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Words from Charles Wesley
Jesus, Lord, we look to thee,
let us in thy name agree;
show thyself the Prince of Peace;
bid our jarring conflicts cease.
By thy reconciling love,
every stumbling-block remove;
each to each unite, endear; come,
and spread thy banner here.
From Singing the Faith 686
Words from Scripture
“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:1-3
Hymn
God grant us words to speak , Singing the Faith 647
As we begin
To consider alone
- How am I feeling at the beginning of this meeting?
- What can I do to make “every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”?
To consider together
- What does it mean to ask Jesus to “come, and spread thy banner here”? If Jesus did what we ask, what difference would it make to how this meeting proceeded?
- What are the commitments that we make to each other as this meeting begins?
As we continue
To consider alone
- If you pray to Jesus “By thy reconciling love, every stumbling block remove”, how might Jesus want to change you for that to happen?
To consider together
- In a moment of silence, together become aware of the presence of Jesus in this meeting, inviting each person to act “with all humility and gentleness, with patience”. Stay with this for a couple of minutes before moving on.
As we finish
To consider alone
- “Each to each unite, endear.” For a moment, ask for whatever help you need to unite or endear you to the people around you.
To consider together
- If it seems appropriate, invite the group to shake hands in “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.
- Alternatively, can you identify one thing from this meeting for which you are grateful? Allow some time for each person to share, in one or two words, something for which they are grateful.