salvation.
As we continue to strengthen the very structure of the Polite family house, and close in walls to make the Grant family house begin to look more like a home, we pray that, by faith, all of us may find favor in your sight.
As in all things, we pray this in the name of the God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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(March 7 - 13. March 6 and 7 was the celebration of Purim, based on the Book of Esther. It's not that lengthy and is a real page-turner. It will explain the "act boldly for justice" reference in the first paragraph. The wording of rest of that paragraph tracks most closely the Gospel of Mark, but the same thoughts are found also in the other gospels, Deuteronomy, and Leviticus.)
Let us pray.
Most gracious God, through the story of Queen Esther and Mordecai, we are reminded that we must act boldly for justice; and you have taught us to love you with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We thank you for all that we have and all that we are, for they are your gifts to us. Receive the work of our hands in this place, to become a place of shelter and strength. In your mercy, keep us free from accidents and guide us from all mistakes.
We pray that you keep us ever bold in the quest for justice, and help us realize that, in asking for help from one another and giving it to others, we learn how you help us and want us to put love for our neighbors into action.
All this we pray in the name of the one, holy, and gracious God of all, the Lord of our strength and our salvation. Amen.
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(March 14 - 20. The hand of God has touched everyone throughout the ages. Some have been well known and have played strategic roles; others are known only to him. Each of us has been given freedom to be fully human, and we pray that that freedom will be reflected by the Polite family.)
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, God of Abraham, the father of believers, and Sarah his wife; of Moses, the lawgiver; of Isaiah and all the prophets; of Mary, the mother of our Lord; of Peter and Paul and all the apostles, and of Jesus Christ, your Son: You made each of us in your image and have given us the freedom to be fully human; to love, to create, to reason, and to live in harmony with creation, each other, and with you.
Until now, we have been working primarily on the strategic elements of this house. As we move to those parts that are somewhat less prominent, keep us ever mindful that every part will be vital for its strength and integrity or for the comfort and warmth of the Polite family, who will call it their new home.
We ask that you bless Betsy and her children Shy, Davon, and Tan. May they carry to this place all in their lives that is good and holy and caring, and spread your love to everyone they meet. All this we ask in the name of God our Father. Amen.
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(March 21 - 27. The imagery of the length, breadth, and height of life comes from a sermon by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered at New Covenant Baptist Church, Chicago, Illinois, on April 9, 1967. He develops the theme magnificently. It can be found many places on the Internet and is truly inspirational.)
Let us pray.
Almighty God, by the hand of Moses your servant you led your people out of slavery, and made them free at last: Grant that we, following the example of your prophet Martin Luther King, Jr., may resist oppression in the name of your love and secure for all your children lives complete in length, that inward concern that pushes us forward to achieve our own goals and ambitions; in breadth, the concern for the welfare of others; and in height, the upward reach for God.
Make us ready, Lord, for whatever we are to do this morning. In all that we do, give us hearts ready to share your love lavishly.
All this we pray in the name of the one true God: God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who created us; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who redeemed us; God the Holy Spirit who sustains us. Amen.
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(March 28 - April 3. This prayer thanks people we see and don't see who make our work possible. The closing is a paraphrase from the best remembered prayer of a 13th century bishop, Richard, Bishop of Chichester, who is remembered especially on April 3.)
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, be with us as we move from working primarily on the exterior of this building to working on the interior, which will provide the comfort and warmth of a house. Thus we reach a milestone in our progress: From providing safety and protection from the elements to parts that eventually will cradle Betsy, Shy, Davon, and Tan in their love for one another.
We pray that you would bless those who are with us in spirit as we work today:
Those who have worked so hard and donated so much to make Brendan Woods and this house a reality.
The Habitat for Humanity officials and volunteers who guide us and teach us.
Those who work behind the scenes to organize the Habitat ministry at All Saints, Beth Yam, and Queen Chapel, and keep it vital.
Those who offer us rest and refreshments. And
those who hold us and our work in their hearts and prayers, even if known only to God.
May we see you, dear God, more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly. Amen.
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(April 4 - 10. Passover and Holy Week. "Marvelous things" is a recurring theme in the Psalms. The two Divine covenants will not be broken by God, and our duty is to keep them as well.)
Let us pray.
Lord God, the Seder we eat this week symbolizes the centuries of slavery endured by the ancient Israelites in Egypt, and their subsequent exodus. The extremes of the bitter herbs and the charoset tell us life is not all sweet nor all hardship. Through them, we are reminded to accept and appreciate whatever you give us – the challenges and marvelous things alike. Then you gave us the Torah to guide us in our spiritual growth.
The triumphant entry into Jerusalem of Jesus your Son that we remember this week was followed by the dark journey of suffering, pain, and death. On the cross he asked that your will be done. On the cross he asked that you forgive us for what we had done. His life and death remind us to accept and appreciate whatever you give us – the challenges and marvelous things alike. His life guides us in our spiritual growth.
