Seasons of the Soul Study Guide

1

Lent 2013

GROWS: SEASONS OF THE SOUL

Welcome to the beginning of Lent, the 40 day journey of self examination when disciples intentionally follow Christ closely as he turns his face to Jerusalem, and ultimately the cross, grave and resurrection. Lent is a time of digging deeper into spiritual disciplines of prayer, Sabbath and study, and finding ways to either learn new habits or give up habits which distract us from our walk with Christ. The Sundays during Lent are actually celebrations of “mini resurrections” – a day of Sabbath and rest from our commitments preparing us for the ultimate celebration of Easter.

People often ask what does a disciple look like? What are the characteristics that set a disciple of Christ apart? St. Luke’s has a guide of 12 Characteristics of a Christian Disciple – 12 traits that explore what it means to learn about God and understand how to imitate and serve Christ in ways that lead us to be spiritually formed.

One of those characteristics is learning and understanding that each disciple’s faith journey moves through seasons – seasons which reflect the rhythm of creation: spring, summer, fall and winter. These seasons reflect a natural movement, an ebb and flow in our relationship with our Creator and our relationship with ourselves and others.

Parker Palmer, writer and theologian from the Quaker tradition, writes this about the seasons as a metaphor for our spiritual lives:

“Seasons is a wise metaphor for the movement of life…the notion that our lives are like the eternal cycle of seasons does not deny the struggle or the joy, the loss or the gain, the darkness or the light, but encourages us to embrace it all – and to find in all of it opportunities for growth.”

-From Language to Life, an essay for The Center for Renewal written by Parker Palmer

This Lent our theme for worship will look deep into this metaphor of the seasons of the soul as a way of understanding our faith journey. We will look at the traits and paradoxes of each season and understand the challenges and blessings found parallel in the seasons of our own lives. As we move closer to Holy Week, we will also recognize how each of those moments during the Holiest week of our faith mirror the seasons, and watch how our Christ humbly and intentionally grows us through each movement.

In the end, it is all about growth, the growth on our faith journey that leads us to lead abundant, fruit- bearing lives for the Kingdom of God. How will you be challenged to grow through whatever season you are experiencing this Lent? How will you “dig in” during this season in order to “grow deep,” abiding deeply with Christ on His way to Easter morn? I look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Grace and Peace

The Rev. Jennifer R. Stiles Williams

4

FEBRUARY 13ASH WEDNESDAY

JOEL 2:1-2, 12-17; MATTHEW 6:1-6; 16-21

Focus: A day of penitence to mark the beginning of Lent – the forty days of preparation for the paschal celebrations of Easter. A particular time for new beginnings in the faith, a time for returning to the Lord. We recall our mortality and wait upon the Lord for a renewing Spirit. Putting aside the sins and failures of the past in the light of who we are yet to become by the grace of God.

New Handbook of the Christian Year, pg. 107

We begin our journey with ashes remembering from dust we have come and to dust we shall return. We consider our mortality and the moments in between our encounters with ashes. The ashes used are made from the previous year’s palms, last year’s hosannas maybe far removed from today’s present living, if we really consider our actions, our motives, our words, our heart. Ashes were traditionally used as symbols of repentance and mourning. They are placed on our foreheads in the sign of the cross while the words “ Repent, and Believe in the Gospel” are spoken. This is exactly the journey of Lent, learning to look at our lives and see our need for the good news of the gospel – Jesus Christ died and was resurrected for our redemption.

Tonight as you walked in you received the ashes…How does it make you feel to have this notable mark of our mortality for all to see? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The traditional Psalm for Ash Wednesday is Psalm 51. Tonight you will watch it scroll in a video as people are receiving the imposition of ashes on their forehead. David cries out to God, after being confronted by Nathan with the reality of his sin, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight…Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me.”

What do your ashes cry out to God about? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tonight you will hear four voices from four seasons of the soul. Each voice speaks not only about a personal seasons, but a season in the life of the church.

What words struck you or made you sit up and pay attention?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5

Reflection MomentYou will have a chance to choose your season tonight – the one you may feel like you are either traveling through or enduring within your spirit and journey with Christ.

