Contemplative Practices

Jesus stole away to sit with God in prayer. Martin Luther relied on four hours of prayer a day. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the advice of Howard Thurman, spent two straight weeks in contemplation.

As followers of Jesus, Protestant descendants and heirs of the essential, ongoing work of civil revolution and spiritual reformation, we are not running a 100-meter dash. Force of will is insufficient; our body, mind, spirit and soul need sustenance for the long haul.

That is why The Ministry Lab offers:

• Daily Breath, a daily moment of renewal from national leaders in contemplative practices
• Midweek Retreat, a half-hour every Wednesday at noon CST/CDT to join with others to rest in God’s presence. Through deepened awareness and greater emotional and spiritual balance, you can engage more fully in the essential work of God’s Beloved Community.

Sign up to receive Daily Breath and/or join the Midweek Retreat. 

Additional Resources

Please join Healing Our City in their Virtual Prayer Tent for Minneapolis as we lament the killing of Daunte Wright and grieve with his family and community, even as we continue through the trial of Derek Chauvin.

Click here to join the 8:00 AM CST zoom call and here to join via Facebook live.

Find previous Daily Reflections here and subscribe to their YouTube channel here.

Find this week’s leadership here.

Online Resources & Trainings

• The Shalem Institute offers free online resources and courses to support mental and spiritual well-being for congregational leaders, including a Compassion Guided Meditation and Three Essentials for Leadership in the Time of Coronavirus.
• The Upper Room offers online e-courses for small groups, meditation and prayer groups, inspiring videos and more.
• The Many share Groundings: Guided Meditations with Music, Visuals and Words
• Find an evolving list in our Online Practices lib guide.

Labyrinths

The Ministry Lab’s labyrinths are currently not available due to COVID-19. However, we are glad to help you plan for the future: the three labyrinths may be reserved up to one year in advance. A notebook of activities accompanies each labyrinth. 

• 34-foot Chartres replica canvas labyrinth (green or black)
• 20-foot Vision Quest canvas labyrinth (lilac)

Cost: $50 per week ($25 per week for the churches of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies). More info at The Labyrinth Society.

While The Ministry Lab labyrinths shelter in place, you might create an outdoor labyrinth to share with your congregation and community. For ideas, see Create a Snow Labyrinth! or the Labyrinthian Great Idea. A labyrinth lit with luminaria is a beautiful and powerful way to observe Christmas Eve, New Years Eve, or a gentle Lenten practice.