The Church Lived and Experienced

Lectionary Reading............................Daily Reading

After packing more school kits, praying the Pallet Prayer, and inventorying mailed in bed kits and various miscellaneous items, the day ended with a healthy salad dinner and much reflection on the trip. Truly, my own sense is that the Jerusalem Cross "gardening" we have done (doing acts of devotion and compassion) has resulted in the deepening of relationships - amongst Christian friends and with God - the quality of which I have not experienced in a long time. God's Spirit was felt amongst us, speaking to us through Scripture as we learned to listen through lectio divina, softening "hearts of stone" as we thought of the one child the kit we were packing would empower, and opening hearts to appreciate each others uniqueness as each of us strives toward God and fullness of living. This trip has been a blessing! My sense of church has seldom been greater and it has been a real gift to have been part of this trip.

Tomorrow I say goodbye to the Episcopal Church Center of Utah as I head to Dallas to perform a Saturday wedding. What an incredible facility (see photo of parking lot entrance). More importantly I say goodbye to some friends in Christ, whom I appreciate as never before, and who will finish out this "gardening" project that Christ has called each of us on.

I can't help but wonder what mission trip and interior journey God might call members of Community United Methodist Church on next year!

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Community United Methodist Sacred Space (prayers and journal entries can be offered here)

Learn more about the Way of Christ (methods of prayer and take a spiritual types test)

Walking the Labyrinth - A Different Form of Prayer

Lectionary Reading............................Daily Reading

There have been discoveries and rediscoveries on this mission trip to Utah. The Episcopal Church Center where we have been staying has a labyrinth (see photo) in its' grounds and for some this has been an opportunity to experience a new form of prayer, for others a time to rediscover it.

In the photo Jane Wray and Susan Wells walk the labyrinth, journeying inward into the heart of God where inspired insight often leads to change, then journeying back out into the world, there to live life as one better able to walk with God - loved, set free, called. -- by Roger

The labyrinth is a very special and individual experience, different for each of us. My experience walking the labyrinth has been rich and sacred...an invitation to be present with my Lord. It's a time to be in special dialog, a time of deep silence, and a time to listen for the whisper of God's Words and Love.The journey inward invites me to "let go" and simply "be" as the outer path offers a blessing and sense of renewal. -- by Sue Wells

Our days here have been filled, with many new shared experiences for the eight of us -- Roger and the seven of us women. As we spend our days assembling bags filled with school supplies for kids in far off places, we are truly becoming a very unique "small group," a concept Roger talks about frequently. Today, while at work stuffing bags, we decided this small group needed a special name. It was an easy call: "The Preacher and the Bag Ladies!"

Today our team of eight from CUMC, along with 15 from Memphis, Tenn., filled seven pallets with school supply kits. Each pallet holds 28 boxes, each box holds 12 kits. Combined with yesterday's effort, we have added 11 pallets of school kits to the shelves of the UMCOR West depot! These kits replace a portion of the 15,000 school kits shipped from the Depot this week to the children of Gaza. -- by Jane Wray

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Community United Methodist Sacred Space (prayers and journal entries can be offered here)

Learn more about the Way of Christ (methods of prayer and take a spiritual types test)

Burn't Offerings

Lectionary Reading............................Daily Reading

First it was pizza, a late night evening meal. Lori, cooking it in the lounge surrounded by a hungry team, almost set off the fire alarms. Only opening all the doors and windows prevented an unwanted visit by the screaming sirens of the fire engines.

Once there is always grace, twice....? It happened this morning during breakfast... Lori's encore performance. The photo says it all.

It wasn't one of the four Jerusalem Cross "gardening" acts - devotion, worship, compassion or justice - but it sure "fertilized" the trip with a healthy dose of laughter. Who says mission isn't fun?

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Community United Methodist Sacred Space (prayers and journal entries can be offered here)

Learn more about the Way of Christ (methods of prayer and take a spiritual types test)

Mission to Salt Lake City #2

Lectionary Reading........................Daily Reading

Jerusalem Cross "gardening" commenced today in earnest. We began the day with two of the Jerusalem Cross gardening acts: the practice of lectio divina (divine reading), an act of devotion, drawing nearer to God as we learned to listen rather than talk our praying, and the act of compassion, packing school kits for distribution to children of the impoverished West Bank in Palestine.
Assembly lines were formed and at the end of the day 1400 kits had been boxed and pallet-ed. Very movingly, as 28 boxes on a pallet had been saran wrapped, the helpers gathered around, laid hands on the boxes and prayed the Pallet Prayer:

Most Gracious and Loving God, we come together to do your work: One item at a time, One kit at a time, One box at a time, One pallet at a time, to serve One person at a time, who is, One from the multitude of your children in need across this world. Amen.

And together with a mission team of United Methodists from the Memphis Conference we prayed and were deeply touched at what UMCOR is doing through the generosity and time of countless volunteers.

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Community United Methodist Sacred Space (prayers and journal entries can be offered here)

Learn more about the Way of Christ (methods of prayer and take a spiritual types test)

Mission to Salt Lake City #1

Lectionary Reading..........................Daily Reading

Laity Sunday today, saw a group of eight members commissioned for our trip to the UMCOR Depot in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jerusalem Cross "gardening" was about to be put in to practice - acts of devotion (beginning each day with lectio divina, a form of listening prayer) followed by acts of compassion (assembling emergency packs for emergency relief purposes).

A two car convoy took us to Sea-Tac airport and in no time we were winging our way to Salt Lake City. A two hour flight saw us land safely and soon we were safely ensconced in the Episcopal Church Center of Utah located down town, not very far from the Mormon Temple. We had arrived, Roger sleeping in the Episcopal bishop's guest suite.

We are in the process of cooking pizza for a late night supper and blogging our first entry. Tomorrow we will breakfast at 7 a.m. and then at 7:30 a.m. begin our first session of lectio divina, or divine reading (check it out here), as we intentionally explore this approach to prayer as an act of devotion. Then it will be off to continue a week of intentionality as we serve in acts of compassion at the UMCOR Depot, seeking to live out this Methodist Rule of the Christian way.

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Community United Methodist Sacred Space (prayers and journal entries can be offered here)

Learn more about the Way of Christ (methods of prayer and take a spiritual types test)

Nothing if Not on our Hearts

Lectionary Reading...............................Daily Reading

Having the Jerusalem Cross laid out as a garden on church grounds, inlaid into the floor of our sanctuary, and on a kingdomtide banner on one side of the altar, means nothing if it is not imprinted upon our hearts. For the Jerusalem Cross is intended to remind us of our Methodist Rule of Discipleship, or Rule of Life. According to Marjorie Thompson “A rule of life is a pattern of spiritual disciplines that provides structure and direction for growth in holiness...It fosters gifts of the Spirit in personal life and human community, helping to form us into the persons God intends us to be.”

Which is why we at CUMC are trying to live by the General Rule of Discipleship, long neglected by the people called Methodist: "To witness to Jesus Christ in the world and to follow His teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship, and devotion under the guidance of the Holy Spirit."

Living by this General Rule of Discipleship requires discipline - something that is good to do with others, a weekly commitment to being discipled by both the Word and friends in Christ, and, in turn, to helping disciple others. And small groups are where this happens. We have three Lectionary Groups meeting at the moment. But what other small groups are waiting to form? As we hire a youth director, what shape should a youth small group take?
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Community United Methodist Sacred Space (prayers and journal entries can be offered here)

Learn more about the Way of Christ (methods of prayer and take a spiritual types test)