With your indulgence, I thought I might take this opportunity to give a more considered response to the revelation this week of John Edwards' infidelity. Few things hit closer to home, or seem to bring up more religious context, than the marital bond. If God doesn't have something to say about this, then what good is he?*

let us pray* for those who are hungry:

As a pastor in the United Church of Christ - a sister denomination of the Unitarian Universalist Association - I know very well how vulnerable congregations are to those who mean to do them harm.

I also know very well the kind of selflessness practiced by salt of the earth members like Greg McKendry, who absorbed the full brunt of a shotgun blast to protect the other members of Tennessee Valley UUC. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends," Jesus tells us. There are millions of people across the nation who would be willing to take that saying seriously if called upon. In that they not heroic, but faithful.

With the all people, let us pray* for the community, those in need, and all of the creation.

The following is part of the litany used at the Multi-Faith Worship Service at Netroots Nation this morning:

A hymn we sang this morning:

I think we've done this before, but what the heck. It's the Fourth of July.

let us pray* for our community, the world, and all those in need.

let us pray* for our community, the world, and all those in need.

Here's the prayer of confession we've been using at Salem this summer:

Apologies for being late. We were at an extended-family function in Madison, started back a little late. Besides, the weather's crazy here.

Prayer below the fold.

I'm getting several, actually. One of my best friends, a guy I've known literally all my life, is here, and we're going to see the Brewers play tonight. I'm sure the kids have something in the works, and of course we'll have family dinner with a strawberry-Oreo cake that I'm looking forward to.

And praise be to God, this damn primary season is coming to an end.

But there is one more gift out there, just one more thing that you could do for me, actually.

Maybe I'm just moody or something - it's been a long week. But this seems like just the word of comfort I need at the moment:

in the summer, I usually have my congregations hold a hymn sing before the formal beginning of worship. We pick out three or four songs and do a couple of verses of each. The folks in the pew always seem to enjoy it. It lets them sing the songs that I might overlook or not select ordinarily.

Today was the first Sunday of hymn sings for this summer, so naturally their thoughts turned toward the patriotic songs.

let us pray* for the creation:

for his health, his recovery, and for his continued leadership.

Pray for the skill, compassion and wisdom of those who care for him, and for the people of Massachusetts.

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions.

2 Peter 2:1*

People are happy and excited now that an end is finally in sight for this godawful primary season. No reason they shouldn't be: it's tough on everybody. But we should resist the temptation to read uncritically every apparent piece of good news for Barack Obama. There's been a fair amount of baloney published already about the presumptive nominee, and more to come.

On this Mother's Day, let us pray:*