Liturgical Living at The Wesley
What would seem to be insignificant moments on a mundane day become sacred when we are reminded, by purposeful awareness, of the fact that we are living a real-time absolute miracle from moment to moment. We thus acknowledge the One from whom all blessings flow, and as this occurs habitually, day by day, He is both glorified and pleased to give in abundance.
Our daughter Wenona comes from a family where faith, both individually and corporately, has been lived out through the years in regular, orderly rhythms. In our experience, routine reminders and actions focused on the Triune God help to shape lives of repentance, forgiveness, obedience, trust, and joy in our Savior.
Wenona’s Wesley family has helped her to walk faithfully by providing a continuation of that liturgical life in several ways. Group gatherings on Tuesdays and Fridays, with their rituals of scripture reading & exposition, prayer, singing, and communion, are “intentionally geared towards repatterning our students’ attention and hearts through devotion and discipleship.” We have been gratified to know that our daughter is routinely nourished with the Gospel through this structured pattern of worship and can testify to her growing spiritual maturity.
But other, less-formal liturgies—of daily service, fellowship, and brotherly concern, shot through with love and kindness in the name of Jesus—help to put flesh on His Body throughout the hours and days of the week.
“It’s in the dailiness of the Christian faith –the making the bed, the doing the dishes, the praying for our enemies, the reading the Bible, the quiet, the small—that God’s transformation takes root and grows.” -Tish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the Ordinary
Frequent opportunities for outreach help to build a life of obedience in pouring out one’s life for others. The Wesley’s intentional inclination is to reach out locally and globally among the least of these, with benevolence and “love in action.” In this way among others, God builds His kingdom –both in givers and recipients. The regular exercise of service to our fellow man is one solid path to obeying His call to take up our crosses and practice self-less agape love.
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” -J ohn 13:35 (NKJV)
The genuine, hands-on care shown to their brothers and sisters within the Wesley family, in moments of joy or sorrow, is a beautiful picture of His great grace to us. As individual members of the Body tend to one another, these “mini-incarnations” make Jesus visible and tangible. Time and again, we have heard reports of these tender mercies, and have seen the heartfelt responses that result.
Another means of showing love in the Family is through accountability. Whether cementing or gaining ownership of our spiritual lives in college, or making our way through middle age, we benefit from the household of faith’s godly encouragement. These moments of iron-sharpening give courage and strength as they are practiced regularly. What a (perhaps unexpected) blessing are those “liturgies of exhortation” which promote humility, repentance, and faithfulness.
“The joy of fellowship, and the welcome and comfort of friends new and old, and the celebration of these blessings of food and drink and conversations and laughter are the true evidences of things eternal, and are the first fruits of that great glad joy that is to come and that will be unending.”-Douglas McKelvey, Every Moment Holy
Customarily shared meals in the Wesley community, from the most unremarkable snack to a holiday feast, help to build faith and family. Even a humble repast is transformed into “a moment to recall that we receive all of life, from soup to salvation, by grace” (Warren). Students who are blessed to partake with friends, rather than in school dining facilities, are given much more than physical nourishment. They receive a glimpse of the divine fellowship to come at that ultimate great Feast.
The rhythms of physical, emotional, and spiritual life in the Wesley community at Tech have been a great blessing for our daughter, and thus for our family. May our great God continue to bless the ministry as it remains faithful to His call.
Stephanie Jonker is a daughter of the Most High who faithfully carries out our call to make disciples of Jesus, most notably in raising her six children to know Him. Her youngest daughter, Wenona, has been attending Wesley for the past four years and Stephanie and her husband Mark are sources of encouragement to our community through their confidence in Christ’s promise over their lives and their prayer for our community. We are blessed that they are co-laborers with us.