Blessings
The God of Blessing
"God is committed to life. The theme of life and its blessing is
the basic message of scripture. It begins with God breathing the breath of life
into humankind and ends with the assurance of life eternal in the Kingdom of
God. God remembers the promises he made to bless the families of the earth
through Abraham.
—Paul Booth
We are blessed persons through the unconditional love of God. In
raising Jesus from the dead, God revealed an irrevocable love that is directed
to the blessing and ultimate value of life.
The word blessed carries the idea of being happy. Jesus
was saying this in the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount. He was affirming
that those who live in the knowledge of God's love will experience a happiness
that will be enduring.
Often we think of blessings as personal or material benefits
that will make us more comfortable and we would like them immediately. However,
as we grow in our spiritual life, we find deeper meaning in what constitutes
blessing. We become less demanding of God and more willing to leave ourselves
open to the expression of God's will in our lives. We are aware of our need to
see life as God sees all creation.
We long for those experiences that will bring us joy in living
life eternally with God. We come to know what constitutes blessing in view of
God's divine will.
Ministers of Blessing
Evangelists are servant ministers of spiritual vigor having deep
faith in God, serving with unreserved consecration and love for people. They are
ordained to be ministers of blessing, responsive to the reconciling and
redeeming influence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of persons, serving in
multiple ministries according to the unique gifts and callings of each
evangelist as
Spiritual Companion
Apostolic Witness
Teacher/Learner
Pastoral Presence
(From the Vision/Mission Statement for
Evangelists)
 Evangelists, as Ministers of Blessing, have a unique privilege
and stewardship to bless God's children in a sacramental way through the
sacrament of the Evangelist's Blessing. Doctrine and Covenants 125:3 briefly
elaborates on this ministry by saying, the evangelist "lays on hands for the
conferment of spiritual blessing."
High inspiration is promised to persons who are seeking God in
faith and humbly "working out their own salvation." As Spiritual Companions,
evangelists share the faith journey of life with those who are seeking the mind
and will of God for their lives. Evangelists act as spokespersons to articulate
in words the Spirit present in the lives of God's children.
The Christian life is a journey whose central quality is a
deepening and transforming relationship with God. Finding a deep and personal
relationship with the Spirit of God opens the way for persons to meet the Jesus
of Galilee and the Christ of the open tomb. The evangelist joins with you in
this sacramental experience of blessing, revealing afresh the transforming
presence of Jesus Christ, and bringing an enlarged vision of the meaning and
purpose of your life.
The Sacrament of Blessing
 The sacrament of the Evangelist's Blessing serves as a
sacramental vehicle for God to affirm and support you in your life venture. It
is an experience focusing on God's accepting and creative love in your life,
family, or community of faith.
It is an experience where the ministry of human touch coupled
with spoken words, and the warming and quickening Spirit of God link with the
current events of your life's journey and your conscious decision to willingly
come into covenant relationship with God.
In these settings of life's intersections, evangelists share in
the ministry of Jesus Christ in bringing the blessing of support and
encouragement for the enhancement of gifts and talents, the assurance of the
value of the person, the sense of security and trust in God's continued
presence, and the nurturing of confidence to respond to the Spirit as new
opportunities open for deeper commitment in service.
The sacrament of the Evangelist's Blessing may be expressed
in the life of a person on several occasions as wisdom and need might dictate.
The evangelist as a mature minister of the gospel is responsible for expressing
the ministry of blessing through this sacrament of the church. He or she will
help you determine the best way to respond to the Spirit that has moved you to
desire God's blessing.
 We affirm, "God has yet more light and truth to break forth
from his word." Being free to share in sacramental blessing on several
occasions affirms in practice our experience and faith. We also embrace in
belief the statement uttered by Jesus to his disciples when he said, "I still
have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now: (John 16:12).
There are many things that God will reveal to us as we grow and mature in our
faith and the sacramental blessing may be a significant part of the perfecting
process God has in mind for us.
