The Daily @ TILT

Prayer | Colossians 2

2009-07-13T13:56:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago, Scott led a prayer based on Colossians 2:13-15 specifically. Here it is:
Tonight, Lord Jesus, we proclaim your forgiveness. We thank you that while we were fleeing from you, you nailed to the cross all of the wrongs we had committed against you. We thank you that in the power of the resurrection we stand free to love and serve you because you have disarmed every person and power that once ruled over us.

Yet, Lord, we know so many who are still in chains, trapped. Tonight, we pray for these people, our friends, our family, our neighbours, our fellow citizens, our brothers and sisters in humanity, and in some respects still, ourselves.

We pray for those trapped in a pattern of addiction to a habit, a drug, a person, whatever it might be.
We proclaim your victory of any and every addiction. Lord Jesus, you have disarmed anyone or anything that attempts to be the lord over a person’s life. We proclaim freedom for those oppressed by addiction.

We pray for those trapped under the rigours of religion and religious institutions, duty-bound, serving a law rather than the Living God.
We proclaim your victory over the powers of human-made religion. Lord Jesus, you have disarmed all attempts to create a god other than the one Triune God. We proclaim freedom for those oppressed by any and every religion.

We pray for those trapped in a cycle of poverty, so often beholden by a system which seduces them to remain as they are.
We proclaim your victory over poverty. Lord Jesus, you came to preach good news to the poor and proclaimed the great reversal – that the last would be first. We proclaim freedom for all of those oppressed by poverty of any kind.

We pray for those trapped by their belief that their worth is somehow tied up in what the world deems it to be – whether it be in their appearance, their popularity, their abilities.
We proclaim your victory over every thing that tries to steal our identity and value away from you. Lord Jesus, you have disarmed every power that attempts to drag us down and dehumanize us. We proclaim freedom for all those oppressed by the lies of this world about who they are.

We pray for those trapped by pain and hurt they have experienced, trapped by the scars of the hurtful actions of others towards them.
We proclaim your healing for all who are brokenhearted. Lord Jesus, you have disarmed every power that attempts to wound and harm us. We proclaim freedom for all those oppressed by pain and hurt.

Prayer | February 8, 2009

2009-02-16T19:04:00.001-05:00

This is the prayer that was led by Jan D at our TILT gathering.

Heavenly Father, we come into your throne room this evening.
We know that the door is always open and that we can enter boldly because we are your beloved children!
As we look to your right hand , we see Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
We are reminded that His righteousness clothes us ... we have become children of God through His finished work!
We praise you that you have such love for us that you gave your precious Son so that we can have a relationship with you both for now and for all eternity!
As we stand in your presence we are reminded that our home is not in this world but while we are on this earth you have Kingdom work for us to do.
One day we will take up residence in our Heavenly home, the one that Jesus has prepared for us ... but for now, you ask us to be faithful to the calling you have on each of our lives!

Father, as we gaze into your eyes we feel your love ... deep into the very depths of our being!
We want to tell you this evening that we love you, too!
Coming into your presence like this makes us so aware of those areas in our hearts that are not pleasing to you or right with you!
As they are exposed we need to bring them before you for your perspective and cleansing.
Lord, we so want to be clean vessels for you to work through.
You know the desires of our heart you know what stands between us and You ...
Let’s take a few minutes to quietly allow the Spirit of God to search our hearts and reveal the sin that needs to be confessed.
Lord, we want to be fully open to you.
Is there anything else that we need to confess together as your Body ... as your people ... before we go on?
We thank you that you offer forgiveness of sin on an ongoing basis.
We are so grateful that your mercies are new every day!
You say in your Word that as your children we need to have hearts of thankfulness in order to be like Jesus.

We pause right now to tell you again how much we love you and either out loud or silently we want to specifically thank you for ...
Let’s us raise our voices in thankfulness to the Lord.
***************************
Thanks be to God for His enduring goodness, His marvellous grace and abundant provision!
*************
Now let’s turn our hearts to some of the practical concerns of Spring Garden Church ... I will suggest a topic and then you can either pray out loud or silently as the Spirit directs
- Church pastors: Gene, Bill, Greg, Margaret, Jay, Children’s Pastor
- Deacons and elders
- TILT leadership team
- The new building project
- Students ... at York, at Tyndale, those looking for summer jobs, those finishing High School and trying to figure out next year, the youth at Spring Garden and youth group
- Those whose jobs are tenuous, those who have been laid off, those without employment prospects ... for our response to this as a church? Let’s pray for the new opportunities that are there for us to share Christ in the midst of such hardship?
- Our missionaries both near and abroad, those who are on furlow and those about to be, for Youth Unlimited, AIA, and any other ministries represented by our church membership
- Linton family and the upcoming Gala, other families in our congregation who struggle daily with disability and disease, those who are battling cancer, mental health issues and other debilitating illnesses
*********************************
Lord, we now want to pray for our city.
What would you have us pray for our city this evening?
Again,
either pray silently or out loud as the Spirit leads.
*********************************
And finally Lord, we are so aware of the turmoil in our country, in the U.S. and around the world.
We pray for you to be present in the upcoming meeting between Obama and Harper.
We know from your Word that those who call upon You ... You will answer!
May Mr. Obama and Mr. Harper call on the name of the Lord!
Father, we ask ... how would you have us be praying for our country and our world this evening?
************************************
As we go out may we be people who hunger to commune with you this week and may we continually be aware of your loving presence.
May we be faithful in prayer ... as your Spirit directs and leads us.
We thank you for hearing the cry of our hearts and our prayers this evening.
Amen.

