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District News & Announcements – February 2019

District News & Announcements

February 2019

Holiness in our Midst: Session 77

SESSION LXXVII: ON LOVE STORIES

Share a love story. (It’s okay if you’re a part of it!)

February, the month in which we celebrate love, invites the telling of love stories. Miles and Gwen Albright, both gone now from this life, come to mind as an example of a quiet one. (Miles was a nephew to my grandfather, Joe Albright of State Center, IA.) They were a fun-loving couple devoted to their church, First United Methodist Church in Ames; their daughter Vicki’s family in Houston; and their sizeable social circle. What set them apart was their kindness to one another and an extraordinary awareness of each other’s needs, sensitivities and moods. They exuded “togetherness” when they related to each other.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what elevated them among the many very close couples I’ve been privileged to know. I got a clue one day when I was with them in their car on the way to eat at our favorite Chinese restaurant. Miles told a story about being approached by several couples at church. They were planning a ceremony to renew their wedding vows. Would they, Miles and Gwen, like to do the same? Miles replied: “No thank you, we don’t need to. We renew ours every morning.” That was it! The intentionality to keep their promises to one another each day was their secret.

Story Circle Prompt: Share a love story.

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1.  Read the above reflection. Write in your journal about your own love story or one you have witnessed. What keeps/kept the relationship together over time?

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1.   Read aloud Session LXXVII.
2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

[View Past Sessions Here]

Note: Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com.

District News & Announcements – January 2019

District News & Announcements

January 2019

Holiness in our Midst: Session 76

SESSION LXXVI: ON PICURING PEACE

If you drew a picture of peace, what would you draw?

This was a question that the late Roger Emmert, longtime Northern Plains District leader, asked during devotions at a board-development workshop, “Weaving Our Stories Together,” for district board members in October of 2010 at the Greene (IA) Church of the Brethren. My role was to model intentional story-telling to help them get better acquainted and to suggest ways to create story-sharing platforms in meetings they would lead. (We passed out small notebooks called story catchers, not only for notetaking during the workshop, but also for capturing the small but significant moments that happen each day.)

As 2019 begins, Roger’s question keeps coming my mind. Perhaps this is because his recent death and his example/legacy as a person of peace is on my heart. But his question also seems particularly relevant in this time of great national political turmoil. Words sometimes fail us these days. My drawing of a peaceful world is a round table with President Trump and Republican and Democratic legislators, all sitting quietly with Jesus. In a grand gallery surrounding them are a sea of faces representing all nations of the world. The drawing is labeled 2019: The Year They Came to The Table.

Story Circle Prompt: What does peace look like to you (in words or artwork)?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1.  Read the above reflection. Write a word description of what peace would look like to you. Or, if you prefer, do a pen and ink drawing depicting peace in a sketchbook.  

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1.   Read aloud Session LXXVI.
2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

[View Past Sessions Here]

Note: Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com.

District News & Announcements – December 2018

District News & Announcements

December 2018

Holiness in our Midst: Session 75

SESSION LXXV: ON PREPARING YOUR HEART

How are you preparing your heart to receive the Christ Child during Advent this year?

Dr. John Buchanan, pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago from 1985 to 2012, shared this story from a nursery school teacher in the Chicago suburbs. She asked her class if they knew what the season before Christmas was called. One child raised his hand and answered “Advil!”

The season of holy hub-hub, which begins with Black Friday and ends with Christmas services (and/or bargain-hunting), begs us to pause long enough to experience the wonder of Jesus’ birth. For myself, I am adding an exercise this year to my morning devotions from December 1 to December 25, that of writing a thank you note to God each day. No other rules or format, whatever come to mind that day. I hope by doing so I can slow down, so that I may experience the Miracle of Advent rather than the Season of Advil.

Story Circle Question: How will you welcome the Christ Child into your heart this year?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1.  Read the above reflection. Begin each day from Dec. 1 to Dec. 25 writing a thank you note to God. The content can be from that day or the past month or year. On Christmas Day, review what you have written.

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1.   Read aloud Session LXXV.
2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

[View Past Sessions Here]

Note: Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com.

District News & Announcements – November 2018

District News & Announcements

November 2018

Holiness in our Midst: Session 74

SESSION LXXIV: ON HIDDEN GIFTS

What is a hidden gift you would like to develop?

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. I Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)

Sometimes the “front and center” gifts we bring to our congregations are obvious, such as preaching, teaching Sunday school, staffing the nursery, playing the organ or organizing events. These may even be taken for granted year after year. But is there something you would like to do for your church, a gift you would like to develop, but have kept hidden for some reason? The first step is to name it. As for me, I would like to learn to sing. Perhaps take lessons. I discovered my singing voice as I created church services with local pastors and musicians for persons with disabilities. When guitarists would assume I would sing with them, I learned that I could carry a tune within a certain range! Fortunately, a key to renewal at my church, First Christian in Ames, IA, has been to create an atmosphere where persons can feel free to picture themselves in different roles. Slowly, I am creating small opportunities to perform…

STORY CIRCLE PROMPT: Name a gift you would like to develop with the help of those around you.

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection.
2. Dream on paper about a gift that is not yet visible to those around you. Create a plan. Picture a community around you, helping you achieve it. How are you feeling at each step along the way?

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1.   Read aloud Session LXXIV.
2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

[View Past Sessions Here]

Note: Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com.

District News & Announcements – October 2018

District News & Announcements

October 2018

Holiness in our Midst: Session 73

SESSION LXXIII: ON BEING REMEMBERED

How would you like to be remembered?

This question was inspired by my pastor, Mary Jane Button-Harrison, from First Christian Church in Ames, IA, when she suggested that we try writing our own obituaries and by the recent and very memorable funeral of Sen. John McCain. As for myself, I would like to be remembered for Five Simple Things:

• For having a sense of humor, lightness and goodwill.
• For being a good friend to a few people,
• For advocating for hunger, homelessness and disabilities causes,
• For sharing stories and creating tables for others to share theirs, and
• For showing up each day, wherever in the world I was, building community with kindness.

STORY CIRCLE PROMPT: How would you like to be remembered?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1. Read the above reflection.
2. Write your own obituary.

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1.   Read aloud Session LXXIII.
2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

[View Past Sessions Here]

Note: Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com.