September 5th, 2025
by Matt Miofsky
by Matt Miofsky
Churches talk about prayer a lot. But many of us are embarrassed to admit that we really don’t know how to pray? It's challenging to find time, we struggle to stay focused, and we don’t always know what to say. If you have felt that way, you aren’t alone. Prayer is something we have to learn.
Jesus knew this. During his sermon on the mount, he taught his disciples how to pray and even gave them a prayer that they could repeat. We now know it as The Lord’s Prayer, and it is the most repeated prayer in history. Those of you that have grown up in church undoubtedly know it, we teach it to our kids, and we say it every week at The Gathering. Because it is so familiar, we don’t always stop to think about what it means, and what it teaches us about praying.
Next weekend, I am going to start a three week series on The Lord’s Prayer. We are going to take some time to explore this familiar prayer, learn a few things that I bet you don’t know about it, and hear how this prayer can teach us to have a better prayer life today.
This is a simple but important series to help us grow in our faith, so I hope you will plan to be there. This is also an easy series to invite friends to. Please share the word about our church and invite someone to join you for worship.
Lastly, many of you know that I wrote a daily devotion and prayer book called The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer. It is a simple guide for creating a habit of daily prayer in your own life. I would love for you to check it out and try creating a new prayer discipline for yourself. We will have a few copies available at our sites during this series or you can order it online.
This weekend will be a lot of fun as each site pastor shares a message specific to your site. I hope you will plan to be there. Have a great Saturday, and I will see you in church.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. Don’t forget that you can worship online and catch the message anytime you are out of town or miss worship. We hope you will do that to stay connected even if you travel or can’t make it in person. Also, each series stays online for you to watch or share with others. We just finished a really fun series Boomers to Zoomers: Bridging the Generation Gap. If you missed one or want to share it with friends or family, you can do both right here.
Jesus knew this. During his sermon on the mount, he taught his disciples how to pray and even gave them a prayer that they could repeat. We now know it as The Lord’s Prayer, and it is the most repeated prayer in history. Those of you that have grown up in church undoubtedly know it, we teach it to our kids, and we say it every week at The Gathering. Because it is so familiar, we don’t always stop to think about what it means, and what it teaches us about praying.
Next weekend, I am going to start a three week series on The Lord’s Prayer. We are going to take some time to explore this familiar prayer, learn a few things that I bet you don’t know about it, and hear how this prayer can teach us to have a better prayer life today.
This is a simple but important series to help us grow in our faith, so I hope you will plan to be there. This is also an easy series to invite friends to. Please share the word about our church and invite someone to join you for worship.
Lastly, many of you know that I wrote a daily devotion and prayer book called The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer. It is a simple guide for creating a habit of daily prayer in your own life. I would love for you to check it out and try creating a new prayer discipline for yourself. We will have a few copies available at our sites during this series or you can order it online.
This weekend will be a lot of fun as each site pastor shares a message specific to your site. I hope you will plan to be there. Have a great Saturday, and I will see you in church.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. Don’t forget that you can worship online and catch the message anytime you are out of town or miss worship. We hope you will do that to stay connected even if you travel or can’t make it in person. Also, each series stays online for you to watch or share with others. We just finished a really fun series Boomers to Zoomers: Bridging the Generation Gap. If you missed one or want to share it with friends or family, you can do both right here.
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Archive
2025
January
Happy New Year // M-Note 1.4.2025Cancel the Noise // M-Note 1.11.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 1The Beloved Community // M-Note 01.18.2025Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 2What A Coincidence // M-Note 1.25.25Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 3Cancel the Noise Discussion Guide - Part 4The Original Influencer // M-Note 2.1.25
February
The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 1Exploring New Sites…And You’re Invited // M-Note 2.8.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 2Uncovering Implicit Bias // M-Note 2.15.2025A "Flurry" of Activity // M-Note 2.22.25The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 3The Beloved Community Discussion Guide - Part 4
March
Beloved Community Action Steps // M-Note 3.1.25Vulnerability & Wilderness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 1Trusting the Spirit's Lead | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 2Courageous Connection | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 3What's Your Emotional IQ? // M-Note 3.8.25The Spaces Between Us | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 4Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 1Jesus Weeps With You | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 5When Sadness Lingers | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 6Lurking in the Shadows | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 7Cycles of Life and Death | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 8Inked in Memory | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 9The Void of Grief | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 10Sending Forth // M-Note 3.15.25Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 2Journey Not Alone | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 11Friends Along the Way | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 12The Loneliness of Fear | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 13Not Through With You Yet | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 14Clinging to Hope | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 15Bring It To The King | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 16Pray When Unsteady | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 17Courage to Stand for Faith | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 18Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 3A Holy Rage | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 19Focus on What is Holy | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 20Fast for Justice and Kindness | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 21The World is Harsh and Beautiful | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 22I Feel Sorry for Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 23Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 4i flipped a table once | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 24Ain’t Got Nothin’ | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 25Spring Forward in Faith // M-Note 3.29.25Visio Divina | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 26Everlasting Joy Sealed in Your Heart | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 27
April
Sometimes Joy is Simply Doing Your Best | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 28An Unexpected Gift of Spring | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 29When Joy Flows Freely | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 30Easter Challenge // M-Note 4.5.25Joy Even When It Rains | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 31Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 5Joy Entwined with Loss | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 32When Betrayal is Part of the Plan | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 33Healing From Disappointment | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 34Betraying Others is Betraying Yourself | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 35A Sarcastic Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 36Have Compassion for Yourself | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 37Another Easter Challenge // M-Note 4.12.25A Disappointing Disciple | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 38When We Disappoint Others | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 39Emotional Rollercoaster Discussion Guide - Part 6The Belief of Jesus | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 40The Value of Praise | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 41Through the Eyes of Those Who Knew Him | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 42Feeling Called Out | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Day 43Where Was Judas? | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Maundy ThursdayEaster Discussion GuideEasterSTL @The Factory Pro-Tips // M-Note 4.18.25Today is Not the End of the Story | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Good FridayThe Burning Pain of Hope | 2025 Lenten Devotional | Holy SaturdayHe is Risen | 2025 Lenten Devotional | EasterMuch to Celebrate Post-Easter // M-Note 4.26.25CoreGroup Guide | We Just Click - Part 1
May
Come to Egypt with Me // M-Note 5.3.25CoreGroup Guide | We Just Click - Part 2Celebrating Our Mozambique Partnership // M-Note 5.10.25CoreGroup Guide | We Just Click - Part 3What Season Are YOU In? // M-Note 5.17.2025CoreGroup Guide | We Just Click - Part 4Serving Our City // M-Note 5.23.25Self-Reflection Guide | Multiply - Part 1Congratulations to Own Own Martin Leathers // M-Note 5.31.25Self-Reflection Guide | Multiply - Part 2
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