From the Vicar….

During my time here as your vicar, one of my responsibilities is to plan, develop and implement a project that enhances congregational life. When Zion took the Natural Church Development (NCD) survey earlier this year, the results showed that Passionate Spirituality is the characteristic that would “most strengthen the character of the church’s life together.” (http://archive.elca.org/outreach/ncd/missiontheology.html)

There are many ways that we as individuals and as a congregation can practice our spirituality. In talking with Pastor Whitlock and others about how congregational spirituality has looked in the past, ideas for the future were mentioned; among them was a prayer labyrinth that would be part of a larger memorial garden installed on the church grounds. Labyrinths are ancient, dating back 5000 years or more; they are mostly circular, reflecting the basic movement of creation. In the Middle Ages, the labyrinth became a Christian symbol and many churches at that time installed them directly into their floors, allowing people to walk the path as a means of prayer, meditation, and personal devotion. Unlike a maze, a labyrinth has a single path, albeit a circuitous one, which leads to the center without any intersections or dead ends…there also aren’t any short cuts.

While it isn’t practical to install a permanent labyrinth on the church grounds at this time, I will be painting one on canvas. It will be completed by the end of January, in time for the congregational leadership retreat. After that time, it will be available to the congregation for use at any time, with special emphasis for using it as a spiritual discipline during the season of Lent and at other times during the church year. I will need help to complete this project on time, and it’s also important to me that the congregation have ownership in this. If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know. I will be writing more about prayer labyrinths and their usages in next month’s Visitor but, in the meantime, if you have questions about them please feel free to ask me.

May God continue to richly bless you!

From the Vicar….

While at the congregational retreat at Camp Koinonia several weeks ago, I had the luxury of being able to spend almost an hour each morning in prayer and devotional time with God. I’d like to be able to say that I’m able to devote that same amount of time, or more, every morning in a non-retreat setting but the truth is that most days my schedule simply doesn’t allow for it. I do know, though, that even when I’m only able to spend 15 minutes in prayer (or 10, or even 5) before my day is in full swing that it makes a remarkable difference in my outlook.

In a nutshell, it keeps me grounded in God. If you’re already in a daily practice of prayer and devotion, keep at it! If you’re not, I encourage you to begin right now! There are many resources available both in print and online to help you get started. Zion provides quarterly devotional booklets, available in the Narthex, that follow the lectionary. Some online resources that follow the lectionary include http://prayingthemystery.blogspot.com/ and http://www.coslcgrace.blogspot.com/ . And the ELCA offers a weekly Bible Study, available for download, called “Daily Discipleship” (http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Discipleship/Christian-Education/Daily-Discipleship.aspx) that also follows the lectionary.

There’s no shortage of turmoil or distress in the news these days, and even day-to-day life can get to us at times. Spending daily time in prayer and with God’s word doesn’t guarantee that we won’t ever feel confused or angry, but it is essential for keeping us centered and grounded in God. It cultivates assurance in God’s faithfulness to us and that sense of peace that can only come from God. My prayer for you is that you are able to carve out some time in your hectic days to find peace and oneness with God, whose peace surpasses all understanding.

May God continue to richly bless you!

From the Vicar….

In our Tuesday evening Bible study we have been discussing the Biblical foundation for Christian stewardship. While regular tithing is certainly a part of what it means to be a faithful steward, we have also been talking about what it means to be a responsible steward of God’s creation – remembering that in Genesis 1:28, when God called humans to “have dominion over…every living thing that moves upon the earth”, it was with the intent that we care for it.

Earlier this spring, I attended a workshop that trained seminarians to be leaders in raising awareness about environmental issues. Among the principles we studied were that the Bible mandates that care for creation is fundamental to our human vocation, and Earth-care is integral to our Christian commitment and spiritual discipline. In short, we were reminded of the role to which God calls human beings as stewards of creation and the magnitude of responsibility it entails.

We are called to consider how our daily decisions impact creation; we are called to advocate for earth-friendly laws and policies in the public realm; we are called to participate in hands-on projects that benefit habitats in our local community. What motivates us to do all of these things with integrity is not fear, anger or guilt but rather the love and grace that God faithfully continues to bestow on all of creation. In the coming weeks, as we prepare to renew our stewardship commitments to God’s church, I encourage you to reflect on God’s faithfulness to you as an individual and as a member of God’s creation and let it inspire you. As you celebrate what you are already doing, prayerfully consider ways in which you might more faithfully participate and give of your time, talent and treasure.

May God continue to richly bless you!

From the Vicar….

I sincerely thank each and every one of you for making my transition here a smooth one.  My home and office are wonderful!!  I could not have asked for a better welcome, and I’m enjoying meeting everyone & learning more about life here at Zion.

We’ve just begun a study on “Opening the Book of Faith” in the Prayer & Praise group.  This book is a part of the initiative adopted at the 2007 ELCA churchwide assembly to promote fluency “in the first language of faith, the language of Scripture, in order that we might live into our calling as a people renewed, enlivened, empowered, and sent by the Word.” (Opening the Book of Faith, vii)  Prayer & Praise meets twice monthly, on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 7:30pm – come join us!

I will also be leading a Bible Study on Stewardship beginning Tuesday, September 9th.  We will meet weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00pm-7:15pm, and the study will coincide with Zion’s Stewardship Campaign, “Faithful, Hopeful, Loving.”  Among the stewardship principles we will study more closely are:  giving is a spiritual matter, giving is an expression of love and gratitude, and earthly possessions are temporary.  I look forward to seeing you there!