Grafted In For Generosity: Week 12 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Picking Olives, Sliman Mansour - Source, & Olive Harvest, 1985 - Source, & Olive Harvest, 2016 -Source

LISTEN: We Abide, We Abide in You, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Paul Zach - Lyrics & Lead Sheets |Spotify | YouTube

READ: Isaiah 56:1–8, Psalm 67, Romans 11:13–24, Matthew 15:21–28

(Through the week) Psalm 112: Genesis 13; Matthew 20:1-16; Luke 2:1-4; Romans 12:1-13

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Twelfth Week After Pentecost

DO: This week, consider how one response to God’s incalculable grace is to extend that bounty to our neighbors.

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Christ’s Body, Our Flesh and Blood: Week 11 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Woman and Child, 2010, Sam Jinks - Source

LISTEN: Simeon’s Song, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Tenielle Neda & Paul Zach - Lyrics & Lead Sheets | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Jonah 2:1–10; Psalm 29; Romans 9:1–5; Matthew 14:22–33

(Through the week) Psalm 128; Song of Solomon; Ecclesiastes 9:7-10; Matthew 6:25-33; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Eleventh Week After Pentecost

DO: This week, consider how the expression of God’s loving hospitality informs how we perceive and care for our own bodies. We care for others as we care for ourselves - our actual living, breathing, needing bodies.

  1. As you commune with God, consider the following questions:

What is your attitude toward your own body with its needs and pleasures?

Do you need to hear God’s permission to care for and enjoy your body?

Do you respond to your own body with indifference or neglect - giving your time, energy, and money toward habits of your mind or emotional needs only? Or have you noticed that your response to your body is to anxious and indulgent - overspending time, energy, and money?

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Hospitality That Leads All of Us Home: Week 10 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Guidance Day and Night, Mike Moyers - Source

LISTEN: Nothing to Fear, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Audrey Assad - Lyrics & Lead Sheets | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Nehemiah 9:16–21; Psalm 78:14–26v; Romans 8:35–39; Matthew 14:13–21

(Through the week) Genesis 18:1-17; Deuteronomy 10:12-22; Psalm 23; Ruth 2; 4:13-22; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 14:1-14; 3 John

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Ninth Week After Pentecost

DO: This week, consider how the expression of God’s love flows to us and through us to our neighbors in the form of hospitality.

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The Giving and Sending Community: Week 9 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Kingdom of Heaven, Natalya Rusetska - Source

LISTEN: Father, Let Your Kingdom Come, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Urban Doxology, Liz Vice, and Latifah Alattas - Lyrics & Lead Sheets | Spotify | YouTube

READ: 1 Kings 3:3–14; Psalm 119:121–136; Romans 8:26–34; Matthew 13:31–33, 44–50

(Through the week) Psalm 67; Genesis 12:1-9; Luke 10:1-20; Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 1:11-2:10

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Ninth Week After Pentecost

DO: In the safety of God’s presence, ask the Spirit to help you prayerfully sit with questions about what it means to join Christ in his giving and sending community. Ask God’s help to give something of yourself this week to one of the partners or people groups highlighted in your time of prayer.

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Confronting the Powers: Week 8 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: All Creatures Lament, Josh Tiessen - Source | HT

LISTEN: All Creatures Lament, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Fernando Ortega & Molly Parden - Lyrics & Lead Sheets | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Wisdom 12:13, 16–19; Psalm 86; Romans 8:18–25; Matthew 13:24–30, 34–43

(Through the week) Psalm 105; 1 Kings 18; Luke 9:7-9; Luke 22:66-23:25; Acts 12; Acts 21:22-26:32

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Eighth Week After Pentecost

DO: In the safety of God’s presence, ask the Spirit to help you prayerfully sit with questions about what it means to join Christ in his confronting the (false) religious and political powers of this world.

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The Embracing and Reconciling Community: Week 7 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Circle of Friends, Alice Beasley - Source

LISTEN: Instrument of Peace, The Porter’s Gate - Lyrics & Lead Sheets | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Isaiah 55; Psalm 65; Romans 8:7–17; Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23

(Through the week) Psalm 133; Jonah 1-4; Luke 7:1-10; Acts 10:1-11:18; Colossians 3:1-17; Philemon

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Seventh Week After Pentecost

DO: In the safety of God’s presence, ask the Spirit to help you prayerfully sit with questions about what it means to join Christ in his embracing and reconciling community.

