Questions for Spiritual Self Examination
 - What questions have you sought guidance for during meditation or moments of prayer?
- What answers to these questions would you most fear?
- Do you bargain with God? Do you complain to God more than you express gratitude? Do you tend to pray for specific things rather than pray in appreciation?
- Are you devoted to a particular "spiritual path"?
- Do you believe that your God is more authentic than the Divine in other spiritual traditions?
- Are you waiting for God to send you an explanation for your painful experiences?
- How would your life change if God suddenly decided to answer your questions? And how would it change if the answer was "I have no intention of giving you insight into your questions at this point in your life"? What would you be prepared to do then?
- Have you started and stopped a meditation practice? If so, what are the reasons that you failed to maintain it?
- What spiritual truths are you aware of that you do not live by? List them.
- Are you afraid of a closer spiritual connection to the Divine because of the changes that it might trigger in your life?
We are living in a time unlike any that has come before.
We are living between two paradigms of power, or two paradigms of reality - internal and external, energetic and physical. We are restructuring ourselves and our relationships to personal and spiritual authority. Inevitably, that restructuring will reshape every aspect of our world culture in accordance with the spiritual truth that ALL IS ONE. The fact that our global society is now saturated with crisis that touches every nation, every origin, and every system in our global "body" has symbolic significance...we have reached the end of the "divide and conquer" systems of power, and those systems are being replaced by an attempt to unite powers of the different nations in order to survive and move safely into this millennium.
Our interconnected "information age" is the symbol of a global consciousness...we contain the scripture. We contain Divinity. We are Divinity. We are the church, the synagogue, the ashram. We need but close our eyes and feel the energy of the sacraments...as the energy that fuels our biology. Ironically, once we realize the stuff of which we are made, we have no choice but to live a spiritual life.
from "Anatomy of the Spirit" p 285 and 290 - Caroline Myss,PH.D |
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 Service Music For The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
Book of Common Prayer - Rite I
Prelude "My Jesus I Love Thee" Gordon/Bish
Processional Hymn 398
I Sing The Almighty Power Of God
Gloria In Excelsis S 202
Sequence Hymn 691
My Faith Looks Up To Thee
Instrumental Offertory "My Shepherd Shall Supply My Need" arr. Land
Sanctus S 114
Communion Hymn (Insert)
Precious Lord Take My Hand
Recessional Hymn 636
How Firm A Foundation
Postlude on the Hymn Tune "Restoration" (Jesus Calls Us)
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 Liturgical Support for August 7, 2011
Thanks to those who will be serving us during this Sunday's service: (You can also view the Liturgical Support Calendar by clicking on this link for future reference.)
LECTOR
Autumn Smith
CHALICE SERVERS
John McGarr
Charles Smith
ACOLYTES
Ian S. - Crucifer
Maddie S. - Torchbearer
Nicholas G. - Torchbearer
GREETER G. Honderich USHERS C. Smith J.T. Smith Altar Guild
Karon Bonnell
Karen Smith
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 Visit St. Matthew's Website
Our website is finally up to date and current with all the information you need to stay informed of all the happenings at St. Matt's! For those who serve as acolytes and readers please consult the Liturgical Support Calendar online by clicking here.  Also you can view our
Monthly Newsletter online by clicking on the button on the left!
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