Lenten Journey with Iona Prayers

We will be observing Lent at St. Thomas this year with Iona liturgy, prayers, songs and practices. The photos here link with Pastor Lyle's sermon for Ash Wednesday where he mentioned arriving via ferry, the Abbey, the crosses on Iona, and the sculpture in the courtyard. Here is an Iona prayer to set the tone for our pilgrimage through Lent together:

Lead us on our journey

God, our God,
you have called us to be a people
on the move;
travelling light,
dying to live,
ready to lose ourselves for the sake of the world.
You have called us to be a people
with a purpose;
travelling without a map,
travelling to where we are led,
sustained by your Spirit,
committed to the gospel for the hope of the world.

Move us on our journey
from where we are to where you want us to go.
Open our eyes on the way
to the people of different cultures, continents and countries,
who can bring color to our lives.
Take us on our journey
from where we are to what you want us to be;
so that we become a community
where all are welcomed and no one is excluded,
all are valued and no one is made to feel inadequate,
all are forgiven and no one is ashamed to belong,
all are encouraged and no one is too hurt to come among us.

Lead us on our journey
from who we are to who you want us to be;
so that patience is built into us,
kindness is assumed in us,
gentleness is part of us,
compassion flows from us,
truth is second nature to us,
and the commitment of love is part of us.

Let us go gladly on the journey towards Easter –
the journey towards death and resurrection.
Let us journey in the peace and power of the Spirit.

~ by Ruth Harvey/Iona