Spirituality for Every Day

 Common ministry is a collaborative ministry, shared equally by all in the faith community. It holds the belief that all are united in the body of Christ, each with special gifts and ministries and all share in the church's work of reconciling the world to God.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Ephesians: 4:4-5

 Common Ministry has its roots in the ministry of Jesus and his disciples. Over time the ministry of the church often became centralized in the clergy and many lost the vision that all shared in ministry. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer re-claimed Common Ministry in the Baptismal covenant and the catechism calls all the baptized to minister in the name of Jesus, to work for God's reconciliation, to build up the body of Christ and to work to establish God's kingdom of justice.

As Episcopalians in the Diocese of Southern Ohio we commit to  Know the Common Story  Proclaim our Common Faith  Pray our Common Prayer  Drink the Common Cup  Serve the Common Good In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. This is our Common Ministry.

 Deuteronomy 11:13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today-- to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul--  14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil.  18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

 Matthew 28: 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

 Acts 3:41 Those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.  42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

 I Corinthians 11:25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” Mark 10:38 Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"

Micah 6:8 O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  Matthew 25:34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;  35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.'

 Dios Companions are a group of persons in the Diocese of Southern Ohio who are committed to deepen the prayer life of our Diocese and to pray regularly for the Church.  We commit ourselves to develop a rule of prayer based on the mission of our diocese.

 Many persons have enriched their life in Christ by developing a covenant of prayer. This covenant is often called a rule of life.  A rule of life generally calls for a commitment to worship, prayer, study, and service.  In the Diocese of Southern Ohio we commit to discipleship through study, proclamation, prayer, worship, and service.

 Know the common story  Proclaim our common faith  Pray the common prayer  Drink the common cup  Serve the common good

 What are you currently doing to know the common story and apply it in your life?  What concretely could you do in your life to commit to know the common story better?

 What are you currently doing to proclaim the common story?  What concretely could you do in your life to better proclaim the common faith?

 What does it mean in your life to drink the common cup?  How are you doing it now?  In what ways can you commit to drink the common cup in the future?

 What are you currently doing to pray the common prayer? Do you have a practice of daily prayer?  What concretely could you do in your life to better pray the common prayer?

 In what ways are you currently serving the common good?  In what ways could you concretely commit to better serve the common good in the future?

 Would you like to join us and make your covenant? Please copy this form and use it to deepen you walk with Christ:  As an Episcopalian in Southern Ohio, I commit to  Know the Common Story through:  Proclaim our common faith by:  Pray the common prayer through:  Drink the common cup in these ways:  Serve the common good through:  In each area list the practices you plan to do to fulfill this commitment. It is most helpful to be specific and list how when and how often you commit to the practice. Please pray daily for the work of our Church.