suffering and grace
April 29, 2009
This Friday, we’re headed to Paul’s house from 7-9pm for a ritual reflection on sickness, suffering, and grace. Dan is the leading the ritual and he says:
The theme I wanted to touch on this week was that of happiness within suffering.¬† As I’ve been sick this week, I’ve at the same time been reading very humorous e-mails from someone else who was sick, a friend of mine in DC.¬† And it struck me that she seems to have a much better attitude about sickness than I: I tend to get very downcast and gloom n’ doomy when I get ill.¬† How is it that certain people are able to handle illness and other kinds of suffering with grace, while others find only anger and sadness? I invite people to bring in a story of what got them through one of the sickest times in their lives, and the memory of something that got them through it.¬† Any personal items (a book you read while you were sick, a poem, a song you wrote, etc.) that remind you of how you stayed above the suffering would also be helpful.¬† I’ll also bring in some philosophical and Gospel wisdom on the subject.
Email for directions. Hope to see you there!
It’s a Ritual Revue
April 24, 2009
At our retreat on Holy Saturday, Transmissioners decided to begin having an organizational meeting once a month to review the rituals from the month. Tomorrow, Saturday, April 25, is our first meeting. If all goes well, we will be having this review and planning meeting on the last Saturday of every month from 2-4pm. Our Transmission rituals will remain on the first and third Friday of each month from 7-9pm.
If you’d like to take a look behind the scenes and learn more about planning rituals, reflect on your liturgical experiences, or debrief and decompress from the month, please join us. Email for directions! Hope to see you there.
A NIGHT FOR “INTERMISSION”
April 18, 2009
Dear Transmissioners,
Tonight was a very laidback Transmission. Present were a sparse but energized foursome, Katie Everett, Sarah Godbehere, Sarah’s friend Nicole, and I. We met at my place here in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, enjoyed some delightful Polish cuisine and relaxed. I think we were all a bit exhausted after last weekend’s retreat and needed something lighter.
So tonight after dinner, we enjoyed a strange little Irish comedy called “Intermission,” which was a mix of a romance and a bumbling gangster movie. It’s basically a story about people trying to find love or success, having illusions shattered, and trying to pick up the pieces afterwards. I recommend it.
And that’s about it for tonight. Some nights it’s best to just sit down with friends and curl up in front of a good movie.
Next Saturday will be our planning/debrief session at St. Michael’s Church: no leaders, just all of us meeting to discuss where we want to put our energies in the Transmissions to come.
Wish you all the best meanwhiles, and God bless.
Easter recovery tomorrow
April 16, 2009
Happy Easter! Most of our Transmissioners are all ritualed out after our 8 hour Easter vigil. We’re recovering with a movie night at Dan’s house tomorrow, April 17, at 7pm (email for directions).¬† Come for food and fun. See you there!