Sacred Space: A Resource for Small-group Ministry

Transcription

1 Sacred Space: A Resource for Small-group Ministry Year C Sixth Sunday after Epiphany Scripture: Luke 6:17 26 NRSV Gathering Welcome Prayer for Peace Ring a bell or chime three times slowly. Light the peace candle. God, Creator of all life, the Source of sustenance for body, mind, and spirit, We acknowledge that we are but youths in our capacity to understand the scope and interconnectedness of all life. You ask us to hear your words and learn of you. Give us courage to put our trust in you first; in your Spirit that lives in and through all of life. Your love whispers in our hearts and resounds through acts of justice and peace; testifying that those who put their trust in you shall be supported in their trials, troubles, and afflictions and shall be lifted up at the last day. May we steadfastly trust in the leadings of your Spirit as we seek to live our lives in mission of your love and peace. Amen. Spiritual Practice Dwelling in the Word/Lectio Divina I will read a scripture aloud. As you hear the scripture breathe deeply. Calmly enter a state of silent listening. Try not to focus on the details. Simply listen and allow the words to wash over you. After a brief moment of silence I will read the scripture again. As you listen a second time, note any insights or impressions that come to you. Read Luke 6:20 23 NRSV. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now,

2 for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. Pause and allow a brief period of silence. Say: As you listen a second time, note any insights or impressions that come to you. Read Luke 6:20 23 a second time. Pause and allow a brief period of silence. Read the following questions aloud and invite the group members to share their responses and reflections: How did it feel to let go of visually seeing the scripture and just listen, allowing the words to wash over you? What insights and impressions did you receive about this scripture? About blessedness? Close with a brief prayer of gratitude for all that has been shared. Sharing Around the Table Luke 6:17 26 NRSV He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.

3 Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. Today s reading sometimes is referred to as the Sermon on the Plain. Jesus declares that those who are poor, hungry, grieving, and rejected are blessed and beloved in the kingdom of God. He condemns the rich and the comfortable. It is the sixth Sunday after Epiphany. As Jesus continues in ministry he becomes bolder in declaring God s peaceable kingdom. Jesus compares the crowd members, who are rejected by society for their low status, to Hebrew prophets. In doing so, Jesus names the crowd as a prophetic people. The difficult circumstances of their lives challenge the traditional ideas of the ruling class. These people do not suffer because of their own sins; they suffer because they have been exploited and sinned against. Jesus compares the rich and comfortable with false prophets who bring false ideas. Jesus continually asks his listeners to consider that the peaceable kingdom of God favors those without power in society. This reading calls us to name the powerless in our own society as loved by God and to seek to relieve them of suffering and oppression. This reading also calls us to hear and see what the powerless can tell us about our society and where the problems are. Questions 1. In our own communities, whose voices, situations, or circumstances speak to uncomfortable truths? 2. How can we model Christ-like compassion in responding to these voices? Sending Generosity Statement Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint (Doctrine and Covenants 163:9). The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing small-group ministries as part of your generous response. The offering prayer for Epiphany is adapted from A Disciple s Generous Response: Revealing God, May we always be generous. You have gifted each of us with boundless grace and unending love. May our response to that love and grace be humble service to others, and may generosity be part of our nature. Amen. Invitation to Next Meeting Closing Hymn CCS 378, Oh, How Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit Closing Prayer Optional Additions Depending on Group Sacrament of the Lord s Supper Thoughts for Children

4 Prayer for Peace Ring a bell or chime three times slowly. Light the peace candle. God, Creator of all life, the Source of sustenance for body, mind, and spirit, We acknowledge that we are but youths in our capacity to understand the scope and interconnectedness of all life. You ask us to hear your words and learn of you. Give us courage to put our trust in you first; in your Spirit that lives in and through all of life. Your love whispers in our hearts and resounds through acts of justice and peace; testifying that those who put their trust in you shall be supported in their trials, troubles, and afflictions and shall be lifted up at the last day. May we steadfastly trust in the leadings of your Spirit as we seek to live our lives in mission of your love and peace. Amen.

5 Spiritual Practice Dwelling in the Word/Lectio Divina I will read a scripture aloud. As you hear the scripture breathe deeply. Calmly enter a state of silent listening. Try not to focus on the details. Simply listen and allow the words to wash over you. After a brief moment of silence I will read the scripture again. As you listen a second time, note any insights or impressions that come to you. Read Luke 6:20 23 NRSV. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. Pause and allow a brief period of silence. Say: As you listen a second time, note any insights or impressions that come to you. Read Luke 6:20 23 a second time. Pause and allow a brief period of silence. Read the following questions aloud and invite the group members to share their responses and reflections: How did it feel to let go of visually seeing the scripture and just listen, allowing the words to wash over you? What insights and impressions did you receive about this scripture? About blessedness? Close with a brief prayer of gratitude for all that has been shared.

6 Sharing Around the Table Luke 6:17 26 NRSV He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Then he looked up at his disciples and said: Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. Today s reading sometimes is referred to as the Sermon on the Plain. Jesus declares that those who are poor, hungry, grieving, and rejected are blessed and beloved in the kingdom of God. He condemns the rich and the comfortable. It is the sixth Sunday after Epiphany. As Jesus continues in ministry he becomes bolder in declaring God s peaceable kingdom. Jesus compares the crowd members, who are rejected by society for their low status, to Hebrew prophets. In doing so, Jesus names the crowd as a prophetic people. The difficult circumstances of their lives challenge the traditional ideas of the ruling class. These people do not suffer because of their own sins; they suffer because they have been exploited and sinned against. Jesus compares the rich and comfortable with false prophets who bring false ideas. Jesus continually asks his listeners to consider that the peaceable kingdom of God favors those without power in society. This reading calls us to name the powerless in our own society as loved by God and to seek to relieve them of suffering and oppression. This reading also calls us to hear and see what the powerless can tell us about our society and where the problems are.

7 Questions 1. In our own communities, whose voices, situations, or circumstances speak to uncomfortable truths? 2. How can we model Christ-like compassion in responding to these voices?

8 Generosity Statement Faithful disciples respond to an increasing awareness of the abundant generosity of God by sharing according to the desires of their hearts; not by commandment or constraint (Doctrine and Covenants 163:9). The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing small-group ministries as part of your generous response. The offering prayer for Epiphany is adapted from A Disciple s Generous Response: Revealing God, May we always be generous. You have gifted each of us with boundless grace and unending love. May our response to that love and grace be humble service to others, and may generosity be part of our nature. Amen.

9 Communion Statement We come together to share in the Lord s Supper as a visible witness of loving Christian fellowship and shared remembrance of Jesus Christ s death and resurrection (Doctrine and Covenants 164:4a). All committed followers of Christ are invited to partake, but no one should feel pressured to receive the emblems. Let us celebrate the revelation of Christ in the world as we share in Communion as an expression of blessing, healing, peace, and community. In preparation let s sing from Community of Christ Sings 520, God Extends an Invitation.

10 Thoughts for Children Materials: simple faces drawn on sheets of paper sad face, angry face, sick face, frightened face. Say: What is a blessing? (Affirm all responses.) We bless, or offer goodness and kindness to others. Sometimes this is in a prayer, and sometimes it is by showing love and friendship. God blesses people with love, healing, patience Show the faces to children one at a time and say: This face looks sad (angry, sick, afraid). What kind of blessing does it need? Allow children to offer suggestions. Affirm all responses. One way people receive God s blessing is through others. How can we offer blessing to someone who is sad (angry, sick, afraid)? I will offer a prayer of blessing for us. Offer a prayer of blessing for the children. Thank the children for participating.