DAILY DEVOTIONAL AS WE DISCERN TOGETHER

Transcription

1 DAILY DEVOTIONAL AS WE DISCERN TOGETHER Welcome to the daily devotional guide that we have put together as a part of our congregation s discernment process regarding God s vision for the future of our congregation. During this time, we, as a congregation, are seeking God s guidance through prayer as we consider important decisions that we will make as a congregation on May 20, Thank you for joining us. How to Use this Devotional: Find a special place and time each day when you can have some quiet time with God. Put a candle in your special place, which you can light each day to remind you of God s presence with you. Collect materials such as paper, a pen, crayons, play doh or whatever you need to be able to respond to the day s scripture reading and devotion. After each day s devotion and scripture verse, there is a place for you to write down your thoughts, draw a response, or make a list. May this devotion be a blessing to you. In addition to this devotional guide, you will need: A Bible Writing and other materials Handouts from our informational meetings

2 ENTERING A PATH OF DISCERNMENT Monday, April 30, 2018 Scripture: Read Romans 12:2 The word discernment itself implies the existence of a pathway toward greater clarity in our times of wondering. It comes from the Latin discenere, meaning to separate, to distinguish. The word discernment denotes an activity or process. It suggests that when we yearn to find what is right and fitting, there will be a means to do so. On the most elemental level, to discern is to sort and sift through the possibilities when we face a variety of choices. It is to distinguish and separate the alternative. The very word discernment thus suggests a helpful means of going forward. The scriptures repeatedly acknowledge the existence of a sure pathway in life and greatly expand our understanding of what it is about. In the full vision of the scriptures, discernment requires not just that we distinguish between good and evil, but even between one good and another. Faithful discernment thrusts upon that piercing question: What is the higher good? Discernment is about more than taking this or that course of action in life, more than deciding whether to give time to this cause or that project. Discernment is ultimately about doing the will of the living God. The Way of Discernment, pp What is the question that you feel our congregation needs to be discerning? Why do you feel this is important? What do you hope to gain by the end of this process? Dear God, be with me during this time of discernment. Open my mind and my spirit to hear your desires for our congregation. Give me the courage to seek your will. Amen

3 THE START OF OUR JOURNEY Tuesday, May 1, 2018 Scripture: Read Exodus 3:1-14 When you go on a journey, it is always important to look around at your surroundings as you begin. To this end, today we are going to think about our reactions to considering two possible pathways for fulfilling God s vision for Florence Christian Church. But first, take a moment to reflect on our Mission Statement (WHY we exist): Florence Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) celebrates God s welcome table of abundant love, grace and acceptance. Now, consider our core values (HOW we fulfill our WHY our mission) Radically welcome all Serving boldly Forming Faith every day Two possible pathways for fulfilling our mission in the future: 1. Renovating our Main Street facilities to continue supporting mission and vision in Florence; selling the Union property to help fund this effort. 2. Moving to and building a new ministry center in Union; selling the Main Street property to help fund this effort. What words jump into your mind as you read our mission statement, core values and pathways? What emotions do you feel? Fear? Anger? Happiness? Hopefulness? What are the first thoughts that cross your mind after you read this? Record your responses to these questions. Or other thoughts you may have You aren t making a decision today. You are just recording your impressions to help you track your journey. O God of all our journeys, lead me in your ways. Help guide my steps and look carefully at my surroundings. Help me to see you even in unexpected places. Amen.

4 HOW DO YOU KNOW GOD? Wednesday, May 2, 2018 Scripture: Read Psalm 139:1-12 When we discern, we are seeking God. But, how do we know when we experience God? Do the exercise below to consider when you have experienced God in your past. (The exercise and part of the prayer is from Unbinding Your Heart: 40 Days of Prayer and Faith Sharing by Martha Grace Reese, p. 120.) Will you read the Psalm slowly? Which lines speak to you most powerfully? Sit quietly for a moment. Now read the Psalm again, slowly. What words or phrases shine out at you? Mark them in your Bible or jot them down here. How do you know God? Close your eyes a moment and ask God to show you again the moments, the ways in your life when you have seen or understood or experienced God most clearly. What are your deepest moments of faith? A conversion experience? A tiny moment of awe during a Christmas Eve service? A nudge from the Spirit? A powerful insight during a sermon or reading the Bible? A healing? A knowledge of forgiveness? Everyone s experiences of God are different. Ask God to show you yours. Write down what feels most important. God, you are the Holy One of Israel, Creator of the Universe, so majestic we cannot possibly understand you. And Jesus told us to call you Daddy because you love us so much. Thank you for all the ways that you have made yourself known to me. Once again, help me experience you in the days ahead. Amen.

