Establishing a Rule of Life

What It Is | How to Develop Your Own

This worksheet is offered by your parish as an aid in helping you establish a rule of life. You may find it helpful to seek guidance from a priest or another mature Christian as you write your rule. To print the worksheet, use the printer-friendly version.

What a Rule of Life Is

A rule of life is the means by which an individual Christian establishes an intentional pattern of Christian discipline which can, over time, be reflected upon, revised, and deepened. Your rule is an expression of the faith and practice of the whole Church in your own life; a discipline freely taken on to give order, support, and direction to your life; and a means of rooting your life in Christ.

As each of our lives is unique, so each rule will have a somewhat different shape. However, every rule needs to have as its base and starting point the Anglican tradition’s threefold rule of prayer (Holy Eucharist, Daily Office, and Personal Devotions) and expression of the Christian life in worship, study
and action. This helps us to give ourselves to an integrated pattern of life that is grounded in the larger Christian experience, rather than to make up our own list of “rules” to follow.

A rule needs to be:

  1. Specific: You should be able to say whether or not you are doing it.
  2. Realistic: Something you can really manage.
  3. Sacrificial: It should demand something of you.
  4. Flexible: A rule must be appropriate to the circumstances of one’s life.
  5. Responsive: Reflecting the claims and pattern of the Christian life as the Church understands and lives it.

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Developing Your Own Rule of Life

Use the following form to develop your rule. You may want to use it once to describe your present practice, then go back and draft your intentions for the future. Evaluate your projected rule in terms of the criteria already suggested (specific, realistic, sacrificial, flexible and responsive). All of this is best done in the context of prayer, and in discussion with another mature Christian.

RULE OF LIFE WORKSHEET

  1. WORSHIP: “Continue…in the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

    1. Holy Eucharist: (Participate on all Sundays and major Holy Days)

       

    2. Daily Office: (Which Office? When? Where? With Whom?)

       

    3. Personal Devotion: (Intercession, recollection, meditation, etc.)

       

    4. Other: (Penance, fasting, retreats, use of a spiritual guide, etc.)

       

  2. STUDY: “…Continue in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship.”

    1. Scripture: (Pattern for regular study of the Scriptures.)

       

    2. Christian doctrine, Church history, Ethics, etc.: (Pattern of reading and / or group study.)

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    3. Being Equipped for Worship and Christian Action.

       

  3. CHRISTIAN ACTION “…To represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be.” Describe your responsibilities and opportunities for service, evangelization and stewardship in the various areas of your life.

    1. Family and Friends:

       

    2. Work:

       

    3. Community / Neighborhood / As a citizen:

       

    4. Church:

       

    5. Self (Appropriate attention to your own needs; management of time and responsibilities, etc.):

       

Adapted from: A Rule of Life by Robert A. Gallagher


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Atlantic Avenue and 8th Street
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
(904) 261-4293
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