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12/26/19, Progressing Spirit: Deshna Sharron: Feeling Compassionate; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 26 Dec '19

26 Dec '19

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#yiv9812378278templateHeader .yiv9812378278mcnTextContent p{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv9812378278 #yiv9812378278templateBody .yiv9812378278mcnTextContent, #yiv9812378278 #yiv9812378278templateBody .yiv9812378278mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv9812378278 #yiv9812378278templateFooter .yiv9812378278mcnTextContent, #yiv9812378278 #yiv9812378278templateFooter .yiv9812378278mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}} Dear White Christians | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Feeling Compassionate | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Deshna Charron December 26, 2019 Dear White Christians,1 Today, as I write this, I am feeling compassion for the white fragility out there. There’s a lot of grief connected to it. Yes, something is dying, friends. Because it must. White supremacy must die so we can all be transformed, so we can all be resurrected. Acknowledging our white fragility does not mean we are fragile people... it just means we are aware of the guilt and defensiveness that naturally comes up when we look at our own concepts around race. In response to a year end letter I wrote for ProgressiveChristianity.org2, we received a handful of responses from white people. The letter was focused on letting our readers know about a new initiative our organization is taking, Christian Reparations Resolutions. As progressive Christians this is a foundational necessity for we claim that we know that the way we behave towards one another is the fullest expression of what we believe and that we strive for peace and justice among all people By reparations in this case, we mean actions that bring about repair. We are not referring to financial reparations specifically, but rather to repentance and actions that move communities toward healing. Reparations can not happen without first acknowledging the harm caused by white Christianity in all its forms, and by repenting, asking for forgiveness, and resolving to do better together with bipoc (Black, Indigenous and People of Color). These Resolutions focus on 3 main roots of disharmony and injustice plaguing our world and Christianity: 1. Repentance for harmful actions, attitudes, and lifestyles as well as reparations for Indigenous peoples. 2. Repentance for harmful actions, attitudes, and lifestyles as well as reparations for People of Color. 3. Repentance for harmful actions, attitudes, and lifestyles as well as reparations for harm to Creation. Here is one of the responses to my letter: “Sorry, but I will not apologize for being of white heritage, and I will not repent for it. I am not privileged, frail, or a racist. I believe we are all created by the Divine Source and conduct myself accordingly in the world. I believe in a more positive attitude about the present and future, which is how I plan to live my life.” My friends, throughout history, the Christian table has been too small and yet the followers of Jesus have always been admonished to make more room. I do not desire to lump all Christians into one box, however, as we continue to use the word Christianity to describe our religion and path, if we want to reclaim that name, it's important to look at it as a whole. As progressive Christians, we are called to the work of transformation that we have witnessed in the incredible life of Jesus. We have been teaching these values from our pulpits, from stages, behind cameras and to our readership. We have been gathering around a table and breaking bread and pouring wine, but that table has historically been too small. We have met a moment in history that demands more of us. Healing and positive transformation are our goals here. We all want to get closer to radical inclusion and harmony. However, to move toward healing and a more fair society, we must first acknowledge where our ancestors and where we have missed the mark or have caused harm. Remember kindergarten? Teachers and parents alike, modeled to us that when harm has been done, intentionally or not, we begin by acknowledging, then we ask forgiveness, then we resolve to do better. Only then, can we ALL fully envision a world that is better than the one we have been handed. We can see into the future, where a rainbow tribe covers the earth, respectful and authentic, as Jesus envisioned. We aren't apologizing for being white. We are seeking restorative justice for the acts that have caused harm done in the name of Christianity. This isn't a new concept, especially for progressives. The historian Roy E. Finkenbine3 documented at the assembling of the United States, black reparations were actively considered and often effected. Quakers in New York, New England, and Baltimore went so far as to make “membership contingent upon compensating one’s former slaves.” In 1782, the Quaker Robert Pleasants emancipated his 78 slaves, granted them 350 acres, and later built a school on their property and provided for their education. “The doing of this justice to the injured Africans,” wrote Pleasants, “would be an acceptable offering to him who ‘Rules in the kingdom of men.’ ”4 But while the people advocating reparations have changed over time, the response from the country has remained virtually the same. “They have been taught to labor,” the Chicago Tribune editorialized in 1891. “They have been taught Christian civilization, and to speak the noble English language instead of some African gibberish. The account is square with the ex‑slaves.”5 After 250 years of slavery, blacks continued to be terrorized and oppressed. Banks refused loans or charged insane interest rates and only allowed blacks to purchase homes in black neighborhoods. Businesses discriminated and continue to discriminate against them. The income gap between black and white households is roughly the same today as it was in 1970. Many well intended white Christians would probably say, aren't we over the slavery thing yet? This is within my own lifetime, so no, we're not 'over it yet'. “This is not surprising. Black families, regardless of income, are significantly less wealthy than white families. The Pew Research Center estimates that white households are worth roughly 20 times as much as black households, and that whereas only 15 percent of whites have zero or negative wealth, more than a third of blacks do. Effectively, the black family in America is working without a safety net. When financial calamity strikes—a medical emergency, divorce, job loss—the fall is precipitous.”6 Many well meaning white Christians may say, well I worked hard for that. Yes, you did. And did they work any less hard? Meritocracy works well for the white community that upholds it, but doesn't make room for others so well. Along with this comes a toxic perspective inherent in white culture that bipoc are lazy or unable to pay their bills. The church has largely remained silent around the issue of the theft of black and native lands. There is more history here than I can go into in one short column. However, the facts are clear. Below is a list of references so that you can do your own research. Modern day Christianity too often is preaching an exclusive Christianity that only allows certain people into the Kingdom. It is the same Christianity that was used to oppress indigenous people all over the world. This Christianity culturally appropriated African stories and mythologies. This Christianity made God white and made Jesus white. Why? To serve the White Roman Empire. This Christianity has been extremely implicit in racism and violence for thousands of years. This Christianity was used in seminaries that would not accept black people. This Christianity used the Bible as a justification for slavery. This Christianity all too often affirmed white supremacy. The Christianity that is shared from Christian pulpits around the world has been used for centuries to preaching to control, suppress, oppress, and miseducate. This Christianity warped a message to tell the world that we are born as sinners and that we need a savior to gain access to God. Yes, I know that this isn't your Christianity. Your Christianity is one that stands up for the oppressed, helps the needy, and seeks to be radically inclusive! Bravo! Yet, people all over the world have been harmed by the Church and by Christianity in general. And still are being harmed by our fragile inability to discuss race openly and to intentionally stand against racism. And acknowledging that might help a little... Isn't that worth it? I believe Christianity must acknowledge its participation in past racism and present silence. Progressive Christianity has always been cutting edge, always seeking to grow in learning and spirit. This is an opportunity for this movement to be a leading example in this world. Please hear me, kind and compassionate Christian. I know you probably didn't do these racist acts. You didn't have slaves, you didn't steal lands, you don't fear others because of the color of their skin. I know that there are many kind hearted social justice oriented Christians, now and in the past, that have made every effort to work toward freedom for all, equality, and who have opened their doors to the needy and the marginalized. I know you have worked in soup kitchens, I know you have opened your church doors to the homeless for meals and a kind face. I know you think you don't see color. And yet, you equate helping the poor and needy with bipoc, as though they aren't able to help themselves. This same rationale was held by people who struggled to see the need to include the LGBTQ community. “We already open our doors, we're already helping the needy.” Othering, instead of seeing bipoc as equals or a needed part of community, is what is hurting us most right now. Some might say that to speak of race or racism is only to create more racism. But that is like saying when you have had conflict with your partner you should just focus on the love and not talk about it, because to talk about it will only bring more conflict. When indeed it is the opposite. When you talk about something hard that has happened it brings it into the light, it allows for understanding, vulnerable repentance, forgiveness, and growth. In Jemar Tisby's important new book, The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism,7 Tisby, president of The Witness, a black Christian collective, writes that, "The failure of many Christians in the South and across the nation to decisively oppose the racism in their families, communities and even their own churches provided fertile soil for the seeds of hatred to grow." It all amounts to what he calls "the American church's sickening record of supporting racism." What can be done to redeem Christianity and move toward healing? “His answer is for Christians to become more aware of the reality of a compromised church, develop relationships with people of races other than their own, and commit to working for reconciliation both individually and as a faith community. He gets more specific: Learn what people really mean when they call for "reparations" to be paid to people whose ancestors were enslaved. Remove Confederate monuments, or relocate them to a museum setting where their history can be interpreted. Understand what is meant by black theology, and learn from the black church.”8 Being not racist is different than being anti-racist. That is what Tisby is talking about when he says that many Christians have failed to oppose the racism in their families, communities and churches. Author, Professor and political activist, Angela Davis9 writes, “in a racist society, which we live in, it is not enough to be non-racist, we have to be anti-racist.” To be anti-racist is to decisively oppose racism. To acknowledge our racism is to bring it into the light. To be progressive and vulnerable enough to be willing to examine our ideas and attitudes, why we do what we do. To ask for forgiveness for the actions of our ancestors is brave and vulnerable. To model new behavior is radical and progressive. As author and holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel10 writes: “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” Bishop Yvette Flunder of City of Refuge11 recently wrote, “we need what theologian Matthew Fox calls a balance of both 'the mystic and the prophet, the lover and the warrior.' It's not enough to be one or the other.” Where is God calling you this season to brave speech? Where is God calling you to sacred self reflection? How is your complicity showing up? Are there opportunities for your to enter into brave conversation with bipoc people? Can you be progressive enough to ask them how you can be a better ally? As a leader, can you invite voices of bipoc that are commonly marginalized to be centered? Does your leadership committee represent your community or the community you desire? Might there be room for someone new? As a parent, who are your children's closest friends? Do they see the importance of anti-racism from your circle of friends? Not talking about race is not the answer. Ignoring the history of how white American Christians have treated bipoc is not the answer. As a friend, are you calling out racist comments and inviting vulnerable conversation? As a white person, you have the ability to ignore the issue of race. People of other skin colors do not. That is our privilege. As a Christian, how are you being in prayer around this? Are you willing to do the hard work today so that we can fully reflect the imago dei tomorrow? So maybe that wasn't you. That wasn't your church, or at least the church you know. That wasn't your Christianity or your story of Jesus. But calling yourself a Christian and not being honest about the history of Christianity is a blind spot a that will impede the healing we need if we want to serve all in our community. Naming our racism and our ancestors harmful actions does not divide us further, it is the first step in spiritual and communal evolution. Vulnerability is necessary for healing. Naming the violent and racist acts done in the name of Christianity does not mean we did those things, it means we are not afraid to acknowledge where our ancestors went wrong and our commitment to do better. Making the table bigger to include the marginalized does not mean there won’t be room for you any longer. Making the table a circle, rather than a rectangle with you at the head does not mean you won’t be heard, or honored, or cherished. It means other people will have an opportunity to also be heard, seen and cherished. I feel you friends. I feel your fear coming up as defensiveness and avoidance. I hold you in my heart today as you navigate your grief. Have compassion for yourself as you battle the inner voices of fragility, of guilt, and of denial. I too, am walking that road and look forward to stretching more fully into the progressive movement following the life example of Jesus. ~ Rev. Deshna Charron Read online here. About the Author Rev. Deshna Charron is Director of ProgressiveChristianity.org and Progressing Spirit and is an ordained Interfaith Minister. She is an author, international speaker, and a visionary. She grew up in a thriving progressive Christian church and has worked in the field for over 13 years. She graduated from UCSB with a major in Religious Studies and a minor in Global Peace and Security. She is a lead author and editor on the children’s curriculum: A Joyful Path, Spiritual Curriculum. She co-authored the novel, Missing Mothers. She is the Executive Producer of Embrace Festival. She is passionate about sacred community, nourishing children spiritually, and transforming Christianity through a radically inclusive lens. ******************************* 1I have some misgivings about treating “whiteness” as a homogenous group, however, for the sake of simplicity and for the point of this column, I will do so. 2https://progressivechristianity.org/resources/the-table-is-too-small/ 3https://sites.udmercy.edu/alumni/2019/06/19/lets-talk-professor-roy-e-fink… 4https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparati… 5https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparati… 6https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparati… 7https://www.thecolorofcompromise.com 8https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/color-compromise-calls-american-chr… 9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis 10https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel 11http://www.cityofrefugeucc.org/about-bishop-flunder.html Resources beyond the footnotes: Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization, Heinrichs, Steve Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion, Wilson-Hartgrove, Jonathan Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice, Mason, Eric The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism, Tisby, Jemar So You Want to Talk About Race, Oluo, Ijeoma | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Margaret I just want to say that the writings of Bishop Spong have been such a gift. They give me hope when I tend to think there is no hope that God can be imagined in ways different from institutional Christianity. I am a firm Christian but know that our thinking can be so limited. Bishop Spong’s writings echoed so many of the ideas that have become part of my faith journey. It was so wonderful to see them in his books and columns. I did not feel so alone. His ideas have nurtured my spirituality in so many ways that I cannot even begin to express. I am so grateful for the Spirit in him that he has shared with so many. A: By Bishop John Shelby Spong Dear Margaret, Thank you for your comments. I find it fascinating to observe what institutional religion does to people. I get letters that say, “You have given me permission to think, to ask questions and to grow.” The implication is that their church communities have denied that permission and enforced it with a message of guilt. Faith in the biblical narrative does not mean giving intellectual assent to propositional statements like those found in creeds and dogmas. All creeds and doctrines are human creations. Faith means having the courage to walk into the new, the strange and the unknown in the confidence that the power and presence we call God is not constrained by the human patterns of yesterday and thus can always be found in the changes that accompany tomorrow. Faith is a journey into the mystery and wonder of God and that journey will always take us beyond the road maps of our human past. Journey well! ~ John Shelby Spong December 15, 2011 Read and share online here. | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Origins of the Bible, Part XII: Introducing the Prophet Isaiah Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong September 11, 2008 Bernard Baruch, a Jewish American from Camden, South Carolina, was well known in the first half of the 20th Century as the unofficial advisor to Presidents. He played key roles in the think tanks of Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman. As the son of a surgeon who served on the staff of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, dealing with power seemed to come naturally to him. David Gergen, a native of Durham, North Carolina, played a similar role in American history in the last half of the 20th Century as an advisor to Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Clinton. Baruch and Gergen are representatives of that rare ability to ride a long political tide and to provide objective analysis in the midst of partisan conflict and thus to guide the ship of state through choppy waters. The biblical figure we call "I Isaiah" played a similar role in the ancient world. His writings are found in Isaiah, chapters 1-39. His life spanned the reigns of four monarchs who ruled in Jerusalem. Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, according to Old Testament scholar William F. Albright, ruled between 783-687 BC, a total of 96 years. Isaiah was center stage for more than 50 of them, a tribute to his longevity. He emerged into public view, he says, "In the year that King Uzziah died" and he lived through one of the most difficult periods of Jewish history. Click here to continue reading. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements | | | | | 7 Days of Rest & Radiant Diversity is an annual global event that takes place the first week of every year. The aim of the event is to begin the new year by co-creating a global unified field of intention and experience dedicated to the healing and replenishment of the planet and all its inhabitants. Join the Charter for Compassion in making 7 Days of Rest a catalyst to beginning 2020 in a reflective and inspiring way. READ ON ... | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Spirit if Christmas; Hawking quote
by Ellie Stock 25 Dec '19

