The Compass

A Daily Personal Reflection & Small Group Discussion Guide

by John Hay, Jr., Senior Pastor
West Morris Street Free Methodist Church

Scroll down to link to the current edition--or any past edition--of The Compass

The Compass can be used as a tool for personal devotions and daily spiritual exercises. It can also be utilized for a small/ cell group for discussion. It follows the worship and preaching Scriptures and themes at West Morris Street Free Methodist Church.

Each weekly edition of The Compass follows a Scripture theme with: 1) Daily Scripture readings and questions for reflection; 2) Personal journaling and/or group discussion questions; 3) Significant quotes to consider, and 4) Service/sharing/witness suggestions

A note from John Hay, Jr.: These posted editions of The Compass reflect the range and approach to the Word of God as I have shared it weekly on Sundays as Senior Pastor of West Morris Street Free Methodist Church since the first Sunday of Advent 2003. I am available to discuss any editions of The Compass with anyone interested.

Click on The Compass issues that are currently available:

What's Pentecost About?
• Living Between Promise & Fulfillment - May 4, 2008
• What Pentecost Means for Women - May 11, 2008
• Pentecost Aftershocks - May 18, 2008
• Going Global with Grace - May 25, 2008
• Cultivating a Passion for Fullness - June 1, 2008

Forgiven & Forgiving
• Why Should I Forgive?
• Forgiveness at Home
• "Facing" Our Enemies
• Forgiveness in Resurrection
• Forgiveness & Healing
• Hard-to-Forgive Forgiveness

Bearing Jesus in Our City - A six-week application of our mission statement through Bible stories and action challenges:
• 1 - A Praying & Spirit-Empowered Church
• 2 - A Church that is Friendly for Seekers

Livng Hope - Advent 2007 - A four-week exploration of Biblical hope during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Asking the question: "What does it mean to live in Biblical hope?"
• 1 - On the Edge of Time
• 2 - Future Hope, Present Faith
• 3 - Hope in the Darkness
• 4 - Living in Fulfillment

10 Bible Stories that Build Outgoing Disciples - faith-forming and life-changing stories of ordinary people who encountered and obeyed God...showing us how to become outgoing disciples today
• 1 - Lost & Found Parables
• 2 - Elijah on Mt. Carmel
• 3 - Being Like Noah
• 4 - Joseph: From Nightmare to a Dream of Grace
• 5 - Joshua: Courage in the Face of Fear
• 6 - Nehemiah: Time to Rebuild?
• 7 - Daniel: Speaking Truth to Power
• 8 - Philip: Worry-Free Witness
• 9 - Paul: Thorn-in-the-Flesh Faith
• 10 - John: Good News for Diaper Christians

Enter THEIR World - a series focusing on challenges of being a local/global urban Christian in light of Pentecost
• 1 - Pentecost Aftershocks
• 2 - Reentry
• 3 - Sent
• 4 - Kenosis Living
• 5 - Prayer for the Harvest

EMBRACE JESUS' PASSION FOR THE CITY - a lenten series focusing on mission in the city
• 1 - Why is Jesus Passionate about the City?
• 2 - What are We to Make of This City?
• 3 - From Athens to Indianapolis - March 11
• 4 - Discerning the Soul of Our City - March 18
• 5 - Retreating, Surviving, or Thriving? - March 25
• 6 - Practicing Resurrection in the City - April 8

MOSES TODAY - a series on the life and ministry of Moses...with practical applications for contemporary Chrsitian living
• Crossing Jordan
• So Close and Yet So Far
• More Than 'Thou Shalt Not'
• First Lessons in the Wilderness
• Between a Rock & a Hard Place
• Plagues & Passover
• It Can Get Worse
• Burning Bush, Living Word
• From Royalty to Fugitive
• A Salvaged Life

Crossing Cultures
- When It's Time to Get Beyond Ourselves
- Impacts of Pentecost

Anticipating Pentecost
- Don't Leave Jerusalem - May 28, 2006
- The Feast of Weeks: Then & Now - May 21, 2006
- Women & Pentecost - May 14, 2006

4 PRACTICES THAT MAKE OR BREAK COMMUNITY
4 Practices that Make or Break Community - March 5, 2006

ISAIAH FOR THE 21st CENTURY - WINTER 2006
Jubilee, Anyone? - Feb 26, 2006
Satisfied? - Feb 19, 2006

