Workshops

http://www.scribd.com/doc/169528845/13-1005-Retreat-Flyer

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GIFT OF PEACE, led by Stefanie Etzbach-Dale

                                 Wednesday, December 6, 2012 from 2:00-3:30                                                              at Mira’s (22775 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu)

                                                         An afternoon of ritual, reflection, sharing and intention-setting to help you bring your best self to the winter holiday season.  RSVP by 12/01/12 to Mira’s:  310-694-7769

Please note that “Empowering The Reluctant Activist” workshop will be held at the UUA General Assembly in Phoenix, AZ in June 2012.  Details available shortly.

“The Reluctant Activist”

Pacific Southwest District – District Assembly

Saturday, May 21, 2011 (Neighborhood UU Church, Pasadena)

(The following material, with a few additions, was generated by the attendees of the workshop)  WHY ARE YOU DRAWN TO THIS SUBJECT:  I know the issues, seek courage, want to be of service, am a “reluctant activist”, want to be able to reach reluctant activists, seek focus and renewal, seek hope, want to connect with gratitude…  NOTICE WHAT’S IN YOUR MIND & HEART: What are the areas in need of healing? State budget, homelessness, hunger, marriage equality, clean water, clean air, education, loss of respect/trust, poverty, racism, big pharma, healthcare, mental health, prison reform, misuse of funds, immigration reform, climate change, sustainable communities, overpopulation, over consumption, economic collapse, environmental collapse, wage disparities…  NAME THE FEELINGS:  What emotions come up for you in response to the issues? fear, sadness, desire to run away, exhaustion, frustration, hopeless, anger, impatience, rudderlessness, urgency, regret, guilt, do something…

 BREATHE!

BRING YOUR WHOLE SELF TO EVERY MOMENT AND EVERY CHOICE  TAKE AN INVENTORY

• What are your motivations, thoughts, feelings RIGHT NOW?
• What are your strengths, abilities, talents, skills, insights, resources of time and money?
• What are your growing edges, physical limitations, needed skills, etc?
• What are your personal characteristics, preferences and responsibilities?

 CONNECT WITH THAT WHICH YOU HOLD TO BE MOST TRUE – YOUR VALUES

 Unitarian Universalist Values

REMEMBER Unitarian Universalist congregations covenant to affirm and promote:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

HOW TO BRING THOSE VALUES TO LIFE?  IDENTIFY “CONTEXTS OF AWE” Where do you  most experience reverence for life and your place in it?  Where are you energized? Work, urban festival, rave music tribalism, Beach Boys at Capitol Mall, singing together, community building, volunteering, partner church in the Philipines, choir Ancient wonders, fossils, Neanderthal Valley, Taj Mahal, 07/20/69 moon landing, birth of a grandchild, watching children learn to walk, the wisdom of children… Grizzley bears with cubs, natural wonders, standing in a meadow looking at the stars, deBenneville, edge of the ocean at twilight, Alaska, bird on a nest, tsunami, slugs, awe inspiring spaces Awakening to empathy, serendity, love, organized chaos, worship, collective will, joy, in the moment shared joy, attentiveness, “small things”, beauty, gratitude, prejudice transformed to acceptance, winning, progress, community building, survival, spontaneity, successful communication, unexpected support, the kindness of strangers, public support…  NOTICE TRENDS  Consider what those specific contexts most clearly focus on?

• A desire for and responsibility to community, for having clear purpose and sharing life’s experiences with others (collective work joy, music, etc.)?
• A personal experience; internal journey?  Collective identity?
• A sensitivity to “qualities” of experience, to beauty, process and how we are together?
• An appreciation for history, for the possibilities of the future (events, times, places long gone or yet to come, legacy and continuity, human creativity, etc.)?
• Specific issues or kinds of experiences (working with nature, with children, with finances, etc.)?
• A commitment to intellectual, rational approaches?
• A connection to the natural world, the mystery of life and our place in it?