25 Dec '19

THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS The Christmas Spiritis that Hopewhich tenaciously clingsto the hearts of the faithfuland announcesin the faceof any Herod the world can produceand all the inn doors slammed in our facesand all the dark nights of our soulsthat with Godall things are possible,that even nowunto usa Child is born! - Ann Weems Attached: Stephen Hawking quote. Christmas and New Year's blessings! Carleton and Ellieelliestock(a)aol.com

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Re: [Dialogue] 2019 Advent Letter
by James Wiegel 22 Dec '19

22 Dec '19

https://youtu.be/viXTVoZxHJY Yes. Lots more to do. We visited Joe Slicker in Dallas and he talked about the hallway he lived on and it’s residents as his human development project — and about dining room conversations. Tom and Connie Reemtsma as well With respect, Jim Wiegel > On Dec 22, 2019, at 1:22 AM, William Grow <billgrow(a)verizon.net> wrote: > > > Dear friends and extended family, > > We are glad to be able to send you our Advent greetings before Easter this year! > > It is a pleasure to receive your letters, and we want to hear from you all as you restore meaning to this season and spread hope to many others. > > So, have a joyful Christmas and watch for a surprising new year! > > Grace and peace, > > Nancy and Bill > > > <Encore 6 Advent 2019.docx>

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Re: [Dialogue] Watched a movie on Netflix
by Sunny Walker 22 Dec '19

22 Dec '19

Just watched The Two Popes. Netflix. Recommend it. Sent from Xfinity Connect Application -----Original Message----- From: dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net To: dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net, oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net Cc: jfwiegel(a)yahoo.com Sent: 2019-12-21 9:37:50 PM Subject: [Dialogue] Watched a movie on Netflix Tall girl. Sort of a hallmark version of the long necked girl story. With respect, Jim Wiegel _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net

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12/19/19, Progressing Spirit: 10 Things Smart Progressive Churches Know About Worship, Part 1; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 19 Dec '19