5 PRAY FOR FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Thursday, May 3, 2018 Scripture: Read I Thessalonians 1:1-5 and Ephesians 6:18-20 Did you know that these first words of Paul to the Thessalonians are the earliest writing in the New Testament (the Greek Scriptures)? First Thessalonians is even older than the Gospels. What are these very first words from a Christian leader? He sends a loving greeting, then he tells them We re always praying for you, and for your ministry. Later, he instructs the Ephesians to pray always in the Spirit and to always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me The Quakers have a deep understanding of the mystery and subtle power of Christ s Spirit. Quakers do not demand. They don t storm the gates of Heaven. They wait upon the Spirit to work in the Spirit s own time and ways. Quakers describe intercessory prayer for people as, holding them in the light. Try it now. Hold Florence Christian s discernment process in your hands as you pray, feeling that you are surrounding it with God s love and blessings. Let God put different aspects into your hands, into the light of the Spirit. (Today s devotion is based on one by Martha Grace Reese in Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism, p. 165.) O God, hold me in the light as your Spirit teaches me to pray and to discern your path for our congregation. Amen.

6 THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL Friday, May 4, 2018 Scripture: Read Mark 6:30-44 The Gospel has a profound ability to help ordinary people live extraordinary lives, and congregations make a huge impact on the lives of people who are engaged in them. There is no other transforming organism in the world like a vital congregation.the goal is for the congregation to make a difference, helping people grow in potential and courage in order to be the people God has truly called us to be. No book is big enough; neither workshops powerful enough nor evangelism committees skillful enough to transform a church. It only happens when people journey together and discover what God is calling them to do. A powerful transformation takes place when congregations comprehend who they are and what God calls them to be. These transformed congregations find a very different way of being church and begin to answer the very questions that people are asking. More simply put, vital congregations transform lives. They do so because people who have unleashed the power of the Gospel in their own lives cannot help but touch the lives of new people who come into contact with them. --By Rick Morse in From Our Doorsteps: Developing a Ministry Plan That Makes Sense, p. vii. The cross is the hope of Christians The cross is the resurrection of the dead The cross is the way of the lost The cross is the staff of the lame The cross is the guide of the blind Te cross is the strength of the weak The cross is the doctor of the sick The cross is the hope of the hopeless The cross is the freedom of slaves The cross is the power of the kings The cross is the water of the seeds The cross is the source of those who seek water The cross is the cloth of the naked We thank you, Lord, for the cross. Amen.

7 REMEMBERING OUR PAST Monday, May 7, 2018 Scripture: Read John 1:1-4 Did you know that Florence Christian Church has been a presence in Northern Kentucky since 1831? We have had a rich history of service to our community. For example, the church was used as a hospital during the Civil War and later, during the 1937 Flood, the church was used to dry out laundry from Booth Hospital. Based upon community needs, an Early Childcare Center, after school program and Senior Living Center were established in The church has always had a heart for the hurting and marginalized and has used its facilities to support healing and wholeness ministry through recovery groups, encouragement and help for the poor and disenfranchised, scouting and youth sporting programs. Our latest outreach endeavors center around providing showers to the homeless and food ministries to the residents of Arcadia Park. Consider your experience with Florence Christian Church. What brought you to the church? What made you decide to be a part of this community of faith? Do you remember a time when you felt the most engaged, alive, and motivated? Who was involved? How did it feel? When you consider all of your experiences at our church, what has contributed most to your spiritual life? List any notes lists, drawings, ideas below as you respond: O God of our ancestors, we give you thanks for our fathers and mothers in the faith, all those who have revealed to us your grace in Christ. We thank you for all the lives that have been touched by Florence Christian Church. Give us the will and the strength to pass it onto others for the glory of your name. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.

8 THANKS AND YES Tuesday, May 8, 2018 Scripture: Read Philippians 4:4-9 While we were still in college, the young woman who would later become my wife gave me a copy of Markings, the spiritual reflections of Dag Hammarkskjold, the formative leader of the United Nations who died in a plane crash in Two lines from the book hooked my soul by then and have stuck with me ever since: For all that has been Thanks! To all that shall be Yes! (Markings, p. 23) Across the years since I first read Hammarkskjold s words, I ve come to the conclusion that in those two lines he described the essence of living a healthy, fruitful life. It s a bold statement that combines the gratitude for the past with the confidence for the future. For all that has been for all the things that have shaped us, all the things that have built us up, all the things that have tried to tear us down, all the influences that have made us who we are we say, Thanks! And to all that shall be to all those promises that are yet to be fulfilled, the expectations that are yet to be realized, the hopes that energize us from the future we say, Yes! --By James A. Harnish in You Only to Die, pp What are the things for which you give thanks in your past? What are the things that we as Florence Christian Church should give thanks for? What promises do you hope God will fulfill through Florence Christian Church? What expectations about the church have yet to be realized? O God, for all that has been, I give you thanks. And for all that shall be, help me have the courage to say yes. Amen.

