Author: jnfarr@earthlink.net

Rev. Beth Frigard

Friends, during this season of Lent I want to invite you to give yourself the gift of slowing down, as with “ears of your hearts” we attend to our own lives, and listen for God’s tangible presence.
Some people complain that traditional church is boring. Maybe we should consider the possibility that we have unintentionally made it so by substituting religious tradition for spiritual encounter. Perhaps the church’s role is to create space for people to experience the wonder and mystery of God and God’s love.
It is with this in mind that I am inviting you into the spiritual practice known as Lectio Divina, which is simply a slow, contemplative praying of the Scriptures. It is a quiet, intentional time which enables us to explore in our daily lives an underlying spiritual rhythm.
This “Divine Reading” involves listening in a meditative way to a short passage or a few verses of Scripture. Those participating are encouraged to set aside analysis, and what they “know” already about the passage, seeking instead to open themselves to God’s word, listen with their hearts, and receive it expectantly and passively.
First we will open with a prayer, then a participant will slowly read aloud the chosen passage. After one minute of silence each person will write down an answer to the question, “What word/phrase caught my attention?” Everyone will then share his/her word or phrase without comment.
Then someone will read aloud the same passage and after three to five minutes of silence, each person will write down an answer to the question, “Where does this passage touch my life experience?” Each participant will then share his/her answer in turn, without comment.?
A third person will then read the passage aloud and for three to five minutes everyone will write an answer to the question, “From what I have heard and shared, what is God inviting me to be? How is God inviting me to change?” Each one then shares, beginning, “I believe God wants me to …”
We will then end in prayer, or if the group feels so moved, each person will pray aloud for the person on his/her right, praying only for what that person expressed in the prior step.
As is true with all forms of praying, the purpose of Lectio Divina is to open ourselves to God so that God may bring us and the world into harmony with God’s purposes. The first step is simply to begin.
Please join me at 11:00 AM every Thursday in Lent beginning March 2. At noon we will have lunch. Bring a sandwich; soup and beverages will be provided.

Blessings,
Pastor Beth