APPLY KNOWLEDGE OF YOURSELF TO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE 1.  If you are energized by tasks/situations requiring strong moral purpose and order, by working together with others on behalf of practical progress/getting things done, consider:

• Planting a community garden, cleaning up beaches/parks
• Organizing and participating in protest marches
• Advertising, fundraising, working on phone banks, voter registration
• Working with youth, doing legislative lobbying…

2.  If you are energized by tasks/situations in which you can connect personally, those encouraging a rich “inner journey” through personal, behind-the-scenes service, rich images, stories and rituals celebrating  life’s details, consider:

• Studying and praying on an issue, creating transformative worship experiences
• Donating money, letterwriting, blogging
• Putting on street theatre or creating a wall mural or tapestry to educate the public
• Making signs/posters for others to carry in a protest march, or T-shirts to sell
• Creating or personally delivering care packages to those in need
• Offering childcare so others can attend meetings, actions, etc.
• Encouraging and celebrating the activism of others…

 3.  If you are energized by tasks/situations utilizing a diverse arrange of resources, competing ideas and fluid symbols to encourage the process of peace-making and tolerance, and a sense of the holy in each moment, supporting good process and communication, consider:

• Teaching, counseling/mediation; writing letters, blogging,
• Creating covenants, engaging in diplomatic communications
• Giving lectures, hosting discussion groups and film series
• Participating in interfaith panels and action, bearing witness
• Encouraging and celebrating the activism of others

 4.  If you are energized by tasks/situations focused on intellect, “big picture” concepts, root causes and goals – using rationality in support of unifying principles, consider:

• Doing research, compiling statistics, tracking trends
• Creating historical timelines and projections
• Reporting – writing books, blogs; lecturing
• Working on organization, planning projects, finances, fundraising
• Working on mission statements, policies…

* Categories inspired by the work of Peter Tufts Richardson  THERE ARE MANY WOUNDS THAT NEED HEALING.

PSWIRL 2010 – Camp deBenneville Pines, CA

Theme Speaker: Rev Stefanie Etzbach-Dale

“There But For The Grace Of…” (August 23-26, 2010)

The week’s series, entitled “There But for the Grace of…”, divided into four one-hour morning presentations followed by two-hour interactive sessions, was geared toward those of us who are acutely aware of the existence of suffering in the world, our responsibility to be agents of healing, and the challenge of engaging in meaningful, effective, and sustainable ways. Through a series of daily presentations, readings, songs and interactive exercises participants were encouraged to explore this dynamic (the liberal religious dilemma) and to begin to create a plan for meaningful engagement that is authentic, effective and sustainable (spiritually nourishing). DAY 1:  The Liberal Religious Dilemma The awareness of suffering in the world, and our responsibility for active healing engagement on behalf of justice and equity. The awareness of our limitations in the face of how much needs our attention. DAY 2:   What Gets in the Way of Our Engagement Naming the issues of our time Acknowledging the inner barriers to engagement – focus on fear DAY 3    Empowerment through Discernment:  Needs, Values & Resources Owning your identity Nurturing yourself DAY 4    Empowerment through Involvement:  Personal Action Plan Passion, Active Discernment, Action Worksheet “Creating a Plan”

Below are transcribed notes of group brain-storming sessions and conversations, as well as copies of hand-outs.

Day 1 The Liberal Religious Dilemma PARTICIPANT MOTIVATION (why are you here today?) Feeling burnout, am curious, have noticed the dilemma, have thought about this, am flummoxed by the world, want to lean, hoping for helpful tips, open to the experience, want to find ways to help, want to hear another perspective, feel sparked by the topic, concerned about living with blinders on,  live in a polarized world, want to connect with love, am on a fact-finding mission, concerned about being liberal in an illiberal world, searching for personal balance, looking for root causes of world’s problems, want to contribute, topic resonates, have no expectations, enjoy Unitarian Universalist clergy, world’s problems wrench my heart, seek to be a compassionate being, recognize the need for healing, torn regarding how to be of service and not burnout, just happy to be here, this is an important yet challenging subject, enjoy the setting…

SOME OF THE “ISSUES” WE’RE CONCERNED ABOUT Homelessness, poverty, addictions, broken families, violence, overpopulation, terminal selfishness, greed, identity confusion, fear, hunger, disrespect of the planet, water usage, mental health services, education, lack of civility, obesity, female/male mutilation, militarism/plutocracy, indifference/lethargy, racism, sexism, anti-semitism, age-ism, look-ism, immigration, disease, environmental changes/natural disasters, extinction of species/ecosystems, marriage equality/gay rights, burden of private transportation, unemployment…

WHAT CAN GET IN THE WAY OF ENGAGING WITH THESE ISSUES Time, finances, health/infirmities, family responsibilities, priorities (personal, communal), not being sure of where our responsibility begins/ends, indifference, lack of knowledge about facts/reasonable alternatives, sense of inadequacy, unable to trust sources of information/power structures, concern for our social identity, practical demands (work/chores, personal levels of capability, etc), concern for safety, disconnect from our core values, disconnect from the empowered aspects of our identity, the “balancing act”, lack of support, the complexity of emotional responses…