Community Prayer | By Mark G

2009-01-24T12:00:00.002-05:00

May your peace shine among us and your love set us free, Lord, we pray.
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
Keep us persevering in faith and set in our hearts the desire for your Kingdom…
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
Guide your Church along the way of the Gospel; may your Holy Spirit keep us welcoming…
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
We pray for the leaders of the nations; may they have the will and the means to promote justice and freedom…
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
O Christ, you have taken our weaknesses upon yourself and taken charge of our illnesses; support those who are going through trials…
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
For those who work with the oppressed, with foreigners and with the lonely…
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
We entrust to you our families and friends, all who have asked for our prayers and who pray for us…
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.
For Canada, for Toronto, that the Christians here may be witnesses to truth and creators of unity, Lord, we pray.
In you alone, Our hearts find rest and peace.

Lorica Prayer

2008-10-22T16:12:00.002-05:00

On Sunday night, our focus was on Celtic Spirituality and specifically the "Lorica Prayer". These are prayers for protection over our whole bodies and being. For our time of prayer, we used an adapted version of a Lorica Prayer from Calvin Miller's book (one of them). Download the prayer here, or read it below.

Lord of mine, now and forever,
To me you are one and indivisible,
Creator God, redeemer Christ and indwelling Spirit,
You are indestructible and eternal;
I am weak and subject to pain and dying.

Proclaim to God those places where you have seen him create new life, where redemption has occurred, where the life of the Spirit has flourished. It may be transformation in your own life, or that of a friend, or in our city or neighbourhood.

I would serve you upon this footstool called the planet;
It is my only possible home,
The Roman stage where your incarnation came
To demonstrate the furthest victory that flesh can know.

Pray for those places where Christ’s victory is needed, as unexpected as it might be. Christ’s victory brings peace, life, justice, and wholeness. It may be a workplace conflict, a homeless person you walk by daily, a family relationship, a government issue, an international catastrophe.

I love the world you made.
It is the porch of heaven,
And there is such need here that I would serve you, Christ the Son,
Till all who live in hope stumble onto Calvary
And come to know why they were born.

Pray for specific people in you know who need to ‘stumble onto Calvary’. Thank God that he is already present in their lives. Pray for an ever-growing love for this world and its inhabitants, confessing to God those places where you do not love. It may be that you judge certain friends, ridicule our government, or treat some people with disdain. Pray for the grace to love them and see Christ in them.

But to help you in reclaiming this lost world,
I must beg you to lengthen my days
And guarantee my fragile life
So I shall have all the time I need to bring
The world to your feet.

Lord, we recognize that we cannot bring God’s Kingdom to its fullness on our own, and yet you have called us to be your Body – the tangible, physical expression of your presence and activity in this world. Pray for listening ears to hear where and to whom God desires us to go in his name. Pray for a blessing upon the places where your heart desires God’s Spirit to move in a powerful and evident way. Perhaps it is a conflict overseas, your campus, or your family.

Therefore, I pray this prayer of protection over you as you seek Christ’s redemption in every corner of the world.

Lord, guard our minds, so we may speak with clarity, truth and justice.

Make our heart to beat for years – for we must serve you by going to the places you have called us, by being people of peace and wholeness in our schools, our workplaces, our families, our city and our country.

Protect us from an impure conscience, for only purity of heart can lead to purity of life. And it will be our pure life which will speak of your glory in our lives and draw people closer to you.

Guard our steps, for waywardness prevents us from continually walking together, closer to you.

Build in us an open interest and empathy for all we meet who swelter in their grudges, for only those who are free of anger can be ambassadors of Christ, bringing hope and justice to every situation.

Give us full health so that we may serve you undistractedly.

Lord,
Set us on the rampart,
Give us health enough to complete the dream of God.
Amen, Father, maker of my body.
Amen, Christ, incarnate power of health and life.
Amen, Spirit, teacher of my ministry.
Amen.

Rublev's Icon of the Trinity

2008-09-21T08:08:00.004-05:00

Using icons as a form of meditation is probably quite foreign to most of us, yet it is a rich part of Christianity's history. To read an explanation of icons, check out this posting on the Daily.

For our series on spiritual habits, one of theme images is a 15th century icon done by Rublev of the Trinity. Go to this website for a detailed 'tour' of the icon. Here's what Henri Nouwen writes about this image:

"Andrew Rublev painted this icon not only to share the fruits of his own meditation on the mystery of the Holy Trinity but also to offer his fellow monks a way to keep their hearts centered in God while living in the midst of political unrest. The more we look at this holy image with the eyes of faith, the more we come to realize that it is painted not as a lovely decoration for a convent church, nor as a helpful explanation of a difficult doctrine, but as a holy place to enter and stay within. As we place ourselves in front of the icon in prayer, we come to experience a gentle invitation to participate in the intimate conversation that is taking place among the three divine angels and to join them around the table. The movement from the Father toward the Son and the movement of both Son and Spirit toward the Father become a movement in which the one who prays is lifted up and held secure...

Through the contemplation of this icon we come to see with our inner eyes that all engagements in this world can bear fruit only when they take place within this divine circle. The words of the psalm, "The sparrow has found its home at last. . . . Happy are those who live in your house" (Ps 84: 3,4) are given new depth and new breadth; they become words revealing the possibility of being in the world without being of it. We can be involved in struggles for justice and in actions for peace. We can be part of the ambiguities of family and community life. We can study, teach, write and hold a regular job. We can do all of this without ever having to leave the house of love. . . . Rublev's icon gives us a glimpse of the house of perfect love."

