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Keystone Habits
But seek first God's kingdom and God's righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33
My life has been a whirlwind of late. It is a busy time in our presbytery. Add in my life as the mother of a teenager, and it is busy indeed. The result? I have lost my rhythm of regular exercise and healthy eating.
The antidote? Renewed self-discipline and willpower, right? Wrong! As Charles Duhigg notes in The Power of Habits, self-discipline and willpower are highly over-rated. What is needed is a re-focus on my keystone habit of prayer, which I have found has "a domino effect of positive change" across the whole of my life. By focusing on one or two keystone habits, you can improve your life in multiple areas at the same time. The key is discovering what those one or two habits are for you, and then scheduling time for them.
For me, the mornings when I start the day in prayer--even 10-15 minutes of prayer--the rest of the day is marked by better focus and clarity of task. Even my least favorite tasks seem to get done with greater ease. And, more to the point, I have more time for what really matters in my life and ministry!
Here's how keystone habits work:
- Identify your keystone habits and commit to them.
It is important to note that identifying our keystone habits takes time. For some of you, exercise may be your keystone habit that helps you, in turn, to be more intentional in your prayer life. For others, it may be intentional time with your family. You'll know when you've identified your true keystone habits as you'll begin to experience a synergy across multiple areas of your life.
- Schedule it! This is key! Don't just make a commitment to practicing a particular habit, make a commitment to a schedule. Our keystone habits need a place to live and breathe, or they aren't going to happen. As James Clear writes, "It sounds like a small shift, but it's really quite huge and it will transform your life!"
I've often wondered if Jesus was pointing us to a keystone habit in the Sermon on the Mount when he told us to seek first the kingdom of God and then all things shall be ours. How might such seeking shape our shared ministry if this were our starting point? How might it help us in our discernment between good and faithful?
Blessings for the journey!
Debbie Rundlett
General Presbyter
P.S. Your Holy Habit for the week? To identify and schedule your keystone habit(s)!
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We are happy to post news and requests from your church in this section of the MVP Update. Just email Candice or call 330-339-5515 to relay your news. Please also let us know the "expiration date" on the news item so that we can keep this section current.
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Annual Enrollment Ending Soon for Traditional Plan with Board of Pensions! DEADLINE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014
Annual enrollment, now through November 14, 2014, is your chance to
- elect or make changes to dental coverage; and
- apply for supplemental death coverage or change your coverage level.
This annual enrollment is your only opportunity for 2015 (unless you have a qualifying life event during the year). Click here for more details.
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2015 Minimum Compensation Guidelines Announced
Please note the Minimum Compensation Guidelines reflect the change in Medical Dues from the Board of Pensions, effective January 1, 2015. For more information on this change, click here to visit the BOP Website, and then click "Related Information" in the tan arrow on the right hand side of the browser for more details. |
The Presbytery Gathers for Advent Worship Stated Meeting of Muskingum Valley Presbytery Tuesday, December 2, 2014 FIrst Presbyterian Church in Marietta, Ohio
501 Fourth Street, Marietta, Ohio 45750 Registration begins at 9:30 am Meeting begins at 10:00 am Cost: $10 Meeting Materials available on the website at this link.
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Ordering Deadline Extended for 2015 Mission Yearbook -- November 21, 2015
We haven't received many orders for the 2015 Mission Yearbook, so the deadline to contact to Mission Center to order the books (at $15 each; payment due with order) will be November 21, 2015. Use this form and email Candice with your order. |
A Note About 2015 Per Capita
The membership number used in the letter for your church is as of December 31, 2013. It was derived from either a) the Stastical Information submitted for your church; b) a report made to your Parish Elder; or c) the file for your church at the Mission Center.
If the number reported for your membership as of December 31, 2013 is incorrect,please use the following formula to calculate your per capita and return a copy of this information to the Mission Center so we may update our records.
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________________________
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X $28.68
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= ____________________
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Your Church's membership
as of 12/31/13
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2015 Per Capita Amount
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2015 Total Per Capita
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Warsaw First Presbyterian Church
Seeking Pastor
We are seeking to fulfill our pulpit by a part-time pastor, either half-time or three quarter-time. Our pulpit is now vacant due to resignation.
We are an 80+ member church serving God through our mission to community, country and world. Our church is a "Confessing Church" and holds faithfully to "Reformed Doctrine." Our purpose exists to bring the bread of life to all of God's people.
Interested persons should contact, Jim Lawrence, Elder, Worship Committee Chairperson at lawj6@frontier.com. |
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Prayer Requests/Updates
- Prayer request for Hugh Berry, as he recovers from open-heart surgery.
- Prayer request for Ron Pinkowski, as he undergoes medical testing.
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