Month: December 2014

Reading 1 (Living): The River
Reading 2 (Homecoming): Hidden Work

We have been on an incredible journey together this Advent, and we want honor each of you for engaging it so fully and with such honesty and openness.

In these final short readings Henri invites us to ponder how all that we’ve read and shared here can bear fruit.  He reminds us that the disciplines we discussed will bear fruit when we live them in surrender to God:

“There is a moment in our lives when we stand before the desert and want to do it ourselves.  But there is a voice that comes to us, ‘Let go.  Surrender.  In this parched land, I will make you fruitful.  Yes, trust me.  Give yourself to me” (p55, Living).

“So let’s wait for the Spirit to be revealed more fully to us, teaching us how to be at home in God’s home, and calling us to new forms of community and new acts of service” (p 58, Homecoming).

a) You are invited to take a moment to reflect on this discussion, and articulate what you will take away with you, and apply to your life.  Please share your “take away” with us.

Again, we are so very grateful for each of you, and the Spirit of God who has moved in and through you.  We trust that this time we have shared will indeed bear much fruit.

We also want to remember in gratitude John Mogabgab, who did such an excellent job of sharing Henri’s teaching through these books.

Each of you is warmly invited to join the Lenten book discussion – we hope to “see” you again in February.

Yours sincerely,

Ray and Brynn

Reading from Spirituality of Living: Ministry
Reading from Spirituality of Homecoming: The Reward and The Promise

This week we have another set of challenging and enriching readings, and once again this week there is a wonderful connection between the two books.  In Living we reflect on ministry and in Homecoming Henri shows us the reward and the promise in ministering to others.

1) In the reading from Spirituality of Living, Henri helps us understand, and live out, our call to ministry.  Henri reminds us that “all disciples of Jesus are called to ministry.”  But he goes on to say that “ministry is not, first of all, something that we do…” (p44).
a) Did your understanding of ministry change through this reading?  What was your previous understanding of ministry and what is your current understanding?

2) Henri talks about two disciplines of ministry:  gratitude – to help people become grateful for life even with pain, and compassion – suffering together.
a) How do you see these two disciplines fitting together?
b) Do you naturally tend towards one or the other?
c) How might one practically develop these disciplines?

3) In Homecoming Henri reminds us that the reward of following Jesus is knowing His joy, and we can live that out through celebration.  The promise we have in following Him, and ministering on His behalf, is that he will be with us always. 
a) As you reflect back on 2014, have you celebrated the joy of the life that God gives you?  Can you recall special moments that you knew were a gift from God?
b) After participating in this Advent journey, are you more aware of practicing the presence of God through prayer and service?  How can you take this into the new year?

As always, please share whatever you find meaningful, whether based on these questions, the readings, and your reflections on our journey thus far.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Ray and Brynn

Reading from Spirituality of Living: Community
Reading from Spirituality of Homecoming: The Challenge & The Cost

We began our Advent journey by talking about the importance of creating space for God in our daily lives.  Last week we explored God’s heart behind the discipline of solitude – that he wants us to hear and know deeply that we are his Beloved.

1) This week Henri invites us to reflect on the discipline and blessing of community, because “solitude always calls us to community (p33, Living).
a) Why do you think solitude calls us to community?
b) Who makes up your current community?
c) Are you experiencing a time of loneliness?
d) Are you feeling stirred to deepen your current community or widen your community?

2) The discipline of community seems to involve a process: first Henri us invites to recognize that other people in our community are not God, and simply cannot love us perfectly.  He invites us to release them from this expectation, and also to forgive ourselves for not being able to love in this way.  From the strength that comes from solitude we can have the perspective to trust the good intention behind the behaviour of those around us; “I know you love me…” (p 37).  Finally we are called to actively celebrate and call forth the gifts of the those around us.
a) Have you had someone in your life who saw and drew forth your gifts?  How did it affect your life?
b) Have you had the opportunity to draw forth the gifts of another?  What was happening in your times of solitude that gave you the resources to do this?

In Homecoming he reminds us that living in community comes with a challenge and at a cost.

3) In The Challenge Henri writes, “An enemy is someone we have defined as being against us, in contrast to those who are for us.”  Therefore, to live in community–any community, a church, a school or workplace, even a family–is to have “enemies” at times.  And how are we to live with our enemies?  Henri challenges us to take the difficult steps to pray for them and to do small acts of service for them.  
a) This week reflect on who your enemies might be and how specifically you can respond to the challenge.  If you are comfortable, share what you discover.

4) Moving to The Cost we learn, “The cost of following Jesus is to take up our cross.”  We each carry our personal cross of “the small things, the little irritations, that occupy our mind the whole day like a toothache.  It can be a person, a situation, or an unfulfilled hope.”  Henri calls us to merge our cross with that of Jesus and he suggests a prayer that includes, “My burden will be your burden, and your burden will fill me with life and new hope.”  
a) This week strive to make Henri’s prayer your own and, if comfortable, share your experience.

We very much look forward to hearing from you all this week!

Ray and Brynn