Which words describe your relationship right now with God, with yourself and your calling, or with others? (These words might help you choose your season.)

o Change o Birtho Death o Isolationo Paradox o Silenceo Growth o Abundanceo Fruit producing o Barreno Fear o Losso Muddy o Unclearo Anticipation o Contentmento Assurance o Hopeo Doubt o Trustingo Seed planting o Harvesto Weeding o Fertilizingo Plowing o Pruning

Choose the season you are in right now. Go to the drawing that represents that season and add your finger print to the tree. Then take time to reflect on the following to create a “plan” for your “spiritual gardening” during this season of Lent.

Write down which season you find yourself in as you begin the Lenten journey? _____________________________________________________________________________

Below are some spiritual disciplines you may choose to practice during these 40 days to help you learn to wait on God during this season, and also begin to move into another season of faith. Circle those which will help you create a plan to grow during this season

prayer and listening worship regularly read devotionals meditation of scripture fasting servicechoose an acocuntability partner confession creating a new habit

Call to Worship based on Psalm 91

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling placeNo evil shall befall usHe will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.On their hands they will bear us upWhen you call to God, God will answer; God will rescue and honor you.God will satisfy us and show us God’s salvation.

O Lord God, you led your people through the wilderness and brought them to the promised land. Guide us now, so that, following your Son, we may walk safely through the wilderness of this world toward the life you alone can give. As we journey alongside you, be our guide through each season of life, changing us and creating within us fruit worthy of your grace. We ask these things Father, Son and Holy Spirit Amen.

6

FEBRUARY 17 INTRODUCTION TO SEASONS OF THE SOUL

LUKE 4:1-13 ECCLESIASTES 3:1-11

Our faith journey is not a linear movement, but has a rhythm which is much like the cycle of seasons within creation. So often we want our faith to be simple; a straight, clear guideline of when to plant, what to plant, and how quickly we can anticipate the harvest of our labors. We want the garden of our faith to be all-weather purposed, hearty and able to be abundant without much effort. We want a painless, seamless journey until we have finished our course in faith.

We all know that isn’t the case. Nothing in life is that straight and narrow, black or white. Life is a journey and often it must take us to the wilderness where, like Jesus, we learn to sit with the beasts and not be afraid, to let angels care for us, and to redefine who we are and whose we are. This story from the gospel is always the first reading for Lent because it is in this moment, before Jesus begins his public ministry, where he claims his life as being defined under God’s kingship, his journey as God’s journey.

If the writer of Ecclesiastes is correct, and “there is a time for everything under heaven,” then we better travel through whatever seasons we find along the journey, not merely so we can survive, but to travel well. Lent is a time to step away into the wilderness to sit with our faith, and understand the seasons it works through – knowing that God is in the midst of it all, changing and shaping us for God’s purpose.

As you sit within worship today, whose journey are you on? What season do you find yourself within as you travel with God?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you begin your Lenten journey, what are you hoping to learn or understand better for having taken this journey?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7

Write a letter to yourself and God about your commitment on this Lenten journey.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Use the liturgy for today’s worship as your prayer for the week.Call to Worship based on Psalm 91Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling placeNo evil shall befall usHe will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.On their hands they will bear us upWhen you call to God, God will answer; God will rescue and honor you.God will satisfy us and show us God’s salvation.

O Lord God, you led your people through the wilderness and brought them to the promised land. Guide us now, so that, following your Son, we may walk safely through the wilderness of this world toward the life you alone can give. As we journey alongside you, be our guide through each season of life, changing us and creating within us fruit worthy of your grace. We ask these things Father, Son and Holy Spirit Amen.

8

FEBRUARY 24 SPRINGTIME: GROWTH THROUGH BIRTH

GENESIS 15:1-2; 17-18; PSALM 27

Spring is a season of new birth – at least that’s what we long for after a winter cold. Parker Palmer writes:

“Before spring becomes beautiful, it is plug ugly, nothing but mud and muck….the word humus –the decayed vegetable matter that feeds the roots of plants – comes from the same root word that gives rise to the word ‘humility.’ It helps me understand that the humiliating events of life, the events that leave mud on my face or that make my name mud, may create the fertile soil in which something new can grow.”

