Centering Prayer
This third Sunday of the month is our contemplative prayer time, and our theme this month is centering prayer. In the words of centeringprayer.com, "Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship." The website continues:
"Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer - verbal, mental or affective prayer - into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with God."
Father Thomas Keating, the priest we have seen with philosopher Ken Wilbur on the Integral Spirituality DVD, will be our model for this practice; you can find him describing the prayer method on this youtube video. Our offering will be designated for United Campus Ministries, a "prayerful place" for many students, and our potluck will be anything - with the notion that our very preparation and engagement with food can be a prayer in itself.
Sunday's Gathering, 6/20
Centering Prayer
5:30 PM, 618 Locust Street
Food 4 Thought, United Campus Ministry - Wednesday, June 23
It is again time to prepare and serve the hungry students at the ASU United Campus Ministries, and just in time for summer, we'll be serving the classic summer meal: hot dogs, buns, potato salad, beans and cookies for dessert. About 25 persons will probably attend.
Ann Light is corralling the food and Gatherers, so contact her if you can help. She says lots of folks have responded so far, and all we need to round out the meal are cookies and potato salad. We need to have the food to Ann either before Wednesday, or at United Campus Ministries, 2453 Dena Drive, by 10:30 on Wednesday. The students are always glad for us to be there on Wednesday, too, so feel free to come and share a hot dog with them. Lunch is come and go from 11-2, and if you're able to be there to help any of that time, that's also great.
Seeking to Give Compassionately and with Integrity
One way The Gathering partners with others and the Divine to co-create a more just and whole world is through our offerings. In 2010, The Gathering has given 48% of what we collect to others. Some of the recipients of our offerings include: Meals for the Elderly, West Texas Organizing Strategy, UCC Strengthen the Church, The Nature Conservancy, Project Dignidad, The Humane Society, Remote Area Medical, and HERO.
The offering on 6/6 was $42 and was designated for The Gathering. $380 was given on 6/13: $245 to Kids Eat Summer Lunch Program and $135 to The Gathering.
A Spiritual Response to the Gulf Crisis
In response to the Gulf oil crisis, the website SpiritualityandPractice.com has examined the complexity of our relationships with both the oil industry and the environment, and they seek to explore and respond to the tragedy from a spiritual perspective.
Each day this month, a new prayer, chant, meditation or thought for conscious reflection is posted to help us connect with the sacred water of our planet.
The posting for June 2 is:
Water is the source of creation,the ancestor of all living things.
It's the bloodstream of the earth.
Public Theology
Last Sunday we discussed public theology, which is the intersection between popular culture and the search for meaning. The "Did You Know?" video can be viewed here. Interestingly, while many people are rejecting the "traditional" place of finding meaning, i.e. faith communities, religious stories keep showing up in public places helping us make sense of our world. An example of this is found on page 24 of the July/August issue of Mother Jones magazine: the head of a well-known tv commentator is attached to a statue of a golden calf. Surrounding the statue is a crowd of people, arms raised in awe and praise. Faintly, in the corner of the picture, is a mountain - hinting, of course, at the story found in the Hebrew scripture (aka Old Testament) Exodus 32-34. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the people were afraid and wanted a more "accessible" god. So Moses' brother Aaron obliged and made a "golden calf" god. To further understand the association, read the article here. To see the picture and join in the conversation, join us at The Gathering this coming Sunday night.
Mystical Lady in Blue Celebration is this Weekend
The second annual celebration of the miraculous relationship between Maria de Agreda of Spain and the Jumano Native Americans of New Mexico and Texas is this weekend. For more information about the weekend, including the Intertribal powwow and the ecumenical worship service, check out the website.
Upcoming Gatherings
Sunday, 6/20 - Contemplative Meditation
Wednesday, 6/23 - Food 4 Thought
Thursday, 6/24 - WTOS
Sunday, 6/27 - Reflection on Sacred Text
Tuesday, 6/29 - Community Connecting Workgroup Meeting
Sunday, 7/4 - The Gathering
Sunday, 7/11 - The Gathering
Links
Center for Progressive Christianity
United Church of Christ
Charter for Compassion
Spirituality & Practice
Speaking of Faith
Contact Us:
Rev. Karen Schmeltekopf
Pastor
thegatheringsanangelo@yahoo.com
The Gathering's Webpage
The Gathering's Blog
(325) 374-1566
325-374-1566
No comments:
Post a Comment