Week One: Place
The first practice for us to be a blessing to people around us is to root in a place. Often, we can be ambivalent about where we live, or work, or the family we’re in. So we withdraw emotionally and relationally; we keep ourselves on the edge. But God calls us to “work for the peace and prosperity” of the place where we live (Jeremiah 29:4). This week, we want to consider what this might mean for all of us.
Read:
“This Time, This Place: An Excerpt from Eugene H. Peterson’s The Pastor”:
This is a brief reflection from Peterson on our situatedness. His reflection encourages us to notice where we are and see the uniqueness of our own time and place.
Theology of the Ordinary by Julie Canlis
This book is about living an ordinary life in the presence of God. Born out of her family’s experiences of living in a small parish in Scotland, and then in a small community in Washington state, Canlis explores the practical theology of slowing down and noticing where God is in our everyday lives and learning to do his work there.
Listen:
Kingdom Roots Podcast, “The Neighboring Church (Conversation with Rick Rusaw),” Episode 24
This podcast is a conversation between Scot McKnight, one of C4SO’s Canon Theologians, and Rick Rusaw, a pastor. They discuss how Christians can learn to follow Christ’s teaching to love our neighbors as we build relationships with people right where we live.
Act:
Take a prayer walk around your neighborhood, or sit on your porch and pray as you watch people walk by. As you begin, ask God to remind you of how he has worked in your neighborhood before and to open your eyes to how he might be working now.
This activity can encourage us to notice where we are and who is here with us. It’s a small step toward blessing others by engaging in the life of our community or neighborhood more intentionally.
To listen to the sermon, click here.