THE EMOTIONAL RESPONSES WE MAY HAVE TO AWARENESS OF THESE “ISSUES” Afraid, angry, sad, frustrated, overwhelmed, curious, confused, cautious, caring, impatient, solution-seeking, disbelief/incredulous, don’t want to know/want to know more, cynicism, inadequate, hopeless, committed, pain, focused, vulnerable/invulnerable, in denial/moving away, energized/moving toward, desperation, anxiety, certainty, relief, guilt, arrogance, self-righteous, mean, self-loathing, shifted expectations/goals, grateful “someone’s” working on this, resentfulness…

Day 2:  What Gets in the Way of our Engagement COMMON “PARALYZING” FEARS (preventing engagement) Loss of control, fear of the unknown, questioning if our efforts matter, ufos and aliens, how we are known/valued, our abilities/disabilities, mortality, loss of independence, change/no change, personal reputation, no support, isolation, safety, physical retribution, Republican leadership/governance, sources of information, hidden agendas, trust…

SOME POSSIBLE RESPONSES to FEAR (coping strategies) Praise the Lord (there is nothing to fear), cultivation of gratitude, awakening from the concept of “self” (we are interdependent and interconnected), prayer/meditation/introspection, connecting with people/building relationship, service/activism, connecting with empowering symbols/stories, education (learning from the past), creativity (visioning the future), de-emphasizing fear: avoidance/denial/escapism, centralizing/feeding fear, justifying fear, contracting our lives, scape-goating, getting “back on the horse”, noticing & releasing fear, reasoning our way through it, using it to grow in insight/understanding, connecting with joy & gratitude…

FOCUSING ON OUR IDENTITY (what can we say is true about who/whose we are?)

• We are: Unique, worthy, valuable, value-driven, interconnected, interdependent, in process, thinkers, feelers, choosers, healers, diverse, embedded, resilient, organic, passionate, imperfect, vulnerable, powerful, creative, compassionate, loving…
• Physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual…
• Our families’, our neighbors’, our communities’, the worlds’…
• Our integrated experiences, preferences/choices, aversions, skills, interests, passions…
• “We are all children of the universe, no less, than the trees and stars.  We should celebrate our being and our being here, and consider all human beings as valuable as the most precious objects we perceive.” (Author:  Len Harris)
• We are ALIVE!!!  We belong to life itself!!!

Day 2 Assignment As you move through the day, think about what you know about yourself.

1. 1. What are your fears?
2. 2. What are your recognized personal limitations?
3. 3. What are the experiences/activities you just don’t like or aren’t skilled at?
4. 4. Under what circumstances have you found yourself connecting with a “larger identity and purpose” – feeling inspired, hopeful, empowered, gratified, like you are “thriving”?

You can either “list” your responses to each of these questions, or allow them to unfold in journaling format – but be sure to give thought to each question.

Day 3:  Empowerment through Discernment:  Needs, Values & Resources DAY 3:  HAND-OUT – WHO ARE YOU?

• What experiences of engagement were not gratifying – why?
• What experiences of engagement were frightening?  What are your fears?
• What experiences made you aware of your “limitations”?  What are they?  (Ex.  physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, experiential, etc.)?
• What talents, skills, certifications of yours have you taken pride in and/or been appreciated for?  What are they?
• What experiences have filled you with awe and a sense of connection/purpose?  What was involved in that experience?
• What experiences have motivated you to acts of love and courage?  How did that courage manifest for you?  What was it about those experiences that moved you in that way?

What are your values?  What’s your passion? CONTEXTS of AWE (given what you know of yourself, what context/s might work best for you today?) * Devotion:  contexts encouraging inner journey/deep presence/service to, and personal reflection upon, the details of human existence * Works:  contexts with strong tradition, rational organization, clear-cut goals and expectations * Harmony:  contexts focusing on right relationship/process – how we are with one another, rather than tasks.  Every moment/experience is “holy”. * Unity:  contexts encouraging and celebrating intellectual processes focusing on large concepts (theories, trends, problems, solutions, etc.) rather than the details of life. (From: Peter Tufts Richardson)