The sacrament of the Evangelist's Blessing is available to
all persons above the age of accountability (8 years of age) who
understand the meaning and purpose of the blessing and are willing to enter this
covenant relationship in faith. There are no other prerequisites.
 The Evangelist's Blessing is extended to persons outside the
fellowship of the church who in faith willingly enter into this sacramental
experience.
It is also appropriate for the family or congregational
family to share together with the evangelist in such a blessing experience.
The heart of this blessing finds its source in the God who seeks to bond persons
together in a covenant relationship of love. This love overflows and extends
itself beyond the family or congregation into the larger community. You may want
to discuss this blessing ministry further with the evangelist.
A Guide to Receiving Blessing
 As you enter this sacramental experience of the Evangelist's
Blessing, your preparation is significant. The sacraments are meaningful times
of worship where the Divine and the human meet in a sacred encounter.
The following suggestions describe some possibilities for your
preparation in addition to the specific preparation decided upon by you and the
evangelist.
-
Keep a daily journal during this period of time of
preparation. It is your private reflections on life and your relationship to
all of creation. Be aware of insights that come to you about the world and
your place in it, your relationship with loved ones, friends, neighbors, and
strangers. List the insights you gain from your reflection and prayer.
-
Write a brief history of your life. It could be
developed as a timeline, highlighting significant events of your life journey.
Be prepared to share these life experiences with the evangelist.
-
Pray regularly for your specific needs, as well as for
the needs of other persons and the wider world. Pray about those things that
come to mind out of your personal meditation and reflections in journaling.
-
Fast in a way that is appropriate for you. Focus on
God, and the human conditions of the world, praising God and the holiness of
creation. Do this in such a way that others are unaware of your fast. This
will be your private, personal "closet experience" of prayer.
-
Read and reflect on scriptures of your choice. The
following are some selected readings with which you might begin but they
should not limit you in any way.
| THE BIBLE |
| Matthew |
Chaps. 5-7 |
| John |
Chaps. 14-17 |
| Romans |
Chaps. 8, 12, 14, 15 |
| I Cor. |
Chaps. 12, 13 |
| Phil. |
Chaps. 1-4 |
| I John |
Chaps. 1-5 |
| |
|
| THE BOOK OF MORMON |
| Mosiah |
Chaps. 2,3 |
| Enos |
Chaps. 1 |
| Alma |
Chaps. 3, 16:149-173 |
| III Nephi |
Chaps. 5-11 |
| |
|
| THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS |
| Sections |
4:1-2 |
| |
147:5, 6, 7 |
| |
153:9 |
| |
157:8, 11, 12, 16, 17 |
| |
158:10, 11 |
| |
159:7, 8 |
- Make adjustments to your life and in your personal relationships.
As you are aware of dissonant areas in your life in relationships, in personal
habits, or in perceptions of God and the world, take steps in realigning your
life in these areas.
Enter gently into this preparation for this sacramental encounter with
God's Spirit. Do not hurry or push or force your agenda. Rest in the peace and
openness of spirit to the presence of God in your life. Feel the warmth of the
Spirit in your heart and the quickening of your mind.
Some Closing Reflections
 Continue to look for experiences that bless your life with ultimate meaning
and value. All are to serve as channels of God's blessings. Nothing should
hinder any and all persons joining in the ministry of blessing in whatever
capacity they serve. It is the ministry of Christ.
This sacramental experience of the Evangelist's Blessing can be viewed as a
moment of high communion with the Divine where you meet at God's invitation to
come and experience his presence, to see yourself more clearly, and to sense
again God's love being expressed to you in the gift of his Son. It is a moment
for the Spirit, through one of his servants, in rite and symbol, to express to
you God's blessing of redeeming love and the meaning of the sacrifice of God's
Son as a blessing for you and the whole human family.
As a result of such blessing, you are now sent forth to be a blessing to
others.
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