Beautiful spring flowers and blooms only come after the storm, only from the mud. This is true in the journey of life and faith. Sometimes it feels like we are wading through the mud – of uncertainty, of discernment, of fear. We can sense God is leading us, and we can feel the shoots of something new taking root in our hearts – but which way do we go, which decision is the right one, which voice is the voice of God? Are the promises God has for me true, can I trust them, what will be the risk of this new moment of growth in my life?

God promised Abram and Sarai that they would have many descendants – even though they were physically in the winter of their childbearing years. Abram still doubted, still feared. God makes promises again and again to Abram – telling him not to fear, but to trust. “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless…you have given me no offspring and so a slave born into my house is to be my heir….how am I to know….”When have you been doubtful of the promises God is seeking to grow in your life? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Every time Abram raises his voice to God, God listens and offers more encouragement...just trust me, I will fulfill my promise. “Look toward heaven and count the stars,…so shall your descendants be.” God tells Abram and Sarai, just trust me. I will take care of you if you will trust me with your life. Paul writes in Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven,… he will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory.” What is it that gets in our way of trusting God’s growth cycle? Is it the mud? Is it a past learned habit? Is it us? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So what is God helping take root in your heart, life, spirit? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Even if you can’t name it yet – how do you feel about it? Circle the words that may apply – then consider using the call to Worship and Opening Prayer as a way of offering those feelings to God this week, pruning back those feelings that belong with the mud, and praying on those which offer the tenacity of faith to wait upon the Lord’s work in you. Fear Risk Excitement Anticipation Doubt A sense of waiting Anxiety Regret Disbelief Contentment Patience Impatience

ADULTS

9

FEBRUARY 24SPRINGTIME: GROWTH THROUGH BIRTH

GENESIS 15:1-2; 17-18; PSALM 27

Spring is the time of year when new things spring to life. Recovering from winter, the trees pop out new leaves. Baby animals can be found everywhere. Rain showers mix with seeds to produce new grass and flowers. It would seem that the earth is new again in spring; but where does this new world come from?

Root of BeautyTake a walk to a grassy spot or flowerbed in your back yard, a park or around your school. As you walk, breathe in the fresh air and look for spots of life or things that you think are beautiful. When you arrive at a spot you like, sit down. Close your eyes and think of the most perfect springtime nature scene. Use what you saw and felt on your walk to help inspire you.

• What do you see? Describe the scene._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Keep that picture of life and natural beauty in your mind. Now, dig under the grass or next to the flowers that are here in the spot you picked. You might need to use a stick or rock to help you loosen up the dirt. Pull up a bit of earth.

• What do you see? What do you feel? If you are brave, how does it smell? Describe the dirt._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Does this look as beautiful as the scene you pictured in your mind? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What you are holding in your hands has dead grass, mud, worm droppings and other nasty things in it (don’t forget to wash you hands before you eat again!), but it has something else in it that we can’t see: potential. In that dirt and nastiness are nutrients that help grass grow, trees flourish and flowers bloom. Without it, plants don’t grow and the awesome nature scene you pictured in your mind doesn’t come to life. In short, without this nasty there is no beauty.

Spirit YuckWe all go through times in our lives when we feel like we are stuck in the nasty stuff. Sometimes we just can not get our grades where they should be. Sometimes it seems that our friendships are falling apart. Sometimes we struggle to relate to mom or dad. Sometimes we don’t know which way we are going. But no matter what, we must remember that God is still working when we are in these spiritual dirt patches and that God can grow beautiful things from them.

Listen to Gungor’s “Beautiful Things” and ask God to remind you that He is making beautiful things out of the nasty stuff of life.

Listen to the song “Taste of Eternity” by Bellarive Biblical readings Isaiah 55:1-9; Psalm 63:1-8; Luke 13:1-9

STUDENTS

10

FEBRUARY 24SPRINGTIME: GROWTH THROUGH BIRTH

GENESIS 15:1-2; 17-18; PSALM 27

Have you ever seen a flower bloom in the spring? The curled up, wilted leaves push their way through the hard cracked earth after the cold, harsh winter. The shoots break through the muck and mud and become a refreshing reminder of beauty again. Now picture yourself as that tiny plant. You reach out searching for the warmth and water that new life needs. Jesus is that warmth and He pours water on our inner hearts!

Read this poem about Spring during the week.

