Category Archives: church history

Taize and Ash Wednesday

On Wednesday night this week, at 7 pm, New Life will host a Taize, Ash Wednesday service. I have been praying and pondering this possibility for over eight years. In the summer of 2004, Geri and I, along with our four daughters, spent a week in Taize, France with a monastic community of about 90 men. About 5000 young people from Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic backgrounds also participated. I learned3 simple, powerful truths that week: 1. There is only one church and it consists of people from all three main branches of Christianity – Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Protestant. Brother Roger, a Lutheran pastor, founded Taize during World War 2 to be a prophetic sign in the midst of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant Christians killing each other on an unimaginable scale. What unites us is a personal faith in Jesus Christ and a commitment to Scripture as outlined in the Nicene Creed. This. Read more.

Midday Prayer and Lectio Divina with the New Life Fellowship Staff

Stopping 3-4 times a day and cultivating rhythms to be with God each day out of which we serve Him is foundational to our staff life at New Life. The following is Geri’s midday prayer handout that she led the staff through this past Wednesday. Savor it before the Lord during one of your Offices (pauses) during the day. There are actually five movements of Lectio Divina: Silentio–Preparing to be read by God. Lectio – Ingesting the Word Meditatio – Wrestling with God Oratio –Letting God know how we feel Contemplatio – Abandoning ourselves to God in love Incarnatio – The Word becoming flesh in us. Lets now, together do each of these overlapping phases togetherSilentio 1 min. Lectio – Ingesting the Word My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed myself and quieted my ambitions. . Read more.

Midday Staff Prayer — Julian of Norwich

NLF Staff Midday Prayer Sept. 26, 2012 Stillness and Silence – 2 minutes to be still First Reading: Ps. 146 1 Praise the Lord.Praise the Lord, my soul. 2 I will praise the Lord all my life;I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God 6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever…The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down… The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord. Second Reading – Lamentations 3: 21-27 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They. Read more.

Pastoral Gleanings from the Trappists -2012

At the end of my summer vacation each year, I take a week for a retreat on the lovely grounds of St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. About 60-70 men live there, dedicated to a life of prayer. I love the silence, the singing of the Psalms, the beauty of the landscape, the contrast to my life in New York City. One of the highlights for me continues to be a growing relationship with Father Dominic. He his a former Dominican priest with a PH.D in Thomas Aquinas.He taught at Georgetown University before sensing a call to a greater life of prayer. This led him out of the Dominican order to become a Trappist. He now serves as the prior of the monastery (i.e. the COO, or#2 person). We met each day for spiritual direction and a “conference.” He is engaged in many “un-monastic” things, such as strategic planning, running a business, dealing with. Read more.

Lessons from the Church in Singapore/Malaysia

Geri and I recently returned from a 15 day trip to Malaysia and Singapore. We went to offer emotionally healthy spirituality, but we received, perhaps, more than we gave. The following are a few gifts we received: 1. The equipping of marketplace leaders is a critical kingdom strategy for the 21st century. The real fruit of our work in the church, I believe, is how our people serve Christ at work, school, and in their communities. My vision was stretched in profound ways on this trip. Edward Ong, builder of the Sutera Hotel and Resort in Sabah, has 2000 employees. He initiates business in response to the voice of God, hires intercessors to pray for his guests and staff, and models integrity. Take a look at this trailer: 2. The growth of the church in Asia is a powerful, rising tide. I have read, for years, how the growth of the church globally is. Read more.

My Transition (New Beginnings)

At our Annual Vision Meeting on June 3rd, 2012, I announced my transition and a very exciting new beginning for New Life Fellowship Church. It was a key moment in a four and a half year process that will culminate in September of 2013. The process and day reflected many of the riches of emotional healthy spirituality applied to a local church. It was a beautiful meeting that left many of us in awe! The video includes my commentary on the letter I released to the congregation. Pastor Pete reads his Letter to New Life New Beginnings A Letter from Pastor Pete June 3, 2012 This year is a special one for New Life Fellowship Church. In September we will celebrate and reflect on twenty-‐five years of bearing fruit for Christ in New York City. In addition, we are entering a new beginning that will deepen and expand our life together. Prophetic New Life. Read more.

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