Quoted from: Nouwen, Henri J. M. Behold the Beauty of the Lord: Praying with Icons. Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 1987, pages 20-22.

Breath Prayer | Jesus' words to us

2008-06-09T19:08:00.002-05:00

We frequently use the breath prayer as part of our meditation at TILT. Read more about it here. On this Sunday, we focused on Jesus' words to us as we read about Paul's promise to everyone aboard the ship - that each one of them would survive the impending crash.

The Apostles' Creed

2008-06-09T19:03:00.005-05:00

During an evening of prayer for and celebration with the persecuted church, we read the Apostles Creed together as a symbolic act of standing together with all the saints throughout time. If you want to use this as a desktop background or anything, simply click on the image for the full-size and save it (right-click).

Easter Meditation | Matt Adams

2008-03-31T07:25:00.002-05:00

On the morning of the third day, when it was still dark out, we were all dead in our sin. Our bodies had been buried in the ground with Christ; there was no hope of life. It was as if we were stuck, buried in the ground, enclosed with soil, dirt and earth on all sides. We could not move, not to the left or to the right, we were trapped. The earth had enclosed around us. The ground froze over and we were stuck in the freezing cold ground, trapped with no hope. We tried to climb up through the soil but it was no use, it was so hard to move because the ground was frozen and ice and snow had covered the ground in many thick layers. It was suffocating. Even when we got near the surface we hit the inches of thick ice and snow, it enclosed our own mortal lives. All of humanity was trapped in the depths of the earth, tangled in our own depraved imaginations. We were a long time lost; it felt like God had abandoned us, like there was no hope.

Nation warred against nation. Child after child died of hunger. Women were beaten, neglected and abused. Teenagers cut themselves and no longer wanted to live because of the devastation. Those who had food could not eat it because of the vain beauty that had been turned into idolatry. They were indeed stuck, trapped in their sin. Then something miraculous happened, something unexpected. They began to feel the earth move beneath their feet. Was it the warmth of spring coming or was something else happening? What was this glimmer of life, this hope from a distant land? They waited and watched in expectation, they could feel the tremors. From the depths of the earth, from the depths of sin and depravity, a plant began to grow. Against all odds an impossible event started to happen; new life began to rise up through the frozen ground. Life was breathed into Christ’s body. Life came to his hands and feet, to his arms and legs. His blood started to flow, his fingers began to move. God his Father breathed life back into his lungs and He began to sit up. When the entire world was in darkness, trapped and entangled in the soil, roots and weeds, Jesus began to rise. Jesus rose through the depths of our sin, through the famine, through the hatred, through our deprived beings. He was like a shoot beaming forth in the spring. He rose and grew, bigger and bigger. He began to move earth, to shake the land everywhere. He rose up through the ground, through the dead bodies and broken bones until he reached the top. He reached icy ground level that had been too thick for any human to break through; He reached the top and looked at everything that had kept us dead in our sin and said, “No more”. In one swift move, in an act of resurrection, Jesus broke through the icy ground, he came to life. But Jesus didn’t leave the dead bones in the earth, rather he breathed life into the earth so that the ice melted away, the ground was opened up and the people of the earth began to rise to life. Jesus, through his death and resurrection, opened up the ground that had kept us all captive for so long. “Get up and live” he said, “come and follow me.” After Jesus had risen from the dead, on that Easter morning, it was still cold outside, but we had seen the Son rise. Even though we humans still struggled, even though there was still war, famine, poverty, violence and hatred, we now knew that there was hope. We didn’t need to stay underground, trapped in our sin. We, too, with Jesus began to live a resurrected life where it was possible to be healed, to be transformed, and to be a people of love and hope. When all of the angels saw that the son of God had risen they started in their celebration dance. They began to blow their trumpets for they knew that hope had been born again. When God’s people heard the noise they began to join into the heavenly dance and song, saying “Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia to the lamb who was slain.”

Lectio Divina | Led by Matt A

2008-01-08T08:28:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, Matt led us in this reading of Scripture:
Luke 2 – The Message
So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.
While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

Colossians 1- The Message
15-18 We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
18-20He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

Movies & Faith | Expelled

2008-01-06T10:42:00.000-05:00

Looks like an interesting movie coming out this spring by Ben Stein, entitled "Expelled", examining the world of science and its persecution of those who believe in some sort of Creator. Check out the site here.

Lord's Prayer Backwards | from Cheryl

2007-11-22T09:07:00.001-05:00

A couple of years ago, I (Cheryl) was at a worship gathering at Weston Park Baptist and the pastor Alan Davey had us read the Lords Prayer backwards. I've been meaning to share it with you long before this, but didn't get around to it or I would forget. Then we prayed it last week and now I can't get it out of my head. It was new to me and made quite an impact on my heart.

Amen
For ever and ever
The power and the glory
For yours is the Kingdom
Deliver us from the evil one
And lead us not into temptation
As we have forgiven our debtors
Forgive us our debts
Give us today our daily bread
On earth as it is in heaven
Your will be done
Your kingdom come
Hallowed be your name
In Heaven
Our Father

Lectio Divina | Psalm 18

2007-11-06T14:14:00.000-05:00

Our meditation time on Sunday night was a lectio divina, which you can read about here. The lectio was a reading of part of Psalm 18:
4 The ropes of death entangled me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the mountains shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
8 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
9 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,[b] he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.
12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him
and rained down hail and burning coals.[c]
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded
amid the hail and burning coals.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.
15 Then at your command, O Lord,
at the blast of your breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
19 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

Suffering | CBC Radio's Tapestry

2007-10-29T09:22:00.000-05:00

Tapestry is a show on CBC radio on Sunday afternoons. Rodway pointed out an excellent show last week, which had a professor from Wycliffe speaking about suffering. From Tapestry's website:

The Victorian novelist George Eliot once wrote that “deep unspeakable suffering may well be called a baptism, a regeneration, the initiation into a new state.” To modern ears, Eliot’s poetic view of suffering may sound a bit much. But to the Reverend Doctor Ann Jervis , it makes sense. Ann Jervis is an Anglican Priest and professor of New Testament at Wycliff College, and at Trinity College. She is also the author of At the Heart of the Gospel: Suffering in the Earliest Christian Message.

