By Patrick Porter
Begin with prayer
Gather together as a Community in a comfortable setting. Spend a moment in silence, in the presence of Jesus and each other. Have one person pray to ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.
Debrief the most recent teaching and Practice
- How would you summarize what the most recent teaching was about?
- What did you take away from the teaching?
- How did last week’s Practice of inviting God’s Spirit to speak over your Rule of Life go?
Read this overview
Part of making and sticking to a Rule of Life is honestly assessing where you are and what you’re capable of. Over the next few weeks, as you work through the domains, you will have to think through the details of what changes you want to make and how to implement those changes. Some things will be practical. Some things will be helpful to have input from friends and those in your community. It can be helpful to keep reminding yourself that a Rule of Life is written with a pencil, not a pen. As we grow and life changes around us, there may need to be adjustments to your Rule as you go or your expectations of what you’re capable of doing in this particular season.
Discuss the following questions and prompts.
- What is one thing from this upcoming week that might derail your plan to implement change in your Rule of Life?
- Think back to a time when you made a change to your spiritual rhythms. What helped you successfully make that change?
- What aspects of this process and your Rule of Life have been hard to share with others? Why has this been hard?
Do this Practice right now.
Pick one domain for the group to talk about. Discuss what you would like to change and why. This is also a great time to brainstorm practical ways to accomplish these changes with each other. It’s also a great time to pray for each other if it feels daunting. Remember to be patient and kind with each other. This is a non-judgemental practice. But it is a great time to be honest, listen, encourage, and pray for each other.
Talk over this coming week’s Practice.
You will focus on one domain in your Rule of Life for the next two weeks. Our encouragement is to start by choosing one or two incremental changes. If you’re unsure of any changes, set some time aside to spend in prayer. Ask Jesus what he thinks about this domain and if anything should be adjusted. As always, your Rule of Life is written in pencil, not pen. If you know the change you’d like to make, begin making those changes over the next two weeks.
Be ready to share your experience and any adjustments you made to your Rule of Life the next time you meet with your Community.
Close in prayer
End in prayer by having one person read the Nicene Creed over the group.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
I believe in one, holy and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
Amen.