One thing I am coming to learn is to not be afraid of hearing the word no. Even if I feel certain someone will say no, when it comes to inviting someone to participate, I am learning to ask anyway. Not only because it is nice to be included and thought of even when you don’t plan on participating, but also sometimes the answer is yes! This week I made it my mission to go out of my comfort zone and ask people to join my artmaking even if I feel certain they will say no. While I did get many no’s at common art on Wednesday, I also got so many more yes’s than usual because I put myself out there and was okay with hearing no. This has become a theme throughout my time at common art. I find whenever I push myself to ask anyway, I am so happily surprised by people’s willingness to join in.
Tag Archives: connection
Beginning Our Holiest Week
Palm Sunday (C)
April 14, 2019
Isaiah 50:4-9a It is the Lord God who helps me.
Philippians 2:5-11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
Luke 23:1-49 “????” (So many questions.)
Philippians 2:5-11 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
Luke 23:1-49 “????” (So many questions.)
…they had been enemies…
1: All other Sundays we begin the service inside. Why do we begin outside on Palm Sunday?
Every year at least one person tells me how much they dislike our Palm Sunday ritual of blessing and processing with palms – and it’s never been a complaint about how, in the old days, that is, in medieval times, the procession used to be from one church to another and back again, and now it’s just out one door and in the other. “Why do we do it at all?” is the question behind the objection. My response is not intended to stifle the grumbling – grumbling is usually okay with me because it’s a sign of engagement; it’s a sign of intelligent life! My response is that I prefer embodied liturgy and there just aren’t nearly enough opportunities for folks in the congregation to move and pray, or move and sing, between our boxy seating arrangements and our Anglo-Saxon religious heritage, which is pretty buttoned up. I do understand that going outside and coming back in is disorienting and chaotic and chews up time, and it separates those who are willing and able to do it from those who aren’t. Besides, this Palm Sunday is also a day when we have visitors who are in town for the marathon. On the other hand, church is a place where we regularly have the chance to participate in things that we don’t necessarily like, with the assurance that the thing that one person dislikes is the very thing that someone else in the community loves. When we’re doing it right, we take turns liking and disliking things in this community. Sometimes we are giving by our participation, and sometimes we are receiving. Sometimes it’s both.
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Go!
Lent 2A, March 12, 2017; The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz
Genesis 12:1-4a Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house.
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
John 3:1-17 How can these things be?
O God of grace, grant us the strength, the wisdom and the courage to seek always and everywhere after truth, come when it may, and cost what it will.
This is one of those Sundays when I have a harder time giving thanks and praise to God in response to the scripture readings when I first hear them, because it’s hard for me to hear them read without thinking about the damage humans do to one another using these passages as weapons. The recent and dramatic rise of hateful words and actions against Jews and Muslims (or people mistaken for Muslims) is fueled by arrogance and ignorance of “Christian” teachings. The fighting happens within Christianity as well, between Catholics and protestants, between different kinds of protestants, and within our own Anglican traditions. Perhaps you have a similar experience of knowing these lessons from a standpoint of in and out, us and them, ours and not yours. Perhaps you’ve heard these lessons as being about tests about who measures up because of what they think or don’t think. If not, just wait for today’s cantata! All this makes many flee religious practice, and for good reason. Continue reading
Bridges across Time & Space
I learned of my Aunt Libby’s passing two weeks ago and the news did not come easily to me. She came to Asheville, NC the same year that I did- for me to begin my adult life as a college freshman and her to end hers. She moved to an assisted living facility there that offered end-of-life care. The serendipity of this still baffles and amazes me. We spent countless hours together throughout the eleven years that we shared a zip code and she served as my primary family support throughout my twenties. I have been reflecting a lot on our time together and attempting to hold onto the lovely memories of her that I hope to cherish for a lifetime. I want to introduce her to you as a way to honor her. Continue reading
Something in the Way We Move
Recently I was asked why I chose to study Dance/Movement Therapy. My answer was that it has proved to serve me in my experiences and I desire to bring Dance/Movement Therapy to the world and that I aspire to be more qualified in the realm of Expressive Arts Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. After some reflection of my answer I realized that the essence of my statement is a desire for connection and movement. I love to move. I have experienced the transformative power of movement in my life. My desire to be more qualified is really an effort or desire to connect with others on a deeper level and to better understand where someone is in that moment. It was this question that led me to look at the way in which I relate to others and how I can make these connections on a body level. How does the way I move effect or relate to the connections I make, particularly in my three internship areas? Continue reading
Need for Connection
Over the last two weeks one of the themes I have seen rise time and time again is the human need for connection and belonging. Being with one another in a meaningful way can make all the difference in someone’s life. Brené Brown says, “We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection.” I feel this speaks perfectly to the wonderful people the interns and volunteers get the opportunity to experience firsthand through Common Art, Café Emmanuel and the Art and Spirituality program at the Suffolk County House of Correction.
The artists at Common Art have been creating beautiful works which they presented and sold in a show this past Sunday. Some images show literal connection such as couples while other pieces elicit connection through conversation over the art as it is viewed. They are sharing their memories, dreams and imaginations with the greater community through their art.