Download the show here (right-click and select Save As...) or get the podcast (CBC Tapestry) or listen to it below:

The Peace of the Lord Be With You | A Meditation by Matt A

2007-10-23T08:31:00.000-05:00

Download it here, listen to it here:

...or read below:
All day long I see patients who are sick, dying and in need. I wonder whether these
individuals know why I’m doing this. I wonder if they know the love of God through
me and his healing hands through my care and support. After all of my labor people
sill get sick, they are still lonely and there is always more to do. I am tired, worn out
and sometimes struggle to remember why I am doing this.
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

Every day I get to spend time with children; teaching them, caring for them, doing
administrative tasks to keep things going around the school. These kids go through
many stages in life. One year I’m there best friend and the next year they don’t even
say hi. I wonder whether I will have a lasting impact on these kids, whether I really
make a difference. It is often hard to fit in with staff too. Do they understand me? Do
they really know who I am? Do they see the Lord I serve in me and the work that I do?
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

Every week I come to the Church or this place of ministry. I give up evenings,
weekends, holidays, time with friends and family to serve the Church and the scattered
of this world. I often wonder whether it’s all worth it. Does anyone care? Does anyone
see the sacrifices I make? I can not often see what I’m building. It can be a lonely
journey. Sometimes I spend so much time on demanding tasks which I dislike that I
miss the opportunities for joy, for passion and for ministry.
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

When well school ever end; it feels like I’ve been a student forever. I am thankful for
this privilege, but when money is low, professor’s talk to much, the stress never ends
and everyone thinks I have it easy, it’s hard to show that I’m thankful. Where I’m even
going? What career will I choose? What is God’s will for my life? How do I know?
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

It’s hard to feel joy, to smile and to believe that everything happens for a reason when I
have friends and family who are sick and dying. Everything is not okay. It hurts so
much to experience suffering, to see my loved ones suffering, that I often pretend like
it’s not even there; like I live in another world. What hope do I have? What hope does
my family have?
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

I am a new mother. I am a new father. Does anyone see how precious life is? How
dear this child is? I wonder what they will grow up to be like. How can I raise this child
so that they will know the deep love of God? Will they know how much I love them?
How will I protect them and keep them safe?
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

It’s another day at the office. Another day of small talk, photocopying, filing,
procrastinating, trying not to eat poorly and daily duties. Am I wasting my life in this
office? Does this work even matter? I wonder if I should switch jobs, but what would I
do. I hope someone cares about me, that this work does matter. I hope that I can still
be a faithful Christian and work in a place like this; can I?
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

I have no job. I have no status. I have no money. It is hard to feel important in a
world where your carrier is power, and I don’t even have one. It’s hard to make good
friends and have a good conversation when you’re caught in your home most of the
day. I know that I spend money that I don’t have in ways that I shouldn’t but I don’t
know how to live otherwise. I just want to be comforted. I want to belong. I want to
have a home.
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

I haven’t cried in months. I haven’t experienced God in ages. Where has He gone?
Does He even exist? Sometimes I wonder if this faith is a sham. Maybe it would be
easier to give up; to do whatever I want. I’m sick of all these rules, of all this guilt and
manipulation. I’m sick of hating everything; I just want to be free.
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

I am so thankful to God for everything He has done. I can not keep signing His
praises. I want to shout on the top of a mountain. I want to soar in the heavens with
God. I want the world to know that God reigns, that Jesus is alive!
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”

Numbers 6:22-26:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be
gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Prayer of Examen | Second Commandment

2007-10-15T16:46:00.001-05:00

Stemming from Gene's teaching on Sunday night, we used the above as a prayer of examen.

Confession Liturgy

2007-10-09T13:13:00.000-05:00

L: The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and peace at the last.
C: Amen.
L: It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
C: to sing praise to your name, O Most High;
L: to herald your love in the morning,
C: your truth at the close of the day.

L: Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Silence for self-examination.
L: Holy and gracious God,
C: We confess that we have sinned against you this day. Some of our sin we know-the thoughts and words and deeds of which we are ashamed-but some is known only to you. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask forgiveness. Deliver and restore us, that we may rest in peace.
L: By the mercy of God we are united with Jesus Christ, and in him we are forgiven. We rest now in his peace and rise in the morning to serve him.

Thomas Merton | A Prayer

2007-09-18T08:22:00.000-05:00

On Sunday night, we prayed through the following prayer by Thomas Merton, click on the pic for the graphic version we used on Sunday:

My Lord God,
We have no idea where we are going.
We do not see the road ahead of us.
We cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do we really know ourselves,
and the fact that we think we are following Your will
does not mean that we are actually doing so.
But we believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.
And we hope we have that desire in all that we are doing.
We hope that we will never do anything apart from that desire.
And we know that, if we do this, You will lead us by the right road,
though we may know nothing about it.
Therefore we will trust You always
though we may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
We will not fear, for You are ever with us,
and You will never leave us to face our perils alone.
Amen

Prayer by John Wesley

2007-09-11T07:41:00.000-05:00

On Sunday night, our prayer time was guided by this prayer by John Wesley. Download the prayer here (with the original version and 'new' version side-by-side). Here is the 'new' version:

Let the inspiration of the Holy Spirit prepare and assist me in all the duties of this, Your sacred day. That my wandering thoughts may all be fixed on You, my devotion centered upon You, and my apathy quickened into longing for and thirsting after You.

