Listening to God - Listening to Our Neighbors - Discernment Sunday
Proclaiming Christian Values of Diversity and Love, Ending Food Insecurity, Supporting Education, Addressing Mental Wellness and Anxiety. These were the four areas that the Community Discovery Team brought out of their community listening.
On Sunday, September 30th, a special Discernment Sunday worship service was held in place of the regular 11:00 service. Surrounded by prayer, scripture and singing, we rotated through four different groups discussing these four different areas of need.
Discernment - Saturday
Fairview is currently a two week time of discernment. The Community Discovery Team has spent several months talking with our neighbors and community members to hear about the needs present in the Fairview neighborhood. Every person at Fairview is being asked to spend time each day in prayer, listening for God’s guidance for our church.
Saturday - Listening
Discernment - Friday
Fairview is currently a two week time of discernment. The Community Discovery Team has spent several months talking with our neighbors and community members to hear about the needs present in the Fairview neighborhood. Every person at Fairview is being asked to spend time each day in prayer, listening for God’s guidance for our church.
Friday - Proclaiming Values of Love and Inclusivity
Racism, hate, discrimination and violence are before people each day, in the news and sometimes in their personal lives. Individuals are often left with wanting to do something positive to counter the negative, but they are often unsure of what they can do to make a difference or to make their voice heard.
Parents want to instill in their children values of love, inclusion and celebrating diversity. They would gladly welcome other adults, peers or organizations that will share or reinforce those values. A need exists to help people proclaim and teach these values in their homes and in public, and to come together to raise voices together to speak out messages of love and inclusion.
Take a few moments to quiet yourself and then read the scripture below. If it is helpful, get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate on taking a few deep breaths before reading.
John 13:34
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
Take a few moments to answer the following questions. If it is helpful to you, feel free to write your answers down.
What is your personal experience with the need to proclaim values of love and inclusivity?
Where in the community have you seen evidence of this need?
Why do you think it might be important for Fairview to have a part in addressing this need?
What do you think God might be saying to you or to Fairview about proclaiming values of love and inclusivity?
When you are ready say aloud or read quietly the following prayer.
God of love, help me love as you love today.
Help me to see as you see,
to notice those who need your love
and need to be included.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discernment - Thursday
Fairview is currently a two week time of discernment. The Community Discovery Team has spent several months talking with our neighbors and community members to hear about the needs present in the Fairview neighborhood. Every person at Fairview is being asked to spend time each day in prayer, listening for God’s guidance for our church.
Thursday - Working to End Food Insecurity
About 175,000 people in Indianapolis live with food insecurity. Someone who is food insecure lacks the consistent access to enough food for a healthy and active live. Almost 50,000 children in Indianapolis are food insecure. These numbers include many residents in the community surrounding Fairview. Many families and individuals south of the church towards 38th Street are in need, but so are many in all directions from the church, including seniors and college students.
Due to lack of financial resources and employment opportunities, alongside the scarcity of healthy food retail options, food insecurity remains an issue for many residents of our community. School 43 provides free school meals to all students, The Boulevard Place Food Pantry serves thousands of residents each year, and many in our neighborhood receive government food assistance in one form or another.
Take a few moments to quiet yourself and then read the scripture below. If it is helpful, get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate on taking a few deep breaths before reading.
Matthew 25:44-45
When was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” Then Jesus will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”
Take a few moments to answer the following questions. If it is helpful to you, feel free to write your answers down.
What is your personal experience with the need to work to end food insecurity?
Where in the community have you seen evidence of this need?
Why do you think it might be important for Fairview to have a part in addressing this need?
What do you think God might be saying to you or to Fairview about ending food insecurity?
When you are ready say aloud or read quietly the following prayer.
God of plenty,
help me be grateful for the blessings in my life,
and help me to be mindful
of those who don’t have enough today.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discernment - Wednesday
Fairview is currently a two week time of discernment. The Community Discovery Team has spent several months talking with our neighbors and community members to hear about the needs present in the Fairview neighborhood. Every person at Fairview is being asked to spend time each day in prayer, listening for God’s guidance for our church.
