rushed to need each other
Sep. 16th, 2007 09:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
talyenI went to Ann Arbor yesterday to bid ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
indi_mus and carmen a bon voyage as they traverse the continent to their new home. It was lovely to be so leisurely with just them for almost the entire day -- I enjoyed it so much! I think even in my last days in Ann Arbor I hadn't had such a lovely day with them. Of course, we did a bit too much walking because there was this game that day and we didn't want to be on the roads, but it was nice to hang out for hours and hours with them.
Hard to believe they're going to be 3000 miles away.
And I came home last night, very late, so that I could be at St. John's early this morning. Not only did choir sing at both services, but I was part of a demonstration in the second service. We showed part of an actual Chalice Group, which is kinda a discussion group, kinda a support group, and kinda a life-journeys group.
So, in front of my whole church, 6 of us told briefly where we were at (lives, emotionally, whatever), and then discussed the topic of loneliness and connectedness with each other, sharing from our personal experiences. We talked for about 15 minutes, then briefly "checked out" by saying where we were at emotionally afterwards. Before and after there's also a ritual with candle and readings.
The topic fit in well for me, having moved 250 miles away from all my friends, trying to find people to connect with, and having yesterday said farewell to friends who are moving so very far away.
It felt like such a privilege to do this with the others who run groups. As someone who substitutes on the coordinating committee, I've participated in groups with these people before. Doing it in front of the entire congregation was quite the sharing experience, though, and that was something even better.
The feedback afterwards was very positive, and that's really what it's all about: reminding people that connecting with each other improves our own lives and the lives of the rest of the congregation and our community. We need each other.
indi_mus and carmen a bon voyage as they traverse the continent to their new home. It was lovely to be so leisurely with just them for almost the entire day -- I enjoyed it so much! I think even in my last days in Ann Arbor I hadn't had such a lovely day with them. Of course, we did a bit too much walking because there was this game that day and we didn't want to be on the roads, but it was nice to hang out for hours and hours with them.Hard to believe they're going to be 3000 miles away.
And I came home last night, very late, so that I could be at St. John's early this morning. Not only did choir sing at both services, but I was part of a demonstration in the second service. We showed part of an actual Chalice Group, which is kinda a discussion group, kinda a support group, and kinda a life-journeys group.
So, in front of my whole church, 6 of us told briefly where we were at (lives, emotionally, whatever), and then discussed the topic of loneliness and connectedness with each other, sharing from our personal experiences. We talked for about 15 minutes, then briefly "checked out" by saying where we were at emotionally afterwards. Before and after there's also a ritual with candle and readings.
The topic fit in well for me, having moved 250 miles away from all my friends, trying to find people to connect with, and having yesterday said farewell to friends who are moving so very far away.
It felt like such a privilege to do this with the others who run groups. As someone who substitutes on the coordinating committee, I've participated in groups with these people before. Doing it in front of the entire congregation was quite the sharing experience, though, and that was something even better.
The feedback afterwards was very positive, and that's really what it's all about: reminding people that connecting with each other improves our own lives and the lives of the rest of the congregation and our community. We need each other.