Let me join in the prayers and praises of Your Church with committed and holy passion. Let me hear Your Word with listening ears and a determination to obey it. And when I approach Your altar, the tree upon which Jesus died, pour into my heart humility, faith, hope, love and a holy character which reflects the crucified Saviour.

Let me make use of this entire day to the ends for which it was intended, doing what must be done but also living out mercy, in prayer, praise and meditation; and let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be always pleasing in Your sight.
Amen.

The Church & Healing | Lesslie Newbigin

2007-09-04T07:53:00.002-05:00

On Sunday night, while preaching on Acts 5:12-16, Scott referred to this article written by Newbigin. You can read it here.

Picture: http://www.tstl4sda.net/children/Coloring/Coloring.asp

The Prayer of St. Francis

2007-08-06T16:56:00.000-05:00

On Sunday night, we used the prayer of St. Francis to guide us as we prayed and listened to how God desired us to be used for His Glory in our city. Read about St. Francis in Wikipedia and the
Catholic Encyclopedia. Here's the prayer and click on the image for a bigger version of it from Sunday night.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

Scripture Memory | Dallas Willard

2007-06-13T06:47:00.000-05:00

In his book, "The Great Omission", Dallas Willard writes extensively on the church's failure to actually make disciples. We have separated being a "Christian" from being a disciple, literally a student or apprentice of Jesus. To him, the spiritual disciplines are of vital importance for shaping our lives after Christ by indirect effort (since we cannot, by our own effort, simply be like Christ, we must undertake other activities which by God's grace transform us into Christ-likeness). One of those disciplines is Scripture memorization. This is what Willard writes:

God is not pushy--for now, in any case. He is not going to overwhelm you if you don't want Him. He gives you the power to put Him out of your mind. And even if you want Him, you have to seek Him. Now, I realize that there is a sense in which He is already seeking you, and I am not tring to dispose of that, but we misunderstand what is our part and what is God's part. God is ready to act. He is acting. We are not waiting on Him; and if it doesn't hurt your theology too badly, He is waiting on us to respond. And you know we have a problem here. As I often point out to folks, today we are not only saved by grace, we are paralyzed by it. We will preach to you for an hour that you can do nothing to be saved, and then sing to you for forty-five minutes trying to get you to do something to be saved. That is confusing, to say the least. We really have a rpoblem with activity and passivity in our theology. I can't being to deal with all of that here, but I simply am calling attention to it.

We have to think about working with God on the contents of our minds. David says in Psalm 16:8, "I keep the Lord always before me." I keep the Lord always before me. I keep the Lord always before me. What do we say to Daivd? Synergism! Works! "I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." Here is our action at the heart of that great messianic Psalm, which I wish I had time to talk more about because it has so much to say about spiritual formation.

How then, shall we set the Lord always before us? Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to--and of course I don't have to--choose between all the disciples of the spiritual life and take only one, I would choose Bible memorization. I would not be a pastor of a church that did not have a program of Bible memorization in it, because Bible memorization is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what they need. "This book of the law shall not depart out of your moth" (Joshua 1:8). That's where we need it! In our mouth. Now, how did it get in your mouth? Memorization. I often point out to people how much trouble they would have stayed out of if they had been muttering scripture. Our friend Bill Clinton would have done much better with that. Muttering scripture. You meditate in it day and night. What does that mean? Keep it, and therefore God, before your mind all the time. Can anyone really imagine that they have anything better to keep before their mind? No!

- Dallas Willard, The Great Omission, pp. 57-59

Communion Liturgy

2007-06-04T10:01:00.001-05:00

Last night, Matt led us through a liturgy as we celebrated communion, receiving the body and blood of Christ through the elements of bread and wine (well, juice). As he described it, "formal" liturgy is like falling in love - dive into it, ponder it, ask questions of it, probe the meaning of the words. If the analogy is a little uncertain for you, talk to Matt about it. Either way, the liturgy is an amazing way to connect with the language and history of the saints throughout the ages of Christianity. If you want a very detailed look at the history of "liturgy", check out the liturgy entry at the Catholic Encyclopedia.

The liturgy we used is as a PDF file and can be viewed here.

The Lord's Prayer | The Voice Translation

2007-05-31T21:02:00.001-05:00

This Sunday at TILT, we'll be using the Lord's Prayer as found in a new translation of the Scripture entitled "The Voice". Check it out here. Here's the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6:

Your prayers, rather, should be simple, like this:
Our Father in heaven,
let Your name remain holy.
Bring about Your kingdom.
Manifest Your will here on earth,
as it is manifest in heaven.
Give us each day that day's bread, no more, no less,
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive those who owe use something.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
But let Your kingdom be,
and let it be powerful
and glorious forever.
Amen.

Vocation Small Group Material | April 29

2007-05-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

This week's handout for Vocation small groups is here.

Vocation Small Group Material | April 22

2007-04-25T07:06:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's handout for Vocation small groups (and anyone else who may want to use it!).

Praying with Icons

2007-04-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, we made use of the long history of praying with icons. This was probably something new and different for most of us, despite its rich tradition. In a visual age, icons present an ancient practice brought to new life. Read an explanation about praying with icons here.

