While there hasn’t been much movement toward decision-making around a big question or two before Evergreen – or maybe because of this – Leadership Council invited me to develop a worship series that would invite reflection on discernment. Specifically, we’ll be learning more about spiritual discernment, or the idea and practices of discerning the Spirit’s calling and God’s will.

Does that sound quite grand and also impossible? Yes! In fact one of the central ideas of Spiritual Discernment is that you can never really be certain of God’s will. But also central is the understanding that in community we can continue to listen together and follow the best we can.

I’ll be using a couple of resources for this preaching and practice series. First is Grounded in God (from which I drew the title of the series), a little volume by Suzanne Farnham, Stephanie Hull and Taylor McLean. It is a kind of primer for groups seeking to deepen their practice of community discernment in the way of Christ.

The first five (very short) chapters are here, if you’re interested.

To supplement this slim volume I’m also using the books Pursuing God’s Will Together by Ruth Haley Barton and A Hidden Wholeness by Parker Palmer.

The three weeks will unfold basically as follows:

1. Understanding Spiritual Discernment – We’ll start with a definition; what we mean when we talk about spiritual discernment. What sets it apart from any other decision making or discernment practice we do in our personal or church life. And what are the central values and understandings.
2. Coming together in Christ – Exploring some of the postures and practices of spiritual discernment and talking about what it feels like when a community is truly sensing the Spirit’s movement. What’s the fruit?
3. Building and beginning – Here we’ll look at some of the more practical pieces. How a community or gathering to practice spiritual discernment might be structured or set up.

One core principle of spiritual discernment is that even though we embark on discernment as a community, as individuals who make up community we are committed to seeking the spirit in our own lives. So each of these Sundays will also feature a spiritual practice.

Another principal of this kind of discernment is some level of shared understanding. So while it is somewhat uncomfortable for me to do so, I encourage everyone to listen back to or read the sermons and practices from Sundays when you can’t be present.

I’m enjoying the challenge and new experience of creating a topical series versus a text-first series. And it also feels a little weird and vulnerable. I expect we might all feel a little of that in the practice of Spiritual Discernment itself. I’m looking forward to joining our hearts and spirits in worship and reflection over these next three weeks.

With love,

Pastor Amy