Weekly Practices
Weekly Practice 9/21/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Prayer
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Scriptures
Luke 9:23-24 NLT
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
John 12:23-26 NLT
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
Galatians 2:20 NLT
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Practice
Annual Examen, Part 3: Know & Surrender Self
If needed, continue to look back at your relationship with God and others over the past year. It’s a lot. Go slow. Give your mind and heart enough time and space to reflect. Depend on the Holy Spirit.
This week, add these layers to your annual examen:
Where in your life do you feel surrendered to God’s love, grace, and will?
Where in your life is this still a struggle?
Dying to self
When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught,
and you don’t sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight,
but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;
that is dying to self.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed,
your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed
and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself,
but take it all in patient, loving silence;
that is dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder,
any irregularity, any impunctuality, or annoyance;
when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility,
and endure it as Jesus endured it;
that is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment,
any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption,
by the will of God;
that is dying to self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation,
or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation,
when you truly love to be unknown;
that is dying to self.
When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met,
and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God,
while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances;
that is dying to self.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself,
and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly,
finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;
that is dying to self.
Weekly Practice 9/14/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Prayer
O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Scripture
John 15:12-17 NLT
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
Practice
Annual Examen, Part 2: Know & Love Others
If needed, continue last week’s practice of looking back over the past year and reflecting on your relationship with God. There’s no rush. Take it a little at a time. Allow God to reveal things at his pace. Over the next three weeks, we simply zero-in on some specific areas.
This week, prayerfully considering the last year:
How have others been a source of God's love and transformation for you?
How have you been a source of God’s love and transformation for others?
Which relationships would you like God to change, grow, heal, or reconcile this coming year?
Weekly Practice 9/7/26
Make every effort to do or reflect upon this week’s practice with others.
Scripture
John 15:1-11 NLT
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
Practice
Annual Examen, Part 1: Know & Love God
This is it, folks. Over the next four weeks, we’ll be practicing an annual examen, prayerfully reflecting over the last year. If you don’t have a journal, consider getting one. Write things down so you can return to them later. We’ll also be sharing what we notice in our discussion groups each Sunday.
An annual examen can be a lot. If it helps, use old journals, calendars, or other touchpoints to help yourself remember what has happened since last September. It will also help to stretch this over the entire week, maybe tackling a single aspect each day.
This week, prayerfully reflect back over the last year. Consider:
How has your relationship with God deepened, increased, or transformed? What are you thankful for or surprised by?
In what ways has your relationship with God been difficult or complex? What questions or laments do you have?
Reflect on how both of these dynamics have shown up for you:
During personal times of prayer, worship, and scripture reading
Within church community, both on Sundays and throughout the week
In your “everyday life” of responsibilities, relationships, and recreation