Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Contemplation - inner work for outer change

I am so excited.  My issue of GEEZ magazine (Summer 2011) just arrived in our mailbox and I need to find time to read it.  I actually opened to a random page and read right through it standing in the middle of the kitchen floor.

a sample of the headings this issue are...
  • Forget 'making a difference'
  • Seven varieties of religious contemplation
  • Speechless for a week
  • At least now I know I'm neurotic
  • Those who sing pray twice
  • Three stations of the activist sould
  • a call for monks and activists to unite
and on... but I have to go out now... this will be by my side for every spare moment... to speed read and/or savour at leisure... and possibly both ... it's definitely going to the cabin for the whole summer so you can read it too...


later man, jan

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Contemplative Worship May 12 - 9:30am

Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship Service
Living Spirit United Church – May 12, 2011


Welcome
Please enter quietly
 and join with us to hold the silence for all.

“When intellect exhausts itself,
from inky darkness
soul launches into the luminous void;
a moth flutters toward the Midnight Sun.”
                                                (Moth to the Flame – Aaron Stephens)



Opening Reading  (spoken together)
“From my first breath I have longed for Him. 
                           This longing has become my life.” (Rumi)

Chant:
O You whose face illumines my dark room,
This moth encircling You, is my heart.
 (repeat)
Lectio Divina Readings…
1st reading – listen, what word or phrase draws you.
2nd reading – listen, for an image that relates to your life.
3rd reading – listen, what might God be calling you to?

"Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire."
                                                 (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin)
Chant:
If you will, if you will, if you will, if you will.
You can become all flame, become all flame, become all flame.
You can become all flame… become all flame!
(Darlene Franz, Seattle)(repeat)


Silent Meditation (15-20 minutes ended by a bell)

Prayers of the people followed by Our Father.

Chant:
If you will, if you will, if you will, if you will.
You can become all flame, become all flame, become all flame.
You can become all flame… become all flame!
(Darlene Franz, Seattle) (repeat)

Closing:  (spoken together)

We give thanks to You,
        who are the Source of Love;
        whose Light shines forth
                throughout the universe!
Come, awaken our hearts that
        we might do your Work;
For, without You, we can do nothing;
        ‘tis your Love that loves
                through us.
                        (Psalm 107 trans Nan C. Merrill)

Namaste.






“Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened”  Matthew 7:7

Please Join us for Fire & Grace Contemplative Worship

 Wednesdays evenings at either Wild Rose or Hillhurst United. 
1st and 3rd Thursday mornings - St Laurence Anglican
2nd and 4th Thursday mornings - Living Spirit United

For more information on detailed dates and times please call Jan Bacon at 403-242-2115 or email baconj@telus.net