Sun, Feb 19, Book Club

Here If You Need Me.

Kate Braestrup writes a warm and gentle story about her journey as a single mom and as a chaplain to the Maine game wardens.  She ministers to families who have lost someone in the Maine woods.  She’s there for them during the difficult times of the searches.  She manages to also be there for her kids – which adds a bit of comic relief to an otherwise tender topic.

To order, click on book

“By now I know not to bother anticipating or planning for these calls.  Hope and grief make a habit of presenting themselves in novel ways every time, and what is required in the way of a tender and appropriate response changes every time as well.”  (p 6)

Kate is in the listening business; listening to the families and listening for those tender and appropriate responses.  Listening to her own children as they navigate their days.

Please join us for a discussion of her book.

The 3rd Sunday in February, Feb 19th.
Date:  Sunday, January 15, 2012
Time:  7 – 8:30 pm

Locations:  Conference Call — number provided via email that week
To be on the Book Club email list, send to bluebird.sj@gmail.com

2012 Panera Bread location
1211 Half Day Rd. Bannockburn IL 60015
847-236-1599

Panera is located on the SE corner of Half Day Rd. (Rt. 22) and Waukegan Rd. (Rt 43)

in the Dominick’s shopping center in Bannockburn

This is just north of (and shares a zip code with) Deerfield.

Take 94/41 N, stay on 41 N

when they split and go West on Half Day Rd.  approx 1/2 mile

or take 294 (turns into 94) N and go East on Half Day Rd approx 1/2 mile.

Contact:  Barb Molter Boss 224-622-0149

A New Direction for 2012

As you will notice on the Calendar, there are no Gatherings scheduled.  Please make note of that and keep reading!

We have exciting news at the CS Fellowship – Metro Chicago.  We have so enjoyed putting together the Gatherings, Workshops, and Book Club and hope that you have been able to join us for one or all of these events and have also enjoyed the spirit of fellowship we have hoped to foster. People at the Gatherings have been telling us they are taking ideas home and seeing leavening in their own churches.  The vibrant Midwest Summit became a focal point for sharing ideas from all over the Midwest.  The Summit helped individuals realize their ability to make a difference for good.  Not change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of progress, and what those changes might include within the framework of The Church Manual.

Since it’s a new year, and the Fellowship has been rolling along for a little more than two years now, we thought it a good time to take stock of where we are and how we can best serve the Chicago community and be consistent with our mission* moving forward.

People have been most interested in our special programs and events, e.g., discussions of “Medical Ethics,” “Diversity and growing together,” Women who followed Jesus, an Eco workshop, a poetry workshop, and the Christmas Eve event.  The conference call book club has also been a welcome form of fellowship.

Because of these considerations, we are discontinuing the Gatherings and will instead concentrate our efforts on four larger events a year, roughly one a quarter.  The Book Club will continue as before.  We have some exciting ideas for these events and will keep you informed as they take shape.  We thank you all for your continued support and hope to see/hear from you soon!

*Mission Statement: To nourish Christian Science worship, fellowship and healing in a warm, bold, new way that supports one another and reaches the world.

Discussion highlights from The Great Emergence, by Phyllis Tickle

Please note: February’s selection,
Here if you need me, by Kate Braestrup

How Christianity is changing, and why.  This could have been a sub-title for Phyllis Tickle’s book, The Great Emergence.

As our moderator, Tim, explained, the author’s goal is to get us to think about our role as individuals.  The point of the book is to stimulate thought and discussion.  Tickle gives us chunks of history in order to understand what’s going on in our own hinge time.  “Hinge time” refers to the 500 year cycles at which point Christianity is transformed – each time.  And, she says, this has been going on from the beginning of Christianity.  The other Abrahamic faiths apparently have their own 500 year cycles as well, but Tickle’s focus is Christianity.

Thora was thrilled to report that this was probably her favorite book club book so far, and that it was a very healing book for her.  Her grown children get their religion from the Internet or TV, and now she understands the bigger picture of how and why this is happening.

Linda B especially enjoyed reading about the historic period from 1820-1910.

