Spirit of Life and Love, we gather today under smoky skies,
Aching from the onslaught of the daily news,
Our spirits weary and sore,
Our nerves jangling with every loss of power, every alert on our phones

Our thoughts this morning are with the firefighters and all those whose bodies continue to be on the line,
Our hearts with every person who has lost a home or a place of work or a special piece of wilderness,
Our minds with the unfolding effects of climate change and the path ahead of us.

As sirens sound in the distance,
We pause here to center ourselves once again-
To transform our tension into tranquil readiness,
Our fear into loving purpose.

May we find in this time a moment of calm amidst the wind churned ashes,
May we find in this sanctuary the space to let down our masks and breathe together,
May we find in this community reminders that we are enough, and we are not alone.

I invite you to breath in the quiet with me for a moment,
to take in the serenity of this this being together
and breathe out more love into this room.

Come, let us sit in silence and settle into the peace of this time together.