FAith@Work: Series Proposal

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Main page

Logo/Title

The dual meaning of the phrase and the punctuation give it a little edge.  It's also short, memorable, and relatively obvious. I'm not sure how many young folks know what time cards are anymore, but I wanted to use a more iconic image, rather than one that presumes a particular occupation (e.g. a desktop).

Approach

My intention is to do a series that really just introduces the broad topic of the spirituality of work.  Any one of the subtopics could support its own series, but we're not used to hearing many specifics about work in preaching at all.

This series can draw from Pope John Paul II's extensive teaching on the spirituality of work, Catholic social teaching, U.S. Bishop statements, and many Catholic and Christian authors who focus on this topic.

Scheduling

I propose a five-week series starting September 28. I chose the dates for a number of reasons:
  • It's hard to get things started up in the Fall, especially small faith-sharing groups. The later start date makes it much more likely that we can engage other parishes.
  • These seem to be the best weeks based on connections with the Sunday lectionary readings. 
  • Overlapping with Labor Day would have been nice in theory, but many are away for a long weekend.

Sub-topics

These are all proposals, and not firm.  Input welcome!

Week One: Doing a Good Job (10/1/17)

Main points
  • Our work matters to God, and other people's work matters to God. We don't have to be in a "noble" profession for it to matter. In our work, we collaborate with God in the act of creation (and building the Kingdom).
  • People don't have dignity because of work; work has dignity because of the worker.
  • We often ignore work when we talk about spirituality. We need to seek a spirituality of work to support us.
  • Simply doing a confident, competent job and using our God-given gifts is a solid starting point for a spirituality of work.
  • It can be helpful to take actions to remind ourselves of our faith foundation when at work. Say a prayer when arriving and/or departing, bring "sacred" objects into your office to remind you of God, why you work, your family, etc.
Lectionary connections (26 Sunday in OT)
  • The Gospel story is of the two sons who are asked by their father to work in the vineyard (one refuses but then goes, the other agrees and doesn't). This is an entry point for discussing how we need to competently carry out the work we have committed to doing.
  • The second reading, from Philippians, challenges us to humility in Christ and looking out for others' interests.
Book connections
  • Finding God@Work - Session 1 & 2
  • Spirituality@Work - Chapter 1, 2, 5, & 12

Week 2: Just Work (10/8/17)

Main points
  • When we consider a spirituality of work, we also need to consider others' work and how we ensure that members of our society are not mistreated.
  • What rights do you believe everyone should have regarding work? Does everyone deserve a job? A living wage? What is a living wage? Etc.
  • What responsibility do we have to make these beliefs a reality?
Lectionary connections (27th Sunday in OT)
  • The Gospel story is the parable of the tenants, where the landowner's servants and son are murdered by the tenants. This offers an entry point for considering the treatment of workers everywhere. The story can serve as a reminder that Jesus is present in workers, especially the "least of these." How do we work for God's kingdom and the good of all?
  • The Philippians reading tells us to focus on whatever is true, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent, and worthy of praise.
Book connections
  • Finding God@Work - Session 5 & 6
  • Spirituality@Work - Chapter 11

Week 3: Balancing Work (10/15/17)

Main points
  • While work itself is not bad, it can become unhealthy and take over our lives. This is an age-old problem and one of the reason the sabbath is part of our tradition.
  • This is a particularly difficult problem today, with always-on communication, crazy work expectations, rejected vacation time, lack of paid family leave, etc.
  • As Lily Tomlin famously put it, even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat. The drive to over-invest ourselves into work begs the question, "What is success?"
Songs
Lectionary connections (28th Sunday in OT)
  • The Gospel is of a wedding banquet where invitations are ignored by some, who instead decide to work! This is an obvious entry point for considering how our work can get in the way of the joy of the Gospel, however we experience it.
  • In Philippians, Paul tells how he has learned to live in abundance and humble circumstances. He did not seek affluence at all costs.
  • The first reading from Isaiah tells of abundance from God. This could be an opportunity to connect with Old Testament accounts of how God provided abundance that would last through the Sabbath (Exodus).
Book connections
  • Finding God@Work - Session 4
  • Spirituality@Work - Chapter 9 & 10

Week 4: Fixing the System (10/22/17)

Main points
  • If everyone's work is important to God, then it is a problem when the broader work system is broken in a way that keeps people from working in a productive, dignified way. Our responsibility as Christians is not limited to the confines of our job, but we need to look at the larger system of where we work (and sometimes other systems).
  • Catholic social teaching informs how we need to improve systems for the good of workers and the broader society.
Lectionary connections (29th Sunday in OT)
  • In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. One way to read this is as an affirmation of our social responsibility. We may see our job as a Caesar ruling our decisions at times, but what responsibility do we have to God to improve that work system?
  • The first reading from Isaiah is particularly interesting and topical, as it recalls how God guides the pagan Cyrus the Great (founder of the Persian Empire) and his "system" to do his will. How can we put our wider systems of work to work for the common good and ultimately the Kingdom of God?
Book connections
  • Finding God@Work - Session 6
  • Spirituality@Work - Chapter 11

Week 5: Loving Our Work Neighbors (10/29/17)

Main points
  • What does it mean to love our neighbor when that neighbor is a co-worker (boss, peer, or subordinate), customer, vendor, or competitor?
  • Do we treat others with honesty and dignity? Do we offer thanksgiving and congratulations? Do we act ethically?
  • As Jesus taught us in the story of the Good Samaritan, love of neighbor means going beyond the bare minimum responsibility we have and into a "self-giving love" that may even affect our "bottom line."
  • Subtlely outing ourselves as Catholic in the workplace can be an opportunity for healing and/or evangelization: it often opens up conversations about the Church and faith.
Lectionary connections (30th Sunday in OT)
  • In the Gospel, Jesus tells us to love God and neighbor. What does it mean to love our neighbor in the workplace?
  • The first reading from Exodus includes exhortations to not take advantage of the weak.
Book connections
  • Finding God@Work - Session 3 & 5
  • Spirituality@Work - Chapter 6 & 8

Small Group Materials

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General resource

Our primary recommendation is Gregory Pierce's Finding God@Work, published by Renew International. It follows closely to the topics covered in this series. This can work well for anyone in a traditional job.
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Retirement

There are a couple different resources we recommend for those who are retired or nearing retirement. One is the Redefining Retirement as a Spiritual Journey DVD and small group kit by Dr. Richard Graham.

The other is the Looking Back and Giving Forward small group process from Lumunos.
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Specific Vocations

We are actively looking at adapting William Droel's out-of-print "Spirituality of Work" booklets into eResources for small group use. There is one for homemakers, teachers, lawyers, nurses, and business people.

The specificity of these options can be a game-changer in getting people to commit to joining a group and even inviting non-parishioners to join a group. 

Liturgy

We will include suggestions for integrating the spirituality of work into the liturgy, as outlined on this page from my GospelLiving site:

Additional Resources

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Gregory Pierce's Spirituality@Work is also particularly recommended, with topics correlating with the series.
Extensive quotes, books, websites, and other resources can be found on this page from my GospelLiving site: