Healing Moments

Click here for this week’s bulletin.

Create & Pray

Pray with the labyrinth in this week’s Exploring Our Faith.
Decorate the mandala and focus on being quiet and still as you color.

Listen to the Silence

Read 1 Kings 19:1–4, (5–7), 8–15a or listen to the audio story “Hearing a Silent Voice” or gather around as someone tells the story “God Visits Elijah” in this week’s Exploring Our Faith. Life is noisy. Even when we think there is no noticeable sound around us, we are often surrounded by “white noise” – pervasive sounds of machinery quietly humming in the background, or perhaps traffic that we cannot see but is not far away. God is present with us in the noisiest of times, yet sometimes it can be helpful to “listen” for God’s response to our questions in the calm and quiet.

Stop what you are doing – even if just for a moment. Quiet any sounds you can and then set other ones aside in your mind. Listen to the silence. What might God be saying to you?

Psalm 42 “Oh My Soul”

Sunday’s Psalm is Psalm 42, a recognition that sometimes we hurt. We will be singing together Richard Bruxvoort Colligan’s version, “Oh My Soul.” You can listen to it here.

Practicing This Week

This week’s spiritual practice is “Kneeling in Nature.” Find a time in place to go out into nature. Take off your shoes. Sit, or kneel, or lay on the ground. Observe how you feel. Can you feel the presence of God in the sounds and in the silence?

Make time for quiet contemplation using this week’s Contemplative Moment to guide your reflection.

Engage the daily lectionary readings here.

Prayer
Thank you, God,
for being with us all the time,
especially when we are worn out.
In moments of stillness,
may we feel you near us
giving us the strength that we need. Amen.