19 Dec '19

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.yiv5405409708mcnTextContent, #yiv5405409708 #yiv5405409708templateHeader .yiv5405409708mcnTextContent p{ font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media only screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv5405409708 #yiv5405409708templateBody .yiv5405409708mcnTextContent, #yiv5405409708 #yiv5405409708templateBody .yiv5405409708mcnTextContent p{ font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;} }@media only screen and (max-width:480px){ #yiv5405409708 #yiv5405409708templateFooter .yiv5405409708mcnTextContent, #yiv5405409708 #yiv5405409708templateFooter .yiv5405409708mcnTextContent p{ font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;} } | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 Things Smart Progressive Churches Know About Worship, Part 1 | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Fran Pratt December 19, 2019I have been a worship leader, liturgist, and musician in various church contexts for nearly 20 years, and I have ideas about how we, who are re-imagining faith and church, can proceed. In particular, progressive clergy, worship leaders, and liturgists need to re-imagine, redefine, and reclaim the concept and practice of Worship. Regardless of our tradition of origin, whether we consider ourselves ex-Evangelical, Mainline, Christian Mystic, or otherwise, we have an opportunity to think critically about our worship practices as we move forward.Church no longer has a corner on the market of spirituality; this is a truth the church must admit if it is to survive. But we don’t need it! We don’t have ego skin in games of hierarchy. So we’re free to be creative, to break rules, and to think outside the accepted boxes. And I encourage us all to re-think what we typically call “worship” in our gatherings. We can craft liturgies and gatherings that are meaningful and attentive to the times and our authentic experience. We can create space for spiritual awakening and growth. Toward that end, I offer you 10 things smart progressive churches know about worship: 1) The “Worship Wars” are over; We can opt out. This style is not better than that style. We know that musical style depends on the audience/congregation, and we’ll use whatever style of music works best as a formational tool and to create space for authentic experience of the Divine and of community. Ideally, style should shift as the congregation shifts, and should reflect the mission and values of the community. Style should also reflect the diversity of a community. This means, preachers and leaders, that sometimes you’re going to have to sacrifice your preferred aesthetic. A handful of leaders should not hold the musical style of a community hostage - the style should be reflective of the range of ages and ethnicities in the seats. The music should serve them, not force them to serve it. The style should also be sensitive to the lived experience of your people. For instance, in my community we have a lot of people who are making a last-ditch effort at church and are coming out of a lot of evangelical spiritual trauma. They are resistant to anything that feels emotionally manipulative. Some super-emotive modern songs just don’t work for them; they bring up too much harmful history. So I try not to offer songs that might trigger trauma. Instead I offer them emotional and intimate moments within songs rich with theology and missional purpose. To this end, I’ve found that a mix of traditional and new works well in my community. Pastors and Worship Leaders don’t have to take sides in the Traditional vs Contemporary debate. It’s dualistic and ego-driven anyway. We can draw from a wide variety of styles and traditions (being mindful of avoiding cultural appropriation) and time-periods to synthesize a meaningful, soul-nourishing, ear-pleasing blend of well-loved, shared liturgy. 2) A well-rounded gathering reflects a variety of spiritual postures. It offers congregants opportunities to express more than just joy, praise, or exaltation - expressions we might judge to be “positive.” There are other important songs we need to sing: songs of justice and resistance to evil, songs of peacemaking and forgiveness, songs of confession, songs of hopefulness, songs of thankfulness, songs of lament and grief, and so on. And these postures aren’t only constrained to songs. The liturgy as a whole can create space for this spectrum of feeling and expression. The rituals we imagine together to help us process change can tap into this variety. Yes, by all means go to church to get the joy, but don’t pretend your people aren’t also dealing with pain. Acknowledge and facilitate your community’s process as you look at your gatherings holistically. 3) A well-rounded gathering presents a variety of elements. If we are coming out of Evangelicalism, gone are the days of “5 songs and a sermon” - there is more to do together. If we are coming from traditional denominations, Black Church traditions, or other specific cultural lineages, perhaps we are more familiar with certain liturgical streams or other expectations. We all have our version of The Way Things Are Done. But creativity is part of our Imago Dei, the Church is well-placed to trail-blaze that truth, particularly in our gatherings. We don’t serve our traditions; our traditions must serve us. So now is the time to examine whether it’s working. Some questions for thought: - Are we providing a nourishing communal spiritual space for our congregations? (Hint: ask people how they feel about this) - Are we offering a balance of intellectual and emotional space and physical integration? (a balance of Doing, Thinking, and Feeling?) - Do we need to add ritual or liturgical elements? - What are we resistant to? New music? New Technology? Fresh liturgy? - Is the diversity of people (age, race, education history, etc.) gathered being considered? - Are we addressing real-time issues in our liturgy and offering helpful space to process them? Thankfully, there are plenty of formational tools available to us. In addition to music and teaching moments, we have many options for meaningful gatherings. Consider these: - Contemplative forms of prayer ..................-..Lectio Divina and Visio Divina ..................-..Guided Meditation and Imagery ..................-..Examen ..................-..Centering Prayer - Litany - Rituals of various kinds (including Eucharist) - Prayers of the People (or other communal prayer moment) - Poetry (and Slam Poetry) - Video - Drama - Silence - Communal Meals - Embodied movement Our teams finds it helpful to frame our work in planning services and gatherings as Making Sacred Art. This opens us up to a wider expression of creativity and energy. We are making sacred art in our communal meetings, and embodying the creativity of the Divine in our space. 4) Intentional liturgy works better. I pay a great deal of attention to the lyrics I ask my congregation to sing. I want them to be able to sing a song like they mean it, and I want the lyrics to be deeply meaningful to them. The best response I can get from my community is when they tell me things like: “that song brought me to tears” or, “I can’t get that song out of my head” or “that song is on repeat in my car.” I want the songs and liturgy to be deeply resonant to my people’s experience and nourishing to their souls. Here are characteristics I look for in songs I introduce into my repertoire: - Singability - Is the melody catchy and memorable? Can novice singers reproduce it? Is it keyed (or can it be keyed) accessibly? Overly complex melodies discourage participation, as do overly boring and simplistic ones. Look for beautiful middle-ground melodies. - Theological robustness - Is it true? Does it avoid theological gray areas? Does it teach us things we need to remember about the goodness of God or the complexity of human experience? - Beauty - Do we like it? Is it pleasant to hear and sing? Do people hum the melody while cleaning up after service? - Missionality - is the lyrical theme reflective of our collective mission and theology? For instance, if we believe, as Christ said, that the Kingdom of God is near at hand, do our songs reflect that? Do they encourage peacemaking? Do they bolster our justice work? - Stance/Address - Are we singing TO God, rather than only ABOUT God? Are we singing like we believe God is present in the room. Whenever possible I look for songs that directly address God because I want to encourage Divine interaction. 5) The best kind of congregational singing is loud and a little off-key. Worship leaders should be solid singers, but should encourage communities to sing enthusiastically regardless of skill level. Song are liturgy and singing is a communal work; no one is barred from participating. This should be stated regularly. You are discouraging your folks from singing IF: - Your songs require classical vocal training or a 2-octave range to sing - Your song are keyed too high (like most hymnals) or low for an average person to sing along with - Your melodies are so complex that they can’t be memorized in a few tries - You don’t repeat songs enough for people to become familiar with them And that’s bad, because singing together is like congregational glue. Here’s something I say to my folks so regularly that they can recite it with me: Singing is a physical act that helps us access our spiritual selves. Melody and lyrics do more than spoken word alone - there is an alchemy to music that strikes human hearts and minds more deeply, accessing our memory and emotional centers more readily. Because of this, music is a valuable teaching and formational tool. But it’s also a tool for comforting and soothing broken or discouraged hearts.Every human society we know of produces/d some kind of melodic or rhythmic music. It’s innate to human experience and expression. We need great music in our gatherings, and whatever we can do to encourage our folks to sing and participate should be done: Change styles? Sing simpler songs? Key songs lower? Find better songs? Whatever it is, do it. (Hint: you can even hire me to consult with you about it.)But wait, there’s more! Look for Part 2 of this article to appear in the coming weeks. ~ Rev. Fran Pratt Read online here About the Author Rev. Fran Pratt is a pastor, writer, musician, and mystic. Making meaningful and beautiful liturgy to be spoken, practiced, and sung, is at the heart of her creative drive. Fran authored of a book of congregational litanies, and regularly creates and shares modern liturgy on her website and Patreon. Her prayers are prayed in churches of various sizes and traditions across the globe. She writes, speaks, and consults on melding ancient and new liturgical streams in faith and worship. Fran is Pastor of Worship and Liturgy at Peace of Christ Church in Round Rock, Texas. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By A Reader What do you consider the Bible to be? Is it uniquely inspired by God? Is it different from other literature? Is it authoritative? If it is not all authoritative, how do you determine the parts that are? If the Bible is not divinely inspired, where do moral truths come from? Are moral values eternal and universal for all cultures? A: By Rev. Lauren Van Ham Dear Reader,John Scotus Eriugena (815 – 877 AD), a great Irish theologian, philosopher, and poet said that God speaks to us through two books, “One is the book of 'scripture,' physically little. The other is the big book, the book of 'creation,’ as vast as the universe.” It’s from this understanding that I’m responding to your good and important questions. Our primary operating instructions are in the living system around us, the 13.7 billion year story of which we are a part. The story of the universe – how we got here and all of the interdependencies that make our life possible – is an incredible story! It is intricate, numinous, simple and complex. Creation, therefore, is our primary authority (and those who live near to the Earth teach us this again and again and again…). Written texts, while secondary, are also vital. There is so much to learn after all, and we have within us many learning styles and ways to comprehend information. Throughout time, a variety of interpreters have offered multiple ways to better understand the story (or parts of the story) so that we can both appreciate it with the awe and reverence it deserves, while also living honorably and justly within it. These interpreters are biologists, poets, theologians, ethicists and mystics. Western civilization credits the Bible with a lot of authority. This isn’t true everywhere and other parts of the world regard other and additional texts to be profound and instructive interpretations of how to live well within Creation and with one another. When words are “revealed” to the interpreters (and this happens through mystical experiences as well as dedicated scholarship and inspired acts of creativity), the authors, I want to believe, are doing their absolute best to record truths as they understand them (in that moment) for their readers. Some truths are highly useful in a triage situation (i.e., how to stay safe in an epidemic or natural disaster), and other truths hold deep revelations that may require the patience of contemplation. In the later instance, relevance can remain for generations to come – consider for instance, the writings of the Christian mystics, or the Sufi saint Rumi. Poets like Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, or scientists like Carl Sagan, are a few examples of those we reference when we’re trying to describe concepts difficult to convey with words. So, is the Bible inspired by God? Yes, definitely…and so are other texts that attempt to express the teachings of Creation so that we might understand and practice them well. You have asked how to discern which parts of the Bible are authoritative. Like many of the sacred texts written before and around this period, the Bible was a response to the political situation and societal practices of the time. The writing always invites the reader to consider many ways to receive the teaching – metaphorical, historical, cosmological, and psychological. If you are interested in learning more about this, you may enjoy reading, The Bible and Human Transformation by Walter Wink. Over time, moral truths have been attributed to the Bible, the Torah, the Qu’ran, the Bhagavad Gita, the Pali Canon, the Popol Vuh, and etc. Each of them, a divinely inspired set of phrases, has done its very best to record origin stories and legacies as well as to provide guidance for how we might best live in peaceful, integrated and honorable relationship with all beings. While it is most certainly true that certain ecosystems require ways of living that do not apply universally, it is also true that Creation’s teachings are reliable and trustworthy. It is a lifelong endeavor to learn the Big Book of Creation. We are most successful when we undertake our studies with the support of others in spiritual community and/or spiritual direction, as well as tending our prayer, dreams and other contemplative practices, and of course, becoming intimate with Creation itself. May the Big Book and the little books be sources of nourishment for you on your journey! ~ Rev. Lauren Van Ham Read and share online here About the Author Rev. Lauren Van Ham, MA was born and raised beneath the big sky of the Midwest, she holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, Naropa University and The Chaplaincy Institute. Following her ordination in 1999, Lauren served as an interfaith chaplain in both healthcare (adolescent psychiatry and palliative care), and corporate settings (organizational development and employee wellness). Lauren’s passion for spirituality, art and Earth's teachings have supported her specialization in eco-ministry, grief & loss, and sacred activism. Her essay, "Way of the Eco-Chaplain," appears in the collection, Ways of the Spirit: Voices of Women; and her work with Green Sangha is featured in Renewal, a documentary celebrating the efforts of religious environmental activists from diverse faith traditions across America. Her ideas can be heard on Vennly, an app that shares perspectives from spiritual and community leaders across different backgrounds and traditions. Currently, Lauren tends her private spiritual direction and eco-chaplaincy consulting practice; and serves as guest faculty for several schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community! | | | | | | Join our FB community today! Spread the word, share with friends. Thanks! | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited Origins of the Bible, Part XI: The Meaning of the Prophets Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong September 4, 2008 If one takes the Book of Daniel out of the Old Testament, a much clearer view of the prophets of Israel becomes visible. Daniel, written during the time of the Maccabees and not during the Persian period, as it pretends to be, really doesn't fit. The fact is the Book of Daniel should be in the Apocrypha, not in the Old Testament, but that would upset those people who like to predict the end of the world by quoting from this source. If one excises Daniel, the remaining prophetic works of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and what was originally called the Book of the Twelve, but what we now call the "minor prophets", including everything from Hosea to Malachi, can be looked at through a number of lenses. First of all, if we treat the Book of the Twelve as a single volume, which is the way the Jews regarded them, we note that along with Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel they are about the same length. The reason for this has nothing to do with the profundity of the content, but with the length of the scroll on which the words were written. That also helps us to understand why new writings, judged worthy of inclusion in the sacred texts, were simply added to an available scroll if there was space. Jeremiah and Ezekiel seem to be authentic wholes written by a single author, but Isaiah and obviously the Book of the Twelve are not. Isaiah has been identified as the work of at least three writers who are separated in time by as much as three hundred years. The Book of Zechariah, one of the Twelve, is today viewed as the work of at least two writers (1-8 and 9-14), separated in time by a minimum of at least a century. There is even widespread speculation that the final book of the Twelve, Malachi, is really III Zechariah (which would make it chapters 15-18) and that this is why this book has no name, Malachi being a word that means "my messenger". I go into these preliminary explanations to set the stage for our consideration of the content of these various books of the Bible called the Prophets, more specifically, the Writing Prophets, whose work was incorporated into the Sacred Scriptures of the Jewish people. The prophet's role had been a part of Jewish life since the days of Samuel, who lived in the 11th Century BC. Samuel, however, was more the last of the judges of Israel than the first of the prophets. He was, nonetheless, a pivotal figure in Jewish history. Earlier in this series, I related the story of Nathan and the role he played in the history of the Jewish prophetic movement. By confronting King David, in the name of the moral law of God, Nathan established the prophet's true identity. It was and is to speak for God outside the structures of ecclesiastical authority, but inside the citadels of national power. Elijah and Elisha continued Nathan's understanding and earned for themselves and for the prophets of the future the title bestowed on Elijah by King Ahab: "The troublers of Israel" (I Kings 18:17). There is no such thing as a self-proclaimed prophet, a fact that is widely misunderstood by religious folk. To be "a prophet in residence" is not a role for which one can apply, nor can anyone study for a prophetic career. The designation of prophet is bestowed by history alone and normally well after the end of the potential prophet's career. Prophets are recognized in retrospect and posthumously. Are there any modern day prophets who might help us to understand the role more adequately? One thinks immediately of two: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. King spoke from outside the power structures of both church and state when he became the voice of America's black population, segregated from the mainstream of society and wrapped in the cocoon of prejudice and fear. King confronted the political world with the unwillingness of the black population to continue accepting the status of outcasts. He confronted the leaders of the ecclesiastical establishment in his letter from a Birmingham jail. He was regularly arrested by local police, vilified by local politicians and newspapers, spied on with telephone taps by none less than J. Edgar Hoover, the closeted homosexual director of the FBI and ultimately he was murdered when he sought to lead the garbage workers' strike in Memphis. Click here to read full essay. ~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements Read On... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Fwd: Birthday Witness
by Richard Alton 18 Dec '19