9 MY BEST MEMORY OF CHURCH Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Scripture: Read Colossians 3:12-17 Read this beautiful scripture about what church should be, can be. Sit in silence for a while and ask Christ to let you review in your mind the most beautiful memories you have ever had in church, the ones that matter the most. Sit silently for several minutes and look at the photo album that Christ will show you. Now, pray for the church pretend you are holding the whole church in your hands. Hold it gently and pray for it. Pray for the building, pray for the people, pray for the pastors. Pray for the congregation s past. Pray for right now. Pray for its future. Pray for yourself in the church. Pray for all the people who aren t there yet, but who might be if God and the church call them there. Close by asking Christ s hands to surround the church and hold it safe now, and before and hereafter. Pray that our church will become the church in Colossians 3. The exercise and prayer is adapted from Unbinding Your Heart: 40 Days of Prayer and Faith Sharing by Martha Grace Reese, p Christ, thank you for the church. We fail, but we repent. Please saturate us with your Spirit. Let us b the most real church we can be. Let us become the church this scripture shows us. Amen.

10 GENERATION TO GENERATION Thursday, May 10, 2018 Scripture: Read Genesis 17:1-7 I heard about a young girl who came to her mother one day and said, You know that heirloom vase that has been handed down in our family from generation to generation? Well, this generation just dropped it! The longer I am part of the life of Hyde Park Church, the more grateful I become for the spiritual heritage that has been passed down, generation by generation, there have been high moments of great vision and growth and there have been moments of disappointment and near despair, Each generation has reshaped and adapted that spiritual heritage to meet the challenges and needs of its time. I stand in amazement that we get to be a part of the passing on of that spiritual heritage in a time of radical change and growth. --By James A. Harnish in You Only Have to Die, p. 181 How have previous generations adapted at Florence Christian? What changes at the church have you experienced? How do we pass on our spiritual heritage? God be in our head, and in our understanding God be in our eyes, and in our looking. God be in our mouth, and in our speaking. God be in our heart, and in our thinking. God be at our end, and at our departing. Amen.

11 CHANGING CULTURE AND COMMUNITY Friday, May 11, 2018 Scripture: Read Romans 12:1-8 Believe in the transforming power of Jesus Christ. I have seen the Christian story impact people s lives and bring wholeness and well-being for many. I also believe that God calls us to explore the Christian story together in faith communities. I believe it is impossible to investigate the scriptures and come to the conclusion that you can be spiritual without a faith community. I have watched many dedicated ministers and laypeople over the past thirty years who have given their lives toward reaching others in their churches, only to be disappointed, confused and finally even cynical. Despite these heroic efforts, congregations are failing at an alarming pace, with more than 50,000 churches closing in the past century and accelerating numbers of people who are unaffiliated with any faith community..in the past decades our culture has undergone a massive shift. However, many of our congregations are stuck in the glory days of the past. Leaders recognize the need to change, but they have not been able to initiate the kind of change needed. --By Rick Morse, From Our Doorsteps: Developing a Ministry Plan That Makes Sense, pp. vi-vii. How has the culture and community changed during your lifetime? Do you think that Florence Christian Church has adapted to the new culture and community around us? Ask God for guidance about how the church can adapt to the new culture and our community. Loving Lord, as you made your love known in a single human life, help us to meet Christ and greet him in every human face, to worship and serve him in every human need, until with him and every man and woman born into the world we share with you the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

12 REFLECTING ON WHO WE ARE TODAY Monday, May 14, 2018 Scripture: Psalm 139:1-14 If you were asked to describe Florence Christian Church to someone who had never been here, what words would you use? What images come to your mind? What feelings surface as you ponder how you would respond to that question? As you reflect on the psalm reading for today, consider what words jump into your mind. What words or phrases stand out? What emotions does this psalm cause you to feel? Does anything surprise you? Record your responses to these questions. Or other thoughts you may have. Revealing God, I would see Jesus. Open my eyes now to Christ s living presence as I attend to your word in holy scriptures and listen for the voice of Christ speaking to me. Though prayer and praise, silence and talking, let me know that Christ is here with me, now and always, Amen.

13 PRAY FOR THE CHURCH Tuesday, May 15, 2018 Scripture: Read Ezekiel 37:1-14 What a scripture! This is a prophecy of prophecies! Have you heard this before? Sometimes people call it Valley of Dry Bones. The Spirit took Ezekiel to a valley filled with dried up bones, and God told Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones and tell them that God would bring them to life (vv ). God told Ezekiel that these bones were the people Israel, the Jews. And God said, I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act (v. 14). Have you ever had a moment when you wondered if the church could make it? There are some dead spots! It s pretty scary after a few of those board meetings, or when you look around the sanctuary and see so much gray hair (or hair that owes its auburn glories to art rather than nature). But look what the Lord promised Israel, and through Christ, promises the church. God can bring our driest, deadest, boniest parts to life! Read this passage again and think about our church and all the churches. Now let s pray in agreement that God s breath will enter the bones and they shall live, that vast multitudes of the faithful will stand before God, and that God will put the Spirit upon us. Pray for the church, oh mortal! Most powerful God, we are yours. The church is yours. I pray, in spiritual agreement with my brothers and sisters of Florence Christian Church, that you bring life, spirit, energy, joy, creativity and power to us and to your church. We hand the dry bones of our lives to you. Please use us for your purposes, for the rest of our lives. Amen.

