A Resurrection Moment
So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NRSVUE
Reflect on ~
- what it mean/feels like to be a new creation.
- how I am “in Christ” – and how that informs my living and being in the world.
- what old things that have passed away do I continue to cling to.
- what new things have come into being – and how I can cooperate with the Holy in their coming into fullness.
In the wake of Easter Day, let us remember that we are always Easter people.
Click here to view a 30-second nature clip that resonates with resurrection.
A Word from Hearts On Fire President:
Thriving or Surviving?
Recently I was asked if I was surviving or thriving. I would love to say I am thriving. This time of year as our hearts turn toward resurrection, we think of hope and new life, and thriving. And a lot of my life is thriving. But there are times when I feel I am barely surviving. I sometimes ask myself; how can I claim to be thriving when all around me the world seems chaotic and violent.
I want to say I am thriving, but not many days go by without me thinking about COVID. Within the last two weeks I have heard of a church about an hour from me where 70% of the congregation tested positive for COVID. I, like many others have started to travel and go to places with groups and occasionally I don’t think about putting on a mask. And then just as I think things are “normal” I am reminded that we still live with COVID. And maybe the new normal is to coexist with COVID.
I want to say I am thriving, but not many days pass without hearing of another mass shooting. As I write this article, it is an elementary school and three children, all nine years old who have died. (And I wonder if by the time the newsletter goes out if there will be a more recent shooting.) I say prayers for the children and the families affected, but my prayers feel stale. And I ask myself if this is the new normal? In my heart, I don’t want this to be the new normal.
I want to say I am thriving, but not many days go by without hearing from a friend or colleague of another church wrestling with the decision of whether to leave the United Methodist Church. Some of the conversations are heated and the words shared leave deep hurts. People are grieving and many have lost the safe space to share what they are feeling. Is the new normal to be parted from friends and sacred spaces that we have known our whole lives? In my heart, I don’t want this to be the new normal.
I want to say I am thriving, but I see anxiety and fear on the faces of so many I come in contact with. With the loss of loved ones in the last three years who could not be properly grieved, and the loss of jobs, and the loss of friends and the loss of feeling safe when we go to the grocery store, church, or any other place, I understand the anxiety and fear. And I ask myself if we will go back to feeling safe and comfortable in our homes and communities. Where is the new normal?
And I am thriving because in spite of my surroundings I am Christ’s beloved. My spiritual practices of prayer, meditation, journalling, practicing self-compassion, walking the labyrinth, and community ground me. Maintaining my connections with my communities support me and care for me so that I can thrive. These practices allow me not only to thrive, but to be there for others and encourage them to thrive.
I believe the world needs spiritual directors more than ever. People want to be connected to something beyond themselves, and spiritual directors help people find meaning in the midst of the chaos and violence.
Hearts on Fire provides community and resources for spiritual directors and the spiritually minded. Please join us for our in person retreat in July and our Recalibration Live virtual retreats every other month. If you need something more specific, please reach out to me or any of our board members through our website https://fumsdrl.org/.
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Dr. Linda A Holbrook
2023 Retreat
July 17-20, 2023
Rev. Daniel Wolpert, leading
Hearts on Fire for a World on Fire:
Spiritual Direction and Social Transformation
@ Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center
near Atlanta, GA
To say that the world is in a powerful time of upheaval and transformation has almost become cliché at this point, yet it is true. The multiple crises of climate change, social unrest, the rise of fear and totalitarianism, all press upon us and strain our physical, emotional and spiritual health.
At such times we see an increased interest in the spiritual life and in new forms of spiritual community. These moments also call for spiritual companionship and spiritual direction. As directors we can and do serve as agents of social transformation, sitting with individuals and groups as we listen for the movement of the Spirit.
Come join us for this time of retreat where together we will reflect upon Spiritual Direction and Social Transformation. This will be a time to gather with colleagues, spend time in prayer, renew our spirits and come to a deeper understanding as to how we engage the principalities and powers in our work as directors.
Click here to access the registration page.
Since this is our first in-person retreat in 5 years, we will be offering a significantly reduced rate for members who register early.
Recalibration LIVE! in May
Embodying Vulnerability as
a Spiritual Practice
We live in a society that continually celebrates the strong and the powerful and considers weakness as a defect. Vulnerability is viewed as a negative socially, psychologically, and even spiritually. Yet, vulnerability is a human condition. It is a divine blessing, for we can grow closer to the Spirit when we are vulnerable.