18 Dec '19

*Death up Close* It has been a rough year. Late in 2018 I fell off my bike and headed to the doctor to make sure I was okay. From a CT scan discovered two lung spots- four months of CT scans, a PET scan and a biopsy, (which caused a collapsed lung) to find out it was nothing the doctors were concerned about. But it generated a lot of thinking about my end of life, and death. Even went to a Church class on sharing what you have done or need to do to get ready for your funeral. Then Jim Stovall, Sally’s brother (10 years in the Order), came down with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. They worked on a liver replacement, but Jim’s body became toxic and he died in April of this year. Then in May, Sally (significant other for 14 years) had a major stroke and died- just to give you a feel for this death up close: Sally, nothing basically wrong...just general 70-year health problems... a little issue with high blood pressure but controlled by pills. She was getting ready for a meeting and I came into the bedroom and she was on the bed- said she got dizzy in the bathroom and just barely made it to the bed. She said she had a headache (her speech was a little slurred) and wanted two aspirins- I gave them to her and left her on the bed for 15 minutes- came back and she wanted to eat something- sure- but she could not get up except her left arm- I grabbed her arm but she was not able to make it up- I called ambulance-we got to the hospital- she had a massive stroke with major brain bleeding... from local Western Suburban Hospital took her downtown by ambulance to Rush (Chicago stroke Hospital). Arrived at Hospital by 10:30pm and they determined she had lost most of her brain function. We kept her on a breathing tube until her sister and daughter arrived the next day and pulled tube after a prayer service with her pastor Marti, Pam Bergdall, Carol (sister), Teresa (daughter), George Emerick (Teresa’s father) and myself. Sally lasted about 15 minutes. In a way it was great, it was quick. She was unconscious almost immediately at 730pm Monday night and pronounced dead at 4:27pm the next day, May 21st.. a great life But I wasn’t prepared for the HOLE that was blown in my life with the loss of my partner of 14 years. And in the midst of this emotional loss, I have had to spend the last 7 months taking care of the aftereffects of Sally’s death and re-organizing my life. So, my learnings from these 3 death experiences (I count my lung problem as a near death): 1. 1) In all 3 events I was struck how unprepared we are for death both in handling others deaths or our own. We are overwhelmed by the loss of our loved one to deal with what is the most important event of our or their lives. How can we pay so little attention to expressing the meaning and purpose of this glorious life we have had? 2. 2) Second, death is usually hidden and then burst into our lives. Death is wicked how fast it comes and how it is all consuming and leaves little room for preparation or even thought. Sally’s stroke was unannounced, and she was gone in less that 12 hours. Jim Stovall was in a hospital fighting a losing battle for his life and Sally and his family were totally consumed with his care. It is hidden in that we do not want to even consider this end or admit to our finitude and mortality. The hiddenness from death, from this final power cuts us off from our journey leaves us shocked and disoriented in thinking/preparing to have a meaningful ending 3) What happens is professionals that deal a lot with death step in and organize the readings, the message, the music, the witness, the reception as the family and friends are frozen in losing a beloved one. When you read Matthew’s The Time My Father Died and Matthews gets mad at what the funeral home had done to his father. The issue is not the funeral home but rather Joseph had not thought through his father’s death. [image: page2image6769664] In the case of Sally, since I had been thinking about my own death- I asked ICA’s Seva Gandhi to do one of the Memorial Services witnesses to Sally’s life. I asked her to reflect on Sally’s time in the Order, the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs. Seva did a great job capturing Sally’s thankfulness for being in a religious community and how she engaged herself as being part of a global servant force that was out to care for the poorest of the poor. I was so pleased that it seemed to hold the depth, wonder and uniqueness of her existence; - Sally loved the religious house and the community, interaction, structures it brought her life. - - Sally loved the town meetings and her engaging the small towns across Utah. She had an amazing memory of those small town meetings and especially the songs. - - It was clear that Sally had found purpose in her life and was sent to make a difference in this world. Others sensed this too. Was pretty obvious when she died on a Tuesday and the next day, Wednesday, we held a prayer service with 100 people showing up and talked and talked about what Sally meant to their lives. And then that Saturday at her Memorial Service 250 people showed up many unknown to us... people were standing in the Church aisles But my lesson learned through all of this is that we need to take ownership of our death and the message (word) it brings to others. I have worked on my funeral: like to have the Daily Office liturgy, DH Lawrence’s Not I, Not I But a New Wind Blowing Through Me read, decided what I like to have read from the NT and the OT and who and what would like have sung plus a witness-one being the ICA. For Sally’s Memorial Service her children pulled together a slide show that was fabulous. Need to do that. I think the basic message is that we need to get our deaths thought through. So 3 deaths (actually Sally’s sister died the year before) and a funeral class has made death up close as a reality. Overwhelming experience; need to bring intentionality and attentionally to our deaths and the death needs to speak the “Word”. So from this experience and dialogue I have joined with others to form a “Death Team” (Pam Bergdall and Seva Gandhi- who says death is always on her mind), We are proposing a quarterly death webinar or more like a death sharing circle to get our deaths in shape...it has been said that facing up to death also makes for a better life. What think you? Dick Alton, RS-1, 1968, born December 14, 1941 -- Richard H. T. Alton One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF) Green Community Connections Interfaith Green Network T: 773.344.7172 richard.alton(a)gmail.com **Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2019, March 1-10* http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2

