This material was loaned to us by Rev. Amelia Richardson Dress, whose new book The Hopeful Family is out in January
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Passcode: Winter
Time: Dec 26, 2020 07:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Every day, 9 occurrence(s)
Dec 26, 2020 07:00 PM
Dec 27, 2020 07:00 PM
Dec 28, 2020 07:00 PM
Dec 29, 2020 07:00 PM
Dec 30, 2020 07:00 PM
Dec 31, 2020 07:00 PM
Jan 1, 2021 07:00 PM
Jan 2, 2021 07:00 PM
Jan 3, 2021 07:00 PM
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system:
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+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 834 9875 1396
Phone Passcode: 843833
Video for Day 9:
Day 1: Sacred Reading
December 26
Video: The Stories We Tell
Spiritual Practice: Hearing each other’s stories: What’s a favorite story about your family from your childhood (or your kids’ childhood) that makes you feel good about who you are?
Day 2: Forgiveness
December 27
Video: Letting Go to Move Forward
Spiritual Practice: Ask people to silently bring to mind something they would like to let go of in their lives. It may be something they’re trying to forgive in themselves or in another. Invite them to sit a moment with the thing they need to release. As they sit, ask them to silently notice what they feel in their body as they think of this hurt. Give a few moments for quiet, then ask them to breathe peace into their body and spirit. Close by reminding the group that forgiveness may not be instant, but over time, they can bring peace to the places that need it.
Day 3: Sabbath
December 28
Video: Finding Presence through Our Best Yes
Spiritual Practice: Take a group vacation. Ask everyone to get in a comfortable seated position. Invite them to remember a place where they were truly at rest. Explain they’ll be taking a five minute vacation to that place and time. Invite them to spend this five minutes remembering the smell, sounds, sensations of their vacation. At the end of the five minutes, invite people to share where they went.
Day 4: Sharing the Table
December 29
Video: Nurturing Connection
Spiritual Practice: Read “Perhaps the World Ends Here” by Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. You can find it online here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/49622/perhaps-the-world-ends-here. Ask the group what table has been meaningful in their lives. This might be a particular meal, an event or ritual, or it could literally be a table in someone’s home.
Day 5: Gratitude
December 30
Video: The Joy of Enough
Spiritual Practice: Give everyone a piece of paper, or have them bring one. Ask them to draw a line down the center. On one side, have them write, “Enough,” at the top. On the other side, have them write, “Not enough.” Give the group five minutes to take inventory of their lives. What material or immaterial things fit in each category? Let them know that they can think about things they can touch as well as things they can’t. At the close of five minutes, invite the group to carry their list with them this week and jot things down as they notice them. Encourage them to see if there’s one thing they can get rid of and one thing they can make more space for.
Day 6: Hospitality
December 31
Video: Welcoming What Comes
Spiritual Practice: The Examen can be a practice of both hospitality and release, as we welcome the lessons we learned throughout the day and let go of what’s not helpful for us. For this, everyone will need paper and a pen or pencil. The examen practice is from St. Ignatius, and the general framework is to invite God’s presence, look back at your day for what it taught you, and pray for God’s guidance for tomorrow.
Day 7: Generosity
January 1
Video: Choosing Abundance
Spiritual Practice: Allegory of the Long Spoons. This well-known allegory is often attributed to Rabbi Rabbi Haim of Romshishok. Like many important stories, it’s been told in many ways throughout the years. One of the themes in this book is that generosity helps us live in abundance. The allegory “The Long Spoons” illustrates this difference between seeing abundance and seeing scarcity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4lI8e33U2A
Day 8: Silence
January 2
Video: Experiencing Peace
Spiritual Practice: Tell the group you’re going to experience a time of breath prayer. Ask them to choose a word that is grounding for them. It might be, “peace,” “Spirit,” “Christ,” or something else. Let them know that if their minds wander, they can return to this word to reground themselves. Invite them to get comfortable, then tell them you’ll help them settle into this time.
Day 9: Blessing
January 3
Video: Healing the World with Love
Spiritual Practice: Lead a guided blessing meditation. Invite people to settle into a comfortable position. Let them know it’s ok to close their eyes, or to focus gently on the candle. If you’re meeting online, move your candle so that it’s in the center of the camera lens. This meditation is written in an affirmation style, so encourage people to repeat the phrases silently after you say them. Be sure to allow silence after each phrase.
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