Spirit Saturdays

Saturday, November 21, 2020
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Zoom
Register Here

Workshop Leaders:  
Rev. Vanessa Southern, Rev. Alyson Jacks and Intern Minister, Meg McGuire
 

Join us for our third Spirit Saturday. This time we are going virtual! This experimental spiritual growth jamboree is an opportunity to feel more in community, connect and explore.  For our first virtual Spirit Saturday, workshops will be for adults only.

We have three workshops planned. Please read the descriptions, and then give us your first, second, and third choice. We will gather on Zoom and then break out for specific workshops. Each workshop can accommodate a maximum of 12-15 people. Each workshop will run for an hour and 15 minutes.
 

Image: Painting - The garden of Saint Paul's Hospital ('Leaf-Fall') by Vincent van Gogh, 1889.

White Fragility:  Why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism by Robin DiAngelo.
Leader:  Rev. Vanessa Southern
 

This discussion will be limited to white-identified members and friends of the congregation. It is a chance to dig in together, in honest reflection and wrestling with what the author thinks gets in the way of White folks even talking about race. And she names some of the frames of understanding, of cultural construction and patterns of behavior around our discussion of race, that need some unpacking and unlearning. The discussion is led by Senior Minister, Vanessa Southern and will take place over two Spirit Saturdays. You can join in for either or both, but just keep in mind the focus of the session.
 

November: We will focus on chapters 1-6 of the book;
January: We will finish up with chapters 7-12.
(If you need to borrow a copy of the book let us know. We have a couple we can lend out.)

The Practice of Hope
Leader: Intern Minister Meg McGuire 
 

How do you cultivate hope in the face of uncertainty and disruption?  Environmental activist and scholar of Buddhism Joanna Macy argues that the practice of hope requires not only grounding in what we love, but also honoring the less than pretty feelings that these challenges bring up. In this interactive workshop we’ll do an introductory dive into her work, and explore a few practices that support staying open hearted, creative and connected in these times. 

Faith Formations
Leader:  Rev. Alyson Jacks

 

Faith means different things to different people, and our understanding of faith often changes and evolves over time. I have always loved Sharon Salzberg’s definition of faith, “That which rests upon your heart.” How do you understand faith? In this workshop will explore how our faith journey has formed over our lives using writing exercises, some simple art activities and thoughtful conversations.