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Heidi's Celebration
by Jeanette Stanfield 16 Dec '19

16 Dec '19

Celebration of Heidi’s Life Join us to raise a glass to Heidi ! To celebrate her many different passions and endeavors, On Monday December 16th, from 6 to 9pm Enjoy sharing stories with a glass of wine, cheese and light refreshment. We will share stories together at 7:00 At 757 Victoria Park Ave. in the Party Room on the first floor. Toronto,ON Canada This is immediately south of Victoria Park subway station. Parking can be found at the TTC lot across the street and at the mall at corner of Victoria Park and Danforth. Stories and memories may be sent to Rachel at sherluck(a)hotmail.com. Thank you for the cards and notes you have already sent. Rachel Holmes

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Re: [Dialogue] Fwd: Birthday Witness
by Joan 16 Dec '19

16 Dec '19

I have felt all that you expressed here. I have experienced all that you have experienced here and was torn open one more time. Thank you for that. We tend to hide from that kind of pain. Losing two of your own children is never how it is supposed to be but is how it is for me. If we make this further death journey, let me know. Joan -----Original Message----- From: Richard Alton via Dialogue <dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Cc: Richard Alton <richard.alton(a)gmail.com> Sent: Sat, Dec 14, 2019 3:59 pm Subject: [Dialogue] Fwd: Birthday Witness Death up Close It has been a rough year. Late in 2018 I fell off my bike and headed to the doctor to make sure I was okay. From a CT scan discovered two lung spots- four months of CT scans, a PET scan and a biopsy, (which caused a collapsed lung) to find out it was nothing the doctors were concerned about. But it generated a lot of thinking about my end of life, and death. Even went to a Church class on sharing what you have done or need to do to get ready for your funeral.Then Jim Stovall, Sally’s brother (10 years in the Order), came down with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. They worked on a liver replacement, but Jim’s body became toxic and he died in April of this year. Then in May, Sally (significant other for 14 years) had a major stroke and died- just to give you a feel for this death up close:Sally, nothing basically wrong...just general 70-year health problems... a little issue with high blood pressure but controlled by pills. She was getting ready for a meeting and I came into the bedroom and she was on the bed- said she got dizzy in the bathroom and just barely made it to the bed. She said she had a headache (her speech was a little slurred) and wanted two aspirins- I gave them to her and left her on the bed for 15 minutes- came back and she wanted to eat something- sure- but she could not get up except her left arm- I grabbed her arm but she was not able to make it up- I called ambulance-we got to the hospital- she had a massive stroke with major brain bleeding... from local Western Suburban Hospital took her downtown by ambulance to Rush (Chicago stroke Hospital). Arrived at Hospital by 10:30pm and they determined she had lost most of her brain function. We kept her on a breathing tube until her sister and daughter arrived the next day and pulled tube after a prayer service with her pastor Marti, Pam Bergdall, Carol (sister), Teresa (daughter), George Emerick (Teresa’s father) and myself. Sally lasted about 15 minutes. In a way it was great, it was quick. She was unconscious almost immediately at 730pm Monday night and pronounced dead at 4:27pm the next day, May 21st.. a great lifeBut I wasn’t prepared for the HOLE that was blown in my life with the loss of my partner of 14 years. And in the midst of this emotional loss, I have had to spend the last 7 months taking care of the aftereffects of Sally’s death and re-organizing my life. So, my learnings from these 3 death experiences (I count my lung problem as a near death): - 1) In all 3 events I was struck how unprepared we are for death both in handling others deaths or our own. We are overwhelmed by the loss of our loved one to deal with what is the most important event of our or their lives. How can we pay so little attention to expressing the meaning and purpose of this glorious life we have had? - 2) Second, death is usually hidden and then burst into our lives. Death is wicked how fast it comes and how it is all consuming and leaves little room for preparation or even thought. Sally’s stroke was unannounced, and she was gone in less that 12 hours. Jim Stovall was in a hospital fighting a losing battle for his life and Sally and his family were totally consumed with his care. It is hidden in that we do not want to even consider this end or admit to our finitude and mortality. The hiddenness from death, from this final power cuts us off from our journey leaves us shocked and disoriented in thinking/preparing to have a meaningful ending3) What happens is professionals that deal a lot with death step in and organize the readings, the message, the music, the witness, the reception as the family and friends are frozen in losing a beloved one. When you read Matthew’s The Time My Father Died and Matthews gets mad at what the funeral home had done to his father. The issue is not the funeral home but rather Joseph had not thought through his father’s death. In the case of Sally, since I had been thinking about my own death- I asked ICA’s Seva Gandhi to do one of the Memorial Services witnesses to Sally’s life. I asked her to reflect on Sally’s time in the Order, the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs. Seva did a great job capturing Sally’s thankfulness for being in a religious community and how she engaged herself as being part of a global servant force that was out to care for the poorest of the poor. I was so pleased that it seemed to hold the depth, wonder and uniqueness of her existence; - Sally loved the religious house and the community, interaction, structures it brought her life. - - Sally loved the town meetings and her engaging the small towns across Utah. She had an amazing memory of those small town meetings and especially the songs. - - It was clear that Sally had found purpose in her life and was sent to make a difference in this world. Others sensed this too. Was pretty obvious when she died on a Tuesday and the next day, Wednesday, we held a prayer service with 100 people showing up and talked and talked about what Sally meant to their lives. And then that Saturday at her Memorial Service 250 people showed up many unknown to us... people were standing in the Church aisles But my lesson learned through all of this is that we need to take ownership of our death and the message (word) it brings to others. I have worked on my funeral: like to have the Daily Office liturgy, DH Lawrence’s Not I, Not I But a New Wind Blowing Through Me read, decided what I like to have read from the NT and the OT and who and what would like have sung plus a witness-one being the ICA. For Sally’s Memorial Service her children pulled together a slide show that was fabulous. Need to do that.I think the basic message is that we need to get our deaths thought through. So 3 deaths (actually Sally’s sister died the year before) and a funeral class hasmade death up close as a reality. Overwhelming experience; need to bring intentionality and attentionally to our deaths and the death needs to speak the “Word”. So from this experience and dialogue I have joined with others to form a “Death Team” (Pam Bergdall and Seva Gandhi- who says death is always on her mind), We are proposing a quarterly death webinar or more like a death sharing circle to get our deaths in shape...it has been said that facing up to death also makes for a better life. What think you?Dick Alton, RS-1, 1968, born December 14, 1941 -- Richard H. T. AltonOne Earth Film Fest ( OEFF)Green Community ConnectionsInterfaith Green NetworkT: 773.344.7172richard.alton(a)gmail.com*Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2019, March 1-10http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2 _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net

