Spiritual Nourishment Workshop

Spiritual Retreat for Church Leadership

Developed for the Leadership of First Parish Church of Groton by Karen G. Johnston, Candidate for the Unitarian Universalist Ministry,

Ministerial Intern

Chalice  Ligh+ng  

Agenda  

Paradigm  Shi3:  This  is  NOT  a  Mee+ng  

How  many  Unitarians  does  it  take  to  change  a  light  

bulb?   One.  And  only  one.  Certainly  not  three.  

And  the  Universalists?    How  many  of  them  are  needed  to  change  a  light  

bulb?   All  of  them.    Every  single  

one.  

PR   O   B   L   E  

M  S   O  

L   V  E   R  

•  QUICK  note  for  idea  you  cannot  trust  to  remember  

•  SNARK  

How  many  Unitarian  Universalists    does  it  take  to  change  a  light  bulb?  

None.  We  believe  it  must  change  by  itself.  We’re  not  in  the  business  of  telling  anyone  they  HAVE  to  change.  

Eight.  One  to  do  it,  seven  to  make  sure  that  the  power  doesn’t  go  to  his  or  her  head.  

We’re  not  in  agreement  as  to  whether  the  Light  bulb  really  exists  or  if  it  is    just  another  myth.  

Rev.  Kendyl  Gibbons’  List  of  Qualities    of  Spiritual  Intelligence/Maturity  

•  Sophrosyne  •  Reverence/Gratitude/Generosity/Wonder  

•  Surrender  •  Ambiguity/Complexity/Intensity  •  Tonglen  •  Beauty/Mercy/JusticeTshuvah  •  Leadership/Loyalty  •  Covenant  •  Mitakuye  Oyasin  •  Memento  mori   Reverend  Kent  Hemmen  Saleska  

UU  Church  of  Minnetonka  

Reflec+ons  on    the  Marshmallow  Challenge  

•  What  did  you  come  to  appreciate  about  someone  else?  

•  What  did  you  learn  about  yourself?  

•  What  are  some  observa+ons  about  working  without  being  able  to  talk?  

How  many  Unitarian  Universalists    does  it  take  to  change  a  light  bulb?  

We  strenuously  object  to  the  term  ‘light  bulb.’  We  believe  there  are  many  ways  of  darkness  dispersion  and  so  would  not  want  to  par+cipate  in  an  ac+vity  valida+ng  the  light  bulb  as  the  exclusive  light  source.  

We  choose  not  to  make  a  statement  either  in  favor  or  against  the  need  for  a  light  bulb.  However,  if  in  your  own  journey,  you  have  found  that  light  bulbs  work  for  you,  that’s  fine.  You  are  invited  to  write  a  poem  or  compose  a  modern  dance  about  your  personal  rela+onship  with  your  light  bulb  and  present  it  next  month  at  our  annual  light  bulb  Sunday  service,  in  which  we  will  explore  a  number  of  light  bulb  tradi+ons  including  incandescent,  florescent,  halogen,  three-­‐way,  and  even  candle  light  all  of  which  are  equally  valid  paths  of  luminescence.  

Engaging the

Senses  

“their faith, not logic…” !

Let's  try  an  experiment.  Pick  up  a  coin.  Imagine  that  it  represents  the  object  at  which  you  are  grasping.  Hold  it  tightly  clutched  in  your  fist  and  extend  your  arm,  with  the  palm  of  your  hand  facing  the  ground.  Now  if  you  let  go  or  relax  your  grip,  you  will  lose  what  you  are  clinging  onto.  That's  why  you  hold  on.    

-­‐Sogyal  Rinpoche,  The  Tibetan  Book  of  Living  and  Dying    

But there's another possibility: You  can  let  go  and  yet  keep  hold  of  it.  With  your  arm  

still  outstretched,  turn  your  hand  so  that  it  faces  the  sky.  Release  your  hand  and  the  coin  still  rests  on  your  open  palm.  You  let  go.  And  the  coin  is  still  yours,  even  with  all  this  space  around  it.    

So  there  is  a  way  in  which  we  can  accept  impermanence  and  still  relish  life,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  without  grasping.  

Breaking  Bread  Together