The Onslaught of Busyness | Yann Martel

2007-04-16T14:58:00.000-05:00

You may recognize the name Yann Martel from his well-known book The Life of Pi. I came across an interesting article by him on Saturday, although what interested me didn't have much to do with what he was writing about (Stephen Harper and arts funding - which is important, don't get me wrong). Here's what he wrote though:

"To read a book, one must be still. To watch a concert, a play, a movie, to look at a painting, one must be still. Religion, too, makes use of stillness, notably with prayer and meditation. Just gazing upon a still lake, upon a quiet winter scene - doesn't that lull us into contemplation? Life, it seems, favours moments of stillness to sppear on the edges of our perception and whisper to us, 'Here I am. What do you think?'

Then we become busy and the stillness vanishes, yet we hardly notice, because we fall so easily for the delusion of busyness, whereby what keeps us busy must be important, and the busier we are with it, the more important it must be. And so we work, work, work, rush, rush, rush. On occasion, we say to ourselves, panting, 'Gosh, life is racing by.' But that's not it at all, it's the contrary: Life is still. It is we who are racing by."

It made me recall Greg's challenge about God's call to Sabbath rest. What struck me in particular was how busyness is often linked to our worth. The busier we are, the more important we feel. What does God say to this? Any thoughts?

Vocation Small Group Material | April 8

2007-04-11T07:41:00.000-05:00

The material for Vocation small groups can be found here this week. We'll be talking about the significance of the Resurrection, what it means in our individual lives and our life as a community of faith.

Post any thoughts!

Vocation Small Group Material | March 25

2007-03-28T11:25:00.000-05:00

You will find the small group "weekly" on the web here. As we meet, reflect on Sunday's commissioning - what it means as individuals, as a small group and as a corporate community at TILT.

The Desert Fathers | Abba Achilles Story

2007-03-22T08:18:00.000-05:00

On Sunday night, we used the stories of the Desert Fathers as part of our intentional time of silence and listening. We have done this once before and you can go to the last time we read them. There is also a document which explains the historical practice of reading these stores in monasteries. Here is the story:

Three old men, one of whom had a bad reputation, came one day to Abba Achilles.
The first old man asked him, "Father, make me a fishing net."
"I will not make you one," Abba replied.
Then the second said, "Of your charity make one, so that we have a souvenir of you in the monastery."
But Abba Achilles said, "I do not have time."
Then the third one, who had the bad reputation, said, "Make me a fishing net, Father."
Abba Achilles answered him at once, "For you, I will make one."

Then the two other old men asked him privately, "Why did you not want to do what we asked you, but you promised to do what he asked?"

Abba Achilles gave them this answer: "I told you I would not make one, and you were not disappointed, since you thought that I had no time. But if I had not made one for him, he would have said, 'The old man has heard about my sin, and that is why he does not want to make me anything,' and so our relationship would have broken down. But now I have cheered his soul, so that he will not be overcome with grief."

Poverty

2007-03-21T10:52:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Star has a great resource for information about those who go without in our city and in our country. The page "War on Poverty" is here.

What do you think of the recently released budget? Why do all budgets seem to target the middle-class? Should we, as followers of Christ, support that kind of budget? Here is one opinion. If you think the budget should be focusing more on helping those in real, desperate need, write your MP. You can find your MP on this site, with contact details included.

Movies & Faith | Stranger than Fiction

2007-02-28T22:26:00.000-05:00

Maybe I'm taking The Daily in a direction we don't want to go in...but I just finished watching Stranger than Fiction with our dear friend Dan from Victoria (now in Toronto...again...) and I couldn't help seeing some massive underlying Gospel parallels. Has anyone else seen it? What do you think?

I may have been seeing it through the lens of my course "Theology of the Human Person", but I'd love to hear what people thought. What does the movie say about the power of story? What is our story as Christians? How does the story influence our lives? Anyhow...see the movie if you haven't!! Post some comments...

Reconstructing God's Call | COMMISSIONING!

2007-02-23T09:22:00.000-05:00

On ~~Sunday March 11~~ March 25, we're going to have an evening dedicated to commissioning the TILT community to their vocation. We'll be using a model based on a book called "Faith Goes To Work". It relates our vocation to God's character and work in this world. As the Church, we are the Body of Christ, and so we thought it most suitable that we commission one another based on how we reflect God's character in our work.

Read the summary through and reflect upon which type of work in which God has placed you.

Lenten Reflections | From Spring and Nouwen

2007-02-21T09:14:00.000-05:00

Lent has begun! If you are interested in doing some specific reflections through the Lent season, here are two options:
A booklet by Henri Nouwen which is excerpted from his book entitled "Bread for the Journey" (click on the picture to see info about the book). Read the booklet here.

Rick Wukasch has also put together some reflections stemming from the Earthkeeping course. Read the booklet here with attached song lyrics.
The Earthkeeping exercises for week two can be read here.

Vocation Small Group Material

2007-02-20T08:35:00.000-05:00

Here is the small group handout for this week for Vocation. Of course, anyone is welcome to use it as further study, meditation and discussion stemming from Sunday's TILT on "God's Call on Your Life".

Lent is upon us...

2007-02-19T10:38:00.001-05:00

The season of Lent which precedes Easter begins tomorrow (I think!) [correction: it begins Thursday - read Cheryl's explanation by clicking on comments]. If you are interested in reading more about Lent, check out the "Lent" entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia.