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Re: [Dialogue] Fwd: Birthday Witness
by Ellie Stock 15 Dec '19

15 Dec '19

Hi Dick, Thank you for your birthday witness, pondering your death experiences--what a year it has been for you. The news of Sally's death came as a shock, as we had seen you both the summer before. So many ways to ponder death...whether it be the loss of a beloved, the violence held up in the daily news, the slow deaths of friends and family members suffering from terminal illness, the suffering of others and Earth itself or dying to the self in servanthood--all hold a mirror to the fragility of our own lives and ask the question: how shall we then live? I recall reading Castaneda--death being a friend, looking over our shoulder...death bringing life into sharp focus. I also remember Matthews saying if you can't picture yourself on a cold cement slab, you won't be able to risk or give yourself to anything. So we are ultimately talking about life... So your sharing catalyzes pondering in all of us... A reflection from 1967... life deathfears not death.deathfears not dying—ordying fears livingandliving fears birthandbirth fears loveandlove fears knowingthenlove is not loveandfree is not freeandknowing fears sensesandsense rewombs in isolationandsenseless perpetuationonpumiced islandswheregreen and rednolonger bear fertile brownbutmiscarry zebra-striped lava,charringwild blossoms of sensitivityand intelligibilityrootedin destructivity,andpoof! and perhaps pow!sizzling,sinking, and ominous silence sealawatery sepulchermournedby black and blue—ifdeath fears dying. ejh Grace and peace ~ Ellie :)elliestock@aol.com -----Original Message----- From: Richard Alton via Dialogue <dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Cc: Richard Alton <richard.alton(a)gmail.com> Sent: Sat, Dec 14, 2019 4:59 pm Subject: [Dialogue] Fwd: Birthday Witness Death up Close It has been a rough year. Late in 2018 I fell off my bike and headed to the doctor to make sure I was okay. From a CT scan discovered two lung spots- four months of CT scans, a PET scan and a biopsy, (which caused a collapsed lung) to find out it was nothing the doctors were concerned about. But it generated a lot of thinking about my end of life, and death. Even went to a Church class on sharing what you have done or need to do to get ready for your funeral.Then Jim Stovall, Sally’s brother (10 years in the Order), came down with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. They worked on a liver replacement, but Jim’s body became toxic and he died in April of this year. Then in May, Sally (significant other for 14 years) had a major stroke and died- just to give you a feel for this death up close:Sally, nothing basically wrong...just general 70-year health problems... a little issue with high blood pressure but controlled by pills. She was getting ready for a meeting and I came into the bedroom and she was on the bed- said she got dizzy in the bathroom and just barely made it to the bed. She said she had a headache (her speech was a little slurred) and wanted two aspirins- I gave them to her and left her on the bed for 15 minutes- came back and she wanted to eat something- sure- but she could not get up except her left arm- I grabbed her arm but she was not able to make it up- I called ambulance-we got to the hospital- she had a massive stroke with major brain bleeding... from local Western Suburban Hospital took her downtown by ambulance to Rush (Chicago stroke Hospital). Arrived at Hospital by 10:30pm and they determined she had lost most of her brain function. We kept her on a breathing tube until her sister and daughter arrived the next day and pulled tube after a prayer service with her pastor Marti, Pam Bergdall, Carol (sister), Teresa (daughter), George Emerick (Teresa’s father) and myself. Sally lasted about 15 minutes. In a way it was great, it was quick. She was unconscious almost immediately at 730pm Monday night and pronounced dead at 4:27pm the next day, May 21st.. a great lifeBut I wasn’t prepared for the HOLE that was blown in my life with the loss of my partner of 14 years. And in the midst of this emotional loss, I have had to spend the last 7 months taking care of the aftereffects of Sally’s death and re-organizing my life. So, my learnings from these 3 death experiences (I count my lung problem as a near death): - 1) In all 3 events I was struck how unprepared we are for death both in handling others deaths or our own. We are overwhelmed by the loss of our loved one to deal with what is the most important event of our or their lives. How can we pay so little attention to expressing the meaning and purpose of this glorious life we have had? - 2) Second, death is usually hidden and then burst into our lives. Death is wicked how fast it comes and how it is all consuming and leaves little room for preparation or even thought. Sally’s stroke was unannounced, and she was gone in less that 12 hours. Jim Stovall was in a hospital fighting a losing battle for his life and Sally and his family were totally consumed with his care. It is hidden in that we do not want to even consider this end or admit to our finitude and mortality. The hiddenness from death, from this final power cuts us off from our journey leaves us shocked and disoriented in thinking/preparing to have a meaningful ending3) What happens is professionals that deal a lot with death step in and organize the readings, the message, the music, the witness, the reception as the family and friends are frozen in losing a beloved one. When you read Matthew’s The Time My Father Died and Matthews gets mad at what the funeral home had done to his father. The issue is not the funeral home but rather Joseph had not thought through his father’s death. In the case of Sally, since I had been thinking about my own death- I asked ICA’s Seva Gandhi to do one of the Memorial Services witnesses to Sally’s life. I asked her to reflect on Sally’s time in the Order, the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs. Seva did a great job capturing Sally’s thankfulness for being in a religious community and how she engaged herself as being part of a global servant force that was out to care for the poorest of the poor. I was so pleased that it seemed to hold the depth, wonder and uniqueness of her existence; - Sally loved the religious house and the community, interaction, structures it brought her life. - - Sally loved the town meetings and her engaging the small towns across Utah. She had an amazing memory of those small town meetings and especially the songs. - - It was clear that Sally had found purpose in her life and was sent to make a difference in this world. Others sensed this too. Was pretty obvious when she died on a Tuesday and the next day, Wednesday, we held a prayer service with 100 people showing up and talked and talked about what Sally meant to their lives. And then that Saturday at her Memorial Service 250 people showed up many unknown to us... people were standing in the Church aisles But my lesson learned through all of this is that we need to take ownership of our death and the message (word) it brings to others. I have worked on my funeral: like to have the Daily Office liturgy, DH Lawrence’s Not I, Not I But a New Wind Blowing Through Me read, decided what I like to have read from the NT and the OT and who and what would like have sung plus a witness-one being the ICA. For Sally’s Memorial Service her children pulled together a slide show that was fabulous. Need to do that.I think the basic message is that we need to get our deaths thought through. So 3 deaths (actually Sally’s sister died the year before) and a funeral class hasmade death up close as a reality. Overwhelming experience; need to bring intentionality and attentionally to our deaths and the death needs to speak the “Word”. So from this experience and dialogue I have joined with others to form a “Death Team” (Pam Bergdall and Seva Gandhi- who says death is always on her mind), We are proposing a quarterly death webinar or more like a death sharing circle to get our deaths in shape...it has been said that facing up to death also makes for a better life. What think you?Dick Alton, RS-1, 1968, born December 14, 1941 -- Richard H. T. AltonOne Earth Film Fest ( OEFF)Green Community ConnectionsInterfaith Green NetworkT: 773.344.7172richard.alton(a)gmail.com*Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2019, March 1-10http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2 _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue(a)lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net

