Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
60 Days of Prayer
Essential to any gathering place are ways in and ways out.
In praying for Union’s next space how are we a space that is porous or permeable:
where it is natural to come and go in the space?
What is needed to equip us to go out?
How does the space communicate welcome?
Thanks for praying!
From the 415 Redevelopment Studio for UNION’s 60 DAYS OF PRAYER
As construction cost estimates come in, we’re facing significant challenges with much higher prices for labor and materials in the current climate. Therefore, we are considering difficult trade-offs in reducing the size of UNION’s space in the new building in order to finalize a deal that we can afford. Please pray for:
Clarity and vision for UNION’s ministries in the midst of Smaller Size/ Lower Cost tradeoffs.
Wisdom for pushing back on those cost estimates that seem out-of-line and too high.
Creativity and flexibility as we consider efficient layouts and interior design options.
Discernment as to what “trade-offs/levers to pull” as we seek to build UNION’s new space and pay off our financial debts.
God’s help in trusting his work as we have only a glimpse of all the facets He has at play.
WEEK FOUR | WINDOWS
“You are the light of the world.” Windows provide opportunity for light to shine into unlit areas. Turning from foundations to windows, let’s pray for transparency this week.
Pray for helpful transparency throughout this redevelopment process between the 415 Implementation Studio, Studio 3 and the whole Union community. What would add to transparency for you?
Where in your life is there a need for greater transparency?
WEEK THREE | The Foundation (continued)
The right redeveloping 415 Westlake gives the opportunity to put Union on a solid financial foundation. Pray for the team examining the financial, legal and construction cost aspects of the proposal before us—for their insight, endurance and collegiality.
With inflation, layoffs in the tech sector we have neighbors and family at Union experiencing financial difficulties. Let’s pray for one another’s daily bread.Let’s launch this time together giving praise to God who loves us more than we let ourselves know and asking for good things to flow from this adventure in prayer.
We worship a God that continues to create and we are created in God’s image which means we have some facility with doing the new thing, too! Pray that, where needed, our team and the developer’s team can come up with creative solutions for any potential impasses.
Where is a place in your life you would like to participate in/see God’s creativity?
WEEK TWO | The Foundation (continued)
What might a creative hub that enabled us to be more Internally Alive as a church community be like? How might its size, location, design, spaces, partnerships, café or alternative uses help us be Internally Alive?
What is my role in Union growing as more internally alive community?
What might a creative hub that enabled us to be more eternally connected—more aware of God’s grace more trusting of Jesus’ Lordship as a church community be like? How might its size, location, spaces, design, partnerships, café or alternative spaces help us be Eternally Connected?
Reflect on and give thanks for how has God used people, events or experiences to deepen and expand your sense of belovedness and your faith.
WEEK ONE | The Foundation
Jesus is our foundation—for our lives and lives together as Union. Entering into this time of discernment, think with God about what it means for Union to have Jesus as our foundation—especially as we consider redeveloping 415 Westlake?
What does it mean for you to have Jesus as your foundation? Union is our vision statement developed from Jesus’ dinner conversations with friends the night before he went to the cross. To be a community that is: Externally Focused, Internally Alive, Eternally Connected.
Talk to God about providing a creative hub for us to live into our vision of being more Externally Focused.
How might a new hub enable us to be more Externally Focused—a means to seek the welfare of the community? How might its size, location, design, spaces, partnerships, café or alternative uses add to that?
Consider praying for a Fourth Sunday activity you participate in or another place /relationship where you are seeking the welfare of the community.T
Union Praxis
A Prayer for Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion
to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children,
at-risk and in fear, that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen.
Archbishop Justin Welby
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Check this page for practices and reflections to bolster your spiritual life and growth.
Apps for Reflection + Prayer
Ceaseless - joy of praying for others.
Pray as You Go - music, scripture and some questions for reflection. There is now, also Pray as You Stay .
Friday Posts
Every Friday, we will post a reflection to bridge Sunday's worship themes to the rest of your week.
The Examen +
A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and to discern his direction for us. Try this version of St. Ignatius’s prayer.
Become aware of God’s presence. Look back on the events of the day in the company of the Holy Spirit. The day may seem confusing to you—a blur, a jumble, a muddle. Ask God to bring clarity and understanding.
Review the day with gratitude. Gratitude is the foundation of our relationship with God. Walk through your day in the presence of God and note its joys and delights. Focus on the day’s gifts. Look at the work you did, the people you interacted with. What did you receive from these people? What did you give them? Pay attention to small things—the food you ate, the sights you saw, and other seemingly small pleasures. God is in the details.
Pay attention to your emotions. One of St. Ignatius’s great insights was that we detect the presence of the Spirit of God in the movements of our emotions. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. Boredom? Elation? Resentment? Compassion? Anger? Confidence? What is God saying through these feelings? God will most likely show you some ways that you fell short. Make note of this. But look deeply for other implications. Does a feeling of frustration perhaps mean that God wants you consider a new direction in some area of your work? Are you concerned about a friend? Perhaps you should reach out to them in some way.
Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you to something during the day that God thinks is particularly important. It may involve a feeling—positive or negative. It may be a significant encounter with another person or a vivid moment of pleasure or peace. Or it may be something that seems rather insignificant. Look at it. Pray about it. Allow the prayer to arise spontaneously from your heart—whether intercession, praise, repentance, or gratitude.
Look toward tomorrow. Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask for help and understanding and pray for hope.
St. Ignatius encouraged people to talk to Jesus like a friend. End the Daily Examen with a conversation with Jesus.
