Praying Without Ceasing at Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church
Photo by Julia Taubitz on Unsplash
Enlarging our praying in our congregation began in curious conversations. And where our new prayer group began may seem unusual, yet not so surprising. Here’s what happened: this kindling came from a passionate group of leaders asking for help with prayer. Emerging interests bubbled up in the monthly conversations of our congregation’s Outreach Board—Surprise! Actually, not so surprising.
You see, initially individuals of this board expressed concern over the daunting challenges entrusted to our ministry—“Reach out to our neighbors?” “Wait, and how are we supposed to do this?” And it wasn’t long in our exploration of resources, and in our praying, and in our learning about the sustenance of effective outreach that we were naming foundational dimensions of our mission together:
our Outward Life— to effectively reach out in love to and with our neighbors, and
our Inner Life—opening to the shaping love of God in practices of prayer
And it was out of these understandings that we began preparing, inviting, then hosting a weekly Prayer Group, Mondays at 5:30pm. The sentiment was gracious: let’s begin this prayer group… and we’ll learn quite a lot along the way. And this is most certainly true.
Currently a small, faithful group gathers weekly in prayer. We circle our chairs at the front of our sanctuary, light a candle in the center, and begin sharing things that are now on our hearts and minds. The tone is an acceptance of all things—personal, familial, communal, national, global…hurts, joys, challenges, encouragements and so on. This is an intentional time with healthy boundaries for mutual, caring conversations followed by a brief teaching and cultivation of everyone’s listening to God, listening with God. Scripture is spoken, sometimes a poem or quote that informs our life in prayer. Responses are welcome. We glean from the Pray Without Ceasing website, weekly emails, and zoom conversations—fruitful and fresh flow of resources. One of our leaders described our prayer gatherings this way: “a unique approach to understanding prayer, with a focus on our inward work in relationship with the divine, and in strengthening our relationships with our neighbors.”
In the timeframe of 45 minutes, we give emphasis to the “meaning of prayer” and “how to pray” with an overall invitation of permeating our whole existence in prayer—praying without ceasing. And we are finding it incredibly helpful to include a quiet approach that pays attention to resting and trusting in “God with us” by diminishing our usual and persistent thoughts.
Prayer is trust in God’s love “far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20, MSG). Simply, prayer is loving God.
Becoming alert to our dominant thinking—a barrier to listening to God—is generating a way into new freedoms. Contemplative praying encourages a gracious and compassionate approach to uncovering—gently and patiently removing the obstacles to God’s way for our inner life and for our public life. Thus, a key moment in our time together is to pause in silent prayer. For practical reasons, we set a timer for this–sometimes we rest silently for ten minutes, sometimes as much as twenty. Overall, the invitation in quiet prayer is to pause in God’s steadfast love and mercy, revealed and given to us in Jesus.
(This invitation is grounded in two Hebrew words for God’s love—hesed (lovingkindness, steadfast love) and recham (mercy). We rest in the promises of an unconditional, fierce, passionate, sacrificial love…and where mercy has roots in “womb”—a place of protection and nourishment throughout the transitions to new life, transforming life. These are a few faithful, biblical perspectives for being quietly nurtured in prayer with God.)
So when our group silently pauses, we remember to consecrate our attention to God with us, filled to overflowing in goodness and mercy. Even more, we acknowledge that our praying isn’t enabled by full understanding; rather we are listening and resting in love even beyond our perceptions. And participating in something beyond our knowing can become intentional. Prayer is trust in God’s love “far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Ephesians 3:20, MSG). Simply, prayer is loving God.
And as we are loving God, attending to God’s voice more than our own, this work of caring for our neighbor is being converted to front and center in our identity and call. It appears to be one of Jesus’ favorite things to do among a community. And here our congregation’s Outreach Board is arriving full circle—we are listening and opening to the transformative presence of God who our source and helper in our congregation’s outreaching.
I was grateful when Pray Without Ceasing appeared in our synod communications. Bishop Meggan Manlove of NWIM Synod asked if I would help invite others; she has been encouraging many pastors, deacons and leaders about this movement in our synod and nation—to gather in prayer groups on a weekly basis. And in several conversations with others, including ecumenical relationships in my hometown, the response is warm and uniting. These leaders are affirming and aspiring that prayer become more formative and sustaining in all their relationships and ministries. There is a communal spirituality in the invitation to pray.
I’m reminded of a useful method among marriage therapists—to rekindle some of the original heart and beginnings of the couple’s relationship. Likewise, it is striking in congregations undergoing a Call Committee process, and in the Letter of Call to pastors and deacons, there is explicit emphasis on prayer and spiritual support. The language expressly entreats us that the entire journey together is guided by the Holy Spirit. The usual Letter of Call reads: “be diligent in the study of Holy Scripture, in use of the means of grace, in prayer, in faithful service and in holy living.”
My tendency as a pastor is to be more attuned in prayer during transitions, and discernment, and seasons of challenge—like the beginning of relationships with a community of faith. Congregations too know the sacred wrestling at these thresholds. When we are in the process of searching for new pastoral and diaconal relationships, we navigate many ventures—including grieving that comes with changes, and the exciting adventures in new callings. Is it fair to say, by the time a congregation extends The Call, and the rostered leader accepts this new relationship, most everyone is quite awash in prayer? And how good this is!
The Letter of Call issued from a congregation to a rostered leader often uses this covenantal language: “With this call, we pledge our prayers, love, esteem, and personal support for the sake of the ministry entrusted to you by God and for our ministry together in Christ's name". May each congregation rekindle in prayer their participation in God’s unconditional, fierce, birthing love…and do so unceasingly.
PS: Our Outreach Board is diligent at this inner and outer work of loving our neighbors. Please pray for and with us.