Supporting Education
There are a variety of educational needs in the community surrounding Fairview. The ones that come to mind first may be south of Fairview towards 38th street. School 43 is full of kids from our community. There are many committed staff and teachers striving to make a difference in the kids and families of our neighborhood. Unfortunately, the school remains an underperforming and under-resourced school, largely due to factors outside its control.
Its needs include qualified and appropriately-compensated teachers and staff, more involvement from families of students, and improvements in the quality of life for the families of the school so that students are coming from a positive home environment. Advocacy at the district, city, state and federal level for proper education reform is also a need. Educational needs, academic, life skills, and vocational, exist within adult populations in our community as well. Butler University provides many opportunities to support the educational journeys of thousands of college students. Spiritual education is also a need that Fairview can help fulfill by grounding people in a life-giving and supportive Christian faith.
Take a few moments to quiet yourself and then read the scripture below. If it is helpful, get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate on taking a few deep breaths before reading.
Proverbs 8:1-11
Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: “To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live.
O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right; for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
They are all straight to one who understands and right to those who find knowledge. Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold; for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
Take a few moments to answer the following questions. If it is helpful to you, write your answers down.
What is your personal experience with the need to support education?
Where in the community have you seen evidence of this need?
Why do you think it might be important for Fairview to have a part in supporting education?
What do you think God might be saying to you or to Fairview about supporting education in our community?
When you are ready say aloud or read quietly the following prayer.
God of wisdom, help me this day and every day,
to love you not only with my heart,
But also my mind and strength.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Discernment - Tuesday
For the next two week’s Fairview is entering a time of discernment. The Community Discovery Team has spent several months talking with our neighbors and community members to hear about the needs present in the Fairview neighborhood. Every person at Fairview is being asked to spend time each day in prayer listening for God’ guidance for our church.
Tuesday - Addressing Anxiety and Mental Wellness
The number of Americans reporting increasing anxiety and struggling with mental wellness is on the rise. This is true of people in the community surrounding Fairview. Our neighbors have reported anxiety related to crime, health concerns, finances, and worsening national and societal issues. Butler students are feeling increasing pressures related to grades, paying for college, job prospects, and relationships with peers. Depression and other mental health issues are becoming more and more common on campus.
You may be dealing with your own anxiety, as you feel increased stress or worry related to a particular situation or relationship in your life. You may be feeling anxious just reading these paragraphs. A certain amount of concern and worry in our lives is normal, but increasingly our anxiety levels are rising to unhealthy levels.
Take a few moments to quiet yourself and then read the scripture below. If it is helpful, get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate on taking a few deep breaths before reading.
Matthew 6:25-34
‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Take a few moments to answer the following questions. If it is helpful to you, feel free to write your answers down.
What is your personal experience with the need to address anxiety and mental wellness?
Where in the community have you seen evidence of this need?
Why do you think it might be important for Fairview to have a part in addressing this need?
What do you think God might be saying to you or to Fairview about addressing anxiety and mental wellness?
When you are ready say aloud or read quietly the following prayer.
God who calms the waves and the storms,
help me find your peace.
Help me to share your peace with those I encounter today.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
Discernment - Monday
For the next two week’s Fairview is entering a time of discernment. The Community Discovery Team has spent several months talking with our neighbors and community members to hear about the needs present in the Fairview neighborhood. Every person at Fairview is being asked to spend time each day in prayer listening for God’ guidance for our church.
Monday
Over the next week, you are being asked to spend some time in quiet listening. This activity will come easier to some people and be more difficult for others. If it is harder for you, that’s OK. The goal isn’t to be a perfect meditative guru of prayer, but simply to take some time each day to be quiet, reflect, and listen. Sometimes, it takes us a little while until we are ready to listen. This was the case for Samuel in the scripture below.
Take a few moments to quiet yourself and then read the scripture below. If it is helpful, get in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and concentrate on taking a few deep breaths before reading.
1 Samuel 3:1-20
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.”
Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Take a few moments to answer the following questions. If it is helpful to you, write your answers down.
How easy or difficult do you find it to sit in quiet listening?
What might make it easier for you?
As you listen, what are some ways you can distinguish between God’s will and your own desires?
Are there other thoughts or notes you’d like to write down?
When you are ready say aloud or read quietly the following prayer.
