The Rev. Kathy Noble Editor, Interpreter

The Upper Room, Interpreter Magazine, THE MEANS OF GRACE

GUESTS The Rev. Beth Fender Illinois Great Rivers Conference The Rev. Stephen Bryant General Board of Discipleship

GUESTS Howard Woolard Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries The Rev. Steve Manskar General Board of Discipleship

A Grace-Filled Memory The Rev. Stephen Bryant  Singing for evening services  Deep conversations under a blanket of stars  A first experience of Christian conferencing

A Grace-Filled Memory The Rev. Beth Fender  Fasting freed me to feed another  The Spirit surprises with opportunities

A Grace-Filled Memory Howard Woolard  Disciples filled my childhood who practiced, encouraged, taught and equipped  Prepare to act when God nudges

A Grace-Filled Memory The Rev. Steve Manskar  Bread and juice made a ‘special meal’  Receive Holy Communion as often as possible

A Gracious Tradition  Scripture  Early Christians  Protestant Reformation  Pietism  Church of England  Religious Societies

A Gracious Tradition  The Wesley Brothers “Holy Club” experiences in Oxford  Coming to Georgia and the Moravians  Ways to help us to connect with God  Enable us to love God and neighbor

A Gracious Tradition  Practices that open the heart, mind, and hands to God and where God promises to meet us

A Gracious Tradition  Practices that cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work of forming “holy tempers” in the soul

 The General Rules  Do no harm.  Do good.  Attending upon all the ordinances of God (works of piety). 16

Works of Piety (ordinances of God)  Prayer  Public Worship  The Lord’s Supper  Searching the Scriptures  Ministry of the Word  Fasting or Abstinence Works of Mercy (Do no harm & Do good)  Feeding the hungry  Clothing the naked  Welcome the stranger  Visiting the prisoners  Caring for the sick  Peacemaking  Witness to Christ 17

Piety and Mercy  Work together  Challenge us to go deeper and live more authentic lives

Piety and Mercy  I pray for the prisoners I visit.  God will use what they learn to form disciples serving each other, other inmates, their families.

Encouragement to Grow  Accountability Groups  A Disciple’s Journal

Encouragement to Grow Special Events or Retreats

Encouragement to Grow Deeper Still Event

Encouragement to Grow Practices around the world

Encouragement to Grow “Opening Ourselves to Grace” A 4-session small-group study on the Means of Grace in the Wesleyan tradition

The Means of Grace in Lent Consider the meaning of the baptismal covenant.

 “Renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness.” Do no harm.  “Accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil.” Do good.  “In union with the church … Attending upon all the ordinances of God (works of piety). 29

The Means of Grace in Lent What spiritual practice(s) are you feeling led to begin or resume during this Lent? What might you encourage others to consider?

Lenten Resources for Individual or Small Group Study Bookstore.upperroom.org or

The Awkward Season Online Lenten Retreat March 5 – April 20 Audio, video, group discussion Prayer practices for each day of Lent

THANK YOU Steve Manskar Beth Fender Howard Woolard Stephen Bryant