Typically, the Sabbath day is a day 'off' from whatever you are fasting from throughout Lent. If you consider Sunday your Sabbath, we would love to provide whatever you are fasting from! For example, if you are fasting from chocolate for Lent, it would be great to have chocolate for snacks at TILT for your Sabbath enjoyment! So, either post a comment here or let us know at TILT!

Spring Garden will also have a labyrinth walk available for public use throughout the Lent season. Read a bit about labyrinths here. Here are the weekly days, times and locations:

Mondays | 12noon- 4pm | Cloakroom, multi-purpose room
Tuesdays | 9am- 4pm | Lounge, multi-purpose room
Thursdays | 12 noon- 9 pm | Boardroom
Fridays | 9am-3pm | Boardroom, multi-purpose room
Saturdays | 1pm-4pm | Boardroom, multi-purpose room
Sundays | 1pm-8:30 pm | Boardroom, Cloakroom

Photo by trafoo

Green Resources

2007-02-15T09:10:00.000-05:00

There seems to be a growing awareness and momentum among the Church at large towards preserving and caring for the creation. Obviously, we do not want this become an all-consuming endeavour (and thus a form of religion), but rather a response to our coming to know the heart of God. My dear friend from Victoria, James Kingsley has highlighted several great resources, including a movement he is trying to start himself.
Check out James' Small(er) Blog. Pass this site on to your friends at other churches!
The Anglican Church of Canada has also created a great initiative at greeningspirit.ca.

Are you remodelling your bathroom? The City of Toronto has a bunch of rebates for water-saving measures. Check out the city's website.

I haven't fully checked out this site, but it seems interesting - http://whatwouldjesusdrive.org/.

An article high in rhetoric, but challenging nonetheless from Geez Magazine, entitled "High efficiency Worship".

Check out greenopolis.ca. It is a simple and great site for helpful tips to easily live a little greener. Find the closest location to recycle your ink cartridges. "There are over 100 million printer cartridges used in Canada each year. Only 5-10% of these are presently recycled" - from greenopolis.ca. Spring Garden also has a box in the side entrance where you can drop off your ink cartridges to be recycled or reused.

The weather network also has some good resources on the science of climate change.

Called to Creation | Someone to learn from!

2007-02-13T20:24:00.000-05:00

A major thing we want to be clear on is that we cannot all instantly change every earth-damaging decision we make. Change is a process, and being concerned about God's creation shouldn't be burdening. Yes, it takes work, but it becomes a burden when we do it out of guilt or duty rather than in response to God's leading. So, prayer through your every day decisions and ask God for just one or two small changes you can make. Start small!

With the above in mind, a couple of months ago the Globe had an article about a couple in Toronto that was going through a year without producing any household waste (last year they had only one bag of garbage). Reading their story is quite amazing and it sure is hard work. Read the blog here. It also provides some places to short at if you feel so inclined. Obviously, I'm not expecting us to all produce no garbage - at this point in time, that's simply not sustainable anyhow! Nevertheless, reading the blog makes you aware of all the little decisions we make every day and we aren't aware of their consequences...

Reading the Desert Fathers

2007-02-13T00:10:00.000-05:00

Last week (Feb. 4), Gene introduced us to a traditional monastic practice of reading the stories of the Desert Fathers aloud. For an explanation of the practice, read this document (which includes links to more resources). Here is the story Gene read to us:

Anthony's life after he had emerged from his period of total isolation was blessed by a rich and varied ministry. People from many walks of life came to him and asked for advice. The solitude that at first had required physical isolation had now become a quality of his heart, an inner disposition that could no longer be disturbed by those who needed his guidance. Somehow his solitude had become an infinite space into which anyone could be invited. His advice was simple, direct, and concrete: "Someone asked him: 'What must one do in order to please God?' The old man replied, 'Pay attention to what I tell you: whoever you may be, always have God before your eyes; whatever you do, do it according to the testimony of the holy Scriptures; in whatever place you live, do not easily leave it. Keep these three precepts and you will be saved.'"

- from Henri Nouwen, "The Way of the Heart", page 32-33

Small Group Material: Called to Community

2007-01-24T12:02:00.000-05:00

Vocation, as a collection of small groups, bases its discussion and journeying together out of what is going on at TILT. I thought I would make this a resource to any who might be interested. The "weekly" is available here.

Lectio Divina

2007-01-22T00:38:00.000-05:00

Lectio Divina, or "Holy Reading", is a long-practiced approach to reading and meditating upon the Scriptures. In its simplest form, the text is read [uncomfortably] slowly three times, with periods of silence between each. We did this tonight at TILT for John 17:20-26. And for your future reference: The Lectio Handout.

Breath Prayer

2007-01-07T22:53:00.000-05:00

From Designed Images@TILT

Breath Prayer is a powerful way to integrate truths about God, often straight from the Bible, from our heads to our hearts. It takes our knowledge of God from 'head furniture' to a living faith and reality. We often "know" many things about God and perhaps even 'switch off' when we hear people saying certain things because "we've heard it all before". But those truths don't penetrate into our being, who we are, what we actually believe, and how we go about our everyday existence. The Breath Prayer creates space where we can actually allow God's truth to enter into our everyday reality. Here is our guide to Breath Prayer.
Breath Prayer was made famous by a story from Russian folklore called The Way of the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim's prayer was "Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me a sinner". An interesting read if you ever get a chance. Given its orthodox heritage, check out an Orthodox take on the Jesus Prayer.

