By Cameron Silsbee
Begin with prayer
Gather together as a Community in a comfortable setting. Take a moment in silence, in the presence of Jesus and each other. Have one person read Ephesians 4v22-24 over the group and then 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 making an adjustment or two to your Rule of Life go? What worked well or didn’t work well?
Read this overview
Making changes in your life can be difficult, let alone figuring out what you want to change. As you continue to make incremental changes to your Rule of Life, take opportunities to encourage yourself or one another, that change is typically not a straightforward endeavor. Change often includes trial and error along with experiences of two-step-forward-one-step-back.
Discuss the following questions and prompts.
- What’s an area of your life that you’ve found very difficult to change?
- Who are the people who typically encourage you when you are struggling to change?
- How do you feel Jesus reacts to you when you’re struggling to make a change you know you need? On a gut level, not theological head-knowledge.
Talk over this coming week’s Practice:
This week, set aside time to prayerfully consider one or two more incremental changes to a different domain of your Rule of Life. Once you have decided what to change, begin taking steps to implement that change.
Be prepared to follow up next week with your Community about what you choose to change.
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 for 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.