Colleen hadn’t known about the Chinese immigration brought on by building the Trans-Continental Railroad.

Claire and Sandi were keenly interested in the discussion about the demise of sola scriptura (the Protestant insistence that Scriptures, not priests, be the sole authority; also the insistence on the priesthood of all believers).  Claire found a connection between establishing the five pillars of fundamentalism and the publishing of Science and Health.

Carol could relate to the section on “Grandma in the rearview mirror.”  The advent of the auto soon replaced the tradition of gathering around Grandma’s dinner table for Sunday discussions.  The dialog that used to be family-centered at Grandma’s is now going on all across the world with total strangers.

Bob felt Tickle analyzed Christianity’s transformation in an interesting way.

Rindy wondered how communication is linked with other changes going on all across the board.

Tim pointed out the folk wisdom (p, 90) One always picks up a bit of whatever it is that one opposes simply by virtue of wrestling with it.  As people fight against one or another position, working through the emergence, the result is always a blending rather than a complete exclusion.

Barb mentioned the movie, “I Am.”  She feels the movie illustrates that mammoth thought changes are going on.  This is an emergence not of religion only.  All of our institutions will be changing rapidly.  Barb also feels that yes, every time Christianity is questioned, something good comes of it.  We emerge stronger because of the questioning.

2012: Can there be progress without change?

Rindy opened by playing Bobby McFerrins’ Twenty-third Psalm which, besides being incredibly beautiful, conveys an expectancy of going forward in safety.  In this recording, “The Shepherd” is a She.

Is progress possible without change?  What a question!  When I asked some high school / college friends at lunch today, it was a no-brainer.  For them, progress equals change.

Here are some comments from the Gathering later this afternoon.

Progress has to have a strong spiritual dimension, or it isn’t progress.

Hymn 69, verse 1.  Progress is turning from wrong, spurning it, and making better choices.

Marjory said progress is going forward.  When one door closes, another opens.  Also that things often need to be stirred up before there is any progress.

Multiple Discussions

Bob affirmed that change is a necessary ingredient of progress.  And that there has to be openness and receptivity for there to be progress.  You can’t move forward unless

What’s the promise for 2012?

Join the Gathering this Sunday at the Des Plaines Society at 2 pm, as we ask,

“What is the promise of the New Year?”

Some use the new year as an opportunity for setting personal goals.  Some list changes they want to make.  Some list changes they want others to make!

Achieving objectives can depend on a variety of factors: how important the goals are to us, our means for advancing, what kind of support we have.  And, perhaps, how willing are we to change?  This begs the question, “Is progress possible without change?”

Bring your ideas for 2012!  Come as you are.

Map Link

The Great Emergence – How Christianity is Changing and Why

Zowie!  After a respite in December, the third Sunday in January (Book Club date!) is galloping towards us.

I sat down this evening to begin Phyllis Tickle’s, The Great Emergence,  Soon I got up to fetch a dictionary.  A little later, having a world atlas handy seemed like a good idea.  (With on-line dictionaries and maps, these books don’t get used very often anymore.)

How and Why Christianity is Changing

You really don’t need a dictionary or an atlas.   Just curiosity, I guess.   “Carapace” was the first fuzzy word.  It means shell.  It also seemed important to know where the islands of Rhodes and Malta are in relation to each other.

Tickle is an excellent writer.  In the first sixty pages she presents a fascinating and concise history of how Christianity got to where it is today.  Each brief chapter has provided “Aha” moments as I realized, “Oh, that was Luther’s

Families and children welcome on Christmas eve

A warm, bold, and new worship happened Saturday in Evanston, as the CS Fellowship – Metro Chicago hosted a Christmas Eve Celebration.

The auditorium at Second Church, Evanston, hummed with warmth and welcome.  People — families, couples, individuals — came long and short distances to be together.

Henry and his mom

After a welcoming introduction, everyone sang “Joy to the World.” Then Henry Lunn thrilled us with his 10-year old soprano rendition of O, Holy Night.

Don Ferris thoughtfully read the Christmas story from Luke, with its reminders of angels bringing special messages of good — the birth of Jesus — unexpected and unforeseen by those involved.

