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.

December Weekly Graces:

Sunday, December 20... How do we concretely choose to wait the Christ Child instead of just waiting for Santa Claus? How do we handle an invitation to join this amazing Advent story? The Week's Grace and meditation is in the Fourth Sunday of Advent notes!

Sunday, December 13... We have a meditation on praise in our lives found in the message notes from the Third Sunday of Advent.

Sunday, December 06... We looked this past weekend at what a gracious man was this Joseph, chosen to be the earthly father of Jesus. A short, directed meditation is included in the message notes from the Second Sunday of Advent!

Sunday, November 29... The weekly grace is a meditation on the Annunciation to Mary in Luke 1... it's found in the message notes from the First Sunday of Advent.

Sunday, November 22... Next Sunday begins Advent! As we wrap up the month of Sundays talking about Creation Care, and here are this past Sunday's Message Notes, we are asking ourselves two questions: 1) what have I taken away from this look at God's love of creation and vital connection to creation? and 2) what am doing to prepare for Advent? Want a devotional guide? We have some at the church building, or you could probably go get a cup of java at Barnes & Noble and pick out a nice one!

Sunday, November 15... We are following up on two ideas with this weekly grace: 1) making a Thanksgiving response to God, and 2) the idea of "gleanings" from our lives that benefit the poor around us. God gives us much so that we can make a response which blesses those around us. Check out the Sunday Message Notes for ideas on how that might look in your life!

Sunday, November 08... Thanksgiving will be here before you know it! What a weird mesh of things: gratitude and unrestrained self-indulgence. At least, I plan to do some serious eating. How about developing a Thanksgiving response to God that especially honors the Creation around you? Check out the Sunday Message Notes from the 8th to get some ideas!

Sunday, November 01... As we started the month of Creation Care (Sunday's Message Notes) we asked where you might be plugging in with your gifts and abilities? Where do your interests take you in response to God's incredible love of creation? Are you interested in pollution, watersheds, litter, conservation, the extinction of species, impact on poverty or something else?  If God is going to love creation, then we will, too!

Previous Weekly Graces:

September & October 2009

July & August 2009

May & June 2009

March & April 2009

January & February 2009