News

Overview

The way of the word leads to life changing “ah hah!” moments. This involves building an intellectual framework that is meaningful and engaging in dialogue that is influential and life changing.

Why practice this spirituality

To become “enlightened” and to live from a meaningful and coherent belief framework that influences and changes lives for good. The way of the word offers:

• ••      Enlightenment and deep conviction
• ••      Understanding of God’s love
• ••      Life giving dialogue and persuasion
• ••      Transformation through knowledge
• ••      A clear pathway via study and learning
• ••      Enables courageous actions
• ••      Enables a civilisation to rise to new heights
• ••      Defines meaning and hope

Challenges

••           Oppressive, manipulative propaganda if wrongly used

••           Has justified all manner of evil actions

••           Right beliefs alone often seen as the main “action” of true piety.

A person who practices the Way of Transformation will probably do some of the following things:

••           Commit to the hard work of study

••           Give time for deep reflection

••           Seek to put into practice what they are learning.

••           Put themselves in new and challenging environments, always being open to a new experience or different perspective.

••           Be more attracted to understanding different perspectives rather than debate or defend or impose their own position.

Jesus

Jesus serves as a good model in this spirituality. Recognised as a “good teacher” he employed an apprentice model of passing on learning - that is, modeling the life transformation that he invited people into. In the Gospels we see times of Jesus explaining things through story, reflecting on everyday aspects of life, and listening to questions. Jesus himself was a learner - first in the carpentry trade and then in the Jewish religious schools. He is an example of someone who continually sought to pass on his learning with the aim of deep personal and communal transformation.

Bible

• ••      The bible itself
• ••      The bible on this topic:
• •o   “Revelation” such as covenant and gospel
• •o   Prophetic words
• •o   Wisdom/Sophia
• •o   The incarnate word
• •o   The Acts of the Apostles
• •o   Transformation via the renewing of the mind

Other places to begin exploring the Way of the word:

••      Ambrose of Milan (337-397)

••      Martin Luther (1483-1546)

••      C.S Lewis (1898-1963)

••           “Streams of Living Water”, R. Foster

••           TED.com

••           The works of Brian McLaren, N.T Wright and other theologians

••           Theological Colleges such as Tabor College, Whitely & United Theological College etc

••           Wikipedia articles

••           Explorefaith.org

Spiritual Practices:

••           listening to inspiring teaching, preaching and sharing

••           Developing your own words that are truthful about your experience of God

••           Study - bible, theology, doctrines

••           Academia -formal and informal

••           Reading

••           Meditating on ideas

••           Journaling

••           Building a belief system

••           Lectio divina

••           Conversion and submission

••           Dialogue

••           Persuasion, rhetoric and debate

••           Story telling

••           Podcasts/Blog reading

The way of the Everyday

Overview

The Way of the Everyday is about acknowledging that God is both above all things and in all things - it is about living with spirit made real in matter. It is about finding God notoriously active in the everyday.

Why practice this spirituality?

It may enable you to find deep meaning and mystery in the mundane. It makes the ordinary sacred and invites us to make holy all aspects of life. We experience ourselves as a temple of God and agents for grace, love and justice in daily matters.

Challenges

• It might lead us to confuse creation and God (idolatry and pantheism). It might mean we distrust “revelation” or other more “transcendent” spiritual traditions.

Biblical foundations for the way of the Everyday

• ••      Jewish worldview (OT)
• ••      Creation accounts
• ••      Wisdom literature (psalms, proverbs, Ecclesiastes, lamentations, song of Solomon)
• ••      Incarnation of the word in Human form
• ••      Second half of Paul’s epistles (esp. Galatians, Colossians, and Ephesians)

Jesus

Although proclaimed a king in his time, Jesus lived a very ordinary life. Born in a manger, learning the trade of carpentry, dying on a cross - all these are contrary to the views of what a king and god should do and be. Ironically it was this connection to the everyday that hindered many people recognizing Jesus as the son of God.

A person who practices the Way of the Everyday will probably do some of the following things:

•-   Acknowledge that God is a part of all aspects of their day.

•-   See their workplace as a place to live out their spirituality.

•-   Describe their life and faith story the same way, using the same kinds of words, regardless of who they were talking with.