In this session, we will address the cultural connotations of vulnerability, discuss the importance of vulnerability in spirituality, and take initial steps to practice the embodiment of vulnerability as a spiritual discipline.
Join us on zoom on ~
Saturday, May 20
1:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern
12 noon – 2:00 pm Central
11:00 am – 1:00 pm Mountain
10:00 am – 12 noon Pacific
This session will be led by Jason Ellingson, a life-long United Methodist. Jason currently has two occupations: one as a community ministry organizer for a Disciples of Christ church in the Des Moines (IA) metropolitan area, and the other as a part-time United Methodist pastor in north central Iowa. Jason is currently working on two graduate programs: one is a Doctor of Ministry program, in which his praxis focus is embodying vulnerability as a spiritual practice within the church, while the other program is a graduate certification in spiritual direction. Jason is currently in his second semester of practicum experience as a spiritual director.
Book Review
Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care:
How to Respond When Things Fall Apart
by Dr. Karen A McClintock.
As clergy our roles have gotten more complex over the years. Especially in the last three years with the pandemic, an increase in violence, and an increase in natural disasters, clergy find themselves trying to preach meaningful messages and offering pastoral care in cases that feel like trauma.
In Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: How to Respond When Things Fall Apart, pastoral psychologist Karen A. McClintock calls clergy to learn and practice “trauma-informed care” so they can respond with competence and confidence when life becomes overwhelming.
McClintock suggests that clergy start by examining their own trauma because clergy aren’t immune from all the stressors in life. By examining their own trauma, clergy are less likely to experience secondary trauma and less likely to retraumatize the victim. In the chapters of the book, McClintock explores racial trauma, natural disaster trauma, and inter-generational trauma. She weaves together insights from psychology and theology, to discuss how the body responds to trauma, and how to help develop self-regulation.
Karen uses her own experiences and shares some vulnerability in telling her stories. As a pastor and psychologist, she is perfectly positioned to help clergy recognize symptoms of trauma and commit to healing individual, community, and generational trauma with care and cultural sensitivity.
I recommend Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: How to Respond When Things Fall Apart to all clergy and spiritual directors. Many people in our congregations and many of the people we see as spiritual directors need help in dealing with trauma and this book is a good resource.
Reviewed by Linda Holbrook, HOF member, HOF Board president
Resources/Partners/Educational/Enrichment Opportunities
Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center
Rolling Ridge offers a wide variety of opportunities for learning and growth, rest and renewal. Core programming includes spiritual transformation, spiritual companioning (direction) training, and Spirit-led ministry expressions. Upcoming programs include retreats, deep listening (supervision), spiritual healing, soul care, … and much, much more. Upcoming events include contemplative photography, yoga, soul care with artists, worship in the woods, understanding your dreams, small groups, and many more virtual and in-person opportunities.
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Lifelong Formation)
Click here for upcoming online courses and webinars.
Academy for Spiritual Formation
The Academy continues to offer multiple opportunities, both online and in-person. These include academies (of varying lengths) with wonderful faculty presenters, pilgrimages, days apart, international opportunities, and experiences planned for particular groups of non-English-speaking persons. Click here to discover the possibilities.
HeartPaths DFW
Upcoming opportunities are being offered via zoom:
- 9-month program, weekly prayer practices online by Zoom (‘Going Consistent’)
- 9-month retreat of Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with weekly online sessions (‘Going Deeper’)
Hearts On Fire Membership
Please consider becoming a paid member if you are not already.
This group is open to all interested in spiritual formation/spiritual direction/retreat leadership, regardless of denominational affiliation.
Enrichment/educational/networking/community zooms are being held at intervals throughout the year.
Retreat in 2023 – in person! (Members receive a substantial discount on the registration fee. See more in Retreat block above.)
Additional resources including: daily prayer guide, book reviews, etc.
Click here for the membership page on our website. There you will have the option to complete your member profile and pay online, or print a form and mail a check.
We are making some updates to our website. As you visit over the next couple of months, you will notice some changes.
Click here to explore our website.
Have an event to share? Wondering what others are reading, or what practices they are finding helpful? Looking for a learning opportunity? Have questions about navigating the uncertainties of our times? Seeking support and encouragement? Want to discuss the book reviewed above?
Click here to check out our Facebook page to engage in the conversation and make connections with others.
Words of Wisdom
A Prayer from the Dalai Lama
May I become at all times, both now and forever,
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
|A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.
For as long as space endures,
And for as long as living beings remain,
Until then may I, too, abide
To dispel the misery of the world.
[from Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love and Hope for Our Precious Planet, by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with illustrations by Patrick McDonnell]