JERUSALEM CROSS GARDENING...OF SOIL AND SOUL: Mission to Salt Lake City #1

Sunday, October 17, 2010

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 i

n 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 win

ging 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)

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About Jerusalem Cross Gardening

In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

(James 1: 21. The Message)

Jerusalem Cross Gardening...of Soil and Soul

...of Soil (Pleasure)

Cilantro. Basil. Mint. Garlic. Planted in the four little crosses of my raised-bed in my potager garden, these herbs will add flavor to family dishes - think picante sauce, pesto and hummus - bringing taste and pleasure to our meals.

...and of Soul (Purpose)

But there is more. The same four little crosses reminds us of the four acts that deepen faith - acts of devotion, worship, compassion and justice - flavoring the pleasures of life with divine intention.

Just as the herbs flavor our meals, regular engagement of the four acts help flavor our witness to the way of Christ in the world, bringing purpose (Bread of Heaven) to pleasure (bread of the earth) and a holy spice to lives God uses to "landscape" the world.

Jerusalem-Cross-Gardening for Small Groups:

To spice up your life, consider joining a weekly small group. Meet regularly with friends for contemplation, reading scripture, and fellowship. Allow the Word to landscape your life. Share how you have "witnessed to Jesus Christ in the world through the acts of devotion, worship, compassion and justice under the guidance of the Holy Spirit" each week as a way of mutually encouraging one another in your spiritual walk.

We're all invited to the divine dance. Join the journey. Jerusalem-Cross-Gardening-of-soil-and-soul invites us onto the "Trinity-mapped" playground of God where Christ plays in creation (Father), history (Jesus) and community (Holy Spirit). (Eugene Peterson).