14 ALWAYS LOOKING AHEAD Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Scripture: Read Mark 16:1-8 One of the gifts of grace that God offers to everyone who walks the way that leads through death to life is a renewed commitment to the future. I learned this lesson from my father, in our last visit before his death. He was only fifty-nine years old. By all odds, he should have had many more years of productive living. But the cancer that had begun in his lungs moved to his brain. He faced his death with an honesty that simply amazed the people around him. When I went to Pennsylvania to see him, I took along the architect s drawings for the first building for St. Luke s United Methodist Church. He had made one trip to Orlando and had seen the vacant field covered with palmetto and scrub pine upon which we would one day build a church. We sat together with the plans spread across his hospital table, talking together about how it would be. Finally, he said, Gee, I wish I could live long enough to see this. He paused for a moment. Then he went on, But I guess that s how it always is. I guess there is always something you d like to live a little longer to see. The truth is that not everyone and not every church has that kind of vision for the church. Some people and some congregations become so bound up in their past that they can no longer see the future. They live as if they have more yesterdays than tomorrows. They act as if every day is Holy Saturday, the day Christ lay in the tomb. They live if that word can be used to describe their existence as if they had never heard the angel at the empty tomb say, He is going ahead of you (Mark 16:7). But people of faith, people who have a heart for God s vision of the future, are always looking ahead. There s always more they would like to be able to see. --By James A. Harnish in You Only Have to Die, p Rouse my spirit, Lord Jesus, that whenever you come to the door and knock, you may fid me awake, ready to admit and serve you. Amen.

15 IMAGINE THE CHURCH Thursday, May 17, 2018 Scripture: Read Acts 2:40-47 On my way home from the doctor s office, I turned on the radio and caught the news. More violence. More bad news about global warming. More political division and rancorous name-calling. More stories of people abusing people sexually, kids with guns, crooked politicians, corrupt business executives. I thought, Somebody should start an organization that would mobilize people recruit then, train them, support them so they could be good people who do something so that the forces of evil don t win in this world. This organization would need to accept people just as they are, infuse them with home, give them a vision for a better world, give them a vision for themselves becoming agents of making that better world a reality. It would need to both practice and preach. Why hasn t somebody started an organization like that? And of course, about a quarter mile down the road I realized that somebody had done just that. In fact, it has cost him everything to do so. But that organization can become so preoccupied with lesser things including its own institutional survival that it forgets why it s really here: to recruit people to switch side and opt out of the vicious cycle and join a cycle of healing. Infuse them with vision, to send them out as change agents, to help them experience transformation and sustain them so they can be lifelong catalysts of transformation, to give them good news to share to counter the bad news that is being reported every hour on the hour.i wonder if you could say a prayer asking God to empower you to help your faith community become the kind of organization that Jesus intended it to be, the kind of organization that helps people the kind of organization that brings good news in a bad-news world. --By Brian McLaren in Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism, p. 5 God, thank you for the gift of your church. Help me to be a part of building it up. Amen.

16 THE FUTURE CHURCH Friday, May 18, 2018 Scripture: Read Revelation 21:1-6 A new church is being born. It may not be the church we expect or want. The church of the future may not include our favorite liturgy or hymn, our central theological principles, or even our denomination! God s promises always arrive with surprises in them. The form of the new world and new church is not in our hands. What is in our hands is the chance to respond to God s call. To put our skills and our wills to the tasks of discerning the opportunity points, the place and time for change effort, and to add our gifts to God s church in this time of change. How God uses our gifts we cannot predict. God is calling people across the face of this country and the world. God s call is to newness for the whole world, not just the church. Those of us who are called into the church have a special vocation to work for the renewal and refreshment of the church, not as an institution out of the past, but as centering presence from which we may serve the new world that God is creating around us. We have been told that God is making things new. God is calling us to participate in that new creation. We have also been told that God s time is now. --Loren B. Mead The Once and Future Church: Reinventing the Congregation for a New Mission Frontier p. 21. In two days, we will meet as a congregation to decide where God is calling us to live out our mission. Prepare your heart in prayer and come ready to share what you have heard. Pray for unity in our wonderful congregation that we may follow God s call. Guide me, guide our church, O Lord, so that we may see your path. Amen