Rise Up

If you read this, I ask you to get on your knees. You know you've been living here for a while when you hear sirens and think you're imagining how long they continue. In reality I wasn't imagining things a few minutes ago. Two more officers were just shot at Frankford and Torresdale. I'm not really sure how long this can continue and as I think about it, the words that continue to repeat in my head are of Bruce Springsteen singing "My City of Ruins."

There is a blood red circle
On the cold dark ground
And the rain is falling down
The church door's thrown open
I can hear the organ's song
But the congregation's gone
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows,
The empty streets
While my brother's down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up! Come on, rise up! ...

Now with these hands,
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
We pray for your love, Lord
We pray for the lost, Lord
We pray for this world, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord
We pray for the strength, Lord

Come on
Come on
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up

In a city that is so desperate, now is the time to rise up. Pray for our congregation as we stand together. Pray that we are bold in our witness and bold in our love. Pray that our doors may swing wide open and the church is a gathering place. Pray that we rise up and stand as a city
- that we do not grow weary.