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Evangelism
We will give
ourselves to prayer
and to the ministry of the word.
Acts 6:4
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The purpose of Evangelism is
to share and instruct in the Gospel and to witness
to
others. Spreading the word of God was the last commandment of
Jesus before
He ascended to
the Father.
Education, encouragement, and spiritual growth are
important
priorities at
Venice-Nokomis United Methodist Church. We offer
many
opportunities to learn more
about Jesus and to deepen the
experience of being
in a
relationship with Him.
Several projects our Evangelism Committee
has sponsored include the following:
Becoming a Stephen Ministry Church, publishing Church Pictorial
Directories,
Offering
a Prayer Labyrinth,
providing opportunities for Covenant Renewals on
specific
topics,
such as, prayer, spirituality, and stewardship, and
starting a
Visitation Program that involves members visiting
members who are in nursing
homes, homebound, or unable to attend
our Worship Services. To often we
underestimate the power of a
smile, phone call, or hug which have the potential
to turn
someone’s day into a happy one.
The Evangelism Committee
also maintains a Welcome Center in front of the
Sanctuary to
greet visitors and guests each Sunday before the 9:30 a.m.
Worship Service. The visitors
are given a guest name tag,
Church postcards,
a map, and a folder with information about
the
various activities and programs
offered at VNUMC.
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Prayer
Labyrinth |
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Labyrinths are used
in different religions in various forms around the world.
They
have been
used for prayer and meditation as early as 350. The
two most
recognized
designs of labyrinths are the Chartres or
Classical Eleven-Circuit
and the Classical
Seven-Circuit. Because
there
is only one path the word
“circuit”
is used to describe
the number of times the path circles
around the
center of the labyrinth called the rosette.
The illustration shown above is an
example of an Eleven-Circuit Labyrinth.
There are
eleven concentric
circles with thirty-four turns going into the twelfth
circle or
center or
the labyrinth. The Eleven-Circuit Labyrinth has a
distinctly
Christian design. A cross
is visible within its
layout
and the concentric circles
are a symbol for God, creation,
and
wholeness. The rosette
has a six-petal
design to represent a rose,
which is a
symbol for Mary the mother of Jesus. |
The
most famous Eleven-Circuit Labyrinth was built in the stone floor of
the
Chartres
Cathedral near Paris, France in the thirteen century.
Christians who
could not make
a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to walk in
the footsteps of Jesus
would travel to cathedrals
that contained
labyrinths
to walk one in a symbolic
gesture
of the pilgrimage. The
Classical Seven-Circuit Labyrinth is
a simpler
design that is often
called a “Cretan”
Labyrinth, which refers to the design
found on ancient coins on the Island of Crete.
It is also the oldest style
found
in many
cultures.
The Prayer Labyrinth is prayer in
motion. It engages your body, mind, and
spirit. The mysterious
winding path that takes you to the center becomes a
metaphor
for your own spiritual journey in Christ. The labyrinth
is not a maze
so
there are
no
tricks or
dead ends. There is only one path
to the center and
then by the same
route, you exit. The three stages of walking the labyrinth
are:
Entering the Path/Shedding Cares
The Center/Illumination
Returning/Union |
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A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves
intuition, creativity, and imagery.
When
you walk a labyrinth, you meander back and forth, turning 180
degrees
each time
you enter a different
circuit. As you shift your
direction you also shift
your awareness
from the right brain to the
left brain. This is one of the reasons
the labyrinth is a
powerful
tool to calm your body and mind
and reduce stress.
Walking the
labyrinth is also a spiritual tool used for meditation, reflection,
prayer,
problem solving, and comfort. There is no right or wrong way
to walk
the labyrinth.
Some walk to address
a specific intention,
issue, care, or
concern. Others may
walk offering intercessory
prayers,
giving thanks and
praise, or focusing on a single
Bible
verse, question, or joy. The actual walk
can be considered as a prayer in itself. The experience of walking the labyrinth
can richly bless your spiritual life and lead
to discovery, insight,
peace, solace,
and direction. |
Covenant Renewal
Renewing our covenant with God helps
to remind us of our deep need for
God’s grace. Every person
must recognize their sinful condition and remember
that they
cannot experience forgiveness outside of the grace of God. Our
Assistant Minister,
Ralph Burton, states that if
we renew
important covenants,
such as, our driver’s
license and wedding
anniversaries on a regular basis,
shouldn’t we also renew
the
most important covenant of all - our covenant
relationship with Jesus Christ?
John Wesley urged his followers to renew,
“at
every point, our covenant, that the
Lord should be our God.”
Covenant Preparation
To prepare for your rededication set
aside time to spend alone before the Lord.
Be serious
and in a
spirit of holy awe and reverence. Claim God’s covenant and
rely
upon God’s promise
of giving grace and strength. Trust not your
own strength
and power. Resolve to be faithful. With God’s
power, never go back. Open your
heart to Him as you pray “The
Sinner’s Prayer” which is an example of a covenant
prayer for
you to follow. We encourage you to add your own words to make
it a
more personal experience.
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The Sinner’s
Prayer
Jesus, Please forgive me of all
my sins. I accept You as my own personal Savior and
according to Your words I am saved.
I believe You died on the cross at Calvary for my sins,
and rose again three days later. I believe that by the
shedding of Your precious blood I will have eternal
life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Heal me, change
me, and strengthen me in body and soul.
I confess that You are Lord and I will now follow You. Thank you for loving me and for your gift of eternal
life.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
More Info
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We encourage you to renew your covenant not only in your heart
but also by
writing
down your words. Once completed, sign it,
and keep it as a reminder
of the holy
agreement between God and
you. This will help you to remember
your covenant
during
doubts, trials, and temptations.
Prayer Covenant
One of the most unique covenant
renewals Venice-Nokomis United Methodist
Church
has
offered was
on prayer. The congregation was asked to submit
different
topics
to pray about
each day during Lent at noon. Lent was
chosen
because it is a time
of repentance, reflection,
reconciliation, and spiritual growth.
The prayer topics were
published in a brochure of our members
and you may
click on the link displayed
below to print out the
topics and use as an example
in your own covenant renewal
and to share with
others. |
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