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Setting People Free: Week 6 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Resting with the Ancestors, 2017, Charlie Watts and Tricia Hersey - Source

LISTEN: In the Fields of the Lord, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Audrey Assad & Paul Zach - Bandcamp w/ lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Zechariah 9:9–12; Psalm 145:1–13; Romans 7:21–8:6; Matthew 11:25–30

(Through the week) Readings for the rest of the week*: Psalm 116; 1 Kings 17:17-24; Luke 13:14-17; Acts 8:4-9:43; Acts 28:1-10

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Sixth Week After Pentecost

DO: In the safety of God’s presence, ask the Spirit to help you listen to specific invitations to join Jesus in God’s mission to set people free.

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The Serving and Suffering Community: Week 5 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Simon of Cyrene, Sieger Köder - Source

LISTEN: Little Things With Great Love, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Madison Cunningham - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Isaiah 2:10–17; Psalm 89:1–18v; Romans 6:1–11; Matthew 10:34–42

(The rest of the week) Psalm 11; 1 Kings 17:8-16; Luke 21:12-19; Acts 6:1-8:3; 1 Peter 4:7-19

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Fifth Week After Pentecost

DO: In the safety of God’s presence, ask the Spirit to help you prayerfully sit with questions about what it means to join Christ in his suffering and his serving community

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Facing Persecution: Week 4 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: Thistlefinch, Carl Ferdinand Fabritius, Source

LISTEN: Nothing to Fear, feat. Audrey Assad - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Jeremiah 20:7–13; Psalm 69:1–15; Romans 5:15b–19; Matthew 10:16–33

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Fourth Week After Pentecost

Do: In the safety of God’s presence, ask the Spirit to help you prayerfully sit with questions about the reality of persecution in the kingdom of God

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The Praying and Sharing Community: Week 3 of Ordinary Time

LOOK: The Five Thousand, Eularia Clarke - Source

LISTEN: Open Hands, The Porter’s Gate, feat. Paul Zach, Taylor Leonhardt & Jessica Fox - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

READ: Psalm 2; Luke 11:1-13; Luke 12:13-34; Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:23-5:11; Philippians 4:4-20

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Third Week After Pentecost

Do: Reconnect with a praying and sharing community.

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Proclaiming Good News: Week 2 of Ordinary Time

LOOK; High and Lifted Up, 2020, Phyllis Stephens - Source | HT

LISTEN: The Earth Shall Know, by The Porter’s Gate, feat. Casey J, Leslie Jordan & Urban Doxology - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Here’s a playlist I made for us a few years ago! Ordinary Time, pt. 1: World and Church

READ: Hosea 5:15—6:6; Psalm 50; Romans 4:13-18; Matthew 9:9-13

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Second Week After Pentecost

DO: Pray for awareness, courage, and joy in proclaiming the gospel.

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Thrice Holy: Trinity Sunday

LOOK: “Pater complacet sibi in Filio et Filius in Patre, et Spiritus sanctus ab utroque” (The Father is well pleased in the Son, and the Son in the Father, and the Holy Spirit is from both), from Rothschild Canticles - Source

LISTEN: Trisagion, Choir of the Monks of Chevetogne - Spotify | YouTube

READ: Genesis 1:1—2:3; Psalm 150; 2 Corinthians 13:5-14; Matthew 28:16-20

PRAY: Collect for Trinity Sunday

DO: Read the Athanasian Creed out loud today.

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What Can Be Seen Is Temporary, But What Cannot Be Seen Is Eternal: Pentecost Saturday

Welcome to the Pentecost Daybook series for these 8 days of celebration (through Trinity Sunday). May you know the power of the risen and reigning Christ resting on you and working through you today, tomorrow, and always!

LOOK: Wheat and Wine (germinated wheat, wine, paper, thread, beeswax), Paul Roorda - Source

READ: Psalm 30, 32; Psalm 42, 43; Deuteronomy 5:22-33; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10; Luke 16:19-31

PRAY: Prayer to the Holy Spirit

DO: Throughout the first week of Pentecost, I'll be sharing excerpts from my upcoming book, The Spacious Path: Practicing the Restful Way of Jesus in a Fragmented World. In Part 2 of the book, I invite us to consider Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to “walk with him” as an invitation to walk with his church. First, I want to tell you about the community that shaped my default imagination for church.

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For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts: Pentecost Friday

Welcome to the Pentecost Daybook series for these 8 days of celebration (through Trinity Sunday). May you know the power of the risen and reigning Christ resting on you and working through you today, tomorrow, and always!