Under His wings I am safely abiding, Though the night deepens

And tempests are wild,Still I can trust Him;

I know He will keep me.He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

Under His wings, under His wings,Who from His love can sever?

Under his wings my soul shall abide,Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!

Often when earth has no balm for me healing,There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.

Under His wings, under His wings, Who from His love can sever?

Under His wings my soul shall abide,Safely abide forever.

-Anonymous. Jesus Loves the Little Children: Treasury of Poems, Prayers, and Promises

Family Activities for Spring:

• Take a walk outdoors and experience the sights and sounds of spring firsthand. Look for plant shoots coming out of the ground. Check trees for signs of new life. Pay attention to the sounds you hear, especially the birds.

• Walk in the rain. Splash in the puddles.

• Make a bird feeder by stringing cheerios, dried cranberries, popcorn, and raisins on lacing string. Put it in a place that is easy to view from a window. Watch as the birds start to return. Talk about what they need to rebuild their nests and what they need for their young birds.

CHILDR

EN

11

TAKE SOME TIME TO REFLECT ON THIS SEASON

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12

MARCH 3 SUMMERTIME: GROWTH THROUGH FLOURISHING

ISAIAH 55:1-9; PSALM 63:1-8; LUKE 13:1-9

The summer season is one of abundance – vacation, sunlight, water, refreshment – abundant living, abundant fruit bearing – it’s all about growth. There is a sense in summer, even if we continue our work, that the longer days give us more opportunity to relax and enjoy life and creation. Parker Palmer writes “in contrast to the sensationalism of spring, summer is a steady state of plenty, a green and amber muchness that feeds us on more levels than we know.”

But in true fashion with each season, summer can also be a time of extremes and intensities – drought, heat waves, sunny mornings and stormy afternoons, hurricanes. What seems like a time of great hope and growth can also be a time of great concern and fear. Again, Palmer writes “but nature normally takes us through a reliable cycle of scarcity and abundance in which times of deprivation foreshadow an eventual return to the abundant fields.”

This could describe the word of hope Isaiah offers to those in exile. Those who are longing for restoration, redemption and renewal after years of exile from not only land and people, but what feels like exile from God’s promises. Isaiah speaks of hope and salvation to the exiles. All who thirst – come and drink - all those who are hungry – come by and eat. The prophet describes abundance, plenty and hope, delighting in what is good. Listen that you may live – the promise of love is strong. So often we take for granted those seasons of our faith when fruit bearing is abundant, when our connection with God is strong and we delight in it. Afraid of the scarce moments of drought and dust, we often miss the moments of abundance and beauty.

During the offering, consider the words that come to your mind when you think of moments of scarcity.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the pastor reads Psalm 63, how do the words of the Psalmist contrast with the words you wrote about scarcity?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

During Communion you will come to the table to feast on the fruits of God’s grace and love. You will literally get to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Take in the moment – the taste, the smells, what you see, who you see. At the Table of Christ there is no scarcity – only abundance, and enough for everyone.

As you return to your seats and continue in a spirit of prayer, take a moment to consider when you have experienced summer moments of abundance in your life, or your relationship with God. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How do those moments connect back to the promises of spring God helped to grow within you? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Continue to give thanks to God for those moments of summer and use today’s liturgy as your daily prayer of thanksgiving and abundance to fight off “scarcity mode” and the feeling of being exiled.

ADULTS

13

MARCH 3 SUMMERTIME: GROWTH THROUGH FLOURISHING

ISAIAH 55:1-9; PSALM 63:1-8; LUKE 13:1-9

Thou orb aloft full dazzling,Flooding with sheeny light the gray beach sand;Thou sibilant near sea, with vistas far, and foam,

And tawny streaks and shades, and spreading blue;Before I sing the rest, O sun refulgent,

My special word to thee.Hear me, illustrious!

Thy lover me—for always I have loved theeEven as basking babe—then happy boy alone by some wood

edge—thy touching distant beams enough,Or man matured, or young or old—as now to thee

I launch my invocation. (Thou canst not with thy dumbnessme deceive. I know before the fitting man all Nature yields.

Though answering not in words, the skies, trees, hear his voice—andthou, O sun, As for thy throes, thy perturbations, sudden breaks

and shafts of flame gigantic, I understand them—I know those flames,those perturbations well.)

