Liberating Sabbath
Discover, in this small group resource, the freedom and rest offered by God through Sabbath, and the liberation experienced by understanding its significance in our lives.
With eight sessions ranging from Jesus and his attitude to the Sabbath, through to key issues such as work, the environment and racial justice all with a focus on the Bible and how it relates to our lives, Liberating Sabbath offers churches and small groups a resource ideal for all participants regardless of age or background.
Easy-to-use, with clear guidance for leaders, and midweek notes for the whole group, this resource will equip and nourish your congregation and encourage a deeper spirituality and discipleship.
"I am thrilled that this course, that was imagined over twenty years ago, has been developed into this new adventurous and imaginative resource. This course will not only serve as a very timely antidote for a church that all too often has become addicted to busyness, but it will open the participants to a new vision of the sabbath that has exciting implications for how we might be faithful and playful witnesses for God in our troubled and hurting world."
— Canon Michael Mitton, former Director of Anglican Renewal Ministries
"The experience of Sabbath is given by God to his people as an open place of freedom and rest, and the scriptures tell us that the Creator himself shared in that rhythm with his creation. This resource, designed to encourage Christian people to know the sabbath rest in a deeper way in their own lives, could not be more timely, appearing at the end of a lockdown where many of us have been confined to our homes.It remind us that, rather than simply viewing this as a an opportunity for incessant ‘home working’, we are called to recognise and honour the boundaries in our routines which help us keep space for a life lived with God."
— The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield
Course Material:
Session One – The Seventh Day of Creation
Exploring the origins of the Sabbath
Session Two – Spoiling God's Creation
Exploring the consequences of disobedience and how things can be put right
Session Three – Freedom in the Wilderness
Exploring the gift of Sabbath as a sign and covenant of the freedom of the wilderness when we move out from slavery
Session Four – Jesus and His Attitudes to the Sabbath
Exploring what Jesus thought about the Sabbath and how he used it
Session Five – Sabbath and Social Justice 1: Business as Usual?
Exploring how Sabbath relates to justice and social issues
Session Six – Sabbath and Social Justice 2: ‘The Least Racist is Still Racist’
Exploring personal attitudes and behaviours regarding cultural identity and race in White-majority British society
Session Seven – The Story of the Two Sons
Getting fresh insights about Sabbath from a very well-known story
Session Eight – Keeping the Sabbath Holy
Exploring ways of enjoying the Sabbath, keeping it holy, and the importance of leisure, play, and fun in our lives