LUTHERAN |
Spiritual Development |
The Wilderness Story --- in situ Late February and early March of this year contain the weeks of Lent. We observed Ash Wednesday on Feb 14th and will celebrate Easter on March 31. Those two observances are bookends to our Lenten journey. I recently read a devotional written by Mary Luti, an Interim Senior Pastor at Wellesley Village Church in Wellesley, Massachusetts. I was so struck by the message and how it shapes not only our Lenten ponderings, but also how it calls us to serve in God’s Kingdom each day. Her thoughts are based on Mark 1:12-13, part of the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness … "He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him." She goes on to tell a story of Rev. Jed Mannis setting up a communion table on the Cambridge Common every Sunday and while doing so, leading the homeless members of the Outdoor Church in worship. The rest of the story continues … “The kids of my (Rev. Luti’s) former congregation used to make sandwiches for them. We'd consecrate them at our own table before lugging them to the Common in baskets. On one of the rare days I roused myself to go with them, Jed asked me to read scripture—the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. So, as we think about this story in the midst of Lent and in the midst of your Faith Community Nursing practice, have you heard the story of Jesus in the wilderness? Have you really heard it? Have you stood in the wilderness with those you serve and do you feel inside of you, their struggles? Who knows you as their angel? Listen to this story in scripture (and the stories of those you serve) as perhaps you’ve never heard them before. For many, if not most, those we care for also know the desert. Maybe not like someone who is homeless, but like someone who is dealing with ‘beasts’ of their own, looking for an angel Prayer: Jesus, you walked among us and knew pain, desperation, emptiness, hunger and thirst. Today, sharpen our awareness of people who live in the wilderness and help us to really know their plight. Then help us respond with compassionate and generous spirits. Amen. Submitted by Carol DeSchepper |
Resources for Spiritual Growth and Development
Welcome to the Prayer Ventures resource page. These petitions are offered as guides to prayer for the global, social and outreach ministries of the ELCA, as well as for the needs and circumstances of our neighbors, communities and world. Thank you for your continued prayers for the life and mission of this church.
Click here to link to the monthly list of prayer intentions: https://www.elca.org/Resources/Prayer-Ventures
Center for Action and Contemplation Fr. Richard Rohr is a Franciscan of the New Mexico Province and the Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Joyce Rupp This is a wonderful spiritual resource from author and retreat and conference speaker, and spiritual "midwife". Joyce has a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) in English, a M.R.E. (Masters in Religious Education), and a M.A. (Master of Arts) in Transpersonal Psychology. She is a member of the Servite Community (Servants of Mary) and was a volunteer for Hospice for fifteen years. She currently resides in Des Moines, Iowa. To sign up for her monthly newsletter go to joyce@joycerupp.com. Daily Grace from Women of the ELCA (WELCA) Daily Grace is an on-the-go companion for your journey, offering a faith reflection every day. Encounter God’s extravagant, boundless and often surprising grace by signing up for a daily email message. You can also download the newly updated app for your IOS and Android devices. | God Pause Daily Devotion Looking for spiritual refreshment? God Pause email devotions are short, meaningful reflections on the following Sunday's lessons and gospel delivered directly to your email box. By Sunday, you'll be ready for an extra meaningful worship experience. Melissa's Prayer Journal: The Power of Prayer in the Face of Cancer Lectio 365 If you are drawn to Lectio Divina as a prayer practice, Lectio365 is a daily devotional virtual resource that helps you pray the Bible every day. Written by leaders from the 24-7 Prayer movement, this resource helps you engage with the word, fix your eyes on Jesus, and connect with God in prayer. TEXT & AUDIO – Read or listen to every devotional. The app is free and is available through the Google Play store. |
Spiritual direction is, in reality, nothing more than a way of leading us to see and obey the real Director — the Holy Spirit hidden in the depths of our soul. (Thomas Merton, Trappist monk, USA)
Some of you may wish to seek a spiritual director as a way to nurture your own spirituality. Spiritual maturity and growth is critical for the parish nurse. As you support others in body, mind, and spirit, tending to your own soul is important. Spiritual Direction is only one way of keeping yourself centered and grounded spiritually. You perhaps have other disciplines and practices that meet this need for you.
Contact Carol DeSchepper for a more in-depth discussion of Spiritual Direction, including access to a web site to locate a Spiritual Director.