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 Tools for Living"Managing our life with Christ at the center" is a definition of stewardship that we embrace at Incarnation. It means that all parts of our lives—including our daily decisions, our relationships, how we use our gifts and passions, and how we use our financial and time resources--are shaped by the love and forgiveness of God that we have experienced through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Managing our lives with Christ at the center is a good goal, but it is not just a goal. In truth it is not a destination but the journey of the Christian life. So, how to we do that? How do our lives begin reflect what we believe and value as children of God? Over the centuries different spiritual practices have developed as other people of faith have traveled this same journey. Some of the core practices that help us connect with God and God’s will for our lives include worship, daily scripture reading and devotions, prayer, generosity, and service. “Tools for Living” is intended to connect you with resources to guide you on your journey. As you explore the different links and practices, remember that this journey is not about “have to” but is an invitation to connect more deeply with God and an opportunity to stretch and grow as you are shaped by Christ living at the center of your life. Worship Gathering in worship is central to our faith and life. It draws us into the community of faith and together we hear God's Word for us as individuals and a community that shapes our private and our public lives. Together we confess our need for God's forgiveness; together we hear that forgiveness proclaimed in the name of Jesus Christ. Together we honor God and praise God; we remember that God is God and we are not and we allow God to claim us and shape us again and again. Worship is not a passive practice where we just show up and go along for the ride. It is true that we won't always hear what we want to hear or the style of different parts of the service may not be our preferred style, but if we are intentional about how we enter into worship (both the space and the time that is set apart) over time our experience and practice of worship will be fuller. Strategies for Preparing for Worship (From the Lent 2009 Preaching Series) Worshiping with Children Connecting with God: Sabbath Keeping by Denise Floe, Director of Small Group Ministry at Incarnation Listen to Past Sermons Reading the Bible | Engaging Scripture Developing a regular practice of reading the Bible can feel a little overwhelming at times. Start with a realistic plan and commitment. Many study Bibles include a Bible reading plan, check the table of contents. For example, The Learning Bible that Incarnation gives to 3rd Graders and is used in Logos and Confirmation has two different Bible reading plans. The first is called "A Moment with Scripture" (p. 2349) and is designed to introduce the reader to many of the important stories and key themes that have made God's Word a source of comfort and strength for people who turn to it regularly. The second is a plan to "Read through the Bible in a Year" (p. 2356). This plan asks you to spend 20-30 minutes a day and read three passages from different parts of the Bible. A simple way to begin reading is to commit to reading 2 or 3 chapters a day. You don't have to start at the beginning, simply pick a book of the Old or New Testament that interests you and begin. If you have a study Bible with notes, use them when you feel like it or have a question. Take your time and if you find yourself getting bogged down in a section, skim it or skip over it. It's okay. The point is for you to connect with God through the gift of God's Word that we find in the Bible. Do what you can to stick to the plan. If you miss a few days, don't worry and don't beat yourself up; just jump back in where it makes sense. Finding Scripture Online Bible Crosswalk--includes a variety of translations including New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) which Incarnation typically uses during worship Bible Gateway--good for CEV, NIV, TNIV and others but does not include NRSV Personalizing Scripture from The Upper Room Developing a Practice of Daily Devotions Start a practice of daily devotions are you are intentionally carving out time in each day to pay attention to God's presence! You are creating enough space, enough quiet, enough breathing room for your relationship with God to grow . . . (read more from Connect with God--Daily Devotional Practices, by Denise Floe, Director of Small Group Ministry at Incarnation). How to Have a Daily Devotional Time by Mary Lou Redding from The Upper Room Sign up for "God Pause" email devotions from Luther Seminary Prayer ELCA Prayer Center ELCA Prayer Resources How to Jump Start Your Prayer Life Centering Prayer Exercise from The Upper Room Explore different Prayer Methods, including Lectio Divina, Praying the Psalms, The Ignatian Method and others Check out this article on Spiritual Friendship Prayer Ministry at Incarnation Generosity Part of practicing generosity is acknowledging and addressing the needs of others through caring and thoughtful gifts. When celebrating Christmas, birthdays, or other special occasions, in honor of a loved one give a gift and transform a life. Check out the opportunities with the following organizations that are affiliated with Incarnation and make an impact locally or globally. Incarnation Mission Partners LifeHaven / Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota Chontala / Sister Parish New City Parish Families Moving Forward Mkwawa, Iringa, Tanzania (or for information on sponsoring a secondary student contact Lynda Thompson) Local Organizations Ralph Reeder Foodshelf Habitat for Humanity Dorothy Day Center People, Incorporated Organizations with Global Impact Heifer International Global Health Ministries Feed My Starving Children Saint Paul Partners Ilula Health Center Churchwide Organizations ELCA World Hunger Saint Paul Area Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lutheran World Relief Serving | Gift Discovery For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. --Ephesians 2:10 There are many options for serving at Incarnation and in the larger community through Incarnation Mission Partners and other organizations with which we partner. These opportunities are described under Called to Serve Ministry. Sometimes we know we want to serve but with so many opportunities, it's hard to know where to start. A good place to start is to figure out what types of opportunities you will enjoy and that will be meaningful for you by going through a gift discovery process. What has God uniquely equipped you to do? How can we each discover and use our gifts the way God intended? As individuals discover their gifts and strengths, they become better equipped to work with others, accept their unique capabilities, and live an engaged life within their church, families, and communities. LifeKeys: Gift Discovery Small Group LifeKeys is a discovery process that can help you determine who you are, what you do best, and why you’re here. It’s a chance to discover how to contribute to the world in your own unique way – being the person God created you to be. It’s also a way to find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in your life. Click here for upcoming schedule of LifeKeys small groups. Finding your Spiritual Gifts Self-Assessment We are given spiritual gifts for God’s work and are stewards of those gifts. Spiritual gifts are distributed according to God’s will, not because of any effort on our part. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) of which Incarnation is a part, has an online Spiritual Gifts Assessment which you can access and help you to learn about your gifts. As an alternative, try the free spiritual gifts assessment at www.churchgrowth.org. Strengths Finder: Online Strengths Assessment Purchase either of the books, Living Your Strengths or Strengths Finder 2.0, which both include a code permitting you to take the online assessment to discover your top five strengths. Based on the Gallup Organization’s Clifton Strengths Finder tool, this assessment will help you identify your top five strengths. Both books will give you ideas on how to utilize those strengths effectively. Living Your Strengths is a faith-based resource that will help direct you to ways you can serve in harmony with your strengths. Complete the Called to Serve Ministry Interest/Gift Inventory and return it to the Incarnation Office. The Called to Serve Interest/Gift Inventory is used to invite people to serve in many ways as well as identify areas of interest. From creating a welcoming space and meaningful worship experience to outreach ministries locally and abroad - there is a place for YOU to serve at Incarnation. The Incarnation Library The Incarnation Library is located off the Atrium near the Sanctuary (enter through Door 1). Many books and resources are available to be checked out. It is a great place to page through different devotional books and to get ideas of other print resources that would be helpful in developing different faith practices. |
