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Spiritual Development

Our Vision:

Transformation through prayer, learning and service of many forms, thus encouraging the exploration, deepening and living of our Faith.

We offer a variety of programs throughout the year to explore our Christian heritage and deepen our faith through ongoing Bible study, movie/discussion nights, lecture series, study groups, concerts, workshops and other gatherings.

All faith events are open to all interested persons of any denomination.

The offerings change throughout the seasons, so please check our Events page for current programs.

Each Sunday, prayers of the people are offered by a member of the congregation. The following prayer, written by Terry Dance-Bennink for Sunday, August 26, 2007, is based on Jeremiah l: 4-10; Psalm 71: Part 1; Luke 13: 10-17:

Dear loving God,

How we long for freedom! We are all crippled, bent over, in one way or another, to a greater or lesser degree, and when moments of relief come our way, how we rejoice. We long for deep and lasting healing, as the woman in today's Gospel experienced at the hands of Jesus the Healer.

Our burdens are many.

• It can be grief – as those who've recently lost loved ones in a terrible fire or car crash must feel;
• It can be pain – the pain that many who suffer from a chronic illness or an addiction must feel, being unable to "stand straight" physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually;
• It can be anxiety caused by a craving for affection, esteem, and praise which makes us work too hard and burn out;
• It can be resentment against someone who's hurt us deeply, a hurt we just can't let go of;
• It can be anger, the anger many women feel as they continue to butt their heads against sexism in our society;
• It can be guilt for not reaching out to help another because of our own preoccupations;
• It can be fear, the fear that we're just not good enough, despite our daily prayers and the good deeds we do; we're crippled by a sense of our unworthiness.

So we pray today for deep and lasting healing. And for the wisdom to discern when and how we should build and plant, pluck up and pull down, destroy and overthrow. That's the hard part. When is it right to call it quits and leave an unhealthy situation or relationship? When are we called to plant the seeds of a new dream in a new land, a new home, a new marriage, a new job or the new state of retirement? When should we be so bold as to overthrow an unjust policy or even a government for the sake of the planet and those who are oppressed?

We protest – not me Lord – I'm too young, too inexperienced, too old, too much of an introvert, too scared to take action. And yet You say: "Do not be afraid...I am with you...I knew you before you were even formed in the womb...and I have put my words in your mouth."

And so we trust that we are indeed free, free to be God's ears, eyes, and hands on this earth, and that we are infinitely loved no matter how crippled we may appear.

For this we pray. Amen.