Lord Jesus, whom we call Christ, hear our prayer:

We have finished the book.  Were you here, reading over our shoulders?  Listening to our comments?  What do you think?

For us it seems scary.  Many of our comfortable theologies, customs, traditions, and values have been challenged.  Questions have been answered, but many more have been raised.

How do we live out what we have learned?    How do we worship a God that is not Up There, or somewhere out in front, but sits here, beside us, in the pews?  How do we sing “the good old hymns,” filled as they are with words and concepts that no longer seem true?

How do we celebrate Advent and Christmas!  We still love some of the metaphors and symbols that contradict what we believe.  What will people think if we change?

What do we do about the shame we feel for the way we have treated those who are different?

But more than ever, we long to be one with the God that now shines so clearly because you lived the Christ experience.  Because you demonstrated what God had in mind when God created us and brought us into consciousness. You walked this earth and demonstrated Truth for us.

You have shown us that God delights in us, and in our friendship.  That God turns darkness into day, our suffering into peace of heart, our fears into trust.

So, Lord Jesus, as we separate now and go on with our ordinary lives, continue to be The Christ, the shining presence that shows us the way to live; that guides our minds, that leads us to answers which raise new questions.

We pray that someday we may be worthy to be called Christians.    And we thank you, Lord Jesus.