Spiritual Growth
Ministries
at Hedding
Spiritual life is part of a whole and complete life. Without it, we live cannot experience balance, meaning and wholeness. We are saved from eternal death through faith in Christ Jesus, who invites us, then, to allow the Holy Spirit to form us into the New Creation that God intends us to be.
The process by which the Spirit transforms us involves healing old wounds and memories, forgiveness, and changing from the patterns of doing life without God, to real trusting reliance upon the love and presence of God in daily life.
We are well trained in the old ways of coping without God. We resist change, and cling to those old tricks.
Spiritual Growth involves, then, cooperating with the Spirit to overcome our resistance, to embrace the love of God and our new identities as God’s children.
We cooperate with the Spirit’s transforming work in us by doing spiritually what an athlete does physically and mentally—we practice the spiritual life, we discipline ourselves, and we pay attention to the coach. It can be hard work, but the rewards are divine!
Traditional spiritual practices are what John Wesley called the means of grace. He and our tradition call us to practice these in accord with Christ’s invitation:
- Daily Prayer
- Daily Study of the Bible
- Weekly Worship
- Eucharist & Communion weekly
- Frequent Fasting or Abstinence
- Sharing with those in need
- Tithing our income
- Being Accountable for avoiding evils and doing the good we can
- Regular Christian Conferencing, or sharing with another concerning one’s attention to God and one’s responses to God.
Other prudent practices of faith
- How will you work to cooperate with God in your spiritual journey to wholeness and holiness?
- Will you adopt a Rule of Life to guide your spiritual practices?
- Will you find another to be your companion in accountable living?
- Will you ask God to help you keep the commitments you seek to make?
Hedding wants to help you in this process of cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Check out our Spiritual Nurture and Growth offerings
Please click on Get Involved
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION OR GUIDANCE
An essential part of spiritual growth and development is spiritual direction or guidance, the way in which experienced Christians pass along wisdom to newer Christians. It is not primarily about teaching information, but in helping the learner to become more aware of what God is communicating.
Spiritual direction of guidance is the practice of assisting one another to remain focused on God’s movement in our lives. We ask questions that help one another to look more deeply into the glimmerings of God that we notice, so that we experience more of God’s communication with us. We also share the wisdom of those who have gone before us in these journeys of faith.
Spiritual Direction is given when someone experienced in the spiritual life and journey sits with another who seeks to grow in the spirit. The director listens for God in the other’s story and invites the other to look more deeply at his or her own experience for the movement of God. Spiritual Direction may start on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, but moves to monthly with development. To see if Spiritual Direction is what God has in mind for you, please contact Pastor Ralph Howe.
Group Spiritual Direction takes place when a small group commits to meeting usually weekly to be accountable for listening for God, responding for God and allowing God to move through them in the life of the church and community. Each participant is allowed to speak, and questions are kept limited. There is no criticism. At Hedding we have several Wesley Groups. Please click on Get Involved for more information.
Spiritual Friendship is when two persons, usually of advanced spiritual discipline hold each other accountable and help one another to discern God’s movements.