LOOK: Pentecost, Titian - Source

READ: Psalm 31; Psalm 35; Deuteronomy 5:1-22; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Luke 16:10-18

PRAY: Prayer to the Holy Spirit

DO: Throughout the first week of Pentecost, I'll be sharing excerpts from my upcoming book, The Spacious Path: Practicing the Restful Way of Jesus in a Fragmented World. In Part 2 of the book, I invite us to consider Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to “walk with him” as an invitation to walk with his church. First, I want to tell you about the community that shaped my default imagination for church.

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You Are Our Letter: Pentecost Thursday

Welcome to the Pentecost Daybook series for these 8 days of celebration (through Trinity Sunday). May you know the power of the risen and reigning Christ resting on you and working through you today, tomorrow, and always!

LOOK: Living Epistle, Steve Prince - Source

READ: Psalm 37:1-18; Psalm 37:19-42; Deuteronomy 4:32-40; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18; Luke 16:1-9

PRAY: Prayer to the Holy Spirit

DO: Throughout the first week of Pentecost, I'll be sharing excerpts from my upcoming book, The Spacious Path: Practicing the Restful Way of Jesus in a Fragmented World. In Part 2 of the book, I invite us to consider Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to “walk with him” as an invitation to walk with his church. First, I want to tell you about the community that shaped my default imagination for church.

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Abundantly Beloved: Pentecost Wednesday

Welcome to the Pentecost Daybook series for these 8 days of celebration (through Trinity Sunday). May you know the power of the risen and reigning Christ resting on you and working through you today, tomorrow, and always!

LOOK: Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt - Source

READ: Psalm 38; Psalm 119:25-48; Deuteronomy 4:25-31; 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17; Luke 15:1-2, 11-32

PRAY: Prayer to the Holy Spirit

DO: Throughout the first week of Pentecost, I'll be sharing excerpts from my upcoming book, The Spacious Path: Practicing the Restful Way of Jesus in a Fragmented World. In Part 2 of the book, I invite us to consider Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to “walk with him” as an invitation to walk with his church. First, I want to tell you about the community that shaped my default imagination for church.

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It Is God Who Establishes Us: Pentecost Tuesday

Welcome to the Pentecost Daybook series for these 8 days of celebration (through Trinity Sunday). May you know the power of the risen and reigning Christ resting on you and working through you today, tomorrow, and always!

LOOK: Upper Story, Lower Story (from When Old People Talk to Young People), Sedrick Huckaby - Source

READ: Psalm 26, 28; Psalm 36, 39; Deuteronomy 4:15-24; 2 Corinthians 1:12-22; Luke 15:1-10

PRAY: Prayer to the Holy Spirit

DO: Throughout the first week of Pentecost, I'll be sharing excerpts from my upcoming book, The Spacious Path: Practicing the Restful Way of Jesus in a Fragmented World. In Part 2 of the book, I invite us to consider Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to “walk with him” as an invitation to walk with his church. First, I want to tell you about the community that shaped my default imagination for church.

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Our Hope For You is Unshaken: Pentecost Monday

Welcome to the Pentecost Daybook series for these 8 days of celebration (through Trinity Sunday). May you know the power of the risen and reigning Christ resting on you and working through you today, tomorrow, and always!

LOOK: The piece, called “Les Colombes,” consists of as many as 1,500 origami doves, each suspended from a nearly invisible filament, 2020 installation at The Washington National Cathedral, Michael Pendry - Source

READ: Psalm 25; Psalm 9, 15; Deuteronomy 4:9-14; 2 Corinthians 1:1-11; Luke 14:25-35

PRAY: Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful,
and enkindle in us the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created,
and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Amen.

DO: Throughout the first week of Pentecost, I'll be sharing excerpts from my upcoming book, The Spacious Path: Practicing the Restful Way of Jesus in a Fragmented World. In Part 2 of the book, I invite us to consider Jesus invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to “walk with him” as an invitation to walk with his church. First, I want to tell you about the community that shaped my default imagination for church.

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We Are One in the Spirit: Pentecost Sunday

A blessed Pentecost, friends!

LOOK: Pentecost 2000, Laura James - Source

LISTEN: One in the Spirit, Ruth Naomi Floyd - YouTube | Spotify

READ: Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 104:24-35v; Acts 2:1-21; John 14:8-17

I’ll post daily readings for the week between Pentecost Sunday and Trinity Sunday.

PRAY: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for Day of Pentecost

Do: The Church has long used the symbols of fire, wind, and water to represent the power given to us by the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Today would be a great day to light candles, host a bonfire or walk around a neighborhood seeking out evidence of the Holy Spirit’s light.

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