Thou that with fructifying heat and light,O’er myriad forms—o’er lands and waters, North and South,

O’er Mississippi’s endless course, o’er Texas’ grassy plains, Canada’s woods, O’er all the globe, that turns its face to thee, shining in space,

Thou that impartially enfoldest all—not only continents, seas,Thou that to grapes and weeds and little wild flowers givest so liberally,

Shed, shed thyself on mine and me—mellow these lines.Fuse thyself here—with but a fleeting ray out of thy million millions,

Strike through this chant.Nor only launch thy subtle dazzle and thy strength for this;

Prepare the later afternoon of me myself—prepare my lengthening shadows.Prepare my starry nights

- Walt Whitman “a summer invocation”

Summer is a time when everything seems to be right at the tip of our lips. Summer is full of abundance and time. Summer gives off this warmth of eternity and yet summer can also be very chaotic with heat waves and hurricanes. Summer is when we are reminded of all that God has to offer. Take some time to thank God for the amazement of summer.

STUDENTS

14

MARCH 3 SUMMERTIME- GROWTH THROUGH FLOURISHING

SUMMERTIME IS A SEASON OF ABUNDANCE

The warm summer months bring an explosion of sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. An overload for our senses! Warm sand from the beaches sticking to toes. The sound of ocean waves on a pink and orange sunset night. Sweet ice cream cooling off the heat from the day. We want to experience Jesus’ love for us in the same way-with all of our senses. His love is plentiful for everyone!

Read this poem about summer during the week.

Jesus wants me for a sunbeamTo shine for Him each day.

In every way try to please HimAt home, at school, at play.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.


Family Activities for Summer:

• Taste the season! Go to a local farmer’s market and choose only fruits and vegetables that are in season. What kind of foods can you eat in each season? What can you eat that you can use all of your senses?

• Talk about your favorite vacation memory at dinner. What was something funny that happened during the vacation? How did you experience flexibility when plans had to change? Where did you see God on your vacation?

• Plan a family game night. Choose games that everyone can enjoy. Play short rounds of different games to experience a variety of fun. Make a snack together and be thankful for the abundance of “together time.”

CHILDR

EN

15


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

16

MARCH 10 FALL: GROWTH THROUGH CHANGES

JOSHUA 5:9-12; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:16-21; LUKE 15:1-3;11B-32

Fall is a season of change. It’s a fact, however it’s one we Floridians often get to just gloss over. For those who have experienced fall in Florida – well, it’s just life as usual. However, we are told (and there is evidence to back it up) that other states actually see leaves change their colors, and in due time, fall to the ground, covering it in not only a layer of colorful dry yesterdays, but the seeds of tomorrow.

Fall is a season of learning to let go – because unless the tree lets go of its leaves, no seeds will fall to become the flowers and trees of spring. What a powerful metaphor for our spiritual lives. Learning to let go, and dealing with change as a necessary means for growth, is one of the most difficult lessons of life. It is one we often must learn again and again, practicing the spiritual discipline of letting Go and letting God.

There are often so many things God is just waiting for us to release our grip on, in order that God might bring new life, redemption, renewal, and much needed change in our lives. But we hold on with a death grip of control, pride and fear, as if somehow we can stop the winds of change from blowing us from our bearings. It’s what the Israelites would need to face as they left 40 years of wilderness wanderings to finally enter into the promised land.

When you hear the story being told today, what of your own wandering experiences come to mind? Have you had to let go of any ways of living or thinking in order to embrace a new experience in life? What was the risk? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In Jesus’ parable the prodigal son returns to the open arms of his father. However, his brother cannot let go of the way he believed things should be. His death grip on his perception was causing him to miss the spiritual celebration of a brother returned.

Often there are situations in life that cause us to hold on to a judgment, or a perception which holds us back from a new reality of redemption or reconciliation. During the offering time, consider such a time in your life.

What is holding you back from offering that moment, that situation, or that person back to God and letting it go? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Parker Palmer writes“Autumn constantly reminds me that my daily dyings are necessary precursors to new life. If I try to “make“ a life that defines the diminishments of autumn, the life I end up with will be artificial at best, and utterly colorless as well. When I yield to the interplay of living and dying, dying and living, the life I am given will be real and colorful, fruitful and whole.”

