This Sunday: Bring Compassion to Each Challenge
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This Sunday we continue our series on RESILIENCE
Last Sunday > gratitude! In my experience, gratitude certainly enhances resilience. Like an elevator that lifts my body to a higher level, gratitude has the ability to lift my spirit to a higher, better story. Hence the task (see below). Whenever I find myself feeling “down,” being truly grateful for the blessings at the moment helps get me back “up.”
This Sunday we continue our study of resilience with a fourth practice > bringing compassion. We’ll focus on the part of the Joseph story when Joseph has a choice either to be revengeful or compassionate toward his brothers who treated him so hatefully earlier in life.
Resilience is sometimes defined as the ability to bounce back after challenges. I don't know about you, but given all the challenges in our world these days, I need this series.
This series looks at five practices or habits that we can implement to encourage a healthy, wholehearted resilience in the face of trials.
Mindful Attention
Re-See Challenges
Practice Gratitude
Bring Compassion
Focus on Others
Join your spiritual community online or in person this Sunday to continue this study and its application to our spiritual lives.
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This Sunday will be our 35th church service in the era of CoViD-19
I am SO RELIEVED AND HAPPY that our livestream technology is now working smoothly! One of the keys to this development is discovering Ethernet cables that were failing because of their age and their exposure to the intense heat on the roof. Thanks to Dave Larson and Wes Babcock for making this evaluation and for helping with installing brand new cables.
Please join your church family this Sunday at 11 o'clock either online or in person.
I love being your pastor, and I miss seeing you in person! And I send my prayers for everyone's well-being, physically and spiritually. Please let me know how I can help or serve AND how you might want to help or serve the church.
Nathan
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Last Sunday: Holy Supper > in person OR at home
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Thank you to Élise for so carefully setting up safe, socially distanced stations for taking the Holy Supper at the Chapel last week. We are trying to maintain our routines as best as possible given the challenges of the pandemic. The photo here shows the efforts Élise went to to provide a safe, sanitary experience for those who ventured to take the sacrament in person in the building. Identical stations were
set up in different areas – two in the Chapel, one in the Vestry (the small room off the lobby), and one in Friendship Hall.
The next time I will offer this sacrament will be the first Sunday of January. I encourage you to consider taking it either in person at the church or on your own at home during the livestream. Several people told me they participated from their homes last Sunday.
Nathan
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What Shall We Do About Our Path To Bethlehem?
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What is your opinion? Please contact me ASAP
For many years, on the first Saturday of December, we have offered a “Christmas greeting” to our community through our unique “Path to Bethlehem.” This year several people have expressed interest in continuing our tradition in a scaled-down, Covid-cautious way. The idea is that people need safe experiences that encourage hope. And what better story of hope than the birth of our Lord and Savior?!
But how can we offer a version of our Path to Bethlehem in a safe way? Here are some ideas to consider:
Actors in each scene must be from the same family (or pod), and guests to each scene must maintain a safe distance from all actors.
Instead of starting inside the Chapel, guests gather, socially distanced, on the patio between the buildings until their time to walk the path.
Instead of being grouped randomly with other guests, families who come together stay together as they walk the path.
Instead of having guides who lead larger groups around, smaller family groups walk the path at their own pace.
Instead of having audio recordings of the Christmas story at each scene, posters display the words of the script so that people can read them at their own pace.
No animals this year (donkey, sheep).
No gathering in Friendship Hall.
Pre-packaged refreshments only (to be determined).
What do YOU think? Would you be willing to participate in this community-oriented activity? Please contact me to express your interest.
Nathan nathan@sunrisechapel.org
cell 520-820-5148
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Penultimate small group meetings continue this week
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You can still jump into one of the current small groups!
How resilient are you feeling these days? Could you use a little encouragement from a supportive group experience?
We are continuing this 5-week small group experience similar to the annual Journey Programs we do each year. I invite you to participate in a group or do the tasks on your own. The final Sunday will be November 15th (in time for our annual Thanksgiving service the following Sunday).
Small groups (either online or in-person) will be delving into the material that can be accessed online or from self-printed copies.
Groups
WEDNESDAY AT 3 PM
Nathan is leading a group that began Wednesday, October 21 at 3:00 PM (MT) This meeting is both IN PERSON AND ONLINE. I am meeting in Friendship Hall where we can distance appropriately and where I have a laptop set up to include people online. Contact me and I will send you a Zoom invitation.