SELF CARE

1. Actively, consistently, monitoring your strengths and limitations/needs
2. Tending to your needs before you are in energy deficit (ex:  say no to things that aren’t essential or good for you, set realistic goals, ask for help, be gentle with yourself, realize what you can or can’t do may be different from day to day)
3. Reaching into pockets of restfulness, reflection, rejuvenation each day (ex: sleep, music, exercise, playtime, creativity, connecting socially, blowing bubbles, cloud gazing, journaling, reading…)
4. Assure that each day/week nurtures the many different parts of you (ex:  physical, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, creative…)

ACTIVIST SKILLS/INTERESTS NEEDED OUT IN THE WORLD (something for everyone) Passion, time to offer, financial means, physical ability/stamina, patience, insight, courage, ability to handle rejection or conflict, ability to think on your feet, ability to work with people of different ages, sense of humor, knowledge, diplomacy skills, listening skills, vision/imagination, organizers, leaders, researchers, communication skills (writing or speaking), language/translation skills, scribes, editors, typists, record-keepers, recruiter/motivator skills, cheerleader, promoter/advertiser, registrar, statistical analysis skills, technological skills (operating/repairing audio/visual equipment, websites,etc), moderator/facilitator skills, mediator/conflict resolution skills, liaisons, legal skills/ombudsman, teachers/trainers, security/safety workers, first aid/health workers (physical, emotional, spiritual), fundraising, investing, hospitality (accommodations, transport, refreshments), child-care, graphic arts, photographers, handyman skills, setup/breakdown, recyclers, “schleppers”, drivers, parkers, sitters/minders, greeters/ushers, faith/vision holders, beauty & order, ability to say “no”/be honest about what you can/can’t do or what you need…

Day 4:  Empowerment through Involvement:  Personal Action Plan

SOME TRUSTED/RECOMMENDED SOURCES of INFORMATION NPR, Mother Jones, Democracy Now, Uprising, PBS, High Country News, New Yorker, Harpers, Utne Reader, Atlantic, Rush Limbaugh, LA Times, Washington Spectator, Jon Stewart Show, Alternet, Moveon.org, Charlie Rose, Time Magazine, Ode, Catholic Agitator, The Nation, Progressive Populist, Unitarian Universalist World, Christian Science Monitor…

SOME TRUSTED/RECOMMENDED ORGANIZATIONS for INVOLVEMENT Unitarian Universalist Service Committee;  Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry; National Abortion Rights Action League; AFSC; League of Women Voters; Planned Parenthood; Nature Conservancy; GreenPeace; Sierra Club; Kiva Fund; American Farmland Trust; Habitat for Humanity; DeBenneville; Natural Resources Defense Council; Best Friends (animal rescue); Amnesty International; CA People of Faith; your congregation; American Civil Liberties Union; Interfaith Communities United for Peace & Justice..

SOME WAYS (big & small) to MAKE A DIFFERENCE – choose what works for you! Volunteer at agencies sharing your values/goals; “Hug ministry”: offering hugs to people; “photo ministry”:  offering to take photos for people; “Leftovers ministry”:  have your leftovers wrapped up with utensils and napkins so they can be offered to homeless folks you may meet on the way home; “Homes with Hope”:  meeting with a young woman weekly as friend and mentor;  work with Best Friends animal sanctuary, Angel Canyon – Utah – homeless pets; “Smile ministry”:  affirming humanity by smiling/making affirming eye contact with everyone you meet; League of Women Voters – voter education; “Listening ministry”:  affirming one another by encouraging sharing of joys & sorrows; Children’s Nature Institute – LA – field trips for school children out in nature; letter writing campaigns; recycling; media advocacy; trail/beach/park clean-up; literacy programs…local homeless shelters (although you may not want to actually go to the shelter, they probably would appreciate donations of bedding, clothes, fundraising, etc. – UUF of No. NV http://www.familypromisereno.com/index.html); Women’s shelters for protection from domestic violence;   Rape Crisis Centers (many provide training to adults who carry beepers or cell phones and take calls from rape victims. Some volunteers meet the victims at the hospital to provide support during the investigation and evidence gathering, and may also accompany them to court if the perpetrator is prosecuted); United Way; many local communities have a Volunteer HELPLINE (dial 411) and can match volunteer’s interests and abilities to agencies that have needs; Libraries and Literacy Councils – Reading is for Kids programs and similar programs that collect gently used children’s books and donate them to children; local museums; local hospitals have “pink ladies” or similar volunteer groups; garden clubs encourage gardeners to become Master Gardeners to provide help to other gardeners – some communities have community gardens in vacant lots that provide fresh foods for community member and many gardeners are happy to share plants and produce;  American Association of University Women – an organization founded in 1881 to promote education and equity for women and girls (they have scholarship and grant programs, offer programs for eighth graders to attend science and math camps – Tech Trek, CA only, and speaking programs, Speech Trek – membership is open to anyone with an AA degree or equivalent or higher – Check out http://www.aauw.org (national organization website) and http://www.aauw-ca.org (CA website);  local hospice organizations; local food pantries; quilters can donate completed quilts to the Wounded Warriors programs (US veterans in hospitals) and local shelters and family resource centers; county Welfare offices sometimes have programs that pair clients with mentors or pair social workers with volunteers to get supplies and find other resources clients need; advocacy groups, such as Desert Area Resources & Training (Ridgecrest) that provide jobs for developmentally handicapped persons at their thrift shop and contract cleaning services, as well as provide recreational outlets such as bowling and art activities, and use volunteers to teach ceramics, painting, etc., and set up shows to display the works to the community; foster family agencies sometimes have volunteers to provide items for clients and foster children, especially at holidays….

