Go with God - Grow with God
Practice faith through daily prayer, self-examination, and scripture reading.
GO WITH GOD—GROW WITH GOD |Monticello United Methodist Church
We invite you to practice your faith in active ways throughout the summer through (1) daily prayer, (2) self-examination, and (3) scripture reading. What might we learn about ourselves and about God? How might we grow and change in our faith? When we learn and grow, our individual witness of God’s love is stronger. When our individual witness is stronger, our collective witness as the church can make a greater impact. And now is our chance to make a lasting impact with God’s love and grace.
1. DAILY PRAYER – 7 PRAYERS FOR 7 DAYS
Use one prayer each day as a starting point. Consider these words by Mary Oliver from Prayer. "It doesn’t have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don’t try to make them elaborate, this isn’t a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak.”
New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and to devote each day to your Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.
Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time, I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. (Written by Wendell Berry)
Holy God, at times when we hear the bad news of the world, it is as though we’ve been in the middle of a bad dream, and then we turn over and go back to sleep, ignoring the struggle of your children. It is hard to see tragedy and suffering. It is hard to admit whatever responsibility we might have in the plagues of the world. It is hard to work for the good when the good seems so far off. So, help us, dear Lord. Give us courage to see clearly. Give us strength to do our part. Give us grace to forgive others and ourselves. And give us faith to follow you. This is our prayer in the name of Christ. Amen.
Christ be with me. Christ within me. Christ behind me. Christ before me. Christ beside me. Christ to win me. Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me. Christ above me. Christ in quiet. Christ in danger. Christ in hearts of all that love me. Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. (Adapted by Alexander and Stanford)
Almighty and most merciful God, from you comes every good and perfect gift. I give you praise and thanks for all your mercies. Your goodness has created me, your bounty has sustained me, your discipline has humbled me, your patience has borne with me, your love has redeemed me. Give me a heart to love and serve you, and enable me to show my thankfulness for all your goodness and mercy by giving up myself to your service, and cheerfully submitting in all things to your blessed will; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
2. SELF-EXAMINATION IN PRAYER – QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Consider these questions in prayer. The practice of self-reflection is rooted in the early Methodist movement. The following questions are adapted from the historical questions that John Wesley used. You might want to add some of your own as well. What might we learn about ourselves through self-reflection? And in doing so, how might we live more faithfully for God?
3. SCRIPTURE READING – The Book of Acts
The Book of Acts tells the story of the movement of the early church after Jesus has ascended. The Holy Spirit provides the power, and the apostles follow their call to “go.” The good news spreads. People experience transformation. And the church grows. What might we learn from the early church? In what ways might the Holy Spirit move us as the church today?
We invite you to practice your faith in active ways throughout the summer through (1) daily prayer, (2) self-examination, and (3) scripture reading. What might we learn about ourselves and about God? How might we grow and change in our faith? When we learn and grow, our individual witness of God’s love is stronger. When our individual witness is stronger, our collective witness as the church can make a greater impact. And now is our chance to make a lasting impact with God’s love and grace.
1. DAILY PRAYER – 7 PRAYERS FOR 7 DAYS
Use one prayer each day as a starting point. Consider these words by Mary Oliver from Prayer. "It doesn’t have to be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don’t try to make them elaborate, this isn’t a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak.”
New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and to devote each day to your Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.
Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time, I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. (Written by Wendell Berry)
Holy God, at times when we hear the bad news of the world, it is as though we’ve been in the middle of a bad dream, and then we turn over and go back to sleep, ignoring the struggle of your children. It is hard to see tragedy and suffering. It is hard to admit whatever responsibility we might have in the plagues of the world. It is hard to work for the good when the good seems so far off. So, help us, dear Lord. Give us courage to see clearly. Give us strength to do our part. Give us grace to forgive others and ourselves. And give us faith to follow you. This is our prayer in the name of Christ. Amen.
Christ be with me. Christ within me. Christ behind me. Christ before me. Christ beside me. Christ to win me. Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me. Christ above me. Christ in quiet. Christ in danger. Christ in hearts of all that love me. Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. (Adapted by Alexander and Stanford)
Almighty and most merciful God, from you comes every good and perfect gift. I give you praise and thanks for all your mercies. Your goodness has created me, your bounty has sustained me, your discipline has humbled me, your patience has borne with me, your love has redeemed me. Give me a heart to love and serve you, and enable me to show my thankfulness for all your goodness and mercy by giving up myself to your service, and cheerfully submitting in all things to your blessed will; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
2. SELF-EXAMINATION IN PRAYER – QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Consider these questions in prayer. The practice of self-reflection is rooted in the early Methodist movement. The following questions are adapted from the historical questions that John Wesley used. You might want to add some of your own as well. What might we learn about ourselves through self-reflection? And in doing so, how might we live more faithfully for God?
- Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
- Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
- Am I a distracted by dress, friends, work, or habits?
- Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
- Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, criticize, hold a resentment toward, or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
- When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
- Am I actively living my faith through worship, study, giving, and service?
- Is Christ real to me?
3. SCRIPTURE READING – The Book of Acts
The Book of Acts tells the story of the movement of the early church after Jesus has ascended. The Holy Spirit provides the power, and the apostles follow their call to “go.” The good news spreads. People experience transformation. And the church grows. What might we learn from the early church? In what ways might the Holy Spirit move us as the church today?
- Sunday, June 7: Acts 1-2
- Wednesday, June 10: Acts 3
- Sunday, June 14: Acts 4-5
- Wednesday, June 17: Acts 6-7
- Sunday, June 21: Acts 8-9
- Wednesday, June 24: Acts 10-11
- Sunday, June 28: Acts 12-13
- Wednesday, July 1: Acts 14-15
- Sunday, July 5: Acts 16-17
- Wednesday, July 8: Acts 18-19
- Sunday, July 12: Acts 20-21
- Wednesday, July 15: Acts 22-23
- Sunday, July 19: Acts 24-25
- Wednesday, July 22: Acts 26
- Sunday, July 26: Acts 27
- Wednesday, July 29: Acts 28
