GOD'S GRACE IS MEANT TO BE SHARED
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ABOUT
Church of the Incarnation, where I serve as an Episcopal priest, sits on Madison Avenue at 35th Street in Manhattan. There are loads of passers by all day long. The vast majority of them don't come inside of course, but the constant foot traffic presents an opportunity for one of my favorite kinds of ministry - prayer on the street. Every Tuesday morning from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m., I stand outside the church doors in my vestments (a fancy name for robes) with a sign that reads, "Ask me for a blessing. God's grace is meant to be shared."
During the half hour I'm out there, most people walk by me without making eye contact. Several smile and nod or say, "Good morning." Ten or so actually stop and request a blessing. In that moment, I introduce myself, get the person's name, and ask if there's anything s/he needs prayer for. Responses vary but I've noticed some themes - a sick loved one, a struggling child, an upcoming job interview, the need for more peace and less stress, the state of our nation. Half of those who stop are in crisis. Someone always cries. And a few are simply curious or just looking for a good way to start the day. Each time, I offer a prayer based on the need expressed. Then I close by making the sign of the cross on the person's forehead and pronouncing a blessing in the name of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
It's a surprisingly intimate experience. Coming before God with a complete stranger, united by a shared and often fervent desire for the Holy Spirit to move in that person's life. There is no pretense on either side. No need to impress. Prayer cuts through all our superficiality, right down to the heart of getting real about our need for God. This is where grace abounds. Grace from God that is meant to be shared by those who gather in God's name.
May you find grace in these stories of prayer and blessing.
(Certain identifying details have been changed to preserve confidentiality and anonymity.)
Rev. Adrian Dannhauser
ASK ME FOR A BLESSING
July 17, 2020
This week I resumed my ministry of offering blessings outside. Only now I have a special mask to match my stole (green for the season of Pentecost), and I draw an "X" with sidewalk chalk to show people where to stand (6 feet away).
My blessing hiatus lasted nearly four...
February 25, 2020
As a minister in an urban setting, I come into contact with my fair share of people with signs of severe mental illness. “Saucy J” told me she had an earpiece with the Secret Service and Beyoncé on speed dial. The next morning, I found her sleeping on the steps of my c...
November 12, 2019
Last week I got my first kneeler. Someone kneeled down on the sidewalk in front of me and asked for a blessing. Even more surprising than his taking a knee is that he spoke with his mouth full. This man had a Diet Coke in one hand and a breakfast sandwich in the other....
October 25, 2019
Three weeks ago today was the Feast of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals, which always falls on October 4. It feels like forever ago, but I, along with many clergy around the world, blessed my fair share of animals the following Sunday. Weirdly, I've been hearin...
September 25, 2019
As I stood in front of my church to offer blessings this week, I kept fixating on its shadow. Our church building casts a large shadow on the designer furniture store directly across the street. Strangely enough, I hadn’t even noticed it before. The clear outline, the...
August 23, 2019
"My wife's father was murdered a year ago and her emotions still erupt like a volcano."
I've heard a lot of surprising things in this ministry, but for some reason this one really caught me off guard. Perhaps it was the apt metaphor of a volcano to describe grief in th...
July 19, 2019
One of the most common prayer requests I get is for peace. Sometimes this request is tied to a specific situation, such as divisiveness in our country or the chaos that comes with raising small children. More often it’s just an overall desire for less stress and more c...
June 28, 2019
A reporter for Religion News Service gives her perspective on “Ask Me for a Blessing.” Check it out!
https://religionnews.com/2019/06/27/on-madison-avenue-an-episcopal-priest-blesses-passersby/
June 12, 2019
Every once in a while, I get someone who wants to pray for me rather than the other way around. They usually approach me with great enthusiasm, surprised and delighted to see someone who appears to be all-in for Jesus (which I am). I love it when this happens. We might...
May 24, 2019
This week I heard three sermons from three different people who stopped for a blessing. I don’t think any of them knew they were preaching, but that’s what it was. One man spoke about serving as a sponsor in his 12 step program and all the ways he’s found joy and meani...
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