THE ACCEPTABLE TIME - ADVENT & CHRISTMASTIDE 2005
A time for hope - Nov 27
A time for faith - Dec 4
A time for love - Dec 11
A time for joy - Dec 18
In the fullness of time - Dec 24
On the First Day of...- Dec 25
What to Do with New - Jan 1

ONE MORE SOUL - developing a lifestyle of watching, listening, and sharing Jesus
Locate Yourself - Somewhere On the Journey - Ephesians 3:14-19; 4:13
See the Lost - How Jesus Sees and Saves - John 4:1-42
Seek the Spirit -
Share Your Life -
Link with Others -
Break Barriers - Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges - Ephesians 2:11-22
Make Room - Crossing Borders, Making Room - Acts 10

SUMMER GROWTH - The Sermon on the Mount...and Beyond!
Summer Growth: Faith Activated - Matthew 8:1-17
Summer Growth: The Road Less Traveled - Matthew 7:13-14
Summer Growth: How to Revitalize Your Prayer Life - Matthew 6:5-18 - July 24, '05
Summer Growth: Like a Child - Matthew 18 & 19 - July 10-16, '05
Summer Growth: The Risk of Freedom - Galatians 5:1-15 - July 3-9, '05

THE IMAGE OF GOD
THE IMAGE OF GOD: Fair Judge: - Luke 18:2-8 - May 29-June 4, '05
THE IMAGE OF GOD: Border Crosser: - John 4:1-42 - May 22-28, '05
THE IMAGE OF GOD: Indwelling Spirit - John 14:17-19, 26; 16:5-15 - May 15-21, '05
THE IMAGE OF GOD: Embracing Father - Luke 15:11-32 - May 8-15, '05
THE IMAGE OF GOD: Self-Expressive Creator - John 1:1-14 - Apr 24-30, '05
THE IMAGE OF GOD: Images That Distort or Clarify - Colossians 1:9-23 - Apr 17-23, '05

--- The following links are currently broken and will be repaired as time permits ---
Please contact us immediately if you are interested in one or
more of the following editions or series of The Compass

BECAUSE OF THE CROSS
Because of the Cross: The End of Cynicism- Luke 19:28-44; Psalm 116 - Mar 27-Apr 2, '05
Because of the Cross: Disappointment & The Cross- Luke 19:28-44; Psalm 116 - Mar 20-26, '05
Because of the Cross: Suffering & The Cross- 1 Peter 2:18-25; 4:12-19 - Mar 13-19, '05
Because of the Cross: Jesus' Alternative to Anxiety- Matthew 6:25-34 - Feb 27-Mar 2, '05

UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM / INSIDE OUT HOSPITALITY: Isaiah's Prayer for Revival - Isaiah:1-12 - Week of Feb 20, 2005
UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM / INSIDE OUT HOSPITALITY: I Was a Stranger - Luke 24:13-36 - Week of Jan 16, 2005
UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM / INSIDE OUT HOSPITALITY: Kingdom Etiquette - Luke 14:1-24 - Week of Jan 9, 2005

"The 12 Days: A Spiritual Journey" - Join in the Journey - Matthew 2:1-8 - Week of Dec 26, 2004 - Jan 1, 2005

"JESUS: Not What Was Expected" - Emmanuel- Matthew 1:18-25 - Week of Dec 19-25, 2004
"JESUS: Not What Was Expected" - Good News Sometimes Comes In Raw Packages - Matthew 11:1-24 - Week of Dec 12-18, 2004
"JESUS: Not What Was Expected" - Where Fruitful Living Begins - Matthew 3:1-12 - Week of Dec 4-11 2004
"JESUS: Not What Was Expected" - Four Principles for Living Advent - Matthew 24:36-44 - Week of Nov 28-Dec 4, 2004

"The Giving Life" - Reaping & Sowing in The Giving Life - 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 - Week of Nov 14-20, 2004
"The Giving Life" - Biblical Principles for the Giving Life - 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 - Week of Nov 7-13, 2004

