LENT Week 2
Follow along daily throughout with us this Lent as we explore the key Wesleyan emphases of holiness:
Covenant, Discipleship, Sanctification, Repentance, and Unity
This season we will journey further into love as we are more perfectly formed to tell the story of God with our head, heart, and hands.
Week 2 - A Heart for Discipleship
THE EXAMEN
The Examen is a daily spiritual discipline of prayerful questions created by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in order to help prime his spiritual vision to be able to see God moving and working in his life. His constant invitation to those he lived and worked with was to find God in all things. The Jesuits, the holy order of priests and brothers founded by St. Ignatius, order their lives in perpetual poverty, chastity, and obedience, and pray the Examen every night.
Use these five prayerful steps to find God in all things this Lenten season.
1. Attune to God’s presence. Find a comfortable position and ground yourself with deep, slow breathing. Know that God is with you, always as close as your next breath. God is with you even now.
2. Review your day. What was a consolation to you today?
*Consolations are anything, any place, or any person that brings us closer to God. Consolations can be good, bad, or neutral themselves - but they are those things which usher us into the presence of God.*
3. What was a desolation to you today?
*Desolations are anything, any place, or any person that brings us further away from God. Desolations can be good, or neutral themselves - but they are simply those things which draw us out of the presence of God.*
4. Give thanks for the day. Name the moments and the people and the experiences you are most grateful to God for today.
5. Discipleship is ordering life in the ways of Jesus.
How are you engaging in discipleship with your head, heart, and hands?
SUNDAY
Lectionary Readings
Genesis 17:1-7; 15-16, Psalm 22:23-31, Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-38
Join us for Worship this First Sunday of Lent
We are excited to welcome you to worship in-person or online at ESUMC. We will worship at 10:30 am for The Gathering and 8:30 am & 10:30 am for the Sanctuary.
The livestream and bulletin for this Sunday can be found online at esumc.org/livestream.
MONDAY
MUSIC
“Prayer of St. Francis”
adapted by Lee Anderson
offered by The Gathering Band
Click here for more Lenten Music
TUESDAY
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
by Henry Wright and Angeline Mills
Merciful God, we need you. There is war in the world, greed is abundant; we hear criticism instead of words of encouragement. We want our way instead of listening and working to compromise in unity. We have put our wants and needs above the needs of others instead of what you teach us to do. Please, we ask for your forgiveness. We want you to help us look for the good in others. You teach us to be patient, kind, and gentle. May we be obedient, joyful and faithful as we strive for a heart for discipleship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
ART & POETRY
Click Here to see this week’s artwork
THURSDAY
FIRST READ PODCAST (LIVE)
Join us on Wednesday evenings this spring (2/21-3/20) for Midweek Bible Study to connect, gather around the table for dinner, and learn together. Our Bible study will focus on the scriptures being preached each week during Lent. Several pastors and laity will engage in a live recording of ESUMC’s First Read Podcast beginning at 7:00 PM each week, followed by conversation at tables and time for Q & A. We look forward to seeing you there as we journey through the Lenten season together.
Click Here for this week’s episode
FRIDAY
STORIES
MEET WARRIE
If you’ve been to a L’Arche NC event in our Bulla Youth Building, you’ve likely met Warrie. He comes to every event. He is also on the cover of the L’Arche brochure. If you meet him, he will proudly point out that he is on the front cover and sporting his UNC hat. After the L’Arche NC brochures were printed last spring, Warrie took a few copies. When asked who he was sharing them with, he said his family. The next week after an event, Warrie took a few more copies to share with his family and neighbors. At the third gathering, Warrie took another brochure. When asked, “Warrie, who is this brochure for?” He said, “Well, you know my brother passed away. We are going to his graveside this weekend. I’m going to leave this there and tell my brother he doesn’t have to worry about me anymore. I have a new crew at L’Arche.” At L’Arche NC, opportunities are provided for people to form friendships and find belonging. L’Arche believes one of the best ways to make an impact is simply by coming and being in community together. Often, people want to do something for others. Yet, one of the best gifts you can give is just being present. L’Arche has weekly gatherings in our Bulla Building for friendship and fellowship, and they would love for you to join them!
SATURDAY
LENTEN ALMSGIVING
Throughout Lent, we invite you to join us in the spiritual practice of almsgiving - the sacrificial sharing of our resources to partner with God’s work in the world. Our hope is to raise $20,000 for L’Arche NC and Learning Together, to provide resources for Learning Together scholarships and to help to fill L’Arche’s new home. We hope you will join us as we practice living like Jesus by sharing our resources and cultivating charitable hearts! Click the links below to give resources and/or time this week.