•-   Be regarded by others as living well, fueled by meaning

•-   Have some lovely routines and rituals as part of everyday life

Spiritual Practices

• ••      Mindfully walking with God in all things
• ••      WWJD
• ••      Awareness Examen and reflective exercises
• ••      Journaling
• ••      Gratitude and happiness exercises
• ••      Mundane activities with a Holy attitude
• ••      Creating everyday rituals
• ••      Finding God in creation
• ••      Everyday Prayers

Other places to begin exploring the Way of the Everyday:

•-   Streams of living water” by R Foster Chapter

•-   Remaking handbook published by Solace

•-   Everyday practices stored at the Solace venue

•-   http://www.embody.co.uk

Spiritual practices in the way of Contemplation:

•·         Silent & Centering prayer

•·         Liturgical prayer

•·         Activity-based contemplation

•·         Mediation on a word, sung chants, breathing

•·         “Hands to work and hearts to God” prayers

•·         Retreats

•·         Spiritual direction

•·         Mindfulness practices

•·         Body movement prayers

•·         Lectio Divina

•·         Awareness Examin

•·         Working with stuff: reflecting, candles, newspapers, play dough, stones, poems, Leunig etc

Other places to explore this Way:

•·         Campion Retreat Centre, Kew

•·         Wellspring, Ashburton

•·         “Streams of Living Water”, R. Foster

•·         “Remaking” handbook published by Solace

•·         Contemplative practices stored at the Solace venue

Resources Information

SOLACE Resources are accessible for free by anyone. You will need to log in to access them though. If you aren't already a member, you can sign up for free membership to the site which will give you access to these resources.

If you are already a member, log in using the login box to the lower left. If you want to create a membership, follow this link MEMBERSHIP

We have Spiritual Practices, liturgies and our 7 ways Stuff on the Resources page with more being added weekly! Make sure you check back regularly :)

The Seven Ways

Traditions founded on Jesus teachings and developed in the early Church are full of depth and variety that can help any of us journey with spiritual wholeness. Spiritual wholeness can be the foundation for a satisfying and remarkable life. Below is a summary of the “7 Ways”; a framework SOLACE use to organise Christian Traditions and some of the Spiritual Practices that can help you develop in those areas.

A Seeking Process

•1.      Learn some more about the options – look up some of the people or ideas on this handout.

•2.      Imagine yourself with a healthy spiritual life, what does it look like?

•3.      What’s the simplest thing you could do right away to start the journey towards a healthy spiritual life?

More

For more information, contact someone at Solace www.solacechurch.org.au Solace is an emerging missional network and community whose vision is to see a future where all people in Australia have a rich and satisfying spiritual journey.

Sunday Stuff is back this weekend after the school holiday break.

Last week we had a great working bee at 751 where lots of work was done & we had fun along the way. Thank you so much to those who could make it & all the work you did! Our façade had water damage & has been stripped back ready for a new look... keep an eye out :)

Mel J is on well deserved leave in term 2 so she can focus on her heavy university load. I will be organising kids stuff and Paul T will be organising toddlers.

This term the Primary kids are working on a multimedia project based on the good Samaritan story. The Toddlers are looking at God's great world and the Adults & Tweens are going to be working through the 7 ways. The 7 ways are traditions or spirituality's that can be found in different forms of Christianity. Come along and learn what they are, find out where you sit naturally and do some practices from each of the ways.

Tweens are joining the adults time as we workshop through the 7 ways, they will have Paul T working with them. The first Sunday of the month, the tweens will go to Red Rooster to do their own exploration. They also have a movie night and city adventure booked in this term. Fliers and information will be going out to the Tweens soon.

I hope you are well & look forward to seeing you soon.

Penny :)

Coordinating Pastor

We are collecting food & other stuff to be donated to The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), Australia’s largest aid and advocacy organisation for asylum seekers which provides an entire week’s groceries to over 150 families every week. Most have no work rights and receive no welfare. They have no income! Over half of this food is donated by people like you! SOLACE will be dropping off our stuff as it builds up to the Alphington Community Centre which is now an official drop off point for ASRC food collections (2 Kelvin Rd, Alphington 94997227).

You can drop stuff to 751 during Sunday Stuff, Tuesday Stuff or alternatively call Penny on 0421902279 to organise another time.

Items needed:

• •·        MYKI cards
• •·        Phone cards
• •·        Gift cards
• •·        Tinned fish
• •·        Dried fruit
• •·        Long life UHT milk
• •·        Tomato paste
• •·        Biscuits
• •·        Spices
• •·        Tinned fruit
• •·        Tinned veg
• •·        Nuts
• •·        Cereal
• •·        Tea/Coffee
• •·        Soap
• •·        Shaving stuff
• •·        Pads and tampons
• •·        Shampoo/Conditioner
• •·        Dishwashing detergent
• •·        Toothbrush/toothpaste
• •·        Toilet paper
• •·        Washing powder
• •·        Other non-perishables also welcomed (but please not baked beans, tinned spaghetti or tinned soup please).
• •·        Fresh Food can be dropped off directly to Alphington Community Centre on Thursday morning between 10am – noon.