Via Karis
Praying the Psalms - Psalm 138
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased my strength of soul.
All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he perceives from far away.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Litany of Commitment
Via Karis Litany of Commitment
As a covenant community, brought by faith and by God’s grace
to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior,
and quickened by the power of the Holy Spirit,
We promise anew to make the parable
path of Jesus our way of life.
Assured that our sins have been washed away in baptism,
and knowing that we are new creations, reconciled to God in Christ,
We will remember we are beloved children of God.
Knowing the Word of God is living and active, and that all Scripture
is inspired by God and useful for training in righteousness,
so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient,
equipped for every good work,
We will pray a Psalm daily.
With glad and generous hearts, remembering Christ’s presence
with us in the breaking of the bread and sharing of the cup,
and Christ’s prayer that we may be one with him,
and one with each other,
We will break bread with one another weekly.
Considering how we may spur one another on toward love
and good deeds, not giving up meeting together,
but encouraging one another as we see the Day approaching,
We will worship weekly with the Body of Christ.
Remembering the seventh day, when God saw everything God
had made and called it very good, and upholding, as creatures
made in God’s image, our divine commission to care for all creation,
We will attend daily to the beauty of the world.
We, the members of First Baptist Church of Asheville,
with true hearts and in full assurance of faith,
holding fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
do commit ourselves from this day forward to learning
and practicing Via Karis as a way of grace
for our fellowship. Amen.
Via Karis
Via Karis (“Way of Grace”) is a guide for our church that combines essential teachings of the Christian faith with a “Rule of Life” composed of five spiritual practices. This way of grace offers our congregation practical ways to deepen our friendship with God and one another through worship, education, mission, and fellowship.