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Re: [Dialogue] [Oe List ...] Birthday Witness
by Robertson Work 15 Dec '19

15 Dec '19

My dear brother Dick, Blessings on you, Dick, in your grief and gratitude, over the passing of your beloved Sally. It is so very hard. My Mary passed away 16 years ago and it is forever fresh. I love your proposal of a "Death Team." Count me in. What I am saying these days is that I want to make Death my friend, to remind me every second that every second counts. How do we each live life to the fullest each and every moment and day? The greatest memorial we can have is not a memorial service but a lifetime of service for people and planet, especially at this critical moment in history and evolution when humanity and many of our fellow Earthlings are threatened with extinction. Civilizations are born and die. Planets are born and die. Impermanence is part of the very essence of being a living being in this mysterious universe. Much love to all, Rob ................................................................................................ Recent book: A Compassionate Civilization: The Urgency of Sustainable Development and Mindful Activism - Reflections and Recommendations https://www.amazon.com/dp/1546972617 Blog: https://compassionatecivilization.blogspot.com/<https://compassionatecivilization.blogspot.com/><https://compassionatecivilization.blogspot.com/> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsonwork/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/compassionatecivilization/ ________________________________ From: OE <oe-bounces(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> on behalf of Richard Alton via OE <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net> Sent: Saturday, December 14, 2019 5:57 PM To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe(a)lists.wedgeblade.net>; ica-dialogue(a)igc.topica.com <ica-dialogue(a)igc.topica.com> Cc: Richard Alton <richard.alton(a)gmail.com> Subject: [Oe List ...] Birthday Witness Death up Close It has been a rough year. Late in 2018 I fell off my bike and headed to the doctor to make sure I was okay. From a CT scan discovered two lung spots- four months of CT scans, a PET scan and a biopsy, (which caused a collapsed lung) to find out it was nothing the doctors were concerned about. But it generated a lot of thinking about my end of life, and death. Even went to a Church class on sharing what you have done or need to do to get ready for your funeral. Then Jim Stovall, Sally’s brother (10 years in the Order), came down with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. They worked on a liver replacement, but Jim’s body became toxic and he died in April of this year. Then in May, Sally (significant other for 14 years) had a major stroke and died- just to give you a feel for this death up close: Sally, nothing basically wrong...just general 70-year health problems... a little issue with high blood pressure but controlled by pills. She was getting ready for a meeting and I came into the bedroom and she was on the bed- said she got dizzy in the bathroom and just barely made it to the bed. She said she had a headache (her speech was a little slurred) and wanted two aspirins- I gave them to her and left her on the bed for 15 minutes- came back and she wanted to eat something- sure- but she could not get up except her left arm- I grabbed her arm but she was not able to make it up- I called ambulance-we got to the hospital- she had a massive stroke with major brain bleeding... from local Western Suburban Hospital took her downtown by ambulance to Rush (Chicago stroke Hospital). Arrived at Hospital by 10:30pm and they determined she had lost most of her brain function. We kept her on a breathing tube until her sister and daughter arrived the next day and pulled tube after a prayer service with her pastor Marti, Pam Bergdall, Carol (sister), Teresa (daughter), George Emerick (Teresa’s father) and myself. Sally lasted about 15 minutes. In a way it was great, it was quick. She was unconscious almost immediately at 730pm Monday night and pronounced dead at 4:27pm the next day, May 21st.. a great life But I wasn’t prepared for the HOLE that was blown in my life with the loss of my partner of 14 years. And in the midst of this emotional loss, I have had to spend the last 7 months taking care of the aftereffects of Sally’s death and re-organizing my life. So, my learnings from these 3 death experiences (I count my lung problem as a near death): 1. 1) In all 3 events I was struck how unprepared we are for death both in handling others deaths or our own. We are overwhelmed by the loss of our loved one to deal with what is the most important event of our or their lives. How can we pay so little attention to expressing the meaning and purpose of this glorious life we have had? 2. 2) Second, death is usually hidden and then burst into our lives. Death is wicked how fast it comes and how it is all consuming and leaves little room for preparation or even thought. Sally’s stroke was unannounced, and she was gone in less that 12 hours. Jim Stovall was in a hospital fighting a losing battle for his life and Sally and his family were totally consumed with his care. It is hidden in that we do not want to even consider this end or admit to our finitude and mortality. The hiddenness from death, from this final power cuts us off from our journey leaves us shocked and disoriented in thinking/preparing to have a meaningful ending 3) What happens is professionals that deal a lot with death step in and organize the readings, the message, the music, the witness, the reception as the family and friends are frozen in losing a beloved one. When you read Matthew’s The Time My Father Died and Matthews gets mad at what the funeral home had done to his father. The issue is not the funeral home but rather Joseph had not thought through his father’s death. In the case of Sally, since I had been thinking about my own death- I asked ICA’s Seva Gandhi to do one of the Memorial Services witnesses to Sally’s life. I asked her to reflect on Sally’s time in the Order, the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs. Seva did a great job capturing Sally’s thankfulness for being in a religious community and how she engaged herself as being part of a global servant force that was out to care for the poorest of the poor. I was so pleased that it seemed to hold the depth, wonder and uniqueness of her existence; * Sally loved the religious house and the community, interaction, structures it brought her life. * * Sally loved the town meetings and her engaging the small towns across Utah. She had an amazing memory of those small town meetings and especially the songs. * * It was clear that Sally had found purpose in her life and was sent to make a difference in this world. Others sensed this too. Was pretty obvious when she died on a Tuesday and the next day, Wednesday, we held a prayer service with 100 people showing up and talked and talked about what Sally meant to their lives. And then that Saturday at her Memorial Service 250 people showed up many unknown to us... people were standing in the Church aisles But my lesson learned through all of this is that we need to take ownership of our death and the message (word) it brings to others. I have worked on my funeral: like to have the Daily Office liturgy, DH Lawrence’s Not I, Not I But a New Wind Blowing Through Me read, decided what I like to have read from the NT and the OT and who and what would like have sung plus a witness-one being the ICA. For Sally’s Memorial Service her children pulled together a slide show that was fabulous. Need to do that. I think the basic message is that we need to get our deaths thought through. So 3 deaths (actually Sally’s sister died the year before) and a funeral class has made death up close as a reality. Overwhelming experience; need to bring intentionality and attentionally to our deaths and the death needs to speak the “Word”. So from this experience and dialogue I have joined with others to form a “Death Team” (Pam Bergdall and Seva Gandhi- who says death is always on her mind), We are proposing a quarterly death webinar or more like a death sharing circle to get our deaths in shape...it has been said that facing up to death also makes for a better life. What think you? Dick Alton, RS-1, 1968, born December 14, 1941 -- Richard H. T. Alton One Earth Film Fest ( OEFF) Green Community Connections Interfaith Green Network T: 773.344.7172 richard.alton(a)gmail.com<mailto:richard.alton@gmail.com> *Save the Date! One Earth Film Festival 2019, March 1-10 http:www.oneearthfilmfestival.org<https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oneear…> Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2

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