Somewhere Out There ...
Living the Five Practices
“
God uses congregations to make disciples - congregations offer the gracious invitation, welcome, and hospitality
of Christ so that people experience a sense of belonging; through worship our souls are shaped and our minds
changed, creating a desire to grow closer to Christ. God’s spirit nurtures people and matures faith through
learning in community and with increased spiritual maturity, people discern God’s call to help others through
mission and service and God inspires people to give generously of themselves so that others can receive the grace
they have known.
”
Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase
We continue to become attuned to five of the practices that fruitful congregations know instinctively. These next
four days offer us all an opportunity to develop our own skill in these practices as well as to learn from those
around us what practices have transformed their own congregations. Each day you will find practices that are
highlighted and suggestions for ways to practice them. As you are personally transformed, take these practices
home and share them with your congregation – we can all use the practice!
Friday
Radical Hospitality
• Welcome those first timers to Annual Conference – let them know you are glad they are here and try
to anticipate their questions.
• Ask someone you don’t know or only know slightly to join you for a meal
(there are some attendees here alone.)
• Introduce yourself to someone in the neighborhood of your seat that you don’t know.
• Ask one of the greeters about what they do for hospitality at their local church.
• Give your spot on the elevator to someone in a bigger hurry than you.
• Park at a distance, if able, so others can park closer.
• Offer to get people at your table a bottle of water, or coffee, etc.
• Share your umbrella if it’s hot or raining, with someone as you walk to and from the Conference Center
Saturday
Intentional Faith Development
• Attend the Bishop’s Learning Time at 8:00
• Plan now to take one new idea home to your congregation and have a teaching time about
that new idea.
• Ask someone about successful studies or an innovative Sunday School class in their church.
• Visit the Prayer Room and spend time in prayer for the Annual Conference as well as the Spiritual life
of your congregation.
• Read the Book of Acts and be inspired by the early church.
• Practice Lectio Divina (traditional Christian practice of prayer and scriptural reading intended to engender
communion with the Triune God and to increase in the knowledge of God’s Word) during your study of
scripture.
Passionate Worship
• Attend every worship service and participate in every aspect of worship.
• Sing “lustily” as John Wesley instructed us to do from the first Methodist hymnal.
• What is one new idea for your worship service at home?
A-10 2009 Missouri Annual Conference
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