Ways to Grow (Build) a Stronger Spiritual Life

  1. Be a river, not a swamp

  2. Identify blessings

  3. Be like Moses - Speak words of blessing

  4. Nurture a shared prayer life

  5. Take a step of faith

  6. Restore someone’s faith

  7. Be a grateful person

  8. Share the journey

  9. Serve

  10. Cultivate a little solitude

  11. Fast and pray

  12. Turn worries over to God

  13. Spread love wherever you go

  14. Keep your priorities straight

  15. Strive for excellence

  16. Use it or lose it

  17. Meditate on Scripture

  18. Be reliable

  19. Ask God to make you a blessing today

  20. Spend time in nature

  21. Exercise your power of choice

Ash Wednesday

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This past Wednesday, during our Ash Wednesday worship, attendees were invited to the table to share what they were going to be working on and/or giving up for Lent. Following their sharing, they each lit a candle and placed it in the sand bowl (it looks like a birthday cake for Lent, doesn’t it?). Here are some of the things shared:

  • Working on living “in the now.”

  • Giving up alcohol.

  • Limiting/eliminating facebook/internet usage.

  • Being more humble, relying more on others.

  • Becoming more patient.

  • Painting more; reading and writing more.

  • Listening to others more intently.

  • Caring more for others.

  • Self-care/healing self.

Visit the Grace UCC facebook page to share what you’ll be working on this Lent.

Get to Know the Wednesday Morning Study Group

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By Elaine Dreskin

Our study group meets on Wednesday mornings at 9:30 at Grateful Bites on Rt. 42 State Route 12, Flemington, NJ.  We aren’t strictly speaking a “Bible study” group, as we generally read books with theological themes without including the Bible directly.  Some of our recent authors include Marcus Borg, Robin Meyers, John Dominic Crossan and John Shelby Spong.

Presently, we’re reading “Hope and Other Superpowers,” by the pastor and blogger John Pavlovitz.  Written after the 2016 election, it’s a heartening and inspiring book in our current sometimes discouraging times. Pavlovitz challenges readers to be the heroes our days call for, rather than waiting for Superman and Wonder Woman (and other superheroes) to rise to the circumstances and come to save us. 

All are welcome to attend - we’re not a women’s group. 

We’ve met kind of sporadically in the last few months, because of group members’ travel, childcare responsibilities, weather, etc., so if anyone is interested in attending, please check with me to be sure we are meeting that day.  My email address: edreskin@comcast.net