We live in a world that prioritizes the tangible and practical, but what if there were practices that opened us to another way of seeing the world? What if God is inviting us to kingdom lives, encountering and walking in God’s loving and active presence in all things?
The sacraments are an invitation to do just that. In these holy practices, the kingdom of heaven breaks into our world in a tangible way. God is profoundly present in the most ordinary elements of water, bread, and juice. Baptism and communion are more than mere symbols. They are a visible sign of God’s active presence in all things. They are a mysterious place where we encounter God’s grace. And they invite us into an intimate relationship as they embody God’s sacred, loyal love to creation and our commitment to find ourselves in God’s salvation story.
In this series, we will explore a sacramental way of life and walk intentionally through the waters of baptism and sit at the banquet feast of God’s holy communion table.
Week 1: The Sacramental Way
This week, Jason laid the foundation for our series by helping us contemplate what it means to live a sacramental life. While current spirits of the age pull us toward materialism and the belief that the physical world is all there is, sacraments remind us that nothing is ever ordinary. Gifts of water, bread, and juice are not merely symbols, rather they point beyond themselves and toward the real and transcendentt Presence of God. The sacramental way is one in which the invisible is made visisible and our disenchanted world is infused again with wonder and meaning.
Kingdom Practice
Continue to lean in to a sacramental approach to the world around you by noticing when and where you are aware of God’s Presence and pausing to rest in that Presence. If it’s available to you, consider pausing a few times a day to sit in the memory you reflected on in the practice on Sunday and hold yourself in that memory, Or you may want to look for ways that God might be breaking into your ordinary life in the here and now- whether it’s a song sent at just the right time or the sun shining in a way that catches your breath. Where are you noticing moments of transcendence in the physical world? You might take an extra moment to thank God for a world charged with meaning. Lastly, please consider praying for those in our community who will be participating in the sacrament of baptism this Sunday and for God’s Presence to be near to them this week in a special way.
Week 2: The Sacramental Way: Baptism
This week, Jason helped us understand how we might think of the sacramental practice of baptism. While Scripture tells us that baptism is a foundational part of the decision to follow Jesus, we don’t find specific instructions for how to practice baptism. As a community, we have discerned three fundamental truths about baptism that are shared across various traditions – baptism is a sacramental entry into the community of faith, it is a practice of belonging and identity, and it is a means of grace by which we can encounter the transcendent Presence of God.
Kingdom Practice
Continue to lean in to a sacramental approach to the world around you by noticing when and where you are aware of God’s Presence and pausing to rest in that Presence. If it’s available to you, consider pausing a few times a day to sit in the memory you reflected on in the practice two Sundays ago and hold yourself in that memory, Or you may want to look for ways that God might be breaking into your ordinary life in the here and now- whether it’s a song sent at just the right time or the sun shining in a way that catches your breath. Where are you noticing moments of transcendence in the physical world? You might take an extra moment to thank God for a world charged with meaning.
Week 3: The Sacramental Way: Communion
This week, Jason Hitchcock walked us through an exploration of the ancient practice of communion. As a community, we have discerned an approach to communion that both respects and draws from various traditions. We recognize that communion is a sacramental meal within the family of faith, and we are nourished as we commune with Christ and one another at the table. As we share bread and fruit of the vine, we are like our ancestors in faith, children of Abraham, who were sustained in the wilderness. We too are sustained by the provision and presence of God as we look forward to feasting together in the new heavens and new earth.
Kingdom Practice
Continue to lean in to a sacramental approach to the world around you by noticing when and where you are aware of God’s Presence and pausing to rest in that Presence. If it’s available to you, consider pausing a few times a day to sit in the memory you reflected on in the practice two Sundays ago and hold yourself in that memory, Or you may want to look for ways that God might be breaking into your ordinary life in the here and now – whether it’s a song sent at just the right time or the sun shining in a way that catches your breath. Where are you noticing moments of transcendence in the physical world? You might take an extra moment to thank God for a world charged with meaning.
Additional Resources
Books and Articles
For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann
Water to Wine by Brian Zahnd
Baptism by Peter Leithart
The Lord’s Supper by John W. Klienig
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner
Streams of Living Water by Richard Foster
The Sacrament of the Present Moment by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
Podcasts
Why Baptism Matters from the Slow Theology Podcast
Why the Lord’s Supper Matters from the Slow Theology Podcast
Living the Liturgy: Eucharist a Practice gathering with Brian Zahnd
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