Prayer-Walking Time #41: Michael's New Place + Tera-machi

(Thank you to Lauren for the photo.)

As the mornings and evenings turn cooler in the Northern Hemisphere, shifts are happening in various ways. One change for Kanazawa is that our praying friend, Michael, has moved to a new apartment in Tera-machi (Temple Town), a neighborhood full of Buddhist temples, a main road of shops, clinics, and restaurants, and sometimes Japanese and foreign tourists coming to view the temples. Michael's new digs are on this main thoroughfare, directly across the street from where my adopted Japanese grandma, Yoko Dohi, used to live and pray for the community. It's a lovely little area of Kanazawa.

Lauren, Michael, Stephen, and I started with this new-home liturgy in Michael's living room, then moved outside to pray for a park across the street diagonally from Michael's building, then the parking lot of a Family Mart a few blocks away, which is a hub in the neighborhood. 

It was a lovely cool evening, full of light and love. I'm grateful for our Spirit-filled time together. 

Here's that liturgy I mentioned (from the book Living Room Liturgy):

Opening

Leader: Unless the Lord builds the house.
People: Those who build it labor in vain.

Scripture Reading

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

(Luke 6:46–49)

Leader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

Prayer

Leader: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Leader: Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we pray that you would bless this house. Bless the feet that walk here, bless the hearts of those who lie down to sleep here. Would everyone who comes through the door of this home feel your love and your goodness. May this place be filled with joy, peace, and love, and may every need within this home be provided for. All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

Reflection

At this time, you may take a few minutes for a short reflection or personal prayer that goes along with the theme of the day.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For Thine is the kingdom,
and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.

Closing

Leader: Let us bless the Lord for this new house.
People: Thanks be to God.