Adult Spirituality Group notes

In response to the questions for Chapter 2 "Communion as a Practice", we were inspired by these two quotes:
1.  "Instead of thinking of Communion as a ghoulish eating of human flesh, think of those who gather at Communion as the body of Christ.  We are the body given for each other.  This is my body, he said, look around you.  When we show up and do our parts, we are the sacrament, the body of Christ.  Do this to remember me.  Do this to remember who you were with me.  Do this to remember who you are."
2.  "Jesus doesn't call us to live in a soft cocoon, distracted and undisturbed, allowing others to pay the costs of our comfort.  When it comes right down to it, Jesus followed where compassion led him, and he bore the cost of what he found.  Jesus asks us to follow where compassion leads and bear the cost of what we find.


For next week: 
Please read Chapter 3 "Waiting", pp. 27-38.   Think about how these questions relate:
1.  What are the things in your life that you keep "buried" when you come to the altar that keep you distracted from the possibilities of communion?
2.  What can you do in the coming week to find the kingdom of heaven in the midst of your everyday life?  How can you help others see it?

Adult Spirituality Group notes

Right now is a great time to join!  We're just reading the first chapter of a new book, entitled The Sacred Meal by Nora Gallagher:

The Sacred Meal
     Unlike every other Christian practice, communion is meant to be done together—as the Gospel of Matthew tells us, where two or three “gathered in my name.” You simply can’t do it by yourself. You can pray alone and fast alone. You can even go on pilgrimage alone. Communion, on the other hand, forces us to be with others.

     But like these other practices, communion has the same intention: to gradually move us out of one place and into another. Author Nora Gallagher says it’s like taking a journey to a foreign land, and she divides the trip into three parts: waiting, receiving, and afterward. While we wait, we sort through our baggage, filled with worry, guilt, anxiety, and pain. Communion teaches us how to receive—that God’s gift of grace comes to us by doing nothing. Finally, we surrender our invisible baggage and, now lightened, are free to reflect upon and understand the journey we have shared.      Gallagher writes,“Every time it is the same, and every time it is different.” This is your family, your table, and act of community—the gathering of the body of Christ.

The Ancient Practices

     There is a hunger in every human heart for connection, primitive and raw, to God. To satisfy it, many are beginning to explore traditional spiritual disciplines used for centuries . . . everything from fixed-hour prayer to fasting to sincere observance of the Sabbath.  Compelling and readable, the Ancient Practices series is for every spiritual sojourner, for every Christian seeker who wants more.

Our tidy group of five revealed our initial perceptions about this church ceremony of Communion to reenact the Last Supper and reclaim our focus on Christ.  Some are more public and social (outwardly bonding), while others are more private and internal (inwardly bonding).  Our book discussion group will certainly help us put organization/words to this 'out of the ordinary' practice in the ensuing weeks.

For next week:  Please read chapter 2, pp. 9 -  25.  Think about how these question sets relate:

1. How does communion build community when it is taken in silence?  How does it bond us, moving us "out of one place and into another?"
2. When human nature causes us to be attracted to those in power over us, how can communion remind us of another type of power, that of Christ's compassion and vulnerability?

I'm making a note that I've taken a sabbatical from the Adult Spirituality Group while you folks read the current book. Please let me know when you finish and what books you plan to read next.

Just as I have found taking notes of and reflecting upon our group discussions of great help to remember and consolidate the scintillating gems into my life, I can recommend the process for others.

Adult Spirituality Group notes

Pastor Dan noted, "The author is right now trying to explore different prayer modalities, how many ways there are to come to God."  For example, in response to our earlier request, Thea offered to the group her heart reflections, What Prayer Means to Me, from a lifetime of refinement of prayer practice:

"Prayer is a habit of awareness; a joy of praise and gratitude; warm communication with God; is meant to be part of our lives like breathing, thinking, and talking; a joyous meeting with God; an uplifting experience of spiritual nature; the love of God and fellow man; is love; active work on God's side; moves God; fulfillment and enrichment; happy habit of companionship, and compassion.  Prayer is the soul's sincere desire and need; connecting with an embracing spirit that fills you completely with a better you."

This led into a rich talk about the nature of God, that one's trying to relate to.  How is communicating to God different than speaking with a psychological therapist?  How is God part of my essential self, versus, how is God another like a counselor?  How is prayer cognitively active problem solving & dialogue, versus, how is it lowering the volume of the surrounding static through silent bonding & merging?
 
For next week, read Chapter 5 (p. 56-69), which will end the first section of the book, "Keeping Company With God".  Also, please try to set aside a time/space for a nugget of concentrated alone time with prayer. 

What an inspiring spring light brightened our church service through our windows today!  It provided perfect context for Pastor Dan's sermon, entitled Earth-Friendly Conversion.  When he was growing up, one of his favorite parts of the Bible was the "Book of Acts".  He inquires of us personally -> "Have we heard God's call this week?"

You can participate to help our church reach three goals.  To get started, please check out the United Church of Christ website - http://www.ucc.org/earth/ that is entitled "For One Earth: 50 Great Days | April 1 - May 19".  It gives inspiring and practical creative suggestions for Planet Earth during 50 great days of greening up, powering down, and shouting out.  It also gives a way to log one's Earth-Friendly Conversion hours, trees, and advocacy letters. 

Adult Spirituality Group notes, 4/7/2013

This week, we all shared our initial hopes what we'll get out of the book Prayer-Does it make any difference?, which we've started to dive into:

We could generally agree that prayer is spending time practicing the relationship with God, more than any particular set of practices.  Participation in our group will help us to articulate, what is otherwise private prayer.  Some feel natural praying, whereas others desire to further develop this habit of attention.  We all expressed openness and interest in the group's feedback and to explore some tools & techniques.  This will help us pray more consciously and productively. 

In prayer, often we're looking for something, beyond merely accepting the muddle of good & bad of our present private moments.  We're supposed to live up to some standards in life. Inquiring within is a way to imbibe divine feedback and stretch beyond, to try to imagine the bigger picture. 

In Psalm 46:10 is written, "Be still and know that I am God."  Sometimes, prayer is not a verbal conversation asking for our selves & dealing with our perceptions at all, but coming back to center to revere God's magnificence and trans-personal plans.  The Bible New Testament also says to pray without ceasing.  This means that prayer is not only through language.  The "wow" part of prayer is through contemplative praise and gratitude.


For next Sunday:  We will be wading through Chapter 3 (p. 30-43).  You are welcome to join our conversation at any time!

Adult Spirituality Group notes, 3/31/2013

We're reading a new book, entitled Prayer: Does it make any difference? (2006), by Philip Yancey.  I transcribe from the back cover -->

" DOES PRAYER CHANGE US OR GOD? 

OR BOTH?

"In his most powerful book since What's So Amazing About Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey probes the very heartbeat--the most fundamental, challenging, perplexing, and deeply rewarding aspect--of our relationship with God.

PRAYER

Does prayer work?  More personally, does it work the way we think it should?  What can we really expect from prayer?

Written by one of the most significant Christian thinkers of our generation, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? explores the questions surrounding prayer that many of us wonder but few of us know how to express."

As we start the book, the group had some fun trying to throw out terms to describe the body/mind psychology in prayer -->
"Prayer is being openly receptive. Echoing. Serenity. Coming back to center. Going deeper.  Getting cleansed from inside and out by inundating oneself in the 'water' (a place of solitude, warmth, & freedom).  Prayer brings expansive feelings.  It's like paying attention to the flow of a river to become aware of the timeless present moment."


FOR NEXT WEEK:  Please read Chapter 2 and contemplate to discuss, "What is it we are hoping to get from this book?"