A Methodist Way of Life

Continuing on from yesterday we need to ask, is our prayer slacking because we cannot find the words? Much of the discussion over the years has been about liturgical v extemporaneous prayer. Of course there is space for both. One writer had this to say concerning extemporary prayer, “After a few years the congregation knows well the phrases, expressions and order of the petitions of the minister. Sometimes they can make a shrewd guess how long the prayer will last, and when it is nearing its end. When this is the case, it is just as formal to pray extempore as to pray from a book.” 

However, one of the benefits of highly structured prayer is that it can help you to pray in situations where you don’t really feel like it and might have otherwise failed to do so. Because you have something specific you know you want to say, you tend to follow through on praying much more often than you would otherwise.

 

On the other hand, prayer doesn’t have to be structured though; sometimes you can just talk to God and tell him what is on your mind. The advantages of this type of prayer is that it facilitates an active relationship between yourself and God and is flexible enough to cover whatever you are going through.

I use a combination of both where a more formal liturgy lays a foundation upon which I can build a more intimate conversation with the one who is closer to me than breathing.

PRAYER: Gracious God, thank you for the gift of language, for the opportunity to speak to people and even to you. How amazing to think that I can talk to you and you actually listen to me! Yet, I also thank you for listening when I cannot find the words to say, when my grief is unutterable or when my joy is unspeakable. Thank you for hearing my groaning, and even for helping me to groan when I cannot find words to offer to you. Amen.

A Methodist Way of Life

So let’s continue with the key Methodist Way of Life expressed through the commitment to Pray Daily. The second question asked is “How easy or hard do you find it to pray?”

I wonder if the difficulty comes because we have a distorted view of prayer itself.  In spite of many helpful words of scripture, liturgy and hymnody, that we have shared, we sometime overwrite these with our long held misconceptions. 

Let’s look at some of these. 

I think that Philippians is helpful “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

It reminds me of Edward Joy’s hymn that said

All your anxiety, all your care,

Bring to the mercy seat, leave it there,

Never a burden He cannot bear,

Never a friend like Jesus!

Followed closely  by that of Charles Wesley entreaty to

Come, my soul, thy suit prepare,

Jesus loves to answer pray'r.

He Himself has bid thee pray,

rise and ask without delay.

Thou art coming to a King

large petitions with thee bring,

for his grace and pow'r are such,

none can ever ask too much.

In terms of advice, James Hudson Taylor asks, “Do not have your concert first and tune your instruments afterward. Begin the day with God. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.”

Father, I need to hear from You. Today, I make the commitment to start having a daily quiet time. I will listen for Your voice above all of the other voices in my life. Lord, teach me how to centre my life on You and help me obey what I hear You say. In Jesus’ name, amen. - Mary Southerland

A Methodist Way of Prayer

We Will Pray Daily - The First suggested question for us to consider is, “What is the pattern of your prayer life?”

Taking this a notion of ‘pattern’ to our daily prayer life, words like routine or habitual practice may come to mind and these can be seen either positive or negative terms. Theologians and Divines over the years have tried to guide us; here are just a few of their words of wisdom.

"Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." - St. Therese of Lisieux

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God."- St. John Damascene

"It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without heart." - Mahatma Gandhi

"Whether we realise it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him." - St. Augustine

"Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of Containing God's gift of himself." - Mother Theresa

"Do not make prayer a monologue...make it a conversation."- Author Unknown

Even reading these, can raise a sense of guilt; “it’s something I should do but I seem to falter so often!”

I feel a great affinity with Diane Moody in her book, “Confessions of a Prayer Slacker.” Where she works through many of the prayer maladies that beset the disciple. In one passage she puts into words what many of us feel in the statement, “I can never stay focused. My mind wanders, I figure that’s an insult to God, so I’m better off if I don’t pray at all.” She continues by calling this PADD (Prayer Attention Deficit Disorder”.)

One prescription for such a malady, Diane suggests, is found in the words of Anne Graham Lopez who suggests - “Have you ever considered that you have a divine appointment when you get up early for your quiet time of prayer and meditation on His Word? . . . That Jesus is patiently, personally waiting to meet with you there? . . . What a difference it would make in our attitude of expectancy and our habit of consistency if we truly wrapped our hearts around the knowledge that each is a divine appointment, that Jesus Himself is waiting to meet with us.”

The Northumbria Morning prayer always commences with these words. 

One thing I have asked of the Lord,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life;

to behold the beauty of the Lord

and to seek Him in His temple.

Call: Who is it that you seek?

Response: We seek the Lord our God.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your heart?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your soul?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your mind?

Response: Amen. Lord, have mercy.

Call: Do you seek Him with all your strength?

Response: Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Perhaps, putting a note in the diary “Appointment with God” may not be a bad idea.

Online Worship for 4th July 2021

Link for today’s online worship from St Nicholas Methodist Church 040721

https://youtu.be/DBnYLjewFNE

A Methodist Way of Life

What others have discovered from following A Methodist Way of Life

A Methodist Way of Life uses the framework of

Our Calling to further shape and suggest a rhythm for the life of the Church and its people.

It encourages a deeper relationship with God through daily worship and Bible reading, as well as through service and faith sharing.

