This summer I had the privilege of meeting with a small group of men as we studied the book of Acts.  As you may know, Acts is an account of the earliest Christians as they learned to live the Way of Jesus in a world that sought to mercilessly persecute them.  In the second chapter of Acts, we catch a glimpse of what their common life looked like: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)” Pretty simple, eh?  Through those straightforward practices of teaching (and learning), fellowship (which includes taking care of the neediest among them), breaking bread (which was having meals together), and prayer, the earliest Christians faithfully lived and amazingly transformed the world.

Well, here at St. John’s, we are still doing pretty much those same practices.  The terms we use for our common life at St. John’s are: pray, grow, and serve.  It is our hope that by following those practices together, we at St. John’s, just like those earliest of Christian disciples, may be transformed and may play our part in transforming the world.  

We are living through a time of great challenge and transition.  Seemingly, institutions that we have long relied upon to see us through difficult days are declining in influence. And yet the real power of God has always manifested itself in the small and simple.  Perhaps it is time for we people of the Way to once again become radically disciplined in the traditional and faithful practices of praying and growing and serving.  My hunch is that when we do, God will come alongside and do amazing things through us. 

~Father Art