"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - If I Were Starting My Family Again - Ephesians 3:16-19 - Week of Oct 31- Nov 6, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - Breaking the Family CURSE - Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-21- Week of October 24-30, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - The Family That Plays Together - Nehemiah 8:1-12 - Week of October 17-23, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - Forgiveness In the Family - Colossians 3:1-17- Week of Oct 10-16, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - Rethinking Family Expectations - Luke 15:11-32- Week of Oct 3-9, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - Making Room for Children...and Other Strangers - Matthew 18:1-14; 19:13-14 - Week of Sept 26-Oct 2, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - When We Say 'I Do' - Hosea 11:1-11 - Week of September 19, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - "First Family" - Mark 4:20-35 - Week of September 12, 2004
"GRACE FOR YOUR FAMILY" - What is GRACE, Anyway? - Psalm 103 - Week of September 5, 2004

"Acts for 21st-Century Christians" - The Triumph of Grace - Acts 27-28 - Week of August 29, 2004
"Acts for 21st-Century Christians" - Standing Before Kings - Acts 24-26 - Week of August 22, 2004

Senior Adult Focus -The Investment of Life - Psalm 90 - Week of August 15, 2004

"Acts for 21st-Century Christians" - An Olympic Turnaround - Acts 9:1-31- Week of August 8, 2004
"Acts for 21st-Century Christians" - Getting Beyond Ourselves with God's Love - Acts 10- Week of August 1, 2004
"Acts for 21st-Century Christians" - Forgiving Like Stephen - Acts 6-7 - Week of July 25, 2004
"Acts for 21st-Century Christians" - Singing At Midnight - Acts 16:16-40 - Week of July 18, 2004

Transition Sunday- God Is Ready - 2 Kings 6:8-18 - Week of July 11, 2004

"The Promise": - America Among the Nations - Micah 3:8-4:5 - Week of July 4, 2004
"The Promise": - Share What You Have - Acts 4:32-37 - Week of June 27, 2004
"The Promise": - Becoming A Magnetic Community - Acts 2:42-47 - Week of June 20, 2004
"The Promise": - Crossing Cultures in the Spirit of Jesus - Acts 8:26-40 - Week of June 13, 2004
"The Promise": - Pentecost: End and Beginning - Acts 2:1-41 - Week of June 6, 2004
"The Promise": - Why Did Jesus Ascend? - Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:9-11 - Week of May 30, 2004
"The Promise": - What You Will Receive When You Wait - Acts 1:1-8 - Week of May 23, 2004

"Present Risenness": - Future Risenness: 'What A Day That Will Be': Week of May 16, 2004
"Present Risenness": - What I Want to Know: Week of May 9, 2004
"Present Risenness": - Resurrection Now...and Later: Week of May 2, 2004
"Present Risenness": - Power for Restoration: Week of April 25, 2004
"Present Risenness": - A Prayer for Present Power: Week of April 18, 2004
"Present Risenness": - Resurrection Then & Now: Week of April 11, 2004

"Journey to the Cross" - A Messiah for Times Like This: March 7, 2004
"Journey to the Cross" - Lost and Found: Week of March 21, 2004
"Journey to the Cross" - Loving a City Like Jesus Does: Week of March 14, 2004
"Journey to the Cross" - Watchfulness on the Way:Week of March 7, 2004
"Journey to the Cross" - The Trek Begins: Week of February 29, 2004
"Journey to the Cross" - One Final Preparation: Week of February 22, 2004

"Get Ready to Serve" - Get Ready to Fish: Week of February 15, 2004
"Get Ready to Serve" - Get Ready for Resistance: Week of February 8, 2004
"Get Ready to Serve" - First, the Good News: "Jubilee!": Week of February 1, 2004
"Get Ready to Serve" - Prepare By Facing Down Temptations: Week of January 25, 2004
"Get Ready to Serve" - Why Was Jesus Baptized?: Week of January 18, 2004
"Get Ready to Serve" - The Ministry of John the Baptist: Week of January 11, 2004

"Send Me" - Hearing and Responding to God's Call in our Lives; Week of November 30, 2003
"Send Me" - Desperate Times, Unlikely People; Week of December 7, 2003
"Send Me" - Crossing Cultures with Transcending Grace; Week of December 14, 2003
"Send Me" - Ready or Not; Week of December 21, 2003
"Send Me" - An Untame Christmas: Week of December 28, 2003
"Send Me" - To Epiphany...and Beyond!: Week of January 4, 2004

Audio Tapes of all Morning Worship Services can be ordered through the church office; or you may e-mail the date of the service you desire an audio tape of, along with your mailing address. An invoice for $3 plus mailing fee will be mailed to you.

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