A Methodist Way of Life is best lived out with others. Individuals are encouraged to use it with a partner, soul friend, or in a small group. Methodism has repeatedly affirmed the way in which small groups can enrich an individual’s faith. Groups and individuals may also find journaling a helpful tool to aid reflection.

Here are what a few Methodists following the this Way of Life have found.

Elaine - I know how much I need others to help me to grow as a disciple. A Methodist Way of Life encourages us to be accountable to each other in our walk with Christ.

Susanne- “Every few weeks I meet with a friend from church, in a local coffee shop, to talk through our a Methodist Way of Life commitment card. We challenge each other to see how we are ‘measuring up’ to the ‘We will....’ statements and we use the questions to start conversations about how we are living out our faith. We share the highs and lows of our faith journey and hold each other accountable in a friendly, non-blaming way. We both firmly believe that God is speaking to us through these conversations”

Rachel - “At one of our earliest a Methodist Way of Life gatherings we decided to begin at the beginning, with worship, focusing on prayer. We spent the next two hours (over food) discussing what prayer meant to us, how we pray, what we believe we are doing when we pray and debating what prayer isn’t. It was one of the most stimulating and helpful conversations about prayer I have had. 

Whilst we remain online I pray that we may develop a more interactive way of exploring how together we might journey along the Methodist Way of Life.

Heavenly One, you are beyond all knowledge and yet known to us. You are outside of our experience and yet deep within us. We commit ourselves anew to follow your will and to work towards your purposes that all the world might be transformed for the benefit of all creation. Fill us with hope, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

On Monday we begin our journey of the commitment - We Will Pray Daily.

A Methodist Way of Life

In a sense, A Methodist Way of Life is both new and old. It is new, in that Methodists first discussed such a way at the 2018 Conference, although it is based on Our Calling, agreed in 2000. That, in turn, was built on what Methodists have always done, since the days of John Wesley, in trying to follow Jesus and live out the Christian faith – just as those first followers in Acts did.

People who intend to follow this discipline are asked to make a commitment to the Methodist Way of Life outlined in yesterdays devotional post that provides a compass for, Christian living.

It also asks serious questions that we shall endeavour to unpack throughout this coming month.

A Methodist Way of Life encourages us to grow together. Make time to discuss these questions regularly with others.

Worship

- What is the pattern of your prayer life?

- How easy or hard do you find it to pray?

• What has spoken to you recently in worship or in the Bible? 
• When, lately, have you felt close to God or distant from God?

Learning and Caring

• How have you practised generosity since we last met? 
• How have you shown hospitality to others recently? 
• How are you caring for yourself?
• How and what are you learning now?

Service

- How are you seeking to serve others in your communities and beyond? 

- What has helped or hindered you in your service of others?

- How are you caring for God’s creation?

• How are you using God’s gifts (including your financial resources)? 
• What issues of injustice are you currently concerned about? 
• What are you doing in response?

Evangelism

• When was the last time you were able to talk about God? 
• What opportunities to share your faith have there been since we last met?
• How have you responded to opportunities to share your faith? 
• Is there anyone you might invite to consider Christian faith?
• How can we support each other in our Way of Life commitments?

We will attempt to answer these questions over the coming weeks

Prayer:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

-Psalm 139:23-24

The Methodist Way of Life

From earliest times of the movement started by Wesley, now known as Methodism, was based upon a regular daily time of devotion and this has been part of what it means to be a Methodist across the intervening years. The name Methodist was ascribed to Wesley and his compatriots, as their "Holy Club" started in November 1729 when John Wesley and  three of his friends agreed to spend three or four evenings together, every week to meet for prayer, Bible study, and pious discipline. This was also extended in practical out working through ‘good works’

Over the centuries, there have been a number of spiritual initiatives, whereby, through disciplined daily devotion and living groups of like minded people have lived according to an order; Ignatius, Benedict, Franciscan and in the 20th Century, the Northumbria Communities Celtic Daily Office are examples.

“A Methodist Way of Life” is an attempt by the 21st Century to enable today’s Methodist to capture afresh a Methodist Way of Life as a way of living. It is how we try to live our lives in response to God’s love, made known to us in Jesus.

Throughout the month of July we will take each bullet point over a two day period. Day 1 to explore what this means theologically, and biblically, with Day 2 understanding what this can mean for us in practice.  Here is an overview 

A Methodist Way of Life

The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission.

 

As far as we are able, with God’s help:

Worship

• We will pray daily.
• We will worship with others regularly.
• We will look and listen for God in Scripture, and the world.

Learning and Caring

• We will care for ourselves and those around us.
• We will learn more about our faith.
• We will practise hospitality and generosity.

Service

• We will help people in our communities and beyond.
• We will care for creation and all God’s gifts.
• We will challenge injustice.

Evangelism

• We will speak of the love of God.
• We will live in a way that draws others to Jesus.
• We will share our faith with others.

May we be a blessing within and beyond God’s Church, for the transformation of the world. 

A Prayer:

Remember, O Lord, what you have wrought in us and not what we deserve, and as you have called us to your service, make us worthy of our calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Leonine Sacramentary (6th century)