
Every Monday morning, join us here as we help you prepare for worship this coming weekend! You’ll find:
- This Week’s Scripture
- The Theme for the Week
- Discussion and Reflection Questions
- Movie, Video and Book Suggestions
- Individual or Community Practices (ideas for prayer, service, or activism)
- Programming and Events
- Testimonials
- And MORE!
Want to go back and review a previous week in the series? No worries. Just click here to access an archive of previous weeks.
This week’s scripture:
Saturday, Oct. 10 & Sunday, Oct. 11: Rushing Kimball preaching
PATIENCE (Peaches)
James 5:7-12
7 Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. 8You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. 9Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! 10As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
12 Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

(for all ages!)
- Why is it important to be patient under stress?
- Who is the “beloved” that James is addressing? (He addresses rich people prior to v7)
- What does it mean to suffer patiently? (remain steadfast) v11
- What is the connection to 1 Cor 13:4 “love is patient”?
- How long do we have to be patient? Abraham was patient for quite a long time.
- What connection can be made to this scripture about farming and the struggles rural Iowa faces?

(for all ages)
BOOKS/READING
- Emotional Freedom, Judith Orloff
- Meditations on Anger, Patience and Peace, Edward Welch
- The Way of the Bodhisattva: (Bodhicaryavatara), Revised Edition (Shambhala Classics)
- Shantideva (Author), Padmakara Translation Group
- When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life’s Sacred Questions, Sue Monk Kidd
- Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective Dalai Lama XIV & Thupten Jinpa
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
- The Tortoise & the Hare, Jerry Pinkey
- Abel’s Island, William Steig
- The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
- A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Zen Socks, Jon J. Nuth
- Martin’s Big Words: The life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Doreen Rappaport
TEEN BOOKS
- The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
- A Wrinkle In Time, Madeleine L’Engle
MOVIES
- The Patience Song VeggieTales https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvgcAYVCUWU
- Learning to let go of impatience https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U796Hfe7x9w
- Patience with Zac Efron and Elmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgeuCgODgv4
- Patience – Who has time for that? (TedTalk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeuWP26GtTI
- Babe – Movie
- Million Dollar Baby – Movie
- Castaway – Movie

(i.e. prayer/service/activism) (for all ages)
- Go fishing
- Patiently walk behind or walk with a slower walker
- Enjoy the drive to work. Be patient in traffic.
- Puzzles
- Understand impatience and the triggers
- Silent meditation
- Centering Prayer- Instruction/video how-to
What Is Centering Prayer https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-method\ Christian Centering Prayer | Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault | 2017 Festival of Faiths https://youtu.be/1aQmQu4lufo The Method of Centering Prayer – Part 1, with Thomas Keating https://youtu.be/5FWvxwfN_CE - Download this App on your phone https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.contemplativeoutreach.centeringprayer&hl=en_US
- Walk a labyrinth – a labyrinth is not a maze…it has a path into and out of the center.
- Find a labyrinth to walk in your areas using this tool: https://labyrinthlocator.com
- Children’s Centering Prayer – Book & YouTube video
- Journey to the Heart: Centering Prayer For Children, Frank X. Jelenek https://youtu.be/6FyZ8lGtM7U

ARTS ACTIVITIES:
- Meditation Coloring Book: Wonderful images to melt your worries away (Chartwell Coloring Books)

