Middle Church

• Where do you see God gathering outcasts today? How can we join God in this work? • How does being aware of God in our midst change us? • What is this season of Advent teaching you about waiting?

• In what “wilderness” are you seeking God's peace and comfort? • How do you practice hope during hopeless times? • What can you do this week to prepare for the reign of God?

• God is watching you. Right now. What does God see? How can that empower your life?

Love God. Love Neighbor. Love Self. Got it. BUT, who IS my neighbor? A question for then and now. Who is the neighbor you have the MOST difficulty loving? Write the person’s name here, or write a phrase to describe the type of people. Begin to visualize how much they are like you. What do you have in common? This will help grow your empathy muscle. Jesus used a so-called other to teach his people...

• In a world like this, what does the psalmist teach us about thriving and surviving?

• On All Saints Day, who are the ancestors you call on for encouragement and strength? How do their lives continue to impact you even after they are no longer here in their physical body? • In today’s gospel, what is unique about the scribe’'s interaction with Jesus? • When have you felt closest to the eternal? How can we live in a way that is “not far from the Kin-dom of God”?

• Our staff and consistory are leaning into the everlasting arms of Love, and inviting you into a vision in which #LoveTransforms each of us, and our society. What can you see? • Read the bulletin insert to learn more about our vision and goals.

• How are young people inspiring you to be hopeful amidst the dreariness of our political climate? • How can you mother children who aren't your own? Why is this important? • Commit to doing one thing this week that has the potential to improve the life of a child. Share what you did using #MCClivesofhope

• Where is God today? Do you feel closeness or distance? • How can you keep the sense or nearness as a daily praxis?

• The Discovery narrative is problematic. What other narratives need to be transformed by love? • How can you help change the story?

• How did the sermon and music inspire you for the week ahead?

• Pray that good people of goodwill from every political party will be informed by their faith in Jesús as they consider politics on the national stage. • Follow Vote for Common Good https://www.votecommongood.com/ • Follow Middle Church as we standing with our Latinx family in these days and times.

• Why do you think the disciples have a hard time understanding Jesus’s identity? • What are the stories about Jesus, in the Bible and in culture, that mean the most to your understanding of the Gospel? • What stories about Jesus are most confusing or make it hard to grapple with the Good News?

• How did the sermon and music inspire you for the week?

• Reflect what it means in your life to be “doers of the word, not merely hearers” as the scriptures calls us to today. • How do you know when someone is really listening? • On Labor Day Sunday, what does labor and work have to do with the faith journey? What does it look like when you are living into labor that glorifies God? How are we responsible for creating life-giving work environments for o...

• What circumstances can lull us into doing the “sensible” thing? • What is the real power of the “halfway mark” in our journey? • See the purpose, trust the promise, go…

• How can you live in wisdom and be intentional in the choices you make in your life? • Extend grace to others as has been extended to you by God. • Be in community with one another. We cannot do it alone, we need each other.

• Today’s sermon is in solidarity with the 21 youth who filed a constitutional lawsuit against the United States president and federal government —Juliana v. U.S.—for failure to meaningfully address climate change. Visit http://eachgeneration.org/ to learn more. • How do you see sustainability as an act of solidarity? • In relation to climate action, how can you be a part of intergenerational equi...

• To learn more about Caravans to the Borderlands and the Vincent and Rosemarie Harding Center for Spiritual and Social Restoration visit https://www.hardingcenter.org/

Stosh Cotler, angel Kyodo williams, and Sally Kohn

Ruby Sales & Jacqui Lewis

Van Jones

Brian McLaren & Mark Charles

Traci Blackmon

Valarie Kaur & Parker Palmer