Practicing the Faith

I have been thinking about a number of things in the past couple of weeks. Believe me, there is little else one can do with a herniated disc. So, I have had some time to consider all of those things that I am missing or wishing I could do.

In the autumn of each year our synod has Mission Gatherings. They were originally conceived to be an opportunity to speak with congregation councils about mission support. Many years ago, the scope was expanded and the Mission Gathering would focus on a single theme each year. All interested members were encouraged to attend. In evaluating the events, we wondered in recent years if the usefulness of the Mission Gatherings had diminished.

The feedback we received regarding this year’s Synod Assembly Bible studies, which focused on discipleship and the faith practices of the church, was overwhelmingly positive. In light of this, Bishop Wollersheim proposed having Discipleship Gatherings this year to provide further opportunities for the people of the Northern Illinois Synod to learn about and discuss these faith practices.

There are many faith practices. We have chosen to emphasize seven identified as central by our church: pray, study, worship, invite, encourage, serve and give. In the Discipleship Gathering, Bishop Wollersheim gives an introductory talk on discipleship before the participants are dismissed to attend any two of seven breakout groups which focus on the practices, led by synod staff members and local leaders.

We have already had, and I have sadly missed, two of the eight scheduled Discipleship Gatherings. Attendance has been strong and participation has been good. It does not take too much reflection to see that we are hungry for more. Most folks I speak with are seeking to deepen their faith, but sense that opportunities to do so are limited.

Let me suggest a couple of things. Attend any one of the remaining Discipleship Gatherings. You are invited and welcome. You can find more information at http://nisynod.org/gatherings/index.html. If you are seeking a deeper educational experience, consider diakoniaTM. Take a look at http://www.thediakoniaprogram.org/ and http://www.nisynod.org/diakonia/.

To get even more folks involved, suggest that your congregation take a look at faith practices during Lent. It would be a great theme for a round-robin exchange. Congregations could work together to explore the faith practices. How about a conference series of men’s breakfasts focusing on discipleship? An adult class or small group could work on faith practices. People are hungry. They want to be disciples. What better place is there than the local congregation to learn how?

The synod has tried to build on what was introduced at the Synod Assembly. Perhaps your congregation can build on what we doing at the Discipleship Gatherings. Let us know how we can be helpful to you! Comments? Go to http://niselca.blogspot.com/. Pictured are two Discipleship Gathering breakout sessions in the North Conference. Pastor Troy Hedrick led a discussion of prayer as Pastor Brent Dahlseng facilitated the group on invitation/witness. --JC