As the summer continues on, a new school year and ministry program year may be about to begin. This time of the year is a time of newness. What might God be cultivating new? Paul writes, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NRSV). Consider this month a “Choose Your Own Adventure” of sorts. Fill in the blank, “Cultivating New ______.” New experiences might include: the new ministry and program year; a new school year; a time for new ideas; a time for experimentation and permission to try new things; and even perhaps the beginning of the harvest season.

Questions for Reflection:

  • What might God be cultivating new in you? For you? With you?
  • What might God be cultivating new in your congregation? For your congregation? With your congregation?
  • What might God be cultivating new in your larger community? For your larger community? With your larger community?
  • What new things will you try?

Suggested Hymns and Songs:

Earth and All Stars! – ELW 731 & LBW 558
For Such a Time As This – ACS 1003
Spirit of Gentleness – ELW 396 & WOV 684
Take My Life, That I May Be – ELW 583

Prayer of the Day

God of creation, you bring something out of nothing; you bring life from death.  Too often we are too comfortable with the old to try the new.  Cast out our doubts and fears.  Give us courage to experiment, trusting that you will show us the way and guide our endeavors through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

OR consider using this prayer from Page 317 of ELW:

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reading(s)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Revelation 21:1-6

Other Theme Considerations and Potential Connections:

  • “Cultivating New ______” is fairly self-explanatory. But what sort of new things might you imagine or wonder about? What kind of list of new possibilities might you come up with?
  • The August calendar includes for many the beginning of the harvest season, a new school year; and the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. What might God be inviting you to be a part of that is new related to these observances and experiences?

 

 

 

 

Cultivating New _______ Resources

First Day Jitters

August brings the NEW of school starting. Here's a book to help with the "jitters" that may come with the newness of this day.

Find the Book!
YouTube Learning from Mr. Beast

What can the church learn from a 26 year old YouTuber who is known as Mr. Beast? Rev. Jim Keat reflects on 3 Things that as faith leaders we can integrate into our lives and ministries.

Find the Link!
Visio Divina

In the words of the song by Paul Baloche, we sing, “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord”. In visio divina, these words become our prayer. Visio Divina, meaning divine seeing, invites us to spend time with God through reflection on an image.

Find the Practice
Always Being Made New

Rev. Mike Wernick, from Two Churches shares a sermon written about the Reformation and how we are "Always Being Made New" to continue in God’s Word and God’s work.

Find the Sermon
Remembering our Baptism

In Baptism, we are given new life as children of God. Knowing we are loved, daily forgiven, and free from sin is the core of who we are. But it’s easy to get wrapped up in the details of life and forget who we are. In August, try one or more of these daily reminders of who you are as a child of God.

Find the Resource