Dear Friends,
This week a movement of prayer began in our Conference. People who subscribe to our newsletter now receive a daily email highlighting pastors, churches, and daily prayer needs. It is a joy to be connected through prayer to God and one another. We want to encourage you to sign up for this daily offering and devotion by adding your name to the “Let Us Pray” subscription list by clicking here https://awf-email.brtapp.com/subscribe.
In addition to the daily prayer and devotion of our conference, the Council of Bishops recently invited each of the 131 annual conferences to create a groundswell of prayer in the 131 days leading up to the General Conference in May.
The Alabama-West Florida Conference is scheduled to lead the denomination in prayer January 7, 2016. We are inviting you to join us in prayer tomorrow. We are so thankful for Donell Seagar, one of our Spiritual Directors, creating this beautiful offering of prayer:
First Prayer Practice | Guided Centering Prayer
The first prayer practice we are offering is Centering Prayer. This prayer practice is primarily a prayer of surrender of self-will and consent to God’s action and presence in our lives and is helpful in getting us beyond our egocentric tendencies. If you would like to familiarize yourself with this prayer practice before beginning this guided prayer, click on the following link:http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/private/32977/field-file/cp-english.pdf.
Before beginning gather a device that can be used as a timer for the twenty minute prayer period. I personally use my cell phone as it does not make any ticking noises, and I can control the volume of the bell. Now sitting in a chair with your back straight and your feet on the floor, let’s begin:
• Let any who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. (Rev. 2:7) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
• Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know that I am. Be still and know. Be still. Be.
• Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply, repeat your sacred word, set your timer for twenty minutes, and close your eyes
.
• As the bell rings, continue to sit in silence for a minute or two before opening your eyes. Close with the Lord’s Prayer. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
Second Prayer Practice | Guided Lectio Divina
The second prayer practice we would like to offer is praying the words to the hymn “Lord of the Dance” using Lectio Divina, which means sacred reading. Lectio Divina is an ancient prayer practice dating from the sixth century that allows one to hear a word from God while reading the Bible or sacred text. This prayer practice consists of four moments: Read, Reflect, Respond and Rest, and is a beautiful way of hearing a word from God, allowing that word to sink deep into our souls so that transformation can take place, resting in God’s presence, and then taking that word with us throughout the day as sort of a guiding light onto our paths.
In this hymn, I see and hear an invitation from God for us to join in Perichoresis, the dance of the Trinity, letting go of all our human conceptions, preconceptions, desires and longings, and indeed our egos and wills, and surrender to the Leader of the Dance, to step into the loving embrace of the Trinity and then to simply follow as we are led. It could truly be a beautiful, mystical dance!
Below you will find the lyrics to Hymn 261, Lord of the Dance as well as some guidance on how to pray this hymn using Lectio Divina. Before you begin, you will need to gather a few items: a timer (again I use my cell phone) and perhaps your journal so that you can record this experience of prayer.
Lord Of The Dance
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth.
At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, dance, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they would not follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came with me so the dance went on.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he
I danced on the Sabbath when I cured the lame.
The holy people said it was a shame;
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high;
And they left me there on the cross to die.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.
I danced on a Friday and the sky turned black;
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back;
They buried my body, and they thought I’d gone,
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he
They cut me down and I leapt up high,
I am the life that’ll never, never die;
I'll live in you if you'll live in me;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the Dance, said he.
And I'll lead you all wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.
First Moment | Read
Slowly read aloud the words to the hymn listening with the ear of your heart for a word or phrase that sort of jumps off the page at you or feels as though it has been given to you. In the minute of silence following this reading, silently repeat the word or phrase over and over. That is all that you do.
Second Moment | Reflect
Slowly read aloud the words to the hymn again. In the minute of silence following this reading, ask God what this word or phrase means for you. Ask where this word or phrase intersects your life right now.
Third Moment | Respond
Slowly read aloud the passage for a third time. In the minute of silence following this reading, respond to God spontaneously, however you feel drawn to respond. This is your time to communicate with God about this prayer period—about what has happened between you and God in this prayer period.
Fourth Moment | Rest
Slowly read aloud the passage for the final time. In the silence that follows (allow two to three minutes), you are invited to simply rest in God’s presence. Imagine yourself climbing into God’s lap while God’s loving arms are wrapped around you. Simply bask in God’s love for you.
Should you desire more information about Lectio Divina, click on the following link:http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/private/43388/field-file/lectiodivinalistening.pdf.
Donell L. Seager ~ Spiritual Director
Pace, FL ~ January 2016