Wednesday, April 25: Room to Be Surprised

Inspiration:

Spirit of Change, help me to find joy in the surprises life brings me.

Room to Be Surprised

I sometimes hear pundits or other cultural voices say something like this: “At my age, nothing really surprises me any more.” But that’s not what I hear from CLF members, nor what I experience myself. We are saying: At every age, until the moment we draw our last breath, there is still room to be surprised. There is still room to learn, to grow, to open, to accompany one another on our journeys, no matter where those journeys may lead.

Hope is not for the naïve, for the young, for the unseasoned. Hope is always beckoning to us, no matter whether we can see it, no matter whether we can put it into words; no matter whether it comes in the form we expected it. Hope pervades all of life, if we have the courage to see it. And once we know it, we feel no choice but to offer it to others as a gift.

BY REV. MEG RILEY, SENIOR MINISTER, CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP TO READ MORE

Tuesday, April 24: Bending the World Toward Justice

Inspiration:

What would need to shift inside yourself in order for you to bend the world toward justice?

Bending the World Toward Justice

I think about the quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,”…the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” Most people like to end the quote there but another classmate and friend of mine, Cecilia Runge, once reminded me, the rest of the quote is critically important: “It bends towards justice, but here is the thing: it does not bend on its own. It bends because each of us in our own ways put our hand on that arc and we bend it in the direction of justice…”

The moral arc of the universe doesn’t bend itself towards justice. If we miss the opportunities around us, surely the forces of capitalism and culture will bend that arc in another direction; those forces are guided by many things, but love I do not think is one of them.

by Lena Gardner TO READ MORE

Monday, April 23: Illness and Chronic Pain

Inspiration:

“Everything in life is only for now.” – Avenue Q (Broadway musical)

Illness and Chronic Pain

When we become ill, we discover what it means to be a human “being” as opposed to a human “doing.” There can be extraordinary guilt when we realize all the things we assume about ourselves when we are healthy are no longer true. Whether it is a temporary set-back (when recovery is likely) or a chronic condition (which can only be managed, not cured) illness challenges us to see ourselves in a new light and to accept our humanness.

When we are sick or injured we suffer. Symptoms may range from pain, to disorientation to an inability to move or care for oneself, to loss of sleep and appetite. Our bodies betray us. Drugs, therapy, and care from medical professionals and loved ones can ease our suffering. But it is up to us to find a way to accept that pain and suffering are a part of being fully human. We cannot wish it away but we can learn ways to work with our suffering instead of fighting against it. Each of us will find our own path to healing. Healing comes from the same root as wholeness. Accepting that we whole even when we are ill or injured is a first step toward healing.

by Barbara Wells ten Hove TO READ MORE

Please join us at 1:30 pm ET for our live service Quest for Meaning.

Sunday, April 22: A Quest for Spiritual Nourishment

Inspiration:

Today, do something to shift your perspective – sit in a different spot, talk to a different person, take a different route or mode of transport to work.

A Quest for Spiritual Nourishment

Being a lay leader in my congregation, I encounter people all the time who have been hurt and wounded by religious experiences in the past. Many, like me at one point, feel animosity toward a Christianity they believe has failed them. My advice to them would be to keep seeking the truth. See that we are all human beings on a spiritual journey, and we all have a way to go. I still don’t call myself a Christian; however, I try to live the best life that I can in accordance with my understanding of God and God’s purpose for me. I think that’s a value that most Christians (and I don’t really mind being mistaken for one from time to time!) can agree with and strive toward.

I don’t know exactly what the future holds for me, but I sure am overjoyed to have found a place where I can get the spiritual nourishment I need to continue moving forward.

by Adrian Hilliard TO READ MORE

Saturday, April 21: Contagious Courage

Inspiration:

How difficult can change be, when every store clerk is willing to make it for you?

Contagious Courage

Consider how contagious courage is. A friend takes a risk and shares something deeply vulnerable. In return, you are moved to share some of your own struggle, telling a story you hadn’t thought of for years. A co-worker challenges negative practices at work. Though you are silent at the time, you go to him later and think about how to change the work environment together.
At their best, our faith communities are laboratories of en-courage-ment, where our authentic selves are affirmed, strengthening our ability for self-affirmation.

It is my deepest hope that being part of the CLF community will inspire acts of courage, because our authentic selves are strengthened in this vast web of connection around the globe. Where do you feel out of connection with your authentic self? What small act of courage might you take today to address that imbalance? How might the CLF community help you with that?
Dorothy Bernard said that “Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” May we remember that we are never alone, that our small selves and actions are part of a larger web of being. And may this larger web give us strength and courage.

by Meg Riley, Senior Minister TO READ MORE