“Community cannot take root in a divided life. Long before community assumes external shape and form, it must be present as seed in the undivided self: only as we are in communion with ourselves can we find community with others. Community is an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace, the flowing of personal identity and integrity into the world of relationships.” (Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness).
I used this quote as our centering thought last Sunday for my sermon, “Doing Our Inner Work.” To create, sustain, and model authentic community, we need to tend our own souls and one another’s, embracing the light, the shadow, and everything in between in each of us. That is how we affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person and care for the interdependent web of relationships in which we live.
So how do we do this? There are many practices, big and small. Committee meetings can begin by asking how people are really doing and then listening to the answers. Social Hour conversations can go past the weather, holding a silence long enough for someone to speak from the heart. Worship can connect us beyond words to the Holy, renewing our hope and healing our souls. And we can build trust through honest sharing in faith formation groups like the Sacred Circle and Small Group Ministry for adults, and Our Whole Lives (OWL) and Coming of Age (COA) for our youth.
One curriculum I especially love is “A Geography of Grace.” Rooted in Parker Palmer’s work, it pairs listening to our own souls with deepening trust in one another through exploring the natural world. Dolores and I led it almost ten years ago and have long wanted to offer it again but couldn’t make weekly or monthly sessions work. So, we are trying a different format: four seasonal Saturday retreats, each a full day to step away and truly listen to our souls and to one another.
Autumn – Saturday, October 17: Vista Points, Spirit Guides, and Holy Wells
Winter – Saturday, January 9 (Epiphany): The Sea and Release, and Primal Wonder and the Night Sky
Spring – Saturday, March 20 (Lent): Deserts, Boundaries, and Marshlands
Late Spring – Saturday, May 1: Mountain Edges, Forest Community, & Garden Spaces
The October, March and May retreats run from 10 am to 3 pm. The January retreat times are TBD. The retreats are free with lunch provided. We do ask that you do your best to attend all four as they build on one another.
“A Geography of Grace” is a real commitment, but I believe it is a worthy one. Dolores and I are making the commitment to lead it because several First Parishers have told us they long to go deeper, in exploring their own spirituality with one another. “A Geography of Grace” invites you to take spiritual risks as you are ready as you develop practices for growing trust in community. If that longing resonates with you, please join us. To sign up or for more information, reach out to Dolores, our Lifespan Faith Formation Director, dre@uuchelmsford.org.
In faith,
Rev. Ellen