UAW Local 1853 Chaplaincy

05/25/2026

Good morning,

Today, as we observe Memorial Day, we pause to remember, reflect, and give thanks.

We honor the lives of those who sacrificed so much, while also taking time to reflect on how we are living, loving, serving, and caring for one another each day. In a world that can feel heavy and divided, may we continue to choose gratitude, compassion, faith, and purpose.

Praying this week’s devotion encourages your heart and gives you a moment to pause in God’s presence.

05/25/2026

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." — John 15:13

​Today, the Local 1853 UAW Chaplaincy Committee pauses to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. We stand in deep gratitude for their courage, praying for God’s continued comfort over their families, and reaffirming our sacred duty to ensure their legacy of service is never forgotten.
​Lest we forget. 🇺🇸✝️

05/15/2026

05/15/2026

START YOUR WORKDAY OFF WITH PRAYER!

When Jesus’ disciples asked him how to pray, he gave them a model which is now commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer.”

This prayer can be a template for you as you pray for each workday.

Jesus started his prayer with a sentence praising God.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9).

If you tend to start your workday preoccupied by problems or worries that press on your mind, begin your prayers with a sentence that praises God. This shifts your focus from the problem to the one who has the solution.

Jesus used the word “hallowed” which means “sacred” to tell God how good he is. You can use whatever adjectives come to your mind to describe God. For example, you might call God loving, just, compassionate, powerful, or generous.

After honoring God at the start of his prayer, Jesus went on to make a request.

“May your kingdom come. May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

In God’s kingdom nothing is wrong. But that doesn’t describe most workplaces. You likely face frustrations at work. Systems break. Solutions are difficult to find.

You also likely face problems due to other people. People sin against each other. They argue, undermine each other, or do poor quality work.

Recognizing the brokenness of the real working world, Jesus prays: May God’s kingdom come to earth. May people do God’s will.

When you pray, tell God your real work problems. Ask for God’s kingdom to invade your workplace. Ask for the strength to do God’s will.

04/16/2026

The Value of Right Relationships

We all experience conflict at work. Sometimes workplace conflict makes us think that work is a hostile place for our Christian faith or values. But in reality, the Christian faith is superbly capable of helping us bring good results out of the conflict that inevitably arises at work. It’s as if Jesus has gone ahead of us into our workplaces, standing ready to bring reconciliation and transformation in the place we spend most of our waking hours.

It begins with Jesus’ words “Blessed are the peacemakers.” When we think of “peace” we tend to think only of stability, tranquility, the absence of conflict. But the Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means life flourishing in community. Shalom is far more than absence of war and conflict. It draws together ideas of justice and righteousness. Shalom is a thriving fullness of life as it ought to be: whole, healthy and balanced.

Peacemaking, therefore, means engaging in conflict in in ways that resolve underlying disagreements while actually strengthening our relationships. It means treating people with justice and respect, even while we’re in conflict with them. It definitely does not mean ignoring conflict. “Keeping the peace” by evading issues at the office can result in a false peace: difficult issues go undiscussed, arguments linger unsettled, the mission of the organization suffers. Working honestly with our co-workers through disappointment, misunderstandings and anger restores relationships.

Our faith helps us be open to working through conflict because Jesus is our model. God sent his only Son to reconcile us to himself by means of a cross. That’s how important God thinks it is to do the hard work of restoring relationships.

Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for the gift of peace I have with you through Christ. Through you may my relationships become more peaceful and healthy. As a recipient of your peace, I have been called to be a peacemaker. Help me to embrace this calling. Give me eyes to see, not only obvious conflict, but also that which lies beneath the surface. May I use every opportunity you put before me to work for genuine peace. Amen.

04/07/2026

Anxiety about Work

Work gives you plenty of opportunities to be anxious. You might worry about getting it all done, about success vs failure, or about bosses and coworkers. None of these anxieties are surprises to God. They all find precedents – and hope – in the Bible.

You know what anxiety feels like. Maybe it’s the lump in your stomach on your morning commute. Or it’s a buzzing in your mind that keeps you awake at night when you should be resting up for a long day at work. Those are some signs of workplace anxiety. But what is anxiety, really? Dictionaries define anxiety as worry, fear, or unease coming from uncertainty or lack of control. Anxiety is not new. It’s as old as the Bible – as long lived as uncertainty and humanity itself. Thankfully, the Bible can also help.

While uncertainty at work is a normal part of being human, fear and worry don’t need to be. In difficult situations, Psalm 23 says that God himself is the antidote to anxiety. “I fear no evil for you are with me” (Psalm. 23:4a). If God is with you, you don’t need to fear the future. God’s help in your time of trial is not hypothetical, but tangible and real. Like a shepherd with a rod and staff, God has every instrument he needs to bring you safely through. God is working amidst the worst disasters work can throw at you. God can shepherd you through your deepest workplace anxieties to work out his purposes for you.

​A Prayer for Peace in the Storm of Work

​Dear God,
​As I step into the tasks, the meetings, and the pressures of this day, I ask for Your presence to go before me. When the 'pings' and the deadlines start to stack up, and my heart begins to race, remind me that I am grounded in You.
​Please quiet the noise of my own expectations. When anxiety whispers that I’m not doing enough, let Your peace shout louder. Grant me the clarity to focus, the wisdom to set boundaries, and the grace to remember that my worth is found in Your love—not in my 'to-do' list.
​Be the steady breath in my lungs when the air feels thin. Help me to work with excellence, but to rest in Your strength. I release the need to control every outcome and trust that You are with me in every hour, every email, and every challenge.

​Amen.

11/12/2025

Thanking all Veterans who served! Happy Veterans Day!