The Way of Love at St. Luke’s

Get Started on the Way…

Turn

Pause, listen and choose to follow Jesus

Learn

Go Deeper, Learn about your faith with a focus on Jesus' life and teachings

pray

Dwell intentionally with God each day

Worship

Gather in community weekly to thank, praise, and dwell with God

Bless

Share faith and unselfishly serve one another

Go

Cross boundaries, listen deeply, serve and live like Jesus

rest

Receive the gift of God’s grace, peace, and restoration

REST: RECEIVE THE GIFT OF GOD’S GRACE, PEACE, AND RESTORATION

 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27

 Blessed are you, O Lord … giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent.  – Book of Common Prayer, 113

 From the beginning of creation, God has established the sacred pattern of going and returning, labor and rest. Especially today, God invites us to dedicate time for restoration and wholeness - within our bodies, minds, and souls, and within our communities and institutions. By resting we place our trust in God, the primary actor who brings all things to their fullness.

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GO: CROSS BOUNDARIES, LISTEN DEEPLY, SERVE, AND LIVE LIKE JESUS

 Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” – John 20:21 

Send them into the world in witness to your love. – Book of Common Prayer, 306

 As Jesus went to the highways and byways, he sends us beyond our circles and comfort, to witness to the love, justice, and truth of God with our lips and with our lives. We go to listen with humility and to join God in healing a hurting world. We go to become Beloved Community, a people reconciled in love with God and one another.

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WORSHIP: GATHER IN COMMUNITY WEEKLY TO THANK, PRAISE, AND DWELL WITH GOD

 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. – Luke 24:30-31

 Celebrant: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them to the Lord.

            – Book of Common Prayer, 361

 When we worship, we gather with others before God. We hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, give thanks, confess, and offer the brokenness of the world to God.  As we break bread, our eyes are opened to the presence of Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made one body, the body of Christ sent forth to live the Way of Love.

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BLESS: SHARE FAITH AND UNSELFISHLY SERVE ONE ANOTHER

 “Freely you have received; freely give.” – Matthew 10:8 

Celebrant: Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

People: We will, with God’s help.

– Book of Common Prayer, 305

 Jesus called his disciples to give, forgive, teach, and heal in his name. We are empowered by the Spirit to bless everyone we meet, practicing generosity and compassion and proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ with hopeful words and selfless actions. We can share our stories of blessing and invite others to the Way of Love.

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PRAY: DWELL INTENTIONALLY WITH GOD

 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” – Luke 11:1 

“Lord, hear our prayer.” - Book of Common Prayer  

Jesus teaches us to come before God with humble hearts, boldly offering our thanksgivings and concerns to God or simply listening for God’s voice in our lives and in the world. Whether in thought, word or deed, individually or corporately, when we pray we invite and dwell in God’s loving presence.

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LEARN: GO DEEPER, LEARN ABOUT YOUR FAITH WITH A FOCUS ON JESUS’ LIFE AND TEACHINGS 

“Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” – John 14:23 

Grant us so to hear [the Holy Scriptures], read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.

  – Book of Common Prayer, 236 

By learning more about scripture, especially Jesus’ teachings, our own beliefs, and the church we are more equipped to believe that we are loved, chosen, and called to spread the love that is found in Jesus Christ and our expression of Christianity.

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TURN: PAUSE, LISTEN AND CHOOSE TO FOLLOW JESUS

 As Jesus was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. – Mark 2:14 

“Do you turn to Jesus Christ ...?” – Book of Common Prayer, 302 

Like the disciples, we are called by Jesus to follow the Way of Love. With God’s help, we can turn from the powers of sin, hatred, fear, injustice, and oppression toward the way of truth, love, hope, justice, and freedom. In turning, we reorient our lives to Jesus Christ, falling in love again, again, and again.

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