practicing presence
And growing in our apprenticeship to jesus.
PRACTICING PRESENCE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Get to know our shared spiritual practices as a church throughout the year. Look for how each inhale and exhale practice can bear the fruit of His kingdom in your life and in the city. We’re currently working on filming a series of Practice Modules that will help you incorporate the presence of God into your daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms of following Jesus. As we complete each one (monthly), they will be made available below.
* inhale practice = inward between us and God.
* exhale practice = outward from ourselves to our neighbours.
LECTIO DIVINA
Translated ‘sacred reading’, this ancient practice offers a way to read the Scriptures slowly and prayerfully.
SABBATH
This keystone practice involves setting aside one day a week to rest, to cease from all work and productivity, and simply enjoy God, our relationships, and creation.
MERCY & JUSTICE
Make a plan for how each week or each day you can serve or show love to your neighbours, especially those with greater needs than ourselves.
BIBLE READING
Spend daily time with Jesus through the Gospels. Simply find a passage that is a manageable length for the time you have set aside.
PRAYER
Prayer is our opportunity to interact with the Creator God and participate in his work of bringing redemption to earth.
POSTURES OF PRAYER
Experiment with employing various postures as you spend time with God in prayer.
PSALM JOURNAL
Use Israel’s prayer book as a starting place for honest conversation with God. Jesus wants all of us, not just the shiny parts.
PRAYER OF EXAMEN
This ancient practice provides for a prayerful reflection on the day typically undertaken shortly before going to bed.
FASTING
Fasting may feel like an intimidating activity, but it is a spiritual discipline that is open to anyone. Not everyone will fast, but everyone can.
VISIO DIVINA
This prayer practice can help us encounter God's presence in what we see, rather than what we read. In the Scriptures, God often engaged his people by giving them visions.
SHARING THE GOSPEL
In our time and context it may feel challenging or embarrassing to speak openly about faith in Jesus, but there are some powerful and important reasons to overcome those difficulties.
WORSHIP WALK
Some people find it easier to engage with God while out in creation or while moving their bodies.
COMPASSION
Lean into the exhale practice of compassion by practicing to see others. Allow their pain and need to move us. Exhale. Take action.
GENEROSITY
We’ve been sharing “inhale” practices to grow to be more like Jesus as well as “exhale” practices to put the love of Christ into action in the outflow of our lives.
INTERCESSION
Every day is an opportunity to join God in the renewal of the world, our city, and our neighbourhoods through prayers of intercession.
SERVICE
We are continuing a response in obedience as a church to intentionally turn outward from ourselves to our neighbours in love.
SILENCE AND SOLITUDE
These two practices make up a powerful formative duo that have been relied upon by followers of Jesus across the ages.