By Rev. Anita Phillips, Cherokee, Retired Ordained Elder
Leader: Our God and Creator asks, “How will you live the life I have given to you?”
People: Like a still, deep pool in the desert, we will live in a way that reflects your love back onto your world.
Leader: Our God and Creator asks, “How will you walk this path I have given to you?”
People: Like the creatures of the forest, we will walk in a way that respects all life created by your hand.
Leader: Our God and Creator asks, “How will you reach out to the world beyond yourselves?”
People: Like the branches of a sapling tree, we will strive to reach beyond the safe and the familiar, touching the world in your name.
All: Help us to remember we all are connected through the endless circle of life and creation. Teach us to trust and to follow the example of Jesus Christ who lived a life of sacrifice, walked a path of goodness and mercy, and reached beyond human differences. Amen.