March 21st
GOD’S WILL AND MY RESPONSE
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
 
Talk about one or more of the following with a friend or family member.
 
-Talk about a few of your favorite things—foods, or colors or music. Do you associate a memory, place or activity with any of those?
 
-Have you ever gotten side-tracked on a trip or in life, and ended up someplace you didn’t intend to go—and it was better that way? Share your story.
 
-Do you recharge socially or privately? Would you rather serve publicly or behind the scenes? How do you think the people around you would answer those questions?
 
Discuss with someone who can point you back to Jesus and His love for you.
 
-The Holy Spirit prepared Lydia’s heart to receive Paul’s message and shaped her response. How have you seen or experienced the Holy Spirit at work in similar ways?
 
-When have you felt most useful to other people? When have you felt most useless? What can you learn about yourself in the differences between those two settings?
 
-Where do you think the Holy Spirit is creating openness in you right now? What help from
others or promise from Jesus will shape your response?

March 14th
GOD’S WILL AND MY WORLDVIEW
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
 
Talk about one or more of the following with a friend or family member.
 
-Have you ever been afraid of the dark? Have you ever enjoyed the dark? Share a good and bad memory about the dark.
 
-Are you more open or more closed to new people or new perspectives? How quick are you to admit you are wrong? Is this a strength of yours, or a weakness, or both?
 
-What’s the most important thing you have ever changed your mind about? How did that
happen? What was the result?
 
Discuss with someone who can point you back to Jesus and his love for you.
 
-We often experience obedience as something we do. Obedience is also something that God shapes in us, or gives to us as a gift. How would your attitude or actions change if you thought of your obedience as dependent on Jesus and a gift from him?
 
-What do you see Jesus doing in you right now that you don’t quite understand?
 
-When you don’t understand or don’t know what to do next, which promises from Jesus are most helpful to you? Who speaks those promises into your life when you need to hear them?

​Talk about one or more of the following with a friend or family member.
 
- How did your family celebrate Christmas when you were growing up? How did they celebrate Good Friday and Easter? Share a special memory from your childhood.
 
- How many times have you moved houses or cities in your life? Which moves were the most difficult? Which were easiest? Why?
 
- Talk about one major life event that happened in the last five years, and one that is going to happen in the next five years. What thoughts or emotions are connected to those events?
 
Discuss with someone who can point you back to Jesus and His love for you.
 
- When Mary heard the promise that she would be the mother of Jesus, she responded, “Let it be to me according to Your word.” What would it mean to say that to God in your present life circumstance? What would you expect to happen next?
 
- Sometimes prayer seems easy and natural; sometimes prayer seems difficult and only gets harder. Have you experienced either or both of those? What was the situation? What was the outcome? Where or how did you see Jesus at work?
 
- From the cross, Jesus made sure His mother Mary was cared for by John. What relationships has Jesus put in your life to care for you and to point you to Him? How have you heard comfort or promise from someone in your life this week?

​GOD’S WILL AND MY DREAMS - DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
 
Talk about one or more of the following with a friend or family member.
 
- Tell a funny story about a time when things didn’t work out the way you thought they were going to. What were you expecting to happen? What happened instead? Why was that funny?
 
- Who is the best planner you know? What makes them good at getting things done?
 
- Would you rather be in charge of building a house, planning an international trip, or directing a play? Why did you choose the answer you did?
 
Discuss with someone who can point you back to Jesus and His love for you.
 
- Do you tend to be more open-handed or close-fisted? Does your answer change depending on the setting or topic (at home, at work, with your time, with your money, etc.)? Talk about why that is.
 
- Sometimes we have to let go of our expectations in order to receive what God wants to give us.  Share a time when that was true for you in the past, or an area of your life where that might be true now.
 
- Is there anything in your thinking, acting, feeling, or planning for the future that Jesus is asking you to set down? If Jesus is asking you to set that down, what promise does He want to give you
in its place?

Would you rather get 2 teeth pulled or speak in front of 2,000 people?
 
Would you rather join your favorite singer on stage for a song, or spend an hour with your favorite author in private conversation?
 
What do these preferences say about your personality or history?
 
Talk about a time when you felt really inadequate. What was the situation? How did you deal with it? How did it turn out?
 
Talk about the following with someone who can point you back to Jesus and his love for you.
 
-If you had a clear invitation to join Jesus in his kingdom work, would you more likely avoid the situation or try to take charge of the situation? Do you have a story from the last week that fits?
 
-What does dependence on Jesus look like in your daily life? What do you want it to look like?  What kind of support would you need to bridge that gap?
 
-The bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness is one image for the forgiveness we receive because of the cross of Jesus. What images of forgiveness are most powerful for you?

This is the first video in our series of videos for our Lenten series "Thy Will Be Done"

​STORY from “LEAP” . . . February, 2018 . . . 
. . . PASTORS AND SCHOOL PRINCIPALS MEET TOGETHER REGULARLY
 
In 2011, representatives of our area Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod churches and schools began to engage in
strategic planning for what would eventually become the “Lutheran Education Advancement Plan – LEAP Alliance.”
Already in those days, one of many objectives for building an alliance was to bring pastors and school principals
together on a regular basis to collaborate on matters of shared ministry.  Late in 2013, the first such “P2 Pastors and
Principals Meeting” occurred.  Such “LEAP P2 Meetings” are still occurring, three times each year.
 
Mrs. Jennifer Enge, Principal of St. John (Amelith) Lutheran School in Bay City, has been, and continues to be the
Coordinator for the “LEAP P2 meetings” which are held at our various LEAP church/school sites, including churches
that do not presently operate parish schools.  The meetings often provide opportunities for touring the church and school sites and hearing the stories of ministry actions that occur there.  At the “P2 Meetings,” primary meeting attention is given to hearing and discussing interesting and timeless meeting topics.  Examples have been “Children’s Church,” “TEAM Ministry,” “Being Lutheran in a Post Church Culture,” “Funding Options,” and many more.
 
While pastors have conferenced together often for many years, and school principals have done the same, the “LEAP P2” pastor-principal meetings have proven to be beneficial and appreciated.  Pastors and principals have shared resources and ideas as a result of the “P2 meetings.”  There have been best practice question-and-answer-conversations leading to learning what various congregations and schools are doing to meet needs and to respond to challenges.  It has even been beneficial for our church/school leaders to learn once again that many of the challenges they face are rather universal.  We pray God’s continued blessing upon the “LEAP P2 Meetings”!
 
     /// LEAP - on the web at LEAP-alliance.com and on Facebook at LEAP-Lutheran Education Advancement Plan ///