Sacred Space – Small Group Resources

Year A, Letters

Ordinary Time Proper 27

Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25 NRSV

Gathering

Welcome

Ordinary Time is the period in the Christian Calendar from Pentecost to Advent. This part of the Christian calendar is without major festivals or holy days. During Ordinary Time we focus on our discipleship as individuals and as a faith community.

Prayer for Peace

Ring bell or chime three times slowly.

Light Peace Candle

Today’s Prayer for Peace is inspired by the hymn: “Whatever You Do,” Community of Christ Sings 355

By Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

“In prisons and jails, Lord, we find a surprise; we see you in people whom others despise.”

Spirit of Compassion, We come feeling convicted. We all have those people in our lives–the ones we call lazy when they make more work for us; the ones we call aggressive when they scare us; the ones we call annoying who we avoid; the ones we call violent who we lock up. It is in our human nature to push these people, the despised ones, away.

Yet, when we push them away, we push away peace. For in each of these people is you–and how can we know peace without you? You are in each and every person. You are in their relaxation and their passion, in their insistence and in their suffering. Give us courage and an open heart to draw the despised ones close–close enough to see you in their eyes.

In the name of Jesus, who dined and died with criminals, Amen

Spiritual Practice

Holy Listening

Today’s spiritual practice will focus on the Enduring Principle: All are Called. All people have gifts to share in community. By practicing Holy Listening, we can learn more about the ways people are feeling called to share their giftedness and how we can support one another in those calls.

Ask the person next to you to join you in conversation. Find a spot in the room to get comfortable and face one another. You will take turns sharing your stories of how you sense the gifts God has given you and how you feel called to share those gifts. You will each have 5 min to share. During this time the listener will just listen and nod, but not comment. At the end of the 5 min period, the listener may respond with this one sentence. “I noticed that……..” Then switch places and repeat.

Before you begin, please repeat this prayer with me “Help me be wholly present to this human being.” (repeat)

Start the timer. After 5 min remind the listeners to say their one sentence response and invite them to switch places.

Start the timer again.

When each person is done sharing remind the listeners to say their one sentence. Then ask the group to share any insights or reflections on this spiritual practice.

Sharing Around the Table

Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25 NRSV

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac,

“Now, therefore, revere the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the LORD. Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living, but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went and among all the peoples through whom we passed, and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, we will serve the LORD!” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

After the death of Moses, God commissions Joshua to lead the Israelites to the promised land.

But before entering their promised land Joshua gathered all the Israelites. He wanted to share a reminder about the generous nature and miracles of God in guiding and delivering them on their journey. Joshua then further taught the Israelites to put aside the gods of their ancestors and serve only the Lord in sincerity and faithfulness.

After many long years of wandering and bloody battles, one can imagine this eager group rolling their eyes as they impatiently wait for Joshua, now an old man, to finish his speech. They were keen to enter their lands. But Joshua presses on with a reminder about God’s covenant to all people, and says, “choose this day whom you will serve.”

The people agreed to serve the Lord and Joshua recorded this covenant as law.

Sometimes we are too eager to move on to the next exciting project. We often don’t take time to reflect on the journey we’ve just completed and how the steadfast presence of God has been with us. At the same time, the lure of false gods (money, power, fear, etc.) scream for our attention and distract us from our relationship with our Creator. This story of Joshua reminds us we too are a people of God. And we are called to “incline [our] hearts to the Lord.”

Questions:

1. How have you been distracted by the false gods of money, fame, material belongings, or power?

2. When have you been eager to move ahead to the next exciting adventure and not looked back to reflect on the presence of God along the way? How might this practice of reflection be important?

3. At this point in your relationship with God, in what ways do you serve?

Sending

Generosity Statement

” Beloved Community of Christ, do not just speak and sing of Zion. Live, love, and share as Zion: those who strive to be visibly one in Christ, among whom there are no poor or oppressed.” Doctrine and Covenants 165:6a

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing small-group ministries as part of your generous response. This offering prayer is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:

Discipling God,

As we navigate our world of debt and consumerism, help us to save wisely, spend responsibly, and give generously. In this way may we prepare for the future and create a better tomorrow for our families, friends, the mission of Christ, and the world. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn CCS 193 “Lord of All Hopefulness”

Closing Prayer

Optional Additions Depending on Group

• Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper

• Thoughts for Children

Thoughts for Children

You will need:

Pieces of paper, larger the better (2 per participant) Markers

Our breath is a powerful tool. Our breath gives us life, we can use it to blow bubbles or to make a wish on our birthday. But did you know your breath can also help you when you feel stressed, scarred, or anxious? When you become more aware of your breath, you can control it and use it to help you feel better. Today, we are going to try a spiritual practice that will help us be more mindful of our breath. You can use this practice to calm yourself or to create space to be closer to God.

For this practice, you will each need two pieces of paper and a marker. At first, it is important that you ONLY use one of your pieces of paper.

Today, we are going to draw our breath. There is no right or wrong way to do this, what is important is that you become more aware of your breath. Place your marker down on your paper and visualize your breath as a line and draw what it looks like on your paper. As you notice your breath, try representing it with different types of lines. Try changing your breath, breathe faster or slower, and pay attention to how these changes impact the lines you draw to represent your breathing. Now try drawing different types of lines and matching your breathing to what you have drawn.

Now, get your second sheet of paper. This time, focus on deep, slow breathing for relaxation. Again, draw lines that represent this type of breathing. Continue for a few minutes to let yourself relax into the calming sensations of breathing and drawing. When your body feels relaxed, set your marker down and just breath. End your time together by taking three deep breaths.