“Part of being in community is noticing what’s needed. Part of being in community is doing what is necessary but unclaimed. Being part of a community means being willing to own what might not be easy or comfortable. I also learned that being part of a community means being willing to own one’s power, which required me to stretch beyond what I thought I’d be willing to do.” -Christine Slocum
How have you learned to own your power in community?
“Spirit of Life and Love, in these times when so much seems difficult, help us remember that we are not alone. We have each other. Help keep our connections strong and remind us that kindness, generosity and trust are antidotes to fear. Help us remember that our hope and our power grow when we are faithful to our deepest commitments and to each other. May we rise up to do the work of Love again and again. Amen.” -Sean Parker Denison, from “Keeping our Connections Strong”
How can you make your connections and commitments stronger?
“What gift can you give that will be meaningful to you—that will give you strength and clarity in the months ahead? What gift would be exciting, and nourishing to your own spirit? This is how we should give. The old proverb about the Lord loving a cheerful giver is often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean that we should give an amount that is easy for us. It doesn’t mean you should grin and bear it! It means that we should give a gift that gladdens our hearts; that gives us joy. It means when we give generously, with authenticity and integrity, the Divine moves in us. The Divine moves in us.” -Cecilia Kingman, from “The Land of Enough”
What kind of giving brings you joy and nourishes your spirit?
Theologian Miguel de la Torre has made a case that hope asks us to wait for something different rather than acting to make it happen. “All too often,” de la Torre writes, “hope becomes an excuse not to deal with the reality of injustice.”
How do you choose action over the passive notion of hope?
One of the ways we can generously share our faith in a healthy way is simply by living it. We can do our best to make sure the values that we express through our actions align with the ones we profess.
How do you live your values?
