Faith formation is the aim of everything we do as a congregation — every worship service, every study group, every children’s class, even every meeting!
Yes, even meetings are sources of spiritual nourishment — when we’re attentive to God’s presence with us; aware that the work we are to be about is God’s work; discerning how we can cooperate with what God is wanting to do. Last night’s Council meeting was a prime example.
At every meeting, the first thing we do is to come to quiet. We sit in silence, calming our breathing, opening ourselves to what God will do during the meeting. Then, one Council member is scheduled to be the devotional leader. S/he opens the meeting by sharing from his/her spiritual journey. We give thanks for that before proceeding with the agenda.
Our agenda is front loaded with the most important items for the month. (That’s so we devote our best time and energy talking about what’s most important, rather than routine reports from the Financial Secretary, Treasurer, staff members, or committees.) And, last night, there were BIG issues to discuss. There was great energy and excitement! Wait till you hear about them!
We always pause after talking about those most important items, for prayer led by the devotional leader, thanking God for the work that’s being done in this amazing congregation.
Then, after adjournment, before going home, we conclude with Night Prayer, also known by the Latin, “Compline.” (If you have a worship book at home, it’s on page 320 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship; page 154 in the Lutheran Book of Worship.)
Last night, as we opened the worship book to Night Prayer, one person said, “This is my favorite part of a Council meeting.”
After the meeting, another person said, “I’ve been going through such a rough time at work over the past three years. There’s so much drama. During our times for prayer tonight, all I could think was, ‘Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this group, with our healthy and constructive discussions.”"
God’s amazing grace!