DAY 4 HANDOUT Creating a Plan

IDENTIFY YOUR PASSION Write down as many of the issues/causes that concern you as possible (big or small).  Say them out loud and “feel your way” through them, until you are able to identify the ones that “fire you up” the most at this moment.  For the sake of today’s exercise, choose one, knowing that it is not the only one or possibly even not the most important. Issues/causes I care deeply about: The issue/cause I am choosing to focus on:

ENVISIONING CONTEXT Either make a list of the organizations you know share your values/goals in terms of the issue you chose, or imagine the kind of organization you would hope to connect with. Describe it.   What kind of activism would you be interested in? An organization I could connect with around this issue is:

ENVISIONING YOUR ROLE Consider the kind of work you’d be willing to do, based on who you are – your personality/style, strengths, limitations, skills, interests, needs, other responsibilities, etc. I would welcome being involved in the following kinds of activities/settings:

SELF CARE Consider the ways in which you will tend to your own being in each of these areas, as you engage in this work:  Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual, Social, Creative, etc. I have this much time/energy/money, etc. to offer per day/week/month/year: In order to feel safe, inspired, spiritually nourished, effective and motivated I will set and maintain specific boundaries in consideration of personal safety, respectful communications, time availability, confidentiality, etc.  They are as follows: The practical support I need/expect (ex. training, accessibility, safety equipment, child-care, etc.) in order for my involvement to be sustainable includes:

ACCOUNTABILILITY Describe the way you will hold yourself accountable to this work, whether it is through journaling (if so, describe the focus of your writing), through friends, mentors, supervisors, counselors, etc., or an Accountability group.  Name the people from whom you will seek support and encouragement as you engage in this work. The ways I will hold myself accountable: The people from whom I will seek support and encouragement:

ASSESSMENT How often will you assess your experience, and how will you assure that this happens in a meaningful way? I will assess my experience as follows (times and process): Here is a list of questions I will commit to keep in mind throughout, and especially at those appointed times.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT Write a sample covenant/a statement of commitment, using the following as a model:

• As a religious liberal, aware of my embed-edness in a wounded world,  and feeling particularly the sufferings of  those with mental illness, those who are unhoused and have the disease of addiction, I covenant to offer my services as Member Services Volunteer/Group Facilitator at least one and no more than two days per week to Step Up on Second,  whose mission is to bring hope, homes, wholeness to those individuals and the community at large.

• This gift I offer for 6 months, with assessment at the 1, 3, and 6 month period.  I expect that my contributions will further the organization’s mission and my spiritual growth, and support my self-care needs.  These are specified as: confidentiality, non-interference with family obligations.

• To support me and keep me accountable, I covenant to keep a weekly journal of my experience, and to meet once a month with my Accountability Partner: (name).

DAY 4 HANDOUT ACCOUNTABILITY As interconnected beings we are all responsible for and to one another.  This week’s series has been dedicated to the acknowledgement that it can be hard sometimes to know how be so authentically, effectively, and sustainably. Many people approach this responsibility through belief in a God/Gods to whom they are answerable (who will judge, reward/punish their actions/inactions). Whether or not this is the case, it is advisable to consider ways in which we can be directly accountable to each other:  sharing our concerns, intentions, process and reflections with people committed to supporting our goals (which are recognized as including not only specific tasks, but also our own balanced well being and spiritual growth). This can be done formally or informally with friends, mentors, supervisors, counselors, etc. or support groups.   The support can be one-way (meaning it’s your responsibility to bring it up and ask for what you need), or mutual (meaning that everyone is responsible for lifting up the goals and process of the other). In either case, it’s important to set up a system whereby you will regularly be reminding yourself and your Accountability Partners of your goals, the movement you’re making toward them, and how all of that feels to you.

