Contemplative Meditation

Theologian Paul Knitter speaks about a "Sacrament of Silence." He states:

If the Divine is truly a Mystery that is beyond all human comprehension, beyond all human ideas and words, then any spiritual practice must make room - lots of room - for the practice of silence.

We will explore this practice Sunday night when local Zen Buddhist practitioner Jon Blann leads our time of meditation. Jon will briefly introduce us to the practice of Zen, we will do one short period of zazen (seated meditation) and kinhin (walking meditation), and we will finish the service with a tea ceremony. Jon states:

Zen is the pure experience of the dynamic reality as it is in this moment. It is not a philosophy. It is not a metaphysical way of explaining the world. Zen is practice. So although we use and respect academic study, teaching, and ritual, we emphasize practice. When we are walking, we walk; we when are sitting, we sit; when are drinking tea, we drink. This is Zen practice.

Please bring a cup for the tea ceremony.

More information about Zen and the San Angelo Zen Center can be found here. The San Angelo Zen Center is associated with the Maria Kannon Zen Center in Dallas, whose lineage is from Japan.

Our meal will consist of typical Buddhist and/or Japanese fare. In honor of the upcoming Earth Day, and out of respect for all sentient beings and all creation, our offering will be designated for The Nature Conservancy.

Sunday's Gathering
Contemplative Meditation
April 18, 5:30 pm
618 Locust Street

God is Still Speaking

The Language of God from United Church of Christ on Vimeo.

“The Language of God,” the United Church of Christ’s spring 2010 viral internet message, is a fast-paced, 90-second experience that invites exploration of the many ways that God’s voice is being heard and made known in the world.

Watch this internet message with your congregation, small group, friends or family and then consider the following questions for discussion:

What images from “The Language of God” most vividly caught your attention? Why do you think they were memorable? Were any images confusing, troublesome or especially meaningful to you? Why?

How do you perceive or experience God speaking in the world? What is distinctive about the United Church of Christ’s emphasis on a Stillspeaking God? What does the UCC’s phrase “Godis still speaking” mean to you?

Watch “The Language of God” again. Has this exploration altered the way you experience this video?

If you wish to view the video on the UCC website click here.

Sacred Discussion

This coming Sunday, April 11, we will travel to the Himalayan Mountains to study with world-renowned spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi. Well, ok, the commute will actually be a little closer than India - Promenade Square, 618 Locust Street. And the leader will actually be renowned Neil Snipes. But we will encounter Gandhi as we discuss his perspectives concerning reasons to believe in God.

The article Neil will use to facilitate the conversation begins with the following paragraph: "There is an indefinable mysterious Power that pervades everything. I feel it, though I do not see it. It is this unseen Power which makes itself felt and yet defies all proof, because it is so unlike all that I perceive through my senses. It transcends the senses. But it is possible to reason out the existence of God to a limited extent."

Our offering recipient has yet to be determined. As for our potluck, Gandhi was a vegetarian, and eventually a "fruitarian" from India, so our potluck is anything that falls into these categories. I can hardly wait to see what ends up on the table!

Hope to see you at 5:30 pm, 618 Locust, Sunday, April 11.

Easter Images

All are welcome, please come.

Easter Worship Service
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Promenade Square
618 Locust Street
5:30 PM

Spring Water

Wrapped within young leaves: the sound of water.

What might this observation by the Japanese poet Soseki have to do with this Sunday night's Gathering? What might it have to do with Palm Sunday, Holy Week, or a reading from Mark Nepo, which will be used in our time of reflecting on sacred text? Great questions! And with Teresa Rylander as co-leader for the evening, there's no doubt the conversation and reflections will be poetic, engaging and thought-provoking. So come:

- and hear Teresa's beautiful reading of Mark Nepo's words about our unencumbered spot of grace,
- come participate in the exploration and conversation,
- and come begin the Holy Week journey in a very unique way.

Come - this Sunday, March 28, 5:30 pm
618 Locust Street.

Survey Says!

The Gathering's survey was sent out January 30, 2010. 19 out of 45 people responded to the following questions (condensed results are in blue):

1. You may choose multiple answers to the following question. I find The Gathering e-newsletter

The vast majority enjoy it.

2. The Gathering meeting time (Sunday, 5:30 pm) is

67% really like 5:30 Sundays with another 17% saying it works for them.

16% find our current meeting time difficult because of the darkness issue.

3. You may choose multiple answers to the following question. If The Gathering were to meet at another time, my preference would be:

42% say 5:30 Sundays is their preference.

Other choices: 26% prefer Sunday late afternoon earlier than 5:30; 21% prefer Sunday morning; and a sprinkling of preferences for Sunday early afternoon, Saturday eve, a weeknight, or Sunday eve later than 5:30.

4. The general length of The Gathering each Sunday night is:

65% say the length is just right, while 4 people experience it as too long.

5. With the current format for the month as a whole (Worship first Sunday of the month, Education second Sunday, Contemplation/Meditation third Sunday, Reflection on Sacred Readings/Service fourth Sunday, Business Meeting fifth Sunday), I am:

82.4% of respondents very pleased with current monthly format, diversity and variety appeal to The Gathering participants.

A comment repeated by several is that people miss the movies.

6. You may choose multiple answers to the following question. I would like to have more opportunities for:

Gatherers find times of education and meditation meaningful with 59% of respondents wanting more opportunities for these.

Reflection on Sacred Readings are also finding a place of interest with 38% of folks requesting additional experiences with texts.

29% of people request more worship and service opportunities. Surprisingly, not one person requested more business meetings.

One way we’re addressing the request for more meditation is by connecting with Quaker sitting and Zen sitting. One way we’re offering more education time is to highlight local offerings in other places.

7. I participate in The Gathering (via e-newsletter and/or in person) because...
and
8. The most satisfying/least satisfying aspects of The Gathering are...

26 Comments total. People expressed much appreciation for the community, the inclusivity, the diversity, the creativity, the outreach/service to the city and beyond.

Primary frustration concerns our meeting space and not feeling “settled” somewhere.

9. Please share any additional feedback, satisfactions, dissatisfactions, questions, and/or plans for world peace.

9 comments total ranging from The Gathering is a wonderful gift that should do more to we’re trying to be/do too much to too many people.

Anyone wanting full results, please contact Karen at (325) 374-1566 or thegatheringsanangelo@yahoo.com. She is happy to share.

Gathering to Practice Peace

"To be at one with God is to be at peace... peace is to be found only within, and unless one finds it there he will never find it at all. Peace lies not in the external world. It lies within one's own soul." Ralph Waldo Trine

Peace of the spirit is a priceless treasure, sought, practiced, and cultivated by people around the world throughout history. Among its benefits are a happier and healthier life, a greater sense of clarity and purpose, and a closer connection to the divine and to the life that surrounds us all.

In an increasingly complex, stressful, and fast-paced world, we often find that this "inner peace" is elusive. In seeking it and the renewal it brings, we must first try to understand it. What forms can it take for us? How can we experience it? What practices best facilitate its discovery? What are the obstacles in our lives that prevent us from attaining and sustaining it?

This Sunday, March 21st, Isobelle Fox will lead The Gathering as we explore these questions, share our answers, and seek through reflection and meditation to experience a few moments of peace of the spirit together.

Our offering will be designated for the Samaritan Pastoral Counseling Center because of their work helping individuals, couples, and families searching for inner peace. Our potluck theme: food that contributes to peaceful co-existence among the earth community.

Written by Izzie. The Peaceful World mandala is by Kathy Abromeit of GathertheSky.