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STAGES OF PRAYER
Lenten Adult Ed Program Belief by itself is a map of the unvisited land of God’s care; prayer is actually traveling the country. Later this month, Lent will come upon us ...
... certainly the most profoundly spiritual season in our church year. Through those weeks, I will be leading a Wednesday night Adult Education Program called Stages of Prayer. I led this program in my former church, and I still can hear some of what people shared as we got underway. One woman said, “I think a lot of my self-talk could become prayer if I had some guidance.” A man said, “One of the greatest gifts I have given myself recently has been silence. But I need to learn how to channel that silence – to begin to discern what is my voice and what is God’s.” And another said, “I would like my prayer to move past begging God to give me the things I want.” Recalling these and others invites me to deepen in my own prayer life and inspires me to lead this program for our church this Lent. Perhaps they invite and inspire you as well! As I write, I am reminded that the goal of prayer is to direct and relate the whole of our lives to God. That image of a life in union with God is so beautiful, so holy, so inviting. The fruit of that prayer is love – love of self, others, the journey, the struggles, and God. There is no advancement on the path of love; every relationship and every situation challenges our ability to love. As such, we are all, always beginners. And so these stages are not that of spiritual advancement, but rather, a model of stages for deepening in our connection with God. The program will also include optional exercises that can lead us into our own souls and God’s heart. Wednesday nights
February 28th – March 28th
We will gather at 6:00 p.m. for a potluck supper that will be followed by worship and the Lenten program. I look forward to sharing the journey with you! With Epiphany light,
leaning toward Lenten love,
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