The Neighbor ||| The Commonplace Weekly Guide
|
Hello beloved one. *** Announcements: *Please please remember we will not be gathering together on Sunday, July 20th. Stay tuned for some resources and ideas to come out later this week. *Please plan to attend the City Park Food Truck Rally tonight!..beginning at 5:00. Bring a blanket, some lawn chairs, a dog on a leash, a ball. Check out the map below...we'll meet where the nerdy emoji face is. *We still have a few dinner clubs with spots available. Click here to sign up. There's also a link listed on our website! This is a low-stakes and fun way to get connected with some Commonplace peeps. The Neighbor We usually follow the Revised Common Lectionary. Click on the link if you want to see what we'll be exploring in the weeks to come.
I N V O C A T I O N Life-giving God, heal our lives, that we may acknowledge your wonderful deeds and offer you thanks from generation to generation through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. S O N G S
S C R I P T U R E & R E A D I N G S T A K E A W A Y S & Q U E S T I O N S *Notice the “Half-Dead” Around You: We may not encounter a crime scene or an actual person in a ditch—but every single day we walk past people emotionally, spiritually, or relationally wounded. The person holding a sign. The coworker who withdraws. The friend who’s just waiting for encouragement. We see them. But often, we still cross to the other side. Ask yourself: What’s one way I crossed over this week instead of coming near? *Love Is Risky—But Avoiding Love Costs More: The priest and the Levite may have had good reasons not to stop—uncertainty, fear, self-preservation. We often have the same instincts. We don’t know what it will cost us to come near. But passing by costs something, too. It forms a habit. A distance. A hardening. Try this prayer: “Lord, give me the grace and wisdom to know when it’s my time to come near.” *You Can’t Help Everyone. You can pay attention. You can listen to the still small voice within. Be where your feet are. *We aren’t called to solve every problem. It’s okay to ask, “What is mine to do? What is not mine to do?” But let that be a question asked with a tender heart—not a hardened excuse. Even a simple kind word to that text we don’t feel like answering or a pause in our walk to greet the lonely neighbor. Don’t underestimate the small gestures. *The real question isn’t “Who is my neighbor?” but “How can I be one?” In Aramaic, “neighbor” (qariba) means one who comes near. Becoming a neighbor means living with eyes and hearts that are ready to respond to that silent plea every person gives: “Love me.” When have you heard that silent cry and drawn near? *They say we don’t read the parable so much as the parable reads us! Let the parable work on you this week. Not just to be moved—but to move toward. A R T W O R K B E N E D I C T I O N You are God’s Child Gifted with dreams and visions. Upon you rests the grace of God like flames of fire. Love and serve the Lord in the wildness of your being. Practice Resurrection. And may the deep peace of Christ be with you, The strong arms of God sustain you, And the glory of the Holy Spirit shine upon your face. Amen. Grace and Peace, Katrina & Darren |
The Commonplace Church
Hello Reader! Wherever and however this finds you, we recognize your soul there! *** Announcements: *Remember, no morning service tomorrow, 7.20.25. See you next week on the 27th!! *Keep in mind, our friends at Peak Community Church would be happy to have you attend their service at 9:00 at the building. Welcome to a special at home liturgy for your Sunday: a sabbath within a sabbath. Commonplace At-Home Liturgy For the Sunday we are apart... To be prayed wherever you are: at a kitchen table,...
Hello Reader! Hello beloved one. *** Announcements: *We will not be holding office hours for the month of July. We'll see you in August! *Please plan to attend the City Park Food Truck Rally on July 15th...we'll gather for good old-fashioned community time! *We will be organizing some dinner clubs in July and August. Want to be a part of it? Click here to sign up. There's also a link listed on our website! Please sign up by the end of the week! Thank you! *Please make note that we will not...
Hello Reader! Hello beloved one. *** Announcements: *We'll not be holding office hours for the month of July. We'll see you in August! *Please plan to attend the City Park Food Truck Rally on July 15th...we'll gather for good old-fashioned community time! *We will be organizing some dinner clubs in July and August. Want to be a part of it? Look for a signup form to come out on our website in the next week! *There's still time to sign up to help out with serving dinner tomorrow for the Fort...