Missional Ministry in the Grace Margin The Rev. Eric H. F. Law Executive Director Kaleidoscope Institute for competent leadership in a diverse changing world www.kscopeinstitute.org Check out the latest blog post from The Sustainist (Eric H. F. Law) at: http://ehflaw.typepad.com/blog/ Page 1
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Second Sunday of Epiphany John 1:43-51 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." 1. Review Respectful Communication Guidelines. 2. Describe sharing process: Mutual Invitation. 3. First reading: Using mutual invitation, share: A word, phrase or image 4. Second reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does this passage teach you about starting a new ministry? 5. Third reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage? 6. Close with Circle Prayer: I thank God today... I ask God today... Page 5
Third Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:21-28 Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching-- with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. 1. Review Respectful Communication Guidelines. 2. Describe sharing process: Mutual Invitation. 3. First reading: Using mutual invitation, share: A word, phrase or image 4. Second reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What did you learn from this passage about authority in ministry? 5. Third reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage? 6. Close with Circle Prayer: I thank God today... I ask God today... Page 6
Forth Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:29-39 Jesus left the synagogue at Capernaum, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. 1. Review Respectful Communication Guidelines. 2. Describe sharing process: Mutual Invitation. 3. First reading: Using mutual invitation, share: A word, phrase or image 4. Second reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does this passage teach you about missional ministry? 5. Third reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage? 6. Close with Circle Prayer: I thank God today... I ask God today... Page 7
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:40-45 A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. 1. Review Respectful Communication Guidelines. 2. Describe sharing process: Mutual Invitation. 3. First reading: Using mutual invitation, share: A word, phrase or image 4. Second reading: Using mutual invitation, share: How does it mean for you to ask Christ to choose to cleanse you? 5. Third reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage? 6. Close with Circle Prayer: I thank God today... I ask God today... Page 8
Last Sunday of Epiphany Mark 9:2-9 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 1. Review Respectful Communication Guidelines. 2. Describe sharing process: Mutual Invitation. 3. First reading: Using mutual invitation, share: A word, phrase or image 4. Second reading: Using mutual invitation, share: How does it mean for you to listen to the Beloved Son of God? 5. Third reading: Using mutual invitation, share: What does God invite you to do, be or change through this passage? 6. Close with Circle Prayer: I thank God today... I ask God today... Page 9
Congregation Development and Stewardship The Kaleidoscope Institute For Competent Leadership in a Diverse Changing World www.kscopeinstitute.org Holy Currencies The Kaleidoscope Institute provides resources for congregation development and stewardship in two ways: 1. Consultation with congregations: We consult with individual or a group of congregations to explore how they can move toward becoming missional and finding new and exciting ways to be sustainable do more with less. 2. Leadership training courses offered through out the year a. Holy Currencies Discover other currencies (time, place, leadership, relationship, truth and wellness) besides money that can be utilized to build sustainable missional ministries. b. Missional Ministry in the Grace Margin moving your congregation from fear to grace, from holding on to power to sharing blessings, from maintenance to authentic relational new expression of ministries. c. Models and Processes for Community Transformation tools for transitional/interim ministries, innovative change process and faithful transformation. 2012 Courses and Worships in Los Angeles: Feb. 27 March 2: Holy Currencies - Creating Sustainable Missional Ministry March 14-18: Face To Face - Creative Worship for a Diverse Changing World July 16-20: Missional Ministry in the Grace Margin Model and Process for Community Transformation For more information, see website: www.kscopeinstitute.org. Also, check out the weekly blog The Sustainist Spirituality for Sustainable Community in a Networked World posted by the Rev. Eric H. F. Law, the Executive Director of the Kaleidoscope Institute: http://ehflaw.typepad.com/blog/ Page 10