Glidden-Lanesboro-Lohrville UMCs

Discussion Questions

How do you feel when you give to a cause or a person?

What ministries or causes do you support with your giving?

What is the difference between giving out of excess and sacrificial giving?

Acting on the Word

Give to a ministry or mission project that you believe is doing God’s work.  If you need ideas, go to https://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/The-Advance.

Daily Readings

Sunday:         Luke 19:1-10

Monday:       Mark 12:41-44

Tuesday:       Luke 21:1-4

Wednesday:   Proverbs 11:24-25

Thursday:      Proverbs 21:26

Friday:          Proverbs 28:27

Saturday        1 Timothy 6:17–19

What does each reading say about giving?

Discussion Questions

What is the difference between hoarding and prudent saving?

What do you find difficult to throw or give away?

Is shopping recreation or utilitarian for you?  How does your approach to shopping affect your spiritual life?

Do you save/put money aside on a regular basis?  Why or why not?

Acting on the Word

Look at your spending habits; find something you can give up and save the money you would have spent on it.

Daily Readings

Sunday:         Proverbs 13:7-8, 11

Monday:       Matthew 15:14-30

Tuesday:       Mark 4:26-32

Wednesday:   Proverbs 27:23-27

Thursday:      James 1:16-18

Friday:          Matthew 6:19-21

Saturday        1 Timothy 6:9-12

What does each verse say about hoarding, saving, or being a good steward of God’s resources?

United Methodists are hard at work responding to Hurricane Florence, which hit the Carolinas and Virginia and to Typhoon Mangkhut which hit the Philippines and China.  The United Methodist Committee on Relief is one of the first groups on the ground after a natural disaster, and one of the last groups to leave.  You can learn more about how we United Methodists are helping here.   If you feel called to give to these disaster response ministries, scroll to the bottom of the page and you should see a section where you can donate.  You can also go to this page and choose a project to give to.

Discussion Questions

What jobs have you had in your lifetime?  Which were the most fulfilling?

Do you/did you work mostly for the pay or because you felt called to the work?

Have you ever struggled with the ethics of what your work entailed?  How did you resolve that struggle?

Acting on the Word

If you currently work for pay, say a prayer of thanks to God at the beginning of your work day, and ask for guidance to see how your work furthers God’s will.  If you don’t work for pay, encourage a working person you encounter each day, and thank them for their work.

Daily Readings

Sunday:         Luke 19:11-27

Monday:       Luke 12:13-21

Tuesday:       Proverbs 6:6-11

Wednesday:   Proverbs 31:13-24

Thursday:      Proverbs 10:2-5

Friday:          Proverbs 1:19; Proverbs 10:16

Saturday        Proverbs 23:4; Proverbs 28:20

Discussion Questions

What did you learn from your parents about money?

What have you heard said in church about money?

What do you find the most challenging about money?

Who is someone you regard as wise in their use of money?  Why?

Acting on the Word

Each morning, pray for wisdom, especially about how you earn, save, and spend money.  Each evening, review the choices you made about money that day.  How did God guide your choices?

Daily Readings

Sunday:         1 Kings 3:5-13

Monday:       James 1:5

Tuesday:       Proverbs 3:13-16

Wednesday:   Proverbs 16:16

Thursday:      Jeremiah 9:23-24

Friday:          Proverbs 8:10–12

Saturday        Job 28:12–28

What does each passage say about wisdom and/or money?

Discussion Questions

Do you have any brothers or sisters?

If so, what is your relationship like?

Do you have anyone you refer to by family titles who isn’t technically family?  (e.g. a close friend you call a brother or sister; a friend of the family who is referred to as an uncle or aunt?)  Why have they become family?

Acting on the Word

Choose one person you know and focus on intentionally treating them more like a Christian brother or sister: forgiving them if there are tensions, helping them with a project or a need, encouraging them, etc.

Daily Readings

Sunday:         Philemon

Monday:       Colossians 3:8–15

Tuesday:       Colossians 4:7–18

Wednesday:   Galatians 5:12–15

Thursday:      Matthew 18:23–35

Friday:          Romans 14:13–21

Saturday        James 2:14–17

What does each reading say about relating to believers as brothers/sisters?

How does our relationship as siblings in Jesus direct how we are to treat each other?

Discussion Questions

When have you been invited into someone’s home?

What did that feel like?

When have you felt most welcome?  Who made you feel welcome?

How did they make you feel welcome?

Acting on the Word

Offer hospitality to someone this week.  Some possibilities:  invite them into your home, pay for their meal at a restaurant, take them some food, invite them to join you in an activity.

Daily Readings

Sunday:         Acts 16:11-15

Monday:       Acts 16:36-40

Tuesday:       1 Samuel 25:14-19 [or, if you are game, 1 Samuel 25:1-42]

Wednesday:   2 Kings 4:8-10

Thursday:      Luke 8:1-3

Friday:          Romans 16:1-5

Saturday        Hebrews 13:1-2

In each passage, who provides hospitality or support for ministry?  Why?

Next Week:   Onesimus and Philemon.  What can you learn about Onesimus and Philemon between now and next week?