The kingdom of God has practices and postures different from that of our broken world. Sabbath is one of those rhythms that enable us to enter into and experience the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Practicing Sabbath forms us in faith and leaves us looking more like the resurrected image bearers of the resurrected Christ we were meant to be. So we invite you to Sabbath, to take a 24-hour deep breath.
Following is a liturgy for you to use to enter into "sacred time," as well as a liturgy to end Sabbath. A few suggestions:
1) Plan on starting Sabbath on Saturday evening—perhaps at sunset, or just before bed—and plan on ending Sabbath at the same time on Sunday. But if that doesn’t work, no problem! For example, parents with young children might want to begin and end at supper. Or you might begin on Sunday morning and end on Sunday night. Do what’s works best for you. The point is to take some time to stop and rest.
2) The liturgy we provide includes two simple rituals. You will need 2 candles, as well as something that smells good that you can pass around. For example, it could be a bowl of spices, or a bowl of ground coffee, or cinnamon sticks. Get creative! But have something that offers up a pleasant aroma.