or … helping people fall in love with being together.
Over the years, I have collected and written large amounts of material that I hope you might find useful as you create opportunities for people to fall in love with being together, the most important achievement of church or any gathering we might hope to create.
I’ve two projects underway.
Lectionary-based Resources
This project has been years in the making. It is to collect alternative readings, poetry, and hymns that grow out of the themes of the lectionary, the three year cycle of texts used by many clergy in the preparation of their services. That project will continue to be developed and postings will be updated as the project continues toward its completion. You may access the Lectionary-based Resources here.
In the resources, I provide: a theme chosen from the biblical readings; non-biblical readings related to the theme and chosen from a variety of sources, ancient through to contemporary news items along with a brief biography of the author, if possible. Some include an outline of sermon notes I used, a Focused Moment, a poem written to accompany the theme, service elements ranging from hymns to prayers. It’s a work in progress. Many also include original words written to traditional or well-known hymn tunes.
Year A Resources: Being posted as they are collated and polished!
Resources for Secular and Humanist Communities
This is a new project. While you are most welcome to use the resources above as all of them are secular, the lectionary, itself, circumscribed what I could achieve. I hope to build this resource over time and ask you to indulge me as I do so. Any feedback you provide is absolutely welcome. You may access the Resources for Secular and Humanist Communities here.
Creating community out of nothing is like breathing life into the dust that was Adam. No human can do it. Neither could any god we might imagine for ourselves. Community can only evolve over time, as humanity has done. How that happens has as much to do with timing, place, expectations, and your own charismatic presence than it does to one’s passion to make it happen
But, as the angel said: “Be not dismayed, for I bring you tidings of great joy.”
You are not alone. There are innumerable people, organizations, and communities that make this community thing work, and who want you to make this work. After all, society is enriched by resilient people and people become resilient in community. Reach out to me, to others who have been doing this for awhile, including church people (mostly, they are not the enemy though I cannot provide any guarantees), read books on community building, and get out of the way when the alchemy begins to take over, when you can see it coalesce, not needing you to keep it in the air. Then, simply help the energy remain focused while allowing it to grow to fulfill the unique needs that will emerge within it and define it.