ADULTS

17

During the video consider what it is that God is calling for you to loosen your grip on or let go of in order to breathe new life, new purpose and deeper growth into your soul. What’s at risk if you hold on to it? What’s the risk of letting it go?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Each day use the liturgy as your prayer to release yourself to fall in order to let God prepare the soil for your growth.

Call to Worship from Psalm 32

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.Day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up by the heat of summer.Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide; and you forgave the guilt of my sin.You are a hiding place for me; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

God of change and transformation, we feel the winds of change in faith and recognize sometimes it is your breath upon us. We know we are called to live into a new identity in Christ Jesus, but sometimes it is so hard to let go of what was or what should have been. The gift of fall is a reminder that for new life to take root and grow, other things must change or be cut back. In this time of worship reveal to us places of change in our hearts and faith, where the Spirit is calling for us to let go, and give us the courage to loosen our grip. In your name, Amen.

18

MARCH 10 FALL: GROWTH THROUGH CHANGES


As residents of Florida, most of us never get to experience fall in a real way. In many other parts of the country, people get to watch the leaves change from deep greens to vibrant reds, yellows and oranges. Then, those leaves fall onto lawns and streets, waiting to be collected into big piles and jumped in. That’s everyone else’s experience with fall, but we only have one reminder around St. Luke’s that fall is here: pumpkins. Every year we are covered in orange gourds and it gives us a little taste of what fall is like for people around other parts of the country.

Get a picture in your mind of the St. Luke’s pumpkin patch (or any pumpkin patch you like) as you read this story about harvesting pumpkins.

A Pumpkin Story:

A farmer went to plant a crop of pumpkins one day. He carefully placed each seed in fertile ground and made sure that every seed had room to sprout its vine. The farmer hired workers to tend the field that he had planted. “Water these seeds.” said the farmer, “Take care to tend the vines, keep weeds away and make sure that each plant can get plenty of sunlight.”

The workers did as they were asked, tending the vines, watering them and making sure that they could grow big and bright. “These will be great pumpkins!” said the workers, “The greatest crop that the farmer has ever seen. We will grow them larger and more beautiful than anyone has ever seen before.”

The pumpkins grew just as the workers hoped and dreamed that they would. They were bigger than anyone could have expected and more attractive to the eye than any crop in memory, but, when the harvest day came, the workers refused to cut the pumpkins from the vine. “Why should we give this fruit to anyone else?” the workers asked one another, “We slaved over them in the rains of spring and sun of summer. They belong to us and we can use them as we wish! Why not keep them for ourselves?” So, the workers left the pumpkins on the vines, only cutting one away when they wanted to use one, but not sharing with anyone else.

The fruit continued to grow for a while, but one day the workers noticed spots on the pumpkins. The crop was going bad, rotting from the inside and decaying on the vine. The workers didn’t know what to do. They watched as the rest of their fruits rotted and died; never feeding anyone; never decorating a family’s porch; never becoming a jack-o-lantern. The crop was gone.

The farmer became angry with the workers because he knew they had tried to keep the fruit to themselves. “Do you think I planted these crops for you to keep to yourselves?” asked the farmer. “No. I planted them here and asked you to care for them and grow them so that they could bless many people, but no one can receive the blessing of these fruits now because you were not willing to let go and share them.”

The workers were sent away and thought about how selfish they were with the crop they had been given. The farmer continued to plant new seeds and hire more workers to tend the fields.

STUD

ENTS

19

Time for the HarvestFall is a time for the harvest. The time of year when the fruits of spring’s planting and summer’s growth are collected. In our spiritual fall, it’s time to remember that God has planted seeds in us. Not pumpkin seeds, but seeds that grow our spiritual gifts. God has given some people a gift of music, some have been given the gift of leadership, and to others He gave the gift of organization. No matter the gift, God planted it there, but not just for you. God planted those seeds to be a blessing for The Kingdom and people around you.

So, now is a good time to ask:

• What seeds or gifts has God planted in me that I can bless others with?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Am I nurturing those gifts and letting them grow in my life?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Have I been sharing those gifts with others or just keeping them to myself?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Listen to and watch Jadon Lavik’s version of “I Surrender All” and ask God to help you harvest the gifts that were planted in you to bless others.

