“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”
— James 4:8
Discover seven practical ways to draw near to God, experience His presence, and deepen your relationship with God this fall. As we draw near to God, He transforms us to live with the joy and love we were created for.
Each Sunday we’ll explore a different way of connecting with God, then put it into practice during the week through a simple ENGIZO practice or shared experience.
This fall we are experiencing seven ways to “ENGIZO “ or “draw near” to God. God invites each of us into a closer relationship with Him, but we don’t all connect with Him in exactly the same way. In this series, we’ll discover seven ways we can draw near to God—and explore how each can help us experience more of His presence and deepen our relationship with God.
Draw Near
September 13
Discover God’s invitation to draw near to Him and how He uniquely created us to connect with Him.
The Contemplative Way
September 20
Draw near to God through prayer, reflection, stillness, and undistracted time in His presence.
Midweek Step: Guide to Spending Solitude With God & Spiritual Assessment
Guide To Spending Solitude With God
Find a quiet space away from noise, turn off your devices completely, and place them out of sight.
1. Ground Your Heart in Grace
We don’t enter God’s presence through our own effort, focus, or ability to quiet our mind. You are welcomed freely because Jesus opened the way through the cross. Take a breath and rest in the truth that in Christ, God is already pleased with you and delights to be with you.
2. Reflect on Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God.” In biblical Hebrew, the phrase translated “be still” is raphah. It means “to drop your hands,” or “to let go.” You don’t have to hold your world together or earn your worth. Christ is already holding all things together. Jesus declared on the cross, “It is finished.”
3. Practice Release
- Clench Your Fists: Tighten your hands into firm fists for five seconds. Feel the weight and tension of trying to carry your own schedule, anxieties, and performance.
- Open Your Palms: Slowly open your hands, resting them palms-up on your knees. Keep them open as a physical response to what Jesus has done for you.
- Refocus on Christ: When your mind drifts or feels uncomfortable with the silence, reset your focus with a simple breath prayer:
- Inhale: “Jesus, You hold all things…”
- Exhale: “…so I can let go.”
4. Relax in His Presence
Spend a few minutes sitting quietly with open hands. You don’t need to perform, prove anything, or earn this moment. What things come to mind? Either silently, or out loud, talk with God about the things that are brought to your mind.
5. Discover How He Wired You (Engizo Spiritual Assessment)
From this posture of grace and rest, complete the Engizo Spiritual Assessment to identify the unique ways God has wired you to abide in Him.
The Relational Way
September 27
Draw near to God through relationships, meaningful conversation, community, and sharing life with others.
Midweek Step: Be A Barnabas Challenge
Be A Barnabas Challenge
1. Pray For Your Person: Throughout the week, pray for the person named on the tag you received.
- Monday | Work: Pray for a sense of purpose in their daily tasks, a healthy environment, and endurance through high-stress demands.
- Tuesday | Health: Pray for strength, bodily healing, energy, and restful sleep to sustain them through their daily routine.
- Wednesday | Finances: Pray for God’s faithful provision, peace amid financial stress, and wisdom in managing daily needs.
- Thursday | Relationships: Pray for healthy connections, restored trust where needed, and that they feel genuinely loved and supported by those in their life.
- Friday | Neighborhood: Pray for safety, peace, and positive, caring interactions in the community where they live.
2. Connect With Others: Reach out to a friend or acquaintance from church to check in, chat via text, or grab coffee to encourage one another.
Shift everyday conversations toward spiritual depth by moving from what happened to how God is present in daily life.
Instead of: “How was your week?” Try: “Where did you sense God was working around you this week?”
Instead of: “How are things at home or work?” Try: “What has been weighing on your heart lately?”
Instead of: “Did you go to church?” Try: “What has God been teaching you?”
The Worship Way
October 4
Draw near to God through expressions of praise, celebration, and adoration.
Midweek Event: All Church Worship Night
All Church Worship Night | October 9 | 7:00-9:00PM
The Worship and Prayer Night is a church-wide event created to help us draw closer to God through heartfelt worship, prayer, praise, celebration, and adoration. It is an opportunity to step away from the busyness of everyday life, come together as one church family, and intentionally seek God’s presence.
Childcare is available for children preschool age and younger. Registration is for childcare only; no registration is needed to attend Worship and Prayer Night. Children in kindergarten and above are welcome to attend the worship night with their parents.
The Creation Way
October 11
Draw near to God through the beauty, wonder, and majesty of His created world.
Midweek Event: Spiritual Walk In Nature
Spiritual Nature Walk | October 17 | 8:00AM-12:00PM | Locations Vary
Join us for a Spiritual Nature Walk! We’ve made it easy to drop by 3 trail sites across the area to help you try out the Creation Way of connecting with God. Show up at your convenience, anytime between 8:00AM and 12:00PM, pick up a Walk Guide from the site hosts, and stick around afterward to hang out.
