Forty days of Lent: A time to receive the new life poured out for us through the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
It’s a time of reflection that some people find aided by giving up something for forty days but this year we want to suggest something else: Praying for the neighborhood for 40 days. It may be counter-intuitive but we have a hunch that as we pray for the neighborhood, looking at it with the eyes of Jesus, we will draw closer to Christ just as we find life when we give ourselves away.
You may want to find a time to pause in your day to pray, journal, walk, listen. These can be done daily or in clusters. Each week we will post scripture, questions and facts. Thank you for journeying with us!
Day 5 40 for the Neighborhood March 11
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 23:22
What does it mean, in a city setting, to not reap to the edges of the field or pick up every stock of grain that falls?
Prayer Reflection: Lord, who do you want us to be in our neighborhood?
How could this land best be a part of who we are to be in the neighborhood?
Know Your Neighborhood: The neighborhood had its industrial start with cabinet and furniture manufacturing followed by ship building, a steam plant where Zymogenetics is now and the location of Boeing’s first plant.
Day 6 40 for the Neighborhood March 12
"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:10
Where do you need to forgive a debtor this week?
Prayer Reflection: Lord, who do you want us to be in our neighborhood?
How could this land best be a part of who we are to be in the neighborhood?
Know Your Neighborhood: SCCA, the first comprehensive cancer center in the NW, enrolls 1000 patients in a clinical trial each year.
Day 7 40 for the Neighborhood March 13
Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. Matthew 19:13
How can Union express Christ’s love to Children in South Lake Union?
Prayer Reflection: Lord, who do you want us to be in our neighborhood?
How could this land best be a part of who we are to be in the neighborhood?
Know Your Neighborhood: Russians, Swedes, Norwegians, and Greeks made up a large part of the neighborhood population centered around Cascade Elementary School that is now Cascade Park up by REI (the school was destroyed in a 1949 earthquake).
Day 8 40 for the Neighborhood March 14
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16
What un-grounded criticisms do we have of our neighbors?
Prayer Reflection: Lord, who do you want us to be in our neighborhood?
How could this land best be a part of who we are to be in the neighborhood?
Know Your Neighborhood: Amazon’s 8 million plus square feet of office space is enough room to house over 70,000 employees
Day 9 40 for the Neighborhood March 15
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Col. 4:3
Spend time praying for new open doors for God’s Spirit to bring healing and hope.
Prayer Reflection: Lord, who do you want us to be in our neighborhood?
How could this land best be a part of who we are to be in the neighborhood?
Know Your Neighborhood: The city largest sawmill was kitty corner from us on Mercer and Westlake.
Day 10 40 for the Neighborhood March 16
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark 12:33
What trappings of religion turn off our neighbors?
Prayer Reflection: Lord, who do you want us to be in our neighborhood?
How could this land best be a part of who we are to be in the neighborhood?
Know Your Neighborhood: Denny Park is Seattle’s oldest park. Once a cemetery, in 1883, the land was converted into a park. The Friends of Denny Park has played a key role in restoring the park to an accessible park for the community.