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NEW YEAR'S DAY PRAYER SANCTUARY
Stanton
McDonald-Wright "Seated Woman" 1950 On New Year's Day, The Alethia Foundation sponsors a Prayer Sanctuary at the Center City Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Philadelphia. From noon until three in the afternoon, you are welcomed into a place of peace-filled sacred silence. There, on the first day of the year, you will find a place for meditation, reflection and prayer in the hospitable quiet of a beautiful, softly-lit sanctuary. All are welcome. Come as you are. Come and go as you like. There is no order of service and there are no spoken words. The silence is broken only at intervals, and only by the sound of sacred music from Philadelphia area artists, who provide offerings of music from diverse cultural and ethnic styles. A printed prayer guide is provided to visitors. The guide is prepared from an ecumenical Christian perspective, but persons of all traditions are welcome, and use of the prayer guide is optional. Ushers and hosts are at hand to assist visitors.
PURPOSE The New Year's Day Prayer Sanctuary is a call to recollection and prayer at the turn of the year. It provides a safe haven for individuals who seek "sanctuary" from the world in order to enter the new year with a spiritual focus. The emphasis of the Prayer Sanctuary is decidedly "vertical." The faith assumption is that God is love; that God is present, responsive, and merciful; that God is listening to us and that God is speaking to us. Prayer is continually being lifted in the sanctuary by rotating watches of deacons and clergy, who pray also for those who have come to pray. The Prayer Sanctuary serves as a portal, if you will, a protected door held open to heavy traffic between heaven and earth as we mark the turn of the calendar.
Morning of the Millennium Prayer Guide
The Alethia Foundation thanks the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion and its Pastor, the Rev Dr. David Farley for its gracious hospitality for this event. Particular thanks are extended to Mr. Ron Coolbaugh, Facilities Administrator at Holy Communion.
The Alethia Foundation thanks the Ninth District of the Philadelphia Police Department for their courtesy and watchfulness during the Prayer Sanctuary.
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