Text:

Nehemiah 2:11-15

Takeaways:

• Service is responding with mercy and love, not having all the answers.
• The opportunity to respond is around us all the time.
• Look at how Jesus did what he did, and do it well like that.
• Take regular time this week to pray Psalm 139:1, followed by a time of silence. Pay attention and write down anything you hear about who you are.

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Romans 12:16-21

Takeaways:

• Don't be a jerk. Least wise, try real hard.
• Same goes for being a baby.
• Always remember when we start hating people or groups of people that we all have been told different stories.
• Living at peace is not the same as agreeing with everyone.

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Matthew 25:14-30

Takeaways:

• Sometimes, the first movement is turning around.
• Where am I stuck right now?
• What am I afraid of right now?
• What is the first thing I need to do?

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Psalm 29

Takeaways:

• Go to coffee with someone you know has suffered a lot and listen to what they have to share.
• Read something by Brennan Manning

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Psalm 126

Takeaways:

• Go to coffee with someone you know has suffered a lot and listen to what they have to share.
• Read something by Brennan Manning

Benediction: 

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Psalm 144

Takeaways:

• Each day this week, take significant time to contemplate a part of your body.
• Each day this week, take significant time to contemplate something in nature.
• One day this week, find a place to sit and just watch your fellow humans for a half hour.
• Each day, thank God specifically for an otherwise overlooked task you were able to perform

Benediction:

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Be.

Text:

Psalm 51

Benediction:

May God protect you through your time of trial.

May the love of Christ,

seen in what he did,

and heard in what he said

fill you with joy and hope.

May the Holy Spirit advocate for you,

leading into all truth,

lighting the way of faith,

and strengthening you to follow Jesus,

So that you will become

like a strong, young tree,

growing deep and bearing

much fruit.

Amen.

Text:

Psalm 23

Takeaways:

• One day this week, take time to acknowledge and be where you are.
• One day this week, enter into the meditation-memory-prayer structure of Psalm 23.
• Read or listen to The Answer Is 42 by Madeleine L'Engle

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

 Luke 24:13-32

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

 Luke 14:1-11

Takeaways:

• When you receive a compliment, say thank you.
• Make two lists: what I like about me & what I don't like about me. Ask someone you trust to look at it and give feedback.
• Open our hearts to the spirit of Jesus everyday to tell us the truth about us. 

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Luke 11:37-54

Takeaways:

• Contemplate this question: What is the flaw that I most quickly identify in other people?
• And another: Where am I trying too hard?
• And another: What are my litmus questions?
• This week, give someone a kitty. Just kidding, but do surprise someone with generosity.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Matthew 12:46-50

Matthew 13:53-58

Takeaways:

• Always remember, Jesus hardly made everybody happy.
• Being awake to the values of the Kingdom may sometimes look unpatriotic.
• Don't be a jerk.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Luke 10:38-42

Takeaways:

• Three times this week, get in a good space and sit for 20 minutes.
• Take a fast from social media for 48 hours.
• Ask a busy person how they stay still inside.
• Read or watch a Bill Murray interview.
• Listen to The Liturgists Podcast interview with Richard Rohr. 

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Luke 9:1-17

Takeaways:

• In the next month, attend a live music performance.
• Sometime this week, eat fish with a friend and talk about dynamic compression or sports or music. Definitely Jesus
• Be grateful for dynamic compression. But always remember there is more.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Luke 7:36-50

Takeaways:

• Have a stare down with someone this week and count.
• Practice making eye contact with people.
• Have a conversation with someone you've been avoiding.
• For one whole day, drive the speed limit or under.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

As circumstances allow, we like to have the visual artist(s) for the current month take a few minutes to give us a word about their art and what goes into it.

Text:

Luke 5:27-32

Takeaways:

• Who am I in this story? The one laying something down or the one picking something up? Both?
• Can I remember a time or times in life when I was awakened, when everything changed?
• Start a journal. Record the leaving behinds and the picking ups.
• Break a bad habit. Start a good one.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

John 17:20-26

Takeaways:

• Who am I becoming?
• Who is becoming me?
• Is that a good thing?

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Matthew 12:34-37

Takeaways:

• Pay attention & count this week how many sentences start with "I will..."
• Choose set times this week, every day, to pay attention and just listen.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Matthew 16:23-28

Takeaways:

• Remember that pride goes before a fall
• Remember who is following whom
• Take inventory: Where might I be feeling a little too good about myself?
• And...remember that even after the fall, Jesus still wants us to be with Him.

Benediction:

As you go forth from this place,
may the wind of the Spirit
startle your senses
and blow through your life;

May the fire of the Spirit scorch your complacency
and light your way.

And may the blessing
of the Holy One—
Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer—
rest with you now and forever more.
Amen.

Text:

Proverbs 31:1-9

Philippians 2:1-8

Benediction:

May God, the brightness of the universe, bless us.

May Jesus, the light of the world, disturb us.

May the Holy Spirit, energy of the cosmos, strengthen us.

May we be blessed with the power to speak and live the gospel all of our days.

Amen.

Text:

Matthew 5:14-16

Takeaways:

• What voices do you need to stop listening to?
• Think of one person who needs to know they belong. Let them know they do.
• Keep open house; be generous with our lives.

Benediction:

May God, the brightness of the universe, bless us.

May Jesus, the light of the world, disturb us.

May the Holy Spirit, energy of the cosmos, strengthen us.

May we be blessed with the power to speak and live the gospel all of our days.

Amen.

Text:

John 15:14-17

Takeaways:

• You are my friends, if you love each other.

Benediction:

May God, the brightness of the universe, bless us.

May Jesus, the light of the world, disturb us.

May the Holy Spirit, energy of the cosmos, strengthen us.

May we be blessed with the power to speak and live the gospel all of our days.

Amen.

Text:

Luke 6:30 

Takeaways:

• Give to everyone who asks you
• Listen to the voice; the voice will tell you what to give

Benediction:

May God, the brightness of the universe, bless us.

May Jesus, the light of the world, disturb us.

May the Holy Spirit, energy of the cosmos, strengthen us.

May we be blessed with the power to speak and live the gospel all of our days.

Amen.

Text:

1 Corinthians 4:4

Proverbs 8:1-17

Takeaways:

• Is there a truth that I have stopped hearing because the voice has gone silent?
• Is there a truth that I am withholding from someone I love?
• This week, ask someone who loves us what we need to start doing and what we need to stop doing.
• This week, practice radical listening to our best friends.

Benediction:

May God, the brightness of the universe, bless us.

May Jesus, the light of the world, disturb us.

May the Holy Spirit, energy of the cosmos, strengthen us.

May we be blessed with the power to speak and live the gospel all of our days.

Amen.