You know the feeling of anxiety to have a full schedule week in and week out and feel like you are losing ground? The Hebrew faith tradition reminds us that life is more than struggle and strife. Restoration and comfort are possible. Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of…
Author: CommunityThinker
Discipleship, Community, and The Kingdom of Heaven
Have you ever thought what a marvelous thing it is for God to bring a diverse group of people together to unify them as a body only to wonder how that diversity does not break itself apart? The last few years have seen a lot of division both within communities of faith and in the larger culture. It feels like unity is an impossible dream. Is there a shared story that can hold both diversity and unity? I often feel misunderstood or that I am often among people who are…
One Human Family
Population geneticists agree that all of us are literally one human family. What would our world be like if everyone acted on this truth? —SHARON SALZBERG, Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection As quoted by Rhonda Magee in The Inner Work of Racial Justice “We need support in the cultivation of the ability to sit compassionately with and talk about our own particular experiences with race, race-related injury, and alienation. We need help developing the capacity to be able to listen to the very different stories of others with…
Stay Connected in Times of Crisis
Invitation to Brave Space
—by Micky Scott Bey Jones
Together we will create brave space Because there is no such thing as a “safe space” — We exist in the real world We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds. In this space We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,
We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere, We call each other to more truth and love We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.
We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know. We will not be perfect. This space will not be perfect. It will not always be what we wish it to be But, It will be our brave space together, and, We will work on it side by side.
Everything That Remains
Blog Post written by Bryan Gower originally posted on Common Change Blog From my time studying philosophy at University, I have been interested in various thinkers, artists, and films that question the fabric of reality and the existential crisis caused by an uncritical pursuit of an “American Dream”. The crisis of identity and purpose seems to drive many to the extreme and often unhealthy measures to feel alive. Some have questioned whether consumer culture is our core vice rather than the ways we find to distract, numb or cope with…
Rethinking Charity
I recently had a conversation with a friend who is passionate about helping needy kids in our community. My friend began to explain that the kids he is helping often come from families that have been in need for generations. Some of these families are homeless and the need seems insurmountable. In reflection about how best to help these families, he reflected that many of the adults seemed to not want to get themselves out of poverty. It was easier to work the government handout and charitable systems and they…
Successful ‘Adulting’
I have a Tuesday night ritual where I meet friends at a local coffee shop or brewery to check-in with one another, discuss the books we are reading, deliberate current events, share how our families are doing, commiserate about work and tell stories from our week- the essentials of Community. Missing a Tuesday night reinforces how important my community is in the rhythm of my week not only because I miss out on hanging out with interesting people, but because how apparent it is that others miss me when I…
An Other Kingdom – Practice of Listening
I have been told that I speak in a tone that is very hard to hear. When I speak, I often have people ask me to repeat what I say when they don’t just politely stare at me with a quizzical countenance. Not being heard has created a great source of frustration in me. Exploring this challenge with those closest to me has returned suggestions to ‘speak up’, ‘talk in a higher tone’ or ‘be more assertive’. I have suggested that perhaps the challenge is not in the tone…
An Other Kingdom is an Invitation to Imagine an Alternative Story for our Communities
“If he needs a million acres to make him feel rich, seems to me he needs it ’cause he feels awful poor inside hisself, and if he’s poor in hisself, there ain’t no million acres gonna make him feel rich, an’ maybe he’s disappointed that nothin’ he can do ‘ll make him feel rich.” ― John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath What is nature of living in abundance? In John Steinbeck’s novel Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family is making their way across the country toward California to escape the…
Collaborative Giving
What is Collaborative Giving? Collaborative Giving is a community building practice where friends, colleagues or community members who have a common desire to assist in meeting needs of people in their community give to a common fund and make collective decisions on how to help their neighbors. When a member sees a need in their community, they can share the request with the group. By being part of a group and financial fund larger than themselves, Collaborative Giving gives each member the power to know they can make a difference and a sense that…