THURSDAY AT 6:30 PM
Our weekly Women’s Group is meeting IN PERSON AND ONLINE in Friendship Hall at Sunrise Chapel. In the second meeting they introduced a microphone and speaker system so that everyone could hear each other better through masks and social distancing. It worked! Contact Elise for details.
Here is some background information from the authors of this program:
We invite you to join a small group to support well-being, health and resilience in this challenging time.
Life is filled with ups and downs. We need resilience. Sometimes resilience is small (making it through the day), sometimes resilience is big after a major life event (illness, trauma, job loss, relationship ending, grief etc).
We need resilience in our relationships and in our lives. Resilience is about claiming our agency - that we are powerful - and it's also about finding solidarity with others, knowing others who have had setbacks and kept going.
The small group experiences will explore practices of resilience enlivened by an ancient sacred text (portions of the Joseph story from Genesis) and supported by scientific data.
For more information on the program and its launch in the Bryn Athyn Church (Pennsylvania), check out this link.
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Last Sunday's topic ~ this week's Task
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Here is the task from last Sunday which was introduced in this week's small groups. Even if you aren't involved in a small group, consider doing the task on your own or with your partner or friend.
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Graphic: How to join a ZOOM meeting
Hey, church family!
Do you miss our get togethers in Friendship Hall? I do! But there is still a neat and fun way of connecting in spite of CoViD. You can check in and visit at noon on Zoom.
Everyone welcome, even if you haven't participated yet! Pop in for a bit and leave whenever you need to.
To join the Zoom meeting, click on this link at NOON
If this link doesn't work for you, go to zoom.us/join and enter these credentials for the meeting:
Meeting ID: 949 4617 0443
Password: 05152020 (hint: the numerical date for May 15, 2020)
Looking forward to seeing you!
Nathan
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Guidelines for reopening for in-person church activities
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Welcome! The doors are open. Come when you are ready
With appropriate caution, I welcome anyone to attend church services in person who feels safe within the guidelines outlined below. I realize that many people will not attend in person, yet, so I'm glad when I "see" you participating through the livestream option! Please use the YouTube chat
feature to "check in" and let your church family know you care about our faith community.
We have space for at least 20 people in the seating area of the Chapel. There are also the "overflow" rooms to view the TV monitor in the Vestry (off the front lobby) and in Friendship Hall.
Specific guidelines for in-person attendance
1. Stay safe while being kind and respectful. Observe the guidelines. If you are uncomfortable for any reason, please take care of yourself first; feel free to leave without any negative judgments.
2. Do not attend in person if you are sick, or if you are concerned about getting sick, or if you are at high risk. Instead, please continue to participate remotely.
3. Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth. Please bring your own face covering (mask, scarf, bandana, etc). A face covering will be provided if you forget to bring your own.
4. Practice social distancing while on the church property (inside and buildings) including friendly no-touch greetings.
5. On entering and leaving the buildings, please wash hands with soap or use hand sanitizer (provided in the lobby).
During the church service:
• I wear a mask before and after the service and while I am singing. I remove my mask for prayers, the children's talk, the readings, and the sermon, with the understanding that the closest participants are over 8 feet away from me.
• Sanitary wipes are available for individuals to wipe down chairs and surfaces they use.
• Bathroom use is limited to one person at a time, using only the main bathrooms at the entrance to Friendship Hall.
• No printed bulletins or songbooks. Instead, song lyrics are projected on the monitor and announcements will either be projected or verbal.
Please, let me know whatever you think. It's good to hear from as many people as possible. I'm doing the best I can, and I don't want to put any volunteers or visitors in any unsafe positions. I appreciate your help and patience!
Looking forward to your participation either in person or online!
Nathan
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Photo: laptop + coffee
Weekday Meditation (9:00-9:30 am MT) This is the link for the Monday meditation that I lead, but it is also the same link for the rest of the weekdays, led by other folks. Try it! You might like it!
ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES:
New Church Vineyard (This is a RICH source of KID-ORIENTED content for all sorts of stories from the Bible and the teachings of Swedenborg. Use this for family worship and for "Sunday school" type activities to enhance your spiritual lives at home.)
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Your church home for partnering with the Lord and each other in the practice of cultivating spiritual growth and choosing heavenly joy
www.sunrisechapel.org
nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245
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