SESSION 16 (2024)
Leg 1 (5/20-6/2)
READING
Creation Regained by Albert Wolters
Chapter 1: What is a worldview?
Chapter 2: Creation
Practicing Christian Doctrine by Beth Felker Jones
OPTIONAL: Chapter 4: A Delightful World - Doctrines of Creation and Providence (PDF)
PREPARING
Watch our sermon “Silence & Solitude” from Psalm 46 in our series Spiritual Rhythms of the Psalms
REFLECTING
Reflect on the following questions regarding the reading, writing in your journal:
What is one step you can take today to quiet the noise in order to listen more attentively to the voice of Jesus and slow down in order to live more faithfully to the way of Jesus? (EHS-WB, p26)
Fill in the blanks: What I am beginning to realize about God this week is _______. What I am beginning to realize about myself this week is _______. (EHS-WB, p34)
What is a world view? How does Wolters define it in his opening chapter? What are the four main components and why are they important? How would your definition differ from his? For example, what might you stress that he does not, or what does he stress that you might not? (Ch1)
How would you describe the creation mandate of Genesis 1? How do we all share in this equally? (Ch2)
How has Wolter’s writing in the second chapter changed or altered your view of law? (Ch2)
In reading the first two chapters of Creation Regained: a) What did you find confusing? b) What did you not quite agree with? and c) What was something new you learned? (Ch1-2)
Reflect on something new you learned from Beth Feller Jones’ writing that has changed the way you see God as creator or His creation. (Ch4)
Describer an aspect of God’s creation that you find beautiful?
What was something you learned from your times of silence during this leg?
As you prepare for your upcoming retreat, draft a preliminary plan including: a) when you will take your retreat (identify 3 possible dates, be sure to share with those who need to know) and b) where you will take it (I would suggest having a back-up indoor option in the event of bad weather)
PRACTICING: Silence
One 60-minute session of silence for each week of this leg using our Liturgy of Silence guide
Leg 2 (6/3-6/16)
READING
Surprised by Scripture: Engaging Contemporary Issues by NT Wright
Chapter 5: Jesus is Coming - Plant a Tree!
Chapter 11: Apocalypse and the Beauty of God
Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by NT Wright
Chapter 4: For the Beauty of the Earth (PDF)
REFLECTING
Reflect on the following questions regarding the reading, writing in your journal:
What is one step you can take today to quiet the noise in order to listen more attentively to the voice of Jesus and slow down in order to live more faithfully to the way of Jesus? (EHS-WB, p26)
Fill in the blanks: What I am beginning to realize about God this week is _______. What I am beginning to realize about myself this week is _______. (EHS-WB, p34)
What was your view of eschatology (i.e., your view of how the story ends) prior to this leg’s reading? How did you view life after death? What did you think happened when Jesus returned? What has influenced this view?
NT Wright can’t help but connect our eschatology (our view of how the story ends) with our mission (how we live our lives in the present). As a result of his writing in this leg, 1) Reflect on one way your view of eschatology has changed, 2) Reflect on one way this has altered how you should live your life in the present, and 3) If Jesus is indeed coming, does planting a tree matter? And if so, why (or why not)?
What role do you think art should play in the christian world view? (Ch11) - Wright proposes a challenge for the Christian artist: “To tell the story of the new world so that people can taste it and want it, even while acknowledging the reality of the desert in which we presently live” (p. 203). What art have you seen that depicts these images? If you consider yourself an artist, how does your art fall within this challenge?
Within God’s vision of the new heavens and new earth, “each of us has a particular calling—prophetic, artistic, political, theological, scientific, whatever it may be—by which God will call us to bring signs of that new world to birth within the old one” (p. 206). What do you believe your calling is in bringing the new world into the old? Has God made this calling clear to you? How might you discern God’s calling in order to engage in activities that foreshadow the coming of the new heaven and new earth?
How has this leg’s reading changed the way you view your vocation? How can you find beauty in what you are currently doing? How can you do it to the glory of God as an act of worship?
What was something you learned from your times of silence during this leg?
As you prepare for your upcoming retreat, draft a preliminary plan including: a) what will you need to bring with you? (bible, books, articles, journal, pen / pencil, etc) and b) how will you take care of meals (or will you be fasting)?
As you prepare for your upcoming retreat, draft a preliminary plan including: a) when you will take your retreat (identify 3 possible dates, be sure to share with those who need to know) - b) where you will take it (I would suggest having a back-up indoor option in the event of bad weather) - and c) what are you going to do? begin work on an itinerary and liturgy including when wake up, leave, meals, etc. Ruth Haley Barton provides some helpful ideas in building your liturgy in Appendix 1 of Invitation to Retreat.
PRACTICING: Silence
One 60-minute session of silence for each week of this leg using our Liturgy of Silence guide
Leg 3 (6/17-6/30)
READING
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
Chapter 3: Brushing Teeth - Standing, Kneeling, Bowing, and Living in a Body
The Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas (Red Book)
Chapter 7: Sexual Wholeness for a Culture that Splits Bodies from Souls
Chapter 8: Deeply Formed Practices of Sexual Wholeness
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
Chapter 5: Honoring the Body - Flesh-and-Blood Spirituality
REFLECTING
Reflect on the following questions regarding the reading, writing in your journal:
In your reading and practicing, where has God been speaking most clearly about honoring your body and part of your life in Him? What will caring for your body more intentionally involve? (p176)
Is there something your body has been trying to tell you as of late that you have not been listening to? How are you responding to this awareness? (p177)
Have you thought about the care of your body as part of your spiritual life and worship of God? What experiences (positive / negative) have shaped your view of the body and your relationship with your own body? (LOTO, p162)
Tish writes that “if the church does not teach us what our bodies are for, our culture certainly will.” What does our culture tell us about what our bodies are and what they are for? How does this message align with scripture? How does it differ? (LOTO, p162)
When you were growing up, how did your parents handle (or not handle) the “birds and the bees” conversation? How may have their approach shaped the way you view sexuality? (DFL, Ch7)
Adam and Eve hide from God, fearful and carrying shame. How does fear and shame about our bodies impact our relationship with God, ourselves, and others? (DFL, Ch7)
What are the spoken or unspoken messages from the Church regarding sexuality that has impacted the way you see this issue? (DFL, Ch8)
Read 1 Thes 4:3-5. Which words or phrases stand out to you? Paul’s words are direct, urgent and culturally provocative for our day. How does one seek to live out these words without going down the path of legalism, shame, or judgmentalism? Paul writes that we have to “control our body.” How do you hear these words? (DFL, Ch8)
In Chapter 8 of Deeply Formed Life, Rich identifies 5 practices for sexual wholeness. Which of these practices are most pressing for you in this season of life and why? (DFL, Ch8)
As you prepare for your upcoming retreat, draft a preliminary plan including: a) why you are taking the retreat. Set intentions and give it a purpose. Refer to p144 in Invitation to Retreat for more information - b) who will you be spending your day with? (Hint, it’s God!) - and c) how will you handle your phone? I would suggest setting your phone in airplane mode and then letting others know you will check in at one or two times during the day. Also go back over your plan from the first two legs and make any updates as necessary. PLEASE be sure to tell whoever needs to know!
PRACTICING: Silence
One 60-minute session of silence for each week of this leg using our Liturgy of Silence guide
BONUS
READING
Read Invitation to Retreat by Ruth Haley Baron
OR - catch up on missed reading or unassigned reading
PUBLISHED: Wednesday, May 8th, 2024, at 9:35 PM CT
UPDATED: Friday, May 10th, 2024, at 5:45PM CT - added PDF downloads