“All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.” —Acts 1:14
 

Written by Cassie Chee, Temporary Director of Faith Formation

After Jesus resurrects from the dead, he spends forty days with the disciples and others that followed him closely. One of the last things he tells them is to wait there in Jerusalem for the promise of God. When Jesus leaves them and ascends to heaven, all that were with him go to Jerusalem just as Jesus said: to wait. In their waiting the disciples and others close to Jesus all stayed together and prayed constantly. (Acts 1:1-14)

 

When you are waiting for something what do you usually do? The followers of Jesus were actively waiting for the promise of God as Jesus said. In that time when they stayed together and prayed constantly, they were likely eating all their meals together, talking together, and reflecting on all the things that Jesus had taught them in their last 40 days together. In this in-between of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit, they likely reflected on their experiences with Jesus, prayed for Godʻs faithfulness, and imagined what the promises of God would look like.

What is something you are waiting for? What are you praying for and who is with you in the waiting?

As a church, we wait with anticipation for the arrival of our new Senior Minister, Rev. Rushan Sinnaduray. Central Union, what is your posture in the waiting? I invite us to pray and pray together as we wait for our new Senior minister.

PRAYER
God, we thank you for the ways that you have been faithful to us as a church.
As we wait, we ask that you would remind us of how your Spirit has been with us.
As we wait, we ask that you would show us how to be better disciples of Christ.
As we wait, we ask that you would widen our imaginations to the ways you are shaping our church.
Make us open to your transformation of our lives, church, and Hawai‘i nei.

‘Amene.

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Attend the three remaining sessions of our faith formation class, “Imagining Our Future: Dreaming and Praying About the Future of Central Union Church,” on August 15, 22, 29, from 6-7:15 PM at the Honolulu campus.