“God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24)

Can you describe a worship experience that was the most meaningful for you?

I have had many but one immediately comes to mind. It is the communion and memorial service we held at annual conference in 2006. It was the annual service the conference holds to remember all the saints, clergy and laity, who have died since the last annual conference gathering. The service included the reading of the names of all who have died, and the ringing of the bell for each of them. Family and friends of these dear saints would stand up as their loved one’s name was spoken. The scriptures, the hymns, and the Bishop’s message were all so moving, but none as moving as what we would do last: Holy Communion. As we sang the communion liturgy put to music and written by Pastor Linda Shevlin, tears became to stream down my cheeks. It was the first time I had ever cried in a communion service – I was caught by surprise.

There are many names to the sacrament (Eucharist, The Lord’s Supper, The Mass, Holy Communion), each emphasizing one important aspect of the sacrament. For me, I experienced and understood in that moment a greater power at work during this holy sacrament. I had always “known” that the sacrament of Holy Communion binds us together in Christ, making us “one with God, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world,” but on this day I felt it and, certainly, by God’s grace. God became powerfully present to me in that moment. God’s grace was so overwhelming I could not resist and but cry. I became powerfully aware of the God whom I worship and why I worship Him. I worship in order that I might be brought into the holy presence of God and be formed and transformed by His grace and love.

As a multicultural church, we acknowledge that people experience the presence of God in different ways. For me, it is often through music. When I sing, I feel like the Spirit sings to me and with me. For some it might be through silence, reflection, service, movement, or the spoken word. Believe it or not, there are spiritual types just like there are personality types. As a multicultural church, our greatest challenge is to provide worship that is meaningful to all types. Some like praise music, others like Taize. Some like dancing others like being still. All of it is acceptable to God, for God can take you where you are to shape and to transform you. And, through it all, we are united in the one Spirit.

Debbie O’Driscoll, our Lay Leader, hopes to lead a study to help us understand our spiritual type. I invite you to take advantage of that when it is offered. But, I also invite you to take advantage of the Taize services and the Hope and Healing Services designed to minister with persons moved by these different types of worship. Better yet, let God surprise you when you give it a try.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Shandi

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way” (Luke 10:1-3)

I believe that ministry is a partnered endeavor. We do not walk this journey of discipleship alone. Jesus walks with us, and we walk with each other.

When I was in Seminary I had a formative and transforming experience that taught me the importance of a partnered relationship in the journey of Christian formation and discipleship. I had an devotional partner, Kevin Watson, with whom I shared a journey in covenant discipleship. Kevin and I formed a covenant to hold one another accountable in our walk of discipleship. We began by simply covenanting to wake up each morning at 6am, droopy eyes and all, and spend one hour together in prayer and the reading of scripture. We each had felt a need to find individual devotion time of reading the scriptures that was separate from the times we had to read the Bible for class. By ourselves, we were weak and undisciplined. Together, we became stronger and disciplined. You have to appreciate how difficult this was for me at first. I am not a morning person. In college and seminary, I intentionally chose afternoon and evening classes so that I would not have to wake up in the morning for a 9am class. But, Kevin and I made the covenant and, for three years, I would wake up every morning at 6am to join Kevin for morning devotions. This became one of the most formative and transforming experiences I have ever had in my life.

We have said that a definition of Christian Formation and Discipleship in our Wesleyan and Methodist tradition is as follows: “Christian disciples are formed by shaping their lives according to the General Rule of Discipleship: ‘To witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship and devotion, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.’” This month I invite you to think about your own personal journey of devotion to God.

How are you doing with your personal devotional time? What practices do you engage in to nurture your soul and spirit daily? What means of grace do you employ to draw you closer each day to the God who created you for a purpose? If the journey is difficult by yourself, try inviting someone else to partner with you in covenant discipleship; join or form a small group for devotions in your home, your neighborhood, in the church. I believe that discipleship is a partnered endeavor. We do not have to walk this journey alone.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Shandi

Are you a disciple-making disciple? Long ago, Jesus said to his disciples, “Go and make disciples.” By this commission Jesus formed a community of disciples making disciples in themselves and in others.

In our Wesleyan and Methodist tradition, “Christian disciples are formed by shaping their lives according to the General Rule of Discipleship: ‘To witness to Jesus Christ in the world, and to follow his teachings through acts of compassion, justice, worship and devotion, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.’”[1] The time has come for Wesley United Methodist Church to claim its roots and live out its promise. That means YOU!

How will you live out your call to discipleship? In the coming weeks, I will be engaging you in this prayerful conversation. Join me in embracing the grace of God which is leading us to grow in faith and in spirit.

Pastor Shandi