| United Church of
Christ New York Metropolitan and Suffolk Associations |
|
12th Joint Assembly/Annual Meeting June 11 - 13, 2004 |
To contact us:
79-11 Caldwell Avenue
Middle Village , NY 11379
Tel: 718-898-9210
Fax: 718-898-5788
Office Hours
Monday through Thursday
9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Friday 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Closed Friday Afternoon,
Saturdays, Sundays
Calls returned promptly for all voice messages left.
email:office@uccmetrosuffolk.org
79-11 Caldwell Avenue
Middle Village , NY 11379
Tel: 718-898-9210
Fax: 718-898-5788
Office Hours
Monday through Thursday
9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Friday 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Closed Friday Afternoon,
Saturdays, Sundays
Calls returned promptly for all voice messages left.
email:office@uccmetrosuffolk.org
Home > Archives > |
||
Resources
for Discerning God's Will |
||
 Conference
Minister Geoffrey Black led us in the beginning of our discernment
of "What is God's will as we face the issue of poverty in the world,
in our nation and throughout New York ?" Those attending the Annual
Meeting are encouraged to continue the discernment in our local congregations
during the coming year. We plan to complete the discernment at our
2005 Annual Meeting. The prayer and hymns below may be helpful as
we work on the discernment in our own congregations.During our 2004 meeting we dealt with six of the ten steps in our discernment process. Probably the most difficult step is "shedding" - the naming and laying aside of anything that will deter us from focusing on God's will as the ultimate value. (It is perfectly acceptable to return to one's "deeply held beliefs" after the discernment process - but not during it.) This Shedding Prayer helped us during the 2004 Annual Meeting and may be used throughout the year as we seek to discern God's will before attending the 2005 Annual Meeting. Holy Spirit of grace and truth We stand before you in awe, Grateful for your presence in the midst of this community. We acknowledge our dependence on your love and grace For all that we are, for all that we have Even as we acknowledge your working in the lives Of each person in this community. We ask for your forgiveness for thinking that we, Like you, O God, know all things. We seek to be true disciples, eager to listen, eager to learn. We confess our resistance to change. We sacrifice to you our thoughts and beliefs, especially Those which block our empathy with our sisters and brothers. Keep us pliable, O God, that we may be molded by Sacred Spirit Into the blessed and beloved community that you call us to be. Grant that we may bear the spiritual fruit of humility The willingness to learn from every person we meet, The clarity of vision to see You in all persons, Even the least of those among us. In this moment, we will trust you to be God, So that we can let go of our defenses And be fully receptive to your wise, all-knowing Spirit. Transform us by the renewing of our minds, So that we may discern what is good And acceptable and perfectly attuned to your grace and truth. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen. We also found these two hymns to be useful in helping us listen to the still small voice of God. Silently now, I wait for Thee. Ready my God, Thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me. Spirit divine. Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me. Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me. Melt me, mold me, Fill me, use me. Spirit of the living God, Fall afresh on me.
During the year of discernment in local churches, monthly updates on resources, activities and events related to the discernment process will be provided on the Conference website, www.uccny.org. Reported by Lucy Werner Return to top of page |
| © 2004-8 Metropolitan and Suffolk Associations - Website designed by  |