Krishnamurti Calls

Neil will lead the discussion as we attempt to grasp a very different set of ideas about belief in God. Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895-1986), a renowned spiritual teacher, asks us to consider that across the human race the different beliefs in God only divide people with dogma, doctrine and rituals and create confusion and intolerance. He suggests, in fact, that beliefs in God actually impede spiritual development. But what are we left with if we don't believe in God? Come explore this very different dimension of spiritual concept. and wrestle, perhaps, with an idea that seems to make no sense.

Genealogy of Soul

Catholic Priest Edward Hays said "Lent as a holy season challenges one to aspire to be as Godlike as possible in forgiving and loving. We've all heard how the average person actualizes very little of his or her potential mental powers; the same is true of our spiritual potential. Lent as a holy season challenges one to reach for that potential, to aspire toward the greatness of soul that comes from cultivating virtues like justice, mercy and love."

The Gathering will begin this Lenten effort at cultivating "greatness of soul" with a time of meditation and reflection.

Come and join us for this meditation experience as Neil, Ann and Karen help us discover our Soul's Genealogy. We will share soul food (anything that makes your soul and body sing).

Your Cup of Tea

Harold and Beth will educate us on Greg Mortenson's work in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They heard the author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools in Dallas. Greg has worked to reduce poverty and promote peace via education. It should be a heart warming experience.

The Souper Bowl!

We'll kick off worship at 5:30 pm Sunday. Those in attendance will celebrate the Feast of St. Brigid and the Feast of Presentation, two little known feasts celebrated this past week, maybe even in Miami.

No tickets are required for the bread breaking. As Karen put it in the newsletter:

We'll enjoy great Celtic music, be warmed in body and soul with delicious soup and nourishing community, and do our part to add soul to the universe.

Care to join us at the Souper Bowl? We'd love to have you. A Saint riding a bucking Colt, that's pure West Texas.

Letter from a Gatherer

Alex Rios sent the following letter to the San Angelo Standard Times:

Boy, doesn’t it feel great to be on a team? Liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, foreigner, white, black, straight, gay, Christian, atheist, fat, thin, intellectual, redneck, young, old — whatever.

We’ve all been duped. It won’t stop anytime soon, but let’s at least know that it happened to us. We owe ourselves that much.

Whatever invented team we think we’re on, it’s time to ask, “Who owns the stadium we’ve been playing in?” Someone is benefiting from the game itself, and we’ve been blind, loyal, obedient and, best of all, quiet.

Feels good to pretend that you hate or love someone, though. We’re surrounded by heroes and villains, and haven’t we been dumb?

Someone, somewhere is laughing at our flags, our tears and our fat kids. They are smiling right at us. And you know the best part? We insist on seeing it all in HD.

All are welcome, no matter what the team. This Sunday we attend to business matters. As far as I know, there will be no HD.

Spirit and Soul in Dark Times

The darkness of the Haitian earthquake took the world by surprise. A country already suffering, now deals with immeasurable pain. The loss of life, shelter and basic services is staggering. Millions of Haitians have immediate needs for food, water, sanitation and health care. Those trapped in the rubble hope for search and rescue.

Both spirit and soul are needed in dark times. The darker the times, the greater need for soul. Soul deepens when people come together. It grows when we hold one another in difficulty, anytime people make sacred space. In making soul, we plant the seeds for rejuvenation, however far off that may seem.

Consider the words of Michael Meade from The World Behind theWorld: Living at the Ends of Time.

Everyone searches for home and home turns out to be the center of our lives. The real home is the center within each life and each return to the inner center not only calms and heals the person and makes the person whole, but also adds some healing and wholeness to the world around us. When the end (of the world) seems near, it's time to seek the center within and find ways to be central to the healing of the scorched and scarred earth around us. The great tragedies and dramas of life and the threat of it all ending try to return humanity to an awareness of the eternal presence of the divine waiting at the center of each life and all life.

Spirit elevates, soul deepens. The soul of the world cries for the wounded people and shaken, scarred earth of Haiti. With Haiti's infrastructure devastated, other countries have to step up and help out. If capacity and mission don't mess quickly, the soul of humanity will suffer greatly. Keep the people of Haiti in your heart, soul, spirit and prayers.

Prayer

"Prayer is not about words addressed to an elsewhere God. Prayer is about reflection on life and the interconnectedness of everyone and all things within God's Presence."--Michael Morwood

"Prayer is not an escape from the world but an entrance into it."--Ann Ulano

The Gathering will discuss prayer, be it soul filled, spirit driven, heart filled, or heart broken.

What is prayer? What are your habits, experiences and beliefs about prayer? How and why do you pray - or not? Come join us.