Saying The Lord’s Prayer together was followed by singing “Go tell it on the Mountain.”  The children jingled their bells joyfully during each chorus.  Abby Schmidt, home from college, read a selection from “Christmas,” by Mary Baker Eddy.

Rev. Hanson speaks on "The Infant Idea."

Reverend Jeanne Hanson, in her homily, encouraged us to be willing to conceive and give birth to new ideas, whether we are men or women.  And to appreciate the spiritual light that guides each of us, just as it shown around the shepherds and guided the three wise men.

Stephanie Quinn shared her talents on the violin as she played a medley of “Amazing Grace,” “Simple Gifts,” and “Ode to Joy.”  She mentioned that on a recent tour of China she was not allowed to play “Simple Gifts,” because the words include, “Tis a gift to be simple, ‘tis a gift to be free…”  She was grateful to be free to play this melody in America.

Stephanie explains why she chose these songs.

We closed with a circle of light.  Everyone found their place in a very large circle as candles were passed out.  The auditorium lights were turned off.  As each person lit their candle, they read or spoke a Christmas quality that was meaningful to them.  Family, love, peace, joy, light, angels, and generosity were mentioned often.

“Silent Night,” all three verses, sung by everyone in that circle of candle light, concluded the evening.

And to you, our readers, we wish you all a sweet encounter with the deep peace of Christmas.  All year.

O Holy Night – a Family Event, this Saturday

Bring the whole family, including little ones.  After all, Christmas honors Jesus’ arrival as a babe, an infant, some 2000 years ago.

Hosted by the Christian Science Fellowship – Metro Chicago

At  Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Evanston
2715 Hurd Avenue   —   Map

Saturday, December 24, 2011
5 – 6 pm

Carols
Christmas story from Luke
Homily
Music
Circle of light

 

Love offerings will be given to Inspiration Corporation of Chicago. This organization helps people affected by homelessness and poverty to improve their lives and increase self-sufficiency through the provision of social services, employment training and placement, and housing.

Their goal to end homelessness aligns with the Fellowship’s goal of reaching the world — of helping individuals find their self-worth, their unique Christly expressions, to realize all have something valuable to give right now. 

Christian Science Fellowship – Metro Chicago’s mission statement: “To nourish Christian Science worship, fellowship, and healing in a warm, bold, new way that supports one another and reaches the world.”

(You can learn more about Inspiration Corporation here.)

Book Club Celebrates 12 books

Hi All,

We recently sent a survey to the Conference Call Book Club Participants. 

Perhaps there are other avid readers out there, even from other book clubs, who might like to comment on their experiences.  We’ll post replies as they come in, so everyone can benefit.

Here’s what we asked: 

Greetings Book Clubbers,

Do you realize the Fellowship Conference Call Book Club started a year ago January with Amish Peace?  (Yeah!  Cheers!  How time flies when you are reading good books!)

This seems like a good time to ask, how’s it going for you?

• How comfortable are you reading a book per month?
• Do you feel you’re keeping up?
• Would you be able to contribute more to the discussion if you read one book every two months?

• What are you enjoying about the book discussions?
• What recommendations can you offer for improving them?
• or What would you like to see done differently?
• How are you appreciating the different approaches to spiritual topics — novels, autobiographies, Interfaiths, best sellers?
• Any other ideas or comments?

If you’d take a moment to hit reply and answer some or all of the above questions, your answers might help chart our course for the coming year.  What you have to say is important!

Thanks to all,

Wishing everyone an encounter with the deep peace of Christmas,

Rindy
Cynthia
Sandi
Shirley

Christmas Eve Celebration

You, your family, children, and friends are invited to a Christmas Eve Candlelight Celebration!

Hosted by the Christian Science Fellowship – Metro Chicago

at Second Church of Christ, Scientist, Evanston
   2715 Hurd Avenue   —   Map

Saturday, December 24, 2011

5 – 6 pm

Among other special moments, the Celebration will include the Christmas story according to Luke, singing Christmas carols, a violin Christmas solo, and a special guest homily about Christ and the light of Christmas.

May the active stillness of Christmas be yours