The Word Made Flesh

Workshop number:

La Verne

Shelton

Audience

Who may register:

Open to All (adult & high school)

part time-attenders welcome

Time breakdown

Lecture:

Discussion:

30%

Experiential Activities:

40%

Description

Leader Experience:

I have led workshops at Gatherings 2008, 2009, 2010.
I taught a term-long course at Pendle Hill, spring 2011, “Writing Our Lives”
I co-led the Inquirers Weekend Workshop last November (2010) at Pendle Hill.
I co-facilitated the A&O Outreach Hour-and-One-Half with Jane Berger
2007 Gathering
I facilitated a two-part (one-and-one-half hours each part) workshop on our NYM Sessions theme, Building Spiritual Bridges.
2007 NYM Sessions
I facilitated an afternoon workshop on responsibility and co-creation at our NYM regional meeting
2003 Milwaukee
I have facilitated Madison Meeting Community Inreach interactive trainings, lasting from two to three hours. These training form a basis for the first workshop I developed for the Gathering. The first two, on Quaker Worship and the Equality Testimony, were the foundation for pamphlets co-authored by the participants on the respective topics. Our contributions were published in the Madison Meeting newsletter. There have also been Inreach Sessions on the Peace Testimony and, fall 2007, a session on God and Community. 2007—2009
I facilitated a Framework for Cultural Competence training as part of the Center for Friends of Color Program
2002 Gathering

Secular:
I facilitated three sixteen-hour (two-day) workshops in Cultural Competence for staff and clients, including one that I authored myself “Valuing Diversity.” I also authored a workshop in the same series on Cultural Self-Assessment, which was not given because of funding cuts. These were at my previous workplace, Mental Health Center of Dane County (MHCDC). 2001-2
I co-facilitated with a Yahara House (unit of MHCDC) member, monthly hour-long interactive trainings in Compassionate Communication (also known as Nonviolent Communication)
June 2007—2009
I taught academic philosophy at graduate and undergraduate levels 1975-1985 and 1988-1096. (Rutgers University, Haverford college, College of Charleston, University of Wisconsin)

Short Description:

Using acts of Jesus from the Gospel of John as crucial exemplars of the Eternal Way, we can, independently of creed, enhance our ability to embody divine love in discernment, being, and action in the twenty-first century. Starting with the gospel’s depictions, we’ll practice dialogue, re-enactment, meditation, and divine reading.

Long Description:

Many Quakers believe that each of us embodies a divine seed or pattern, which some call the Inner Christ. Our life task is to manifest that divine pattern with all the fullness that our own individual nature, and the situations we find ourselves in, allow. Many also believe, following the first chapter of the Gospel of John, that the historical Jesus embodied that pattern (“The Christ”), which the Gospel calls “the Word,” as fully as mortal humanity allowed.

This workshop is a primer in patterning, that is, allowing our life to unfold according to the divine seed within. My own finding over the past year has been that many of the events related in this Gospel support the envisioning of solutions both to everyday and life-transforming dilemmas I face. This Gospel, which differs from the three synoptic gospels in both choice of stories and focus, is the story of “The Word Made Flesh.” The metaphors of its stories can be used as prompts for uncovering and naming tasks in our spiritual journey. The patterns underlying the metaphors can support faithfulness in both corporate and individual actions, especially those that, for the sake of improving conditions on Earth, might fly in the face of established norms.

Each of the five sessions will focus on one theme, similar to those called up by the following queries.
1. What need do I have for Spiritual Accompaniment (an elder) when ministering to others?
2. How do I participate in the struggles between conservation of institutional norms (for example in our monthly meetings) and the visioning of new ways to support our communities and its people in spiritual growth and faithfulness?
3. What constitutes wholeness or integrity in my life now?
4. What spiritual practices, done individually or with others, support the faith that will carry me through difficulties in my life?
5. What is my edge—place of growth—in the life task of discerning God’s will and acting with faithfulness?
6. Who is a healer?
7. What does this mean in my life: “If you love me, feed my sheep.” How do I discover the “food” that I and others need?
8. Does faithfulness ever require violence?

Each day will begin with worship sharing on a query centered on the day’s theme. In this way, each participant will focus on an aspect of that theme that applies to their life. Each session will use one or more of the narratives in the Gospel, including at least the story of the Caanan wedding, the raising of Lazarus, and the last conversation, in which Jesus conveys to Simon Peter, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” Other stories used will depend on the perceived needs of workshop participants.

The largest portion of the class will be an activity, including
*visioning or guided meditation,
*reenactment of one of the stories in the Gospel,
*meditation and writing upon a narrative in the Gospel,
*authentic movement,
*chant.

Finally, about a half hour will be spent in dialogue about the session’s experiences, what we have learned, and what we need to explore further.

We will close with brief unprogrammed worship (about ten minutes).