Community Practice Week 1
Being Family Around the Table
Simply put, the practice of community is committing to life with others, learning and living the way of Jesus together. The best place to start this grounding practice is around the table. Below you will find step to help you engage with this practice over the next four weeks as well as resources that will help you go deeper in your understanding of community.
Ways to engage with in the Community Practice:
First and foremost, this practice (and all practices) are meant to be done in community. If you haven't yet, find a small group of people that are commited to walking through this practice together.
Download the Community Practice Guide. If you can, it is advised to print it out to reduce the distraction of our devices.
Gather with your group once a week to watch the Practicing the Way video found below. This will include questions for discussion, as well as a short teaching on that week's practice.
Step into each practice as much as you are able and feel comfortable to. This invitation is for everyone at all stages of life and faith.
Reflect on your experience of the practice using the reflection questions at the bottom of the guide and be prepared to share them the next time you gather with your group.
Recommended Reading
Made to Belong by David Kim (Chapters 1-3)
Rule of Life Podcast
Community Practice Guide
Download the practice guide here
Week 01 Practice - Share a Meal Together
We invite you to begin your next session by sharing a meal together as the baseline for the remainder of the Practice. You may already share a weekly meal with another group, such as a Journey Group. In that case, feel free to adapt this practice to your own life. But if at all possible, begin each of the next three sessions by sharing a meal together.
Suggestions for stepping into this practice:
Select a day, time and location to share a meal.
Organize a Potluck Style Meal: Have everyone sign up for specific elements (mains, desserts, drinks) and encourage contributions beyond food like setting up and cleaning up.
Over dinner, discuss the following questions:
What is another city or country you could see yourself living in, and why?
What is one of your quirkiest pet peeves?
What was an irrational fear that you had as a child?
Who were you closest to in your family growing up, and how has that relationship changed or stayed the same?
After dinner, watch the Week 02 video and discuss the teaching.
Close your time by making plans for the next weeks meal and praying together.
Week 01 Reflection Questions
Before your next time together with the group for Week 02, take five minutes to journal out your answers to the following three questions about the practice:
Where did I feel resistance?
Where did I feel joy?
Where did I most feel God’s nearness?
