Week 5 // The God Who Speaks In The Storm
First Time? Check out this video before moving forward.
00:00 – 01:37: Intro To Neighbor Collective
01:38 – 03:23: Ways To Participate
03:24 – 05:17: Important Notes About The Sessions
You can use the button below to download the Teaching Guide PDF. If you aren’t able to download it, all of the teaching guide elements can be found below the main teaching session video.
Things You’ll Need Before We Get Started This Week:
Bible & Journal
Candle & Match
Bread & Wine/Juice
Video Session
SESSION GUIDE
Keep scrolling to follow the session guide.
The video will stick to the top.
1. INTRODUCTION
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2. SH’MA
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hebrew: Sh’ma yis’rael adonai eloheinu adonai echad. Baruch shem k’vod malchuto, l’olam va’ed. V’ahavta et adonai elohecha, b’chol l’vavcha, u’vchol nephshecha, u’vchol ma’odecha.
English: Hear Israel, The LORD* (YHWH) our God the LORD (YHWH) is one. Blessed be the name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever. And love the LORD (YHWH) your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength.
*When LORD is spelled with all caps it means that in Hebrew it is referencing the name of God which is YHWH. We believe from sufficient scholarly research the best way to pronounce the name is Yahweh. Many Jews and some Christians have refrained from using the name at all so as to not misuse the name (Exodus 20:7). If you don’t feel comfortable pronouncing the name YHWH, we say Adonai (Lord) to replace it in Hebrew. Many also call YHWH “HaShem” which means “The Name.”
3. EXAMEN 
About this practice: The examen was started by St. Ignatius who was a Spanish Priest who lived in the 16th century and who founded the Jesuit order. According to Ignatian Spirituality, “St. Ignatius thought that the Examen was a gift that came directly from God, and that God wanted it to be shared as widely as possible. One of the few rules of prayer that Ignatius made for the Jesuit order was the requirement that Jesuits practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It’s a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.”
Take a few moments to get comfortable and become attentive to God’s presence.
● Reflect on things you’re grateful for today.
● Pay attention to some of the emotions you’ve felt throughout the last 24 hours.
● Take one thing from the past day and pray about it. It’s okay if you don’t know what to pray. Feel free to just spend this time reflecting.
● Take a moment to think about the rest of this day or tomorrow. Is there something you need to give to God to handle? Or is there an area when you’ll need to be more reliant upon the Holy Spirit for guidance?
4. LORD’S PRAYER 
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the Kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen!”
The Lord’s prayer can be found in Matthew 6:9-13 except for the final line. You can learn more about that final line in this article here.
5. CandLe Lighting 
Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Candle Blessing – ALL: “Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us in his commandments, and commanded us to be a light to the nations, and who gave to us Jesus our Messiah, Light of the World.”
Let’s pray together: LORD we pray that the lights we now kindle will inspire us to use our lives to heal, and not to harm. To help, and not to hinder. To bless, and not to curse. We ask that You would free us from the selfishness and bitterness that keep us from loving you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Release us from the pride that keeps us from loving our neighbors as ourselves. As we walk into this world as the light of the world, we ask that you would guide our footsteps, protect us from the enemy, and that we would use your light to share your lovingkindness, with the world! Amen.
6. WORSHIp SONG 
Song: Hear Our Praise
Verse 1
You make a way through the sea
The waters are parting for me
I’m only here because of what You have done
You make a stream in the sand
Providing a way with your hand
We enter here because of what You’ve done
Chorus
Let our sound be heard with the praise You deserve
There is nothing, no one, no god who compares
Let our voice ring out as we raise a shout
for the glory and the honor of Your name
Hear our praise
Hear our praise
Verse 2
You call us out of the grave
Creating new life in Your name
We celebrate the victory You’ve won
Chorus
Let our sound be heard with the praise You deserve
There is nothing, no one, no god who compares
Let our voice ring out as we raise a shout
for the glory and the honor of Your name
Hear our praise
Hear our praise
Bridge
You’re making all things new
There is nothing You can’t do
Your promises will see us through
Your promises will see us through
Chorus
Let our sound be heard with the praise You deserve
There is nothing, no one, no god who compares
Let our voice ring out as we raise a shout
for the glory and the honor of Your name
Hear our praise
Hear our praise
“Hear Our Praise”
Courtesy of Jason Martin
7. HOMILy 
The God Who Speaks In The Storm
Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 5:3-5
And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
8. COMMUNION 
You will need the elements at this point if you’re wanting to participate. Please know you do not have to participate if you would rather not. Click here to learn more about communion.
Why do we take communion every week? Because it’s a reminder of what Jesus accomplished for us both on the Cross and in the Resurrection: Forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to our Creator, and new life in the resurrection.
We do not take communion lightly. We do believe that Jesus actually meets us here in this sharing of the bread and cup. Please make sure to take time and answer the questions below before participating.
How have you loved Jesus and your neighbors well this week? How do you need to love Jesus and your neighbors better this week? Take some time to examine yourself before we take communion.
Blessing The Bread
Jesus, our Messiah, was afflicted and He was pierced for our transgressions. On the night that He was betrayed, Jesus took the bread of affliction and broke it and said, “This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Let’s bless the bread:
ALL: “Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth, and who gave to us Jesus our Messiah The Bread of Life.”
Let’s eat the bread remembering what Jesus has accomplished for us.
Blessing The Bread
Jesus, our Messiah, was afflicted and He was pierced for our transgressions. On the night that He was betrayed, Jesus took the bread of affliction and broke it and said, “This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Let’s bless the bread:
ALL: “Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth, and who gave to us Jesus our Messiah The Bread of Life.”
Let’s eat the bread remembering what Jesus has accomplished for us.
Blessing The Cup
Then Jesus takes the third cup of the Passover, the cup of Redemption, and He said, “This cup of the New Covenant which is done in my blood, do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
ALL: “Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine, who gave to us Jesus our Messiah, and who gave His life to establish the new covenant.”
Let’s drink this cup remembering the new covenant of hope and joy that we get to experience today because of Jesus.
Blessing The Cup
Then Jesus takes the third cup of the Passover, the cup of Redemption, and He said, “This cup of the New Covenant which is done in my blood, do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
ALL: “Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the Universe, creator of the fruit of the vine, who gave to us Jesus our Messiah, and who gave His life to establish the new covenant.”
Let’s drink this cup remembering the new covenant of hope and joy that we get to experience today because of Jesus.
9. BLESSING
Blessing (Numbers 6:22-27 + Justin’s Addition):
“May the LORD bless you and keep you. May the LORD turn His face toward you and shine upon you and give you grace and peace as you go throughout your week. And may you always remember, no matter how dark it gets, Jesus will always be there when you need him. No matter what. Jesus will always dwell by your side.”
Be Blessed This Week!
Want To Get Involved?
Thank you so much for being a part this week! If you’d like to help us out, here’s what was need:
1. We’re in need of people who love worshipping and can record worship music. Or have their own music already recorded that they would be willing to let us use in these sessions.
2. We’d love for you to lead some of the sections (For example, you would film yourself using your phone blessing and lighting the candle, or saying the Lord’s prayer. And we’re open to other spiritual practices that help you grow with Jesus).
3. If you know how to edit videos, use WordPress sites, and/or love social media and would like to help out, please reach out!
You can email us at [email protected] or use the form on the website here.
Would you be willing to share your feedback? It’s completely anonymous and will help us make these sessions better in the future. It should only take a minute or two and you can fill it out here.