20

MARCH 10FALL: GROWTH THROUGH CHANGES


Let go and let God. As parents we want to “fix” situations for our children and make changes for them that are more favorable. We can use the courage that God gives us to help loosen our grip and know when it is part of life, even for children, to fail and learn from mistakes. Practicing over and over again can plant the seeds for tomorrow. God’s grace is infinite as we practice letting go in order to grow.

Read this poem about fall during the week.

The trees are shedding all their leaves,Soon it will grow colder.

O dear Jesus, be with me-Your love wrapped round my shoulder.

As You keep me snuggled tight,I’ll sit and watch the trees.

For they might get chilled at night,Without their blankets green.


Family Activities for Fall:

• What can you let go of? Find toys and clothes that you can pack up and take to Goodwill or another organization.

• Calendar changes typically occur in the fall with the start of school, new after-school activities, and schedule changes. Try making a change in your calendar this week and give up something to simplify your life. Enjoy the peacefulness.

• Take a family walk. Look at the changes in leaves. Are there new colors emerging? What shapes do you see in the different kinds of leaves? Are the leaves providing protection for other creatures of God?

CHILDR

EN

21


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

22

MARCH 17 WINTER: GROWTH THROUGH DEATH PHILIPPIANS 3:4B-14; JOHN 12:1-8

Winter – all is quiet, all seems asleep. Florida winters are not the lovely scene necessarily in the picture of our mind. The picture of a starry night and the earth covered in a fresh blanket of snow…no. A gray overcast day and the stillness of barren trees mixed with the green of palm trees…yes. But no matter the picture of the climate we live in, we still understand winter is a season when everything in creation takes a rest and goes “underground.” The things we can see, foliage and blossoms, retreat for a season and the real work happens beyond our sight. However, with the cold and the gray it is difficult to remember work is still happening. It feels as if everything has just gone to sleep.

Some of us struggle with the winter not only in creation, but in our lives as well. It can feel as if our spirits and our faith have gone underground as well. Although each of us needs the rhythm of rest or retreat from what the world can see, we often feel most isolated in these times. When we cannot see or feel or sense the growth in our lives we often imagine it has somehow ceased. Winter is the season when we can feel farthest from God. We wonder if God is really still there. We feel alone, we feel cold.

And yet – we forget that in death we find birth. Before winter came, we let go of the seed which would bear fruit in the spring. Christ went into the tomb for three days, and while his disciples thought God was silent, indeed God was involved in the work of resurrection!

How do we rejoice in what it means to be willing to die to things in order that we might find life? Paul speaks to loss and suffering and death as a way of gaining Christ and the power of his resurrection. Jesus allows Mary to anoint his feet, preparing him for his own burial. He knows he must die, but it is news to those who think the Messiah must conquer.

As you listen to the music and liturgy today, reflect on when you have experienced winter in your faith? What were the feelings and fears of this season? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As the offering plate is passed, remind yourself of the blessing found after winter.

Parker Palmer writes “Winter is a demanding season – and not everyone appreciates the discipline.” He goes onto say “the winters will drive you crazy until you learn to get out into them.”

What disciplines of the spirit do you need to hold on to in order to “get out into” the winter of your soul and hang on for the duration? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ADULTS

23

Use this week’s liturgy as your daily prayer to keep you focused on staying with what may be your winter season.

Call to Worship from Psalm 126

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamIt was said among the nations, “the Lord has done great things.”Restore our fortune O Lord. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

God of calm and silence, in winter we are sometimes overwhelmed with the bitter cold when all seems lost. Those are the moments when it feels as if you are silent, as if our faith is covered with the burden of snow. But the seasons of creation remind us that from death you bring forth life; that sharing in your suffering and loss, we find resurrection. In this moment of worship we lay our fears at your feet. Give us courage to trust in the work of faith which often goes unseen, but bears the seeds of life. Amen.

24

MARCH 17 WINTER: GROWTH THROUGH DEATH

PHILIPPIANS 3:4B-14 JOHN 12:1-8

The wintry west extends his blast, And hail and rain does blow;

Or the stormy north sends driving forth The blinding sleet and snow:

While, tumbling brown, the burn comes down, And roars frae bank to brae;

And bird and beast in covert rest, And pass the heartless day.

