Yesterday, a number of students sat around in a circle on couches and chairs in an area that looks a lot like a living room. Together, at Canterbury House, we had a Service of Evengsong.
At one point, we were speaking the words of a Psalm responsively verse by verse as it was printed in the bulletin. And when we spoke a particular phrase, I smiled.
“My lips will sing with joy when I play to you.”
I wondered, was that supposed to be ‘pray to you’?
If so, I loved that. Play can be prayer, for sure.
Later in the service, we did have a time of prayer together. We sat in silence and simply voiced the names of people and situations that we wanted to lift up. Then Matthew, Chaplain of Canterbury House, led us in the Lord’s Prayer. This was printed in the bulletin too, but with our eyes closed, we totally messed it up. You know exactly where —
And forgive us our SINSDEBTSTRESSPASSES, as we forgive OURDEBTORSTHOSEWHOSINTRESSPASSAGAINSTUS, we said.
And we started laughing!
I mean, this happens in churches sometimes, and I’m used to that. People grew up saying this in different ways. But this time seemed extra and delightfully mangled. I guffawed.
“My lips will sing with joy when I play to you.”
I think God delighted too.
Smuggling Grace 
I love that the first blunder in the Lord’s Prayer includes “stresspasses.” I think there’s something there 🙂
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Yes! Hilarious. And true.
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