• Tell someone you respect and trust about the commitment you are making and why you are making it.

• Ask if they would be willing to be your Accountability Partner (someone who will be regularly available to you as a non-judgmental listener, encouraging reflections based upon your stated commitment, refrain from advice-giving, and keeping confidentiality)

• Set up a regular, mutually agreeable “check-in” time, either in person or by phone

• Agree to structure that time so that you can:
  • breathe!

• review out loud the recent experiences

• reflect on the challenges and accomplishments, the fears and insights, your self-care during that time

• renew or adjust your goals

WORKSHOP FEEDBACK RECEIVED

(What was learned/appreciated) Learned that many others share these concerns; learned that we are resources to one another; loved the combination of spiritual readings and chants with personal stories and practical application; outstanding teacher/lecturer; lovely; appreciated the speaker’s preparation & outreach, as well as the variety of topics and themes; wonderful worksheet:  appreciated being encouraged to “take time” in arriving at a personal plan; thorough considerations; valued the emphasis on forgiving ourselves and “doing what you can”; appreciated the initial  emphasis on how fear gets in the way and the ultimate focus on a wide variety of “accessible” and empowering acts; fantastic;  happy to have the worksheet; appreciated each service:  music, manner of presentation was sensitive, educational, and philosophical; ”best theme speaker we have ever had.  You put your heart and soul into making all parts of the camp experience work, and work it did! Even to the talent show!”;  loved that speaker was so prepared and willing to share the information we generated together, as well as that she was available for personal conversations after each session and through the days; very helpful; inspiring & practical:  thank you for coming; thanks – great!…

(What can be considered for improvement) Put speaker contact information on the handouts and have enough available for maximum number of potential attendees; too short!  would have benefited from planned time for discussion of each person’s personal goals…

RESOURCES

• Bennett, William J.  The Moral Compass:  Stories for Life’s Journey
• Church, Forrest.  Freedom from Fear
• Comte-Sonville, Andre. The Little Book of Rational Spirituality
• Dill, Karen.  How Fantasy Becomes Reality:  Seeing Through Media Influence
• Dorff, Rabbi Elliot N.  The Way Into Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World)
• Gilbert, Richard.  In the Holy Quiet of This Hour
• Hawken, Paul.  Blessed Unrest:  How the Largest Social Movement in History is Restoring Grace, Justice and Beauty to the World
• Keltner, Dacher.  Marsh, Jason.  Smith, Jeremy Adam.  The Compassionate Instinct
• Kushner, Harold S.  Conquering Fear:  Living Boldly in an Uncertain World
• Kurtz, Ernest/Ketcham, Katherin.  Spirituality of Imperfection
• Leder, Drew.  Spiritual Passages
• Lesser, Elizabeth.  The New American Spiritualities
• Murray, Joan.  Poems to Live By in Troubling Times
• Murray, Joan.  Poems to Live By In Uncertain Times
• Neiman, Susan.  Moral Clarity:  A Guide for Grown-Up Idealists
• Oman, Maggie. Ed.  Prayers for Healing
• Parker, Rebecca Ann.  Blessing the World: What Can Save Us Now
• Reese, Andy.  Rational Spirituality
• Richardson, Peter Tufts.  Four Spiritualities
• Roberts, Elizabeth & Amidon, Elias.  Prayers for a Thousand Years
• Sacks, Rabbi Jonathan.  To Heal a Fractured World
• Salzberg, Sharon.  Faith:  Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience
• Shick, Stephen.  Be the Change:  Poems, Prayers & Meditations for Peacemakers & Justice Seekers
• Solnit, Rebecca.  Hope in the Dark:  Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities
• Solomon, Robert.  Spirituality for the Skeptic

SINGING THE LIVING TRADITION 188            Come, Come Whoever You are 389            Gathered Here in the Mystery of the Hour 396            I Know This Rose Will Open 402            From You I Receive, To You I Give SINGING THE JOURNEY 1002            Comfort Me 1003            Where Do We Come From, What Are We, Where Are We Going 1009            Meditation on Breathing 1048            Ubi Caritas