Winter/Spring Programs 2016
January
Pat Bolan spoke on the Stephen Ministry at our January meeting. Pat has been active in the ministry at Ascension Church (Episcopal) in Knoxville for several years.
Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in congregations that use the Stephen Series system.
February
Jim Harb spoke to our February meeting about “The Crisis in Religion in Our Time: The Historic Transformation of the Three Great Monotheistic Religions” detailing disturbing trends among the three Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and particularly the “the attempted hijacking of the great values of Judaism and Islam” by extremists. Click here to see the full transcript of his thought-provoking and insightful analysis of the situation in the Middle East.
March
Our March meeting featured our annual video presentation from Contemplative Outreach. The video, “Centering Prayer: A Way of Life,” by Father Carl Arico, presented the four guidelines for centering prayer. Father Arico, a founding member and current Governing Board member of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., focused on how our spiritual journey is influenced by our words, bodily sensations, and thoughts. Dr. John Prados hosted the presentation.
April
Judith Rothermel, a memoir class instructor, legacy letter writer and legacy consultant, presented a well-received writing session on “Legacy Letters: Sharing the Wealth of the Heart” at our April meeting. The session was designed to help people write a final letter to those they love, stating their most cherished beliefs, values, life lessons, hopes and love.
May
Our May meeting was our fifth annual SOS Bookshare at which members discussed spiritual books that have made an impression on them. Click here for this year’s book list. Click here to see a list of the books discussed at our meeting last year.
June
Will Pye (willpye.com), cancer survivor and author of Blessed With a Brain Tumor, gave a very inspiring talk on “Radical Gratitude — Finding the Opportunity in Challenge and the Presence of Love and Peace in Each Moment” at our June meeting.