Responding to a hunger for deeper discipleship among Episcopal congregations, creators of the My Way of Love initiative announce an upcoming new spiritual journey guide, video and other materials designed for small groups.
“My Way of Love for Small Groups” expands on the individualized spiritual journey laid out in My Way of Love and offers step-by-step guidance, scriptures, prayers, and reflections for nine weekly group gatherings. The resources will be available in early October; a sample can be found at this link online.
“Participating in ‘My Way of Love for Small Groups’ is a great community builder and especially appropriate for smaller congregations,” writes Jay Sidebotham, founder of RenewalWorks, in the guide’s introduction. “We believe you’ll find it to be a great process for a vestry study, undergirding confirmation classes, informing a teaching series in youth group, or as part of a standard Bible study or prayer group.”
My Way of Love, an initiative of RenewalWorks—a ministry of Forward Movement—and The Episcopal Church, focuses on seven practices to help grow a Jesus-centered life: turn, learn, pray, worship, bless, go, and rest. Participants begin by taking a confidential spiritual life inventory online to help assess where they are in their journey. Once they receive their findings, they have the opportunity to sign up for a series of eight emails that offer suggestions and coaching for going deeper in their walk with God and living intentionally each day.
“My Way of Love is intended for individuals seeking guidance in growth in love of God and neighbor, but we’ve also found that it’s a great resource for small gathered communities to use,” said Jerusalem Greer, staff officer for evangelism for The Episcopal Church. “A group, any group — inside or outside a congregation — can take the inventory on their own, begin their eight weeks of emails, and then share with each other how the journey is going.”
“My Way of Love for Small Groups” includes outlines for nine gathering sessions, prayers, discussion questions, and additional resource links. Supporting materials include an upcoming interview with Sidebotham on “The Way of Love” podcast with Presiding Bishop Michael Curry; printable posters and postcards for congregations to promote their own My Way of Love small group; a video commercial for My Way of Love; a “Leading Forward” video featuring Forward Movement’s executive director, Scott Gunn, and Curry; and a 2021 conference presentation by Greer and Sidebotham discussing “My Way of Love for Small Groups.”
“We hope that this resource will support Presiding Bishop Curry’s call to become a new and re-formed church, to deepen our lives as the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement — as individuals, small gathered communities and congregations — in order that we can become a people who look and act like Jesus and live his way of love,” Greer said.