Via Karis

 

Praying the Psalms - Psalm 130

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.

I wait for the Lord; my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.

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.