The sweeping blast, the sky o’ercast, The joyless winter day

Let others fear, to me more dear Than all the pride of May:

The tempest’s howl, it soothes my soul, My griefs it seems to join;

The leafless trees my fancy please, Their fate resembles mine!

Thou Power Supreme, whose mighty scheme These woes of mine fulfil,

Here firm I rest; they must be best, Because they are Thy will!

Then all I want—O do Thou grant This one request of mine!—

Since to enjoy Thou dost deny, Assist me to resign.

- Winter: A Dirge by Robert Burns

Winter is a time when everything seems dead in the north. We have some trees in Florida that shed all their leaves but for the most part animals don’t hibernate here and we usually do not get snow. However we have some days that make us bundle up together. Winter can remind us of how things in our spiritual lives seem to be broken or leafless. Winter can also be a time when we can come together and find life amidst death. Take the tree that looks dead for example. It has no leaves; it stands there seemingly lifeless and yet it is waiting to break forth with life in the spring. Or look at the account from John. Jesus knows he is about to die and yet in his death we find ourselves in new life. How can we find new life and hope in a season that seems to be lifeless?

Listen to the lyrics of “Times” by Tenth Avenue North.

STUD

ENTS

25

MARCH 17 WINTER: GROWTH THROUGH DEATH

PHILIPPIANS 3:4B-14 JOHN 12:1-8

In the Sunshine State, it is difficult for children to get the real feeling of winter. No boots to pull off with socks half pulled off from feet. No heavy, wet scarves to hang up and dry. No mittens to try and match up. But the silence of the season can be a focal point. Silence can bring about great renewal. How often as a family do we have time for the silence? To just sit, breathe, and become closer to God. Find peace in the silence.

Read this poem about winter during the week.

When the wind blows warm, making grass, treesAnd flowers dance,

It makes my hair brush against my face.I think the wind is God’s breath moving through the world,

Making it come alive.I think that God’s breath moves through me, too.

That makes me special,Having a little bit of God inside me.

That makes everyone special,Having God’s breath inside them.

-Sandy Eisenberg Sasso,God’s Paintbrush

Family Activities for winter:

• Try practicing a Breath Prayer. A Breath Prayer is a way of finding the calmness in life through breathing and spoken words. It helps give God your undivided attention. Words or phrases that are meaningful for you can be substituted in this example.

The three phases of a Breath Prayer:1. Breathe in.2. Hold your breath, even if it is for a split second.3. Release. These three movements of breathing will become your three phases of prayer.

Now attach three concepts to each phase of breathing.

1. Be still. (breathe in)2. And know, (hold breath)3. God is with me. (release)

CHILDREN

26


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HOLY WEEK SERVICE SCHEDULE

Make a commitment to continue your journey through the seasons by participating in each Holy Week service and experiencing the Prayer Labyrinth which will be set up in the Fellowship Hall.

On Palm Sunday you will receive a worship and spiritual formation guide to help you journey to Easter.

Confirmation Worship ServiceThursday, March 21Sanctuary 7:00 p.m.Congregation is invited to attend this meaningful service and support over 40 students as they confess their belief in Jesus Christ and become members of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church.

Palm/Passion Sunday WorshipSunday, March 24Traditional Worship at 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. in the SanctuaryContemporary Worship at 9:30 a.m. in the Coleman Memorial Gymnasiumre•define at 11:00 a.m. in the Coleman Memorial Gymnasium

Prayer LabyrinthMonday, March 25 - Friday, March 297:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall

Holy Thursday WorshipThursday, March 287:30 p.m. in the Coleman Memorial GymnasiumStudent led worship moving us through the last evening Jesus spent with his disciples.

Good Friday WorshipFriday, March 297:30 p.m. Coleman Memorial Gymnasium7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Easter Sunday WorshipSunday, March 31Traditional Worship at 7:30, 8:45, 10:00, & 11:15 a.m. in the SanctuaryContemporary Worship at 9:30 a.m. in the Coleman Memorial Gymnasiumre•define at 11:15 a.m. in the Coleman Memorial Gymnasium*Note time changes for worship

Contact the church office at 407.876.4991 if you have any questions or are interested in serving as an usher, greeter, or any of our other opportunities.

Seasons of the Soul Study Guide

Documents

Transcript of Seasons of the Soul Study Guide