In our last session of spiritual discernment together, we focus on three areas of action and split into groups for each one. The areas of focus that have risen to the surface in our conversations have been: Community Connections, Youth & Children, and Music. How can our church take the next faithful steps in each of those areas?
To look at and use the worksheet to think about each focus area, click here.
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Bible Study
This week we continue working in small groups to review what we've heard and felt so far. That will help us hear/see what God has been doing for us and is leading us towards. We spend time coming up with a few key items (issues, words, activities, opportunities, challenges, interests) that are emerging from us that can lead to action.
To look at and use the group worksheet for the week, click here.
The first step of spiritual discernment is focusing on God’s presence with you and love for you. Then you ground your heart in gratitude. So what are we grateful for, in our community together as a church? We listen for key words that stand out, and we think about previous conversations we’ve had. What things were positive, and what were disappointing? We listen to our hearts tonight as we listen for the Holy Spirit.
To look at and use the group worksheet for the week, click here.
To really determine where God is calling you next requires lots of prayer, mindfulness, imagination, and openness. We also must be willing to let go of what we hold onto, if God calls us elsewhere. Some attachments we have are nurturing, some hold us back, and some can go either way, depending on our relationship with them. So does your weekly routine give you a helpful rhythm, or does your routine control you?
Scripture verses read: Hebrews 12:1; Luke 9:62; John 8:36; Galatians 5:13.
In this Bible study series, we’re thinking about how to figure out what God wants us to do. Not how to pray for God to do the things we want, but to spend time in prayer discerning where God is calling us—as individuals and as a church. Spiritual discernment has been practiced since the very beginning of Christianity. It’s usually not easy—as individuals or as a group—but it is necessary in order to grow and continue following God.
Read Acts 15:1-21 here.
Tonight we hear from both Palestinians and Israelis about what it's like to live in the Palestinian Territories, which Israel controls. There is a lot that is undefined for the residents of those places (the West Bank and the Gaza Strip), which raises anxiety. And the many separation barriers lead to lives being separated too.
This week we talk specifically about the city of Jerusalem. It's considered holy by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. So there are many holy sites in the city, but that makes it a contentious situation, as everyone wants to control it. We learn about who controlled what parts of the city throughout history, and yearn for the possibility of peace. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Christians led the way in making Jerusalem a city of peace.
In this session we continue the timeline of what events happened in the Holy Land, from 1948 onward—what changed, and how it affected the local population. We also watch an interview with a local Palestinian who is a Christian peacemaker, as we think about how we can join in the work to "seek peace and pursue it" (Psalm 34:14).
Over the last 150 years, the Holy Land has experienced a lot of changes in terms of who has controlled and moved into it. Different populations, empires, and countries have impacted what life has been like for those who were living there. We learn a lot about that timeline, hear from a Jewish rabbi there, and talk about what the emotional effects have been.
This week we start a new series to help us learn about the historical and modern-day situation in the area we call the Holy Land—the stretch of land featured in the Bible that is important to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The situation there is deep and complex, so we will spend many weeks learning about different aspects of it. In this first week we learn about Christians who have lived in Palestine since the very beginning of the Christian church.
The missionaries we learn about this week are doing something great that we all can do: using the specific gifts they have to help people's lives be more abundant. Andy teaches young people how to repair cars, and Jutta helps women setup small businesses to provide for their families. All of the support, encouragement, and empowerment comes from the love of Christ and with the love of Christ. What skills and passions do you have?
Read John 10:10 online here.
Unfortunately Pastor Stuart forgot to press record to make a video of the good Bible Study discussion we had this time. But you can still learn about the missionaries we met that our church offerings support.
Rick & Lita Sample work with immigrants in the San Francisco area. (Learn about them here!) Many of the people they serve are refugees from Burma. There are over a hundred different ethnicities in Burma, and the Karen people are an oppressed minority. The Samples help them navigate life in the States and connect with a Christian church where they can worship in their own language. That is true hospitality: one that welcomes, helps, and always respects.
We watched two short videos with some of the Karen people there in San Francisco. Zar Blue Paw talks about what life was like back in Burma and now in the US (watch that video here). Kyaw Soe is the pastor of the Karen church, and he talks about how meaningful it is for them to worship together (watch the video here).
The Samples' ministry is guided by 1 Peter 4:7-11 (read it here), which says that one of the ways we can show God's love is by welcoming people. So how can we, with our mission field of Weaverville, be inspired by the Samples' work in their mission field?
We take a look at some more great missionaries that we support. The Normans help their community in Barcelona realize the blessings and presence of God that is already within them. Many people there don't think church is for them and don't have a network of support. But by forming relationships, the Normans can minister to both physical and spiritual needs.
Read 1 Kings 17:8-16 online here.
The handout was a recipe for Spanish pizza that the Normans use around their table. Try it here!
To learn more about Matt & Michelle's ministry, click here.
Over the last few weeks during Wednesday Bible Study we've been using paintings and artwork to illuminate our thoughts and study. If you missed any weeks and want to see some of the highlights, CLICK HERE to view a folder of artwork.
As you look at the images, what do you see? What does the painting make you feel or think of? Why do you think the artist chose the design they did for that Bible passage?
Creation
The weekly Wednesday Bible Study won’t be recorded and posted online for the next few weeks, because the lights will be off in the Fellowship Hall while we do something different. As we work our way through the Bible, we’ll use pieces of art to help illuminate our Bible study. The art pieces will be taken from a collection called the Saint John Bible, with images inspired by many biblical stories and passages. It is a modern work in the style of medieval illuminated Bibles. To learn more about it, explore the Saint John Bible website here. To see some of its images, click here. (This week was an introduction, overview, and discussion about Genesis 1.) As you look at the images, what do you see?
At the end of the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, thousands of people decided to give their lives to God and follow Jesus. This week we read how that happened. When Peter gave a speech to help people in the crowd understand, he didn't try to manipulate them; he just told them the truth. Then they were "cut to the heart" and asked what to do. We'll think about what we can learn from that incredible moment.
Read Acts 2:36-41 online here.
When the Holy Spirit filled up Jesus' disciples on Pentecost, it was a dramatic, incredible day. To explain it, Peter quotes from the Old Testament prophet Joel about what will happen when God's Spirit gets poured out. Some of it sounds great to us, but some of it might sound a little unnerving and even scary. But with God's Spirit, there is always always hope.
Read Acts 2:12-21 online here.
Jesus says that if we love him, we'll obey his commands. We talk about what those are this week, but they're not easy. Fortunately Jesus said that God would send a Spirit to act as our Counselor and Advocate. So we talk about all the ways that God's Holy Spirit helps us.
Read John 14:15-21 online here.
Where are we going in life, and how do we get there? In Jesus' last speech to his disciples before he was killed, he said he was going to his Father's house and would come back to take them with him. The disciples were confused because they were thinking physically and geographically. Jesus, of course, was talking spiritually—more abstract ideas than concrete ones. He wants the disciples to realize that the "way" to get where they need to go is the "Way" of Jesus. As long as we follow that Way, we will always be on the right path.
Read John 14:1-14 online here.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem the week he was crucified, it was a wild day. Crowds full of all kinds of people were shouting, people were wondering what was going on, and the whole city was "stirred" because of the "turmoil." We think about how that translates to our lives. When something wild happens, what do we make of it? Who are the crowds in our lives, and what are the special holy places we can go to?
Read Matthew 21:1-11 online here.