Heavenly Father, you do not break the promises you have made in covenant with us. Give us strength, we pray, to keep the promises we have made in covenant with you. When we do not, guide our growth and forgive us, that your will be done.
Be with us today as we continue to build a marvelous thing. May it give strength to the little Polite family as they face the challenges in their lives. Amen.
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(April 11 - 17. For Christians in the Western Church, April 11 was the Sunday of the Resurrection. The themes are the love of God and the Resurrection of Christ, and how we might live into our covenants with him.)
Let us pray.
O God, you wonderfully created the heavens and the earth. You placed in the skies the sign of your covenant with all living things, delivered your chosen people from slavery under Pharaoh, and led them to the promised land by a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. Grant that we, made in your own image, might have the power and will to continue to strive for justice and peace in all the world and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We give you never-ending thanks for your continual providence over us, for your love for all humankind, and for the redemption of the world by our Savior Christ, who took on himself our flesh, and humbled himself even to death on the cross. By his rising to life again he has won for us everlasting life. Grant us the power and will to persevere in resisting evil and to respect the dignity of every human being.
O Lord, help us recognize as we work today that we are most open to your gifts of faith, hope, and charity when we give something of ourselves to others. Amen.
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(April 18 - 24. The themes are Yom Hashoah, the Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust, the second week of the Easter season, the forgetfulness of humankind and the everlasting memory of God, our responsibilities for service and reverence, and our essential oneness.)
Let us pray.
Lord God, forgive us when we let ourselves forget those things that cause us pain or anguish. On Yom Hashoah, we remember the millions and millions of people who died in the Holocaust. We remember also the millions more whose lives were forever changed by that nightmare. O earth, cover not their blood.
We give you thanks that their lives are forever in your hands. You leave no human soul in anonymity and oblivion, but give to all the dignity of a name and a presence. Far from being an alibi for us not to bother, let this be a reminder of the responsibility of service and reverence you lay upon all of us, that we all may be one.
We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Christ, the firstborn from the dead, by whose death our sinful forgetfulness and lukewarm love can be forgiven and kindled to life. He is present everywhere and to all. He is risen. The Lord is risen indeed.
As we take our place in the long line of people who have worked for Habitat in the past, give us the grace, O God, to continue in their good example. And, with those who are working on Habitat houses this morning in other places around this country and the world, we thank you for knitting us together as one. Amen.
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(April 23 and 24. A special prayer for the days we planted foliage and laid grass sod. The themes are the beauty and harmony of God’s creation, joyful giving, and living in harmony with others.)
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we pray that you keep us ever mindful of the beauty of your creation: For the beauty of earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains, and rivers; and for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers.
May we joyfully give to Betsy, Shy, Davon, and Tan our labor and our love, so that a barren place may be made new and green. May our work this morning become a safe playground where Betsy and her children might learn even more about living in harmony and peace with your creation, with others, and about your everlasting grace.
All this we ask in the name of the God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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(April 25 - May 1. The themes are seeing love in the work we have done and in all creation, and the commonalties that show our unity with one another.)
Let us pray.
Almighty God, continue to be present with us as we work together today. Twelve weeks ago, we began by cutting the lumber for the walls and roof of this house and raising its fragile frame. We prayed then that your presence would help our measurements and cuttings be true and our assembly straight and strong. We now pray that you help us make its finishing touches precise and beautiful, because the quality of these details is what the Polite family will see most often in their daily lives.
Just as our precision reflects our love, respect, and best wishes for the Polite’s, we see your love and compassion for all of us in the beauty and grandeur of your whole creation. May we be faithful stewards of all the gifts you give us.
We began this project as separate peoples with a common mission; we are now a common people with a nearly completed mission. May you bless us with that sense of unity that summarizes your covenants with us: Love of you and each other. Open our eyes and soften our hearts to realize our common ground, always and everywhere. Amen.
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(May 2 - 5. The end of construction and time to look back. The theme is the similarity between the elements of the construction of this home and the elements of God’s ongoing “construction.”)
Let us pray.
Almighty God, help us look back at the construction of this house and discern its meaning. We remember it as only a foundation surrounded by barren ground, then a shell, then the roof, then wiring and insulation, then painted walls, then the bareness covered by grass and other living things, even to what we will be doing today. We note that some elements are prominent and obviously strategic, while others are small and seemingly insignificant. But we know each piece is necessary for the strength and integrity of this home, and vital for Betsy, Shy, Davon, and Tan’s comfort and warmth.
Help us remember, Lord God, that we are the very elements of your greater construction. Just as each of us has brought something very distinctive and crucial to this construction site, instill in us that your work in this world must continue by many hands, some prominent and strategic, others small and seemingly insignificant. May we all be counted as distinctive and crucial hands on your building site.
With grateful thanks and celebration, we laud and praise you, the God of our Fathers; God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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