Acts of Kindness
"…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” —Matthew 20:28
We are continuing a response in obedience as a church to intentionally turn outward from ourselves to our neighbors in love. During Lent, we are asking God to specifically direct us in ways to serve, to voluntarily show acts of kindness and love, to meet the needs of those God puts in our path, and to plan to show up for our neighbors.
Jesus gives us the example as one who came to serve and to pour his life out for others. Let join together in union with Jesus to serve as the Holy Spirit leads us this Lent. We will be sharing more resources and opportunities to serve over the coming weeks.
Translated ‘sacred reading’, this ancient practice offers a way to read the Scriptures slowly and prayerfully.
Spend daily time with Jesus through the Gospels. There are many ways that you might select a Gospel reading for the day. The main thing is simply to find a passage that is a manageable length for the time you have set aside.
Use Israel’s prayer book as a starting place for honest conversation with God.
Some people find it easier to engage with God while out in creation or while moving their bodies.
Experiment with employing various postures as you spend time with God in prayer.
This ancient practice provides for a prayerful reflection on the day typically undertaken shortly before going to bed.
This keystone practice involves setting aside one day a week to rest, to cease from your work, and simply enjoy God, our relationships, and creation.
Prayer is our opportunity to interact with the Creator God and participate in his work of bringing redemption to earth.
We can practice compassion by practicing to see others. Allow their pain and need to move us. Take action.
We are continuing a response in obedience as a church to intentionally turn outward from ourselves to our neighbors in love.
Fasting may feel like an intimidating activity, but it is a spiritual discipline that is open to anyone. Not everyone will fast, but everyone can.
Make a plan for how each week or each day you can serve or show love to your neighbors, especially the poor among us.
Every day during Epiphany, we can join God in the renewal of the world through our prayers of intercession.
Each season we share an “inhale” practice to grow to be more like Christ as well as an “exhale” practice to put the love of Christ into action in the outflow of our lives.
These two practices make up a powerful formative duo that have been relied upon by followers of Jesus across the ages.
In our time and context it may feel challenging or embarrassing to speak openly about faith in Christ, but there are some powerful and important reasons to overcome those difficulties.