February 14, 2009 — revision 599

< [[Group Experiences]] Heart Chakra Day! =Agenda= * Opening words * Love as it relates to our work; reflections on opening words * Brief Check in, including homework from last call Homework from last call: : Arthur: Share spreadsheet ... not yet : Brandon: Call water project people again ... two messages : Shelley: Asking friends what they care about and what they see is missing in spiritual communities of which they are a part ... will try part B again : Mickki: Launch the GrowLocalColorado.org site and schedule trainings to support others in building/caring for site ... not sure if domain pointed yet : All: look at spreadsheet and come to next week's call with own reflections ... not yet : preferred emails: brandon@thesanders.us, shelley@thesanders.us, ted@chicagohumanist.org : All: Creating the space/listening for other people to share why what we're doing (church, work, projects) is inspiring to them and why it matters. * Circles of Participation - Art hasn't completed spreadsheet ... we will talk about this another time * Potential conversation: Distinguishing Ministerial Tracks ** Environment / nature (natural systems, biodiversity, study of ecosystems) ** Individuals (interpersonal communication, counseling) ** Community (group process, mediation, governance, facilitation, group dynamic stuff) ** Business (flows of cross-fertilization, ideas, value, etc. resource management) ** Youth (everything related to young people, including youth leadership programs) ** Food system (planting, preserving, nutrition, serving) ** Health & wellness ** Energy ** Ecovillages (as ministerial training grounds / immersive internships) ** Education / culture / learning / stories / history / language ** Building the purpose-driven social critter (Arthur's opaque language about the larger social dynamics/systems) Inquiry about ministerial tracks: * how do we include the passionate, warrior-type social justice activists who are working to *change* the already existing systems in the above spheres of ministry? * how can we move the "fight against" energy into a generative domain, where actions are moved higher up in the drainage? * what language can we use to include them/help them find their place while simultaneously moving them into a more effective/generative space? Empowering the warrior change agents to alter the current/existing systems ...change agents, activating change, active leadership (blerg) ... Oooh! We're creating new spheres/new contexts for nurturing human activities / collaboration. We need new language to create the context for these spheres - =Opening words= : From Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet: : : Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. : Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; : For love is sufficient unto love. : : When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God." : And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. : : Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. : But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: : To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. : To know the pain of too much tenderness. : To be wounded by your own understanding of love; : And to bleed willingly and joyfully. : To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; : To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; : To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips. =Closing Words= : 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 : 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. : 8 Love never fails. : : Work is love made visible. Kahlil Gibran : To be of use, by Marge Pearcy : : Next Time: : Shelley =Next Week= : The next call is 2/28, led by Shelley : Arthur will share spreadsheet, but Shelley can create something for all of us. :)