Living as a Covenant Community: United Methodist Women Spiritual Growth Study 2017

by Evy McDonald, Elmira Nazombe

Covenants are found in the Bible from the moment God created man and woman until the last page of Revelation. The 2017 Spiritual Growth Study examines major covenants throughout the Bible and what they reveal about God's character and eternal love for us. This study will enhance your understanding of how God works with us, in us, and through us. As we explore these covenants, we will discover that covenantal living calls us to acts of mercy and justice, not only with those in our community, but with all—regardless of their social, political, financial, or religious standing. Through covenantal living, we are connected to God, others, and the whole creation. We may make a promise for a day and sometimes cannot keep it. We enter into a contract and then may hunt for a way to make it null and void. Even our marriage vows are subject to cancellation. Human contracts or promises may be created out of unjust and selfish motives. Yet, alone we cannot make covenantal promises that will last for a lifetime or beyond. Only God is capable of that. As we grow to understand the divine covenants made by God with our ancestors, and thus with us, our faith and our lives will transform. Our responses to God's covenants will guide our lives towards greater compassion and openness. Each covenant reveals a new dimension of humanity's relationship with God and with each other. The covenants do not stand alone, but instead build on each other. The latter covenants do not supersede the earlier ones. When the people failed to keep a covenant there was not an alternative divine plan, which God could have called "Plan B." God did not scrap the human model for something else. God continued and continues to work through us to make God's will evident on earth as it is in heaven. Our covenant agreement with God can be summarized as learning to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. Through this study, we come to marvel at our covenant God, grow in our love for God, for each other, and for our neighbors near and far. Study Guide by Evelyn R. McDonald Participant and leaders guide by elmira Nazombe

201 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 19, 2017

Reviews

[Tomi Alger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second United Methodist Women Mission U book for this year's study. As the spiritual growth study, it presents the covenants that God made with Biblical persons: Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. For example, with Adam and Eve, God covenants with them to take care of the earth and all its creatures, as well as have a relationship with Him. Each covenant builds onto the previous one, eventually reaching the Everlasting Covenant, which is given through the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. There is much for us to do in caring for the earth, its creatures, and our fellow man and in our faith journeys with God.

[Leslea Abshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good information on what living as a covenant community means and great examples to put into practice

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and inspirational review of how God reaches out to us to covenant with us to bring blessing not only to our selves but the world.