Fairfield Site
Lake Mohegan
Address: 960 Morehouse Hwy, Fairfield, CT 06825
Enter the trailhead from the main (beach) parking lot
Trail Info:
The trails at Lake Mohegan Recreation Area are lakeside, dirt singletrack trails that wind in and out of the trees along the banks of the lake and creeks. There is a lot of signage on the trails along with plenty of overlooks and viewpoints. Great for any fitness level. Expect rocks and roots. 45-60 minutes
Shelton Site
Shelton Rec Path – Pine Lake
Address: 130 Shelton Ave, Shelton, CT 06484
Enter at the Pine Lake Trailhead parking lot (optional trailhead at Dog Park)
Trail Info:
An out & back hike on a well graded, mostly wide path along lakes, a reservoir, creeks & wetlands. The path heads up a long but gradual incline between the Intermediate School and High School, crosses Constitution Blvd, and follows the top of a long dam built in the 1800’s at Silent Waters. 45-60 minutes
An alternate, more wooded path runs past the Dog Park to an overlook of the Hope Lake dam, and continues for another half mile to Oak Valley Road. It’s less than a mile from the host site and our volunteers can lead you to it. 45-60 minutes
Wilton Site
Norwalk River Valley Trail
Address: 171 Danbury Rd, Norwalk, CT 06851
Enter the trailhead from the Park & Ride lot at the corner of Routes 7/106 (near Orem’s Diner)
Trail Info:
The Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT) features an easy, scenic off-road portion known as the Wilton Loop East. Starting right near the corner of Route 106 and Route 7 (just past Orem’s Diner), you can park at the dedicated Park & Ride lot. From there, the trail heads north through thick woods on a flat, stone-dust path and elevated wooden boardwalks. Up and back options of 1 or 2 hours as directed by the site host.
Download the guide if you can’t attend the event.
The Serving Way
October 18
Draw near to God by helping others, meeting needs, and making a tangible difference.
Midweek Step: Act of Kindness Challenge
Act of Kindness Challenge
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…” — Mark 10:45
When we serve others, we don’t just help them—God does something in us. Serving trains our hearts to look more like Jesus.
Try some simple ways to serve during your week:
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The Breakroom Reset
- Before grabbing your coffee or lunch, clean up the shared space—wipe down a counter, restock paper towels, brew a fresh coffee, etc. without being asked.
- The Mindset Shift: Silently practice putting others’ comfort ahead of your own convenience.
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The Encouragement Email or Note
- Send a quick, unprompted note or message to a coworker, vendor, or colleague acknowledging a specific way they help others or do great work.
- The Mindset Shift: Shift from noticing what isn’t getting done to celebrating others.
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Take the Heavy or Low-Visibility Task
- Volunteer for an unglamorous errand, take the undesirable meeting slot, or cover a routine task for a team member without expecting recognition.
- The Mindset Shift: Practicing the low position Jesus modeled in Philippians 2.
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Anonymously Bless Someone’s Day
- Pay for the coffee order behind you, leave a $5-10 gift card or a favorite treat on a coworker’s desk.
- The Mindset Shift: Serving purely for God’s audience rather than human approval.
At the end of each day, take 2 minutes to process with God:
- Who did God place in my path today, and how did serving them shift my perspective?
- What is God showing me about my own heart through that?
Consider serving on a team today!
The Intellectual Way
October 25
Draw near to God through learning, discovering truth, and growing in your understanding of Him.
Midweek Event: Apologetics Lecture
Apologetics Lecture | October 29 | 7:00-8:30PM | Woodruff Hall
God created our minds with a capacity for deep thought, curiosity, and critical reflection, yet we rarely pause to explore how our intellect can become a primary pathway to loving Him. On October 29, discover how engaging your mind can draw your heart closer to God. Join us for an evening designed to explore how study, writing, cultural engagement, and our professions can become vibrant acts of worship. Whether you love asking big questions, exploring history, or examining how faith intersects with modern culture, this gathering offers a space to sharpen your thinking and discover what it means to love God with all your mind.
Details:
Hear from speaker John Vampatella about his experience of relating to God through intellectual study, writing and cultural engagement
Explore the evidence for faith in God, Jesus’ death and resurrection and the Bible
Hear from other Black Rockers via a panel discussion about how their intellect engages with God through their professions
Connect and dialogue with others at a post-event dessert reception
The Activist Way
November 1
Draw near to God by taking action for His purposes and standing for what is good, right, and just.
Midweek Step: Browse the Community Engagement brochure and serve with a Local Partner or sign up for Fall Love Works Day (Nov. 21)
