Exploring Intentionality in 2009!

One of the things we hope to do in 2009 is to explore ways to become more intentional about our individual and communal spiritual lives. We want to engage the desire and the goal of growing closer to God and growing our faith. Towards that goal we have started discussing "weekly graces" on Sunday mornings, that are a special focus for our prayers and activities for the coming week.

August Weekly Graces:

Week of August 30th... David has some of the most amazing prayer lines in Psalm 51! We are holding part of verse 12 in our hearts this week, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation..."
As we've talked about a "presence based" evangelism we've illustrated that it begins with "being" good news, not just "wording" good news. And our "being" begins with our experience of salvation, salvation = God's presence. So, we pray to be restored.

Week of August 23rd... we talked on Sunday about what evangelism might be for us, growing out of the presence of God in our lives. We centered on three big ideas: God is real. God is near. God is love. In our worship time we had magazines and scissors and glue to collage about those ideas. If you missed worship, do any images or ideas come to mind as you think about those three statements? Want help wrestling with all three or any one of the three? Can you imagine ways to communicate those ideas to someone else?

Week of August 16th... Mirrors. We'd like to change the way you look in your mirror. Have you stopped lately to think about what your face says to people? Does your expression welcome people to your presence or push them away? We're not talking about beauty in a modeling sense, but the beautiful welcome written in your smile and warmth.

Week of August 9th... we talked Sunday about prayer that seeks God, not just something from
God. As an action for the week, or intention, we talked about the importance of making a space
for prayer, a physical space. Do you have a special space to which you can retreat and focus on
prayer in your home? How about making one?

Week of August 2nd... there was no weekly grace this week, just a celebration of
bring here with CiB for two years! Thank you! Thank God!

July's Weekly Graces:

Week of July 19... the Weekly Grace this week was to explore the daily presence of the Lord's Prayer as a centering place. The words keep us so mindful of a humble, lovely posture that recognizes God's grace and our role in forgiveness and reconciliation.

Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
They kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.

Week of July 12... Where is conflict brewing or already erupting in your life? Sunday's discussion was a challenge to start with yourself and managing your own part in any conflict and needed resolution. So, is there a conflict in your life that is begging for God to be brought to center stage and made sovereign? If so, start now by prayerfully writing down a name or a brief description of that conflict, draw an outline of the cross over that thing/person, and ask God to own it and begin to make any needed changes in your heart. You're not doing any voodoo here, you're just tangibly bringing that conflict, and yourself, to God.

Week of July 05...  Taking the "Slippery Slope" from Sunday's study to heart, the weekly grace is to intentionally reflect and about our individual tendencies to react to conflict in destructive ways, either by "faking" or by "breaking" the peace instead of moving constructively to resolve things and "making" peace. Don't know what I'm referring to? You will after you look at the notes from Sunday! Me, Todd, I tend to "fake" it, denying or simply avoiding conflict. But, I need to move toward a more healthy and God Glorifying habit of responses that authentically make peace in rough situations. How about you?

Previous Weekly Graces:

July & August 2009

May & June 2009

March & April 2009

January & February 2009