The Prayer of Examen

2007-01-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight we spent time in the prayer of examen, as we have a couple of times before. The practices, meditations and prayers used in TILT's worship gathering will be put on the site so they can be used as a resource throughout the week. We will create a PDF document that can be viewed online, printed, or whatever else you may do with a PDF document. It is our hope that the experience of using them in a corporate worship setting will spur us as a community to implement them as part of our lives throughout the week.
The prayer of examen has been used for centuries (not quite sure of history at this moment). It is a prayer used to allow God to reveal how he has been present in our lives and where we have failed to listen to him, or not received his healing and his forgiveness for sins (as well as confessing them!). Richard Foster has an excellent book on prayer and one chapter devoted to the prayer of examen. One blogger quotes from that chapter here.
Grab the prayer of examen here (or any other hyperlinked 'prayer of examen' for that matter).

Labyrinth

2007-01-07T15:03:00.000-05:00

We have used a finger labyrinth at TILT once, and will probably do it again. Although much-maligned by some, this is actually an ancient practice dating back to the early Christian Church. It is a tool that can be used in many ways to help us center our thoughts and hearts on God. Read more and print out a labyrinth here.

The Catholic Encyclopedia

2007-01-04T23:58:00.000-05:00

The Catholic Encyclopedia is the ultimate resource in all things Catholic. Although we may not agree with some of the specific beliefs of our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ, it would be unwise to throw out the entire wealth of Catholic resources, knowledge, writing and spiritual practices as a result. For those of us not from a Catholic background, there is much to learn from this longstanding institution. No matter how you cut it, we ALL stem from a Catholic background seeing as it was the only Christian institution for over a thousand years. The site has a full encyclopedia, the "summa" (summary of Catholic beliefs), as well as an interesting blog. Go to The Catholic Encyclopedia.

NOTE: Internet Explorer (the bane of any web designers' existence) users who have pop-ups activated...The links here open up a new window, which is fine. If you have pop-up blocker activated, press "CTRL" while clicking on the link.

Lesslie Newbigin

2007-01-04T23:45:00.000-05:00

Wilbert Shenk (there's a name!) writes about Newbigin, "Lesslie Newbigin has been one of the decisive influences on the theology of mission in the twentieth century". He challenged the church to get out into the world and engage with culture rather than fearing and shunning it. He "devoted himself to reflecting on the life of faith as it intersected with that of the world". Newbigin died in 1998 after a life of significant writing, most of which can be found on this website. Go to newbigin.net.

NOTE: Internet Explorer (the bane of any web designers' existence) users who have pop-ups activated...The links here open up a new window, which is fine. If you have pop-up blocker activated, press "CTRL" while clicking on the link.

Renovare

2007-01-04T23:27:00.000-05:00

Renovare is founded by Richard J. Foster. As he writes, Renovare "seeks to set forth a practical strategy for spiritual growth that is for all who follow Christ". It sets out to provide resources to foster spiritual growth with hope of renewing the church worldwide. It's fancy slogan may be confusing to some. The churches with little "c" refers to the institutions, bodies, organizations that we would all recognize as churches, whereas the Church capital "C" refers to the body of believers who follow and believe in Jesus Christ. One could say that the Church is the ideal of the church perhaps. Check out Renovare here.

NOTE: Internet Explorer (the bane of any web designers' existence) users who have pop-ups activated...The links here open up a new window, which is fine. If you have pop-up blocker activated, press "CTRL" while clicking on the link.

Dallas Willard

2007-01-04T23:19:00.000-05:00

Dallas Willard is a professor at USC and a well-known author (more about him here. I (Scott) have personally loved The Divine Conspiracy and The Spirit of the Disciplines. His website provides many of the articles he writes as well as other resources. His writing is quite philosophical (no surprise there considering his profession), but very profound and practical all at the same time. Check it out here.

NOTE: Internet Explorer (the bane of any web designers' existence) users who have pop-ups activated...The links here open up a new window, which is fine. If you have pop-up blocker activated, press "CTRL" while clicking on the link.

The Daily@TILT Links

2007-01-04T23:07:00.000-05:00

On the sidebar of this blog will be a bunch of links with the names of various people, organizations, sites, and other resources. These are meant to be tools to help us in our journey of allowing God to transform us. An explanation of each link will be posted so you know exactly what you are getting yourself into! Please comment on those explanations if you find a certain site helpful so that others can benefit.

The Daily@TILT

2006-12-28T15:20:00.000-05:00

If you want to bike like Lance Armstrong, or score like Sydney Crosby, or paint like Vincent Van Gogh, or write like Margaret Atwood, you’d probably do a lot of training, and practice over and over, right? Yet, most of us who want to live like Jesus Christ of Nazareth do none of the things he practiced in his life, or any of the things any great leaders of “the Way” have practiced over the last 2000 years. In his letter to Timothy, Paul writes, “train yourself to be godly”. Enter “The Daily”-that is, the daily existence in which we find ourselves, intentionally molding ourselves to be like Jesus. We affirm fully it is God alone who brings us into his Kingdom and transforms us, but inherent in our faith is action and activity in response to God’s saving work. These activities have no value in themselves, but rather, as Dallas Willard writes, “it is the effective and full enjoyment of active love of God and humankind in all the daily rounds of normal existence where we are placed” (The Spirit of the Disciplines, 138). Our conscious will must be trained in the ways of God, which goes against our culture’s tendency to “do whatever feels good”. Yet, as followers of Jesus, we know the disciplines we undertake in response to God’s love in our lives do nothing except bring us into greater cooperation with what God is doing in our lives, and our communities.

This section of the website will include those practices which we incorporate into our TILT worship gathering as an aid to incorporating them into daily life outside of the weekly gathering. It will also provide links to other resources, and activities we can pursue as a community.