by UPB Editor, February 05, 2024
JOIN US FOR A LENTEN DISCERNMENT CLASS ON SUNDAY EVENINGS STARTING FEB. 18
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM? – What would you say if Jesus asked you this, as he did to his disciples? When Jesus posed this question to Peter, he wasn’t asking for a theological dissertation or a public opinion survey. Rather, he wanted Peter to reflect upon how he was going to live his life and how his beliefs about God and Jesus impacted those choices. This question — who is Jesus and the Holy Spirit to you and why does it matter — remains the essence of discernment, that basic process of spiritual development when we open ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit and seek to understand more completely God’s will in our lives.
Building up our discernment capacity is the purpose of an Adult Deepening class offered this year during Lent, led by Mike M. and Holly V. This class, which will meet for five Sunday evenings, aims to help us each answer the question, “How do I discover God’s guidance, both for my personal decisions, and collectively, for those of our church?” The Discernment lesson plans will be drawn from a Companions in Christ curriculum developed by The Upper Room, that introduces the practice of discernment and offers practical steps and exercises that will help participants as they seek God’s call in the midst of their decisions. Not only does it address a vital need among us for a broader and deeper understanding of discernment, but it also speaks to the need, widely shared in our Purpose Clarification focus sessions last year for more small group opportunities to dig deeper and share more broadly.
We will meet each Sunday evening during Lent in the Church Parlor February 18 – March 17 from 5:30-8pm, and wrap up with a lunch session after church on Palm Sunday, March 24. Beginning with a shared meal, each session will explore the teaching of Scripture, engage in shared discussion, practice specific centering and guided prayers, and learn about the spiritual practices that have supported discernment efforts throughout Christian history. We will be offering childcare to enable families with young children (through elementary grades) to participate.
