March 6th through March 9th – Commitment to Action / RIC Training

Our RIC discernment at Creator has only just started in some ways and already it is becoming a story that is rich with grace-filled moments and fortuitous timing. Kelly’s moment of support at a council meeting was a grace-filled moment for me. Gretchen’s heartfelt presentation at the January congregational meeting was another. I’m thankful to have Mary, Janice and Toni together with Gretchen and Kelly working on this as a team.

The national RIC training coming to our area just as Creator begins our RIC discernment is astonishing; truly an unexpected gift and there were many moments of grace.

Five Creator members participated in some or all of the training from Thursday to Sunday at Central Lutheran Church. The facilitators; Emily, Michael, Bev and Jerry engaged all 44 of us that were in this training, from across the northwest and across denominations, to take what we have dreamed together individually and work to make it a reality.

We learned, made connections and were often filled with emotion as our friendships grew or deepened. We came away with a deeper understanding of faith based organizing, a powerful network of support, and a strong commitment to action.

What memories stick with me? We performed a role-playing exercise where a motion to consider RIC discernment was put forward at a mock council meeting. We were a like-minded group and yet as we argued between eachother frustrations and ill-feelings spread quickly.

After the role play our same groups had another exercise where we studied the Parable of the Good Samaritan and, in the end, each of us remembered our baptisms by dipping our finger in water and making a sign of the cross on the person next to us. The differences in the room were profound. The subject that concerned us came up naturally and not contentiously.

We told our stories. I discovered some inner motivations that drove me to attend the RIC Sunday last year that so immediately and permanently touched me. This happened as others asked me questions just as I learned about them with questions to understand them. We were taught how to have what they called uncommon conversations. They were.

In many ways this was like the Living Faithfully synod-sponsored events. A time set apart from other concerns. We learned about self among selves. One minute we would be in control, calmly talking about some event in our lives and then suddenly tears, anger, shame or joy as we described a past event.

Many times someone would point to an empty seat and witness that we were not alone as we were talking.

A true mover and shaper of the spirit of the event was Emily Eastwood. The anticipation of seeing her in action was a motiviation of mine to attend the training. She mixed humour, urgeny, keen instinct and insightful intelligence in her presentation. The collective experience moved us to a commitment to action. It was hard not to have your heart in all this.

At one point one of the facilitators, Michael asked the Don Juan DeMarco questions. Don Juan DeMarco is a film that stars Johnny Depp and Marolon Brando. For those who have not seen it, think of someone convinced of being the legendary lover, Don Juan and others trying to "cure" him of this delusion that he can offer this great love. I quote the questions he poses and his answer:

There are only four questions of value in life... What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: only love.

This weekend, as I was training, my sister posted the answers her circle of friends and family wrote in response to those four questions some time ago after these questions had wakened the poetry of our souls. As I looked at my answers this weekend the syncronicity of those questions being in the training and posted on my sister's blog at the same time overwhelmed me.

Being overwhelmed this weekend was not unusual.

A true regret was missing worship at Creator and the choir's performance of Be Thou A Smooth Way. I understand that the performance was better than all of the practices.

Everyone at the training is looking forward to passing the insights that were shared with us to the rest of the Creator RIC team this Thursday.