February 23, 2020

Wow!  I really got behind in my blogging!

The Presence Group finished Intimacy with God, by Thomas Keating and began reading The Soul’s Slow Ripening, by Christine Valters Paintner.   Today on 2/23/20 we’re into Chapter 9.

We’ve enjoyed the book very much and continue to enjoy it.

Some highlights so far:

• The Celtic way of thinking about religion in general and Christianity in particular.
• Talking about the “thin places” in the world where one senses the presence of the divine particularly in those threshold places.
• Taking walks to experience the world about us.
• Using photography to enhance the experience of these moments.
• The writing exercises at the end of the chapters are revelations.

 

August !!!

Wow!  What happened to August!  We’ve been meeting each Sunday and I’ve never written a jot about it.

We’re reading Thomas Keating’s “Intimacy with God: An Introduction to Centering Prayer”.  We’re on chapters 9, 10, 11 now and enjoying the discussion.  The early part of this edition seemed a tad dry, but now there’s more to it.

Today August 18th we didn’t meet due to a few folks being away.  We’ll get together again next Sunday August 25th, and the following Sunday, September 1st.

Due to a church function we won’t be meeting on September 8th.  But come for the Block Party and Rally Day festivities.  St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1805 W. Alabama St.

 

 

April 28th

Great meeting on April 28th with Mary, Jeffery, Ronnie, Carlyn, and me.  We discussed a bit from the Coda of Everything Belongs.

After some discussion about Shameless: A Sexual Revolution, by Nadia Bolz Weber we decided to pass on that book.

We looked into Thomas Keating’s book Intimacy With God: An Introduction to Centering Prayer by Thomas Keating  and decided to read it as our next book.

See y’all next week.

Palm Sunday & Happy Easter

April 14th we enjoyed several great chats and confessions and got around to discussing Everyone Belongs too.  Great Book!

We talked about the next meeting on April 28th.  There’s a section called “Guide for Reflection” at the back of Everyone Belongs, that begins after the coda section on page 177.  (It is curious that all the pages after 176 are numbered 177.  Is that only in my Kindle, or do the paper books number it like that too?) 

“Guide for Reflection” asks 2 or 3 questions for discussion about specific statement from takes each Chapter of the book.  Please look it over and hopefully on the 28th we’ll all get to talk about the book via those discussion questions and wrap up this wonderful visit with Richard Rohr.

Of course that means we need a new book!  Yipes!

Ronnie has a suggestion.  Last week Ronnie heard an excerpt read from Nadia Bolz-Weber’s book, Shameless.  I’ll forward you the excerpt to read over.  You can also read about the book at Ms. Bolz-Weber’s website.  http://www.nadiabolzweber.com/

Nadia Bolz-Weber NADIA BOLZ-WEBER is the author of two New York Times bestselling memoirs: Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People and Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint.The founder and former pastor of a Lutheran congregation House for All Sinners and Saints, she speaks at colleges and conferences around the globe. http://www.nadiabolzweber.com

Please bring your suggestions for a new book to the 4/28 meeting.  We can decide then which books to choose in what order for future reading.

There is no meeting today Easter Sunday, but Happy Easter Everyone and …

See y’all at church,

Boyle in the Hood 11/25/18

Presence Group Folks, 

Today we talked a bit about Tattoos on the Heart, and made some future plans.  

• We’ll finish Tattoos on the Heart during December and discuss the finished book when we get back to regular meetings on January 6th.
• Our next book will be the Richard Rohr book, Everything Belongs:  The Gift of Contemplative Prayer (Amazon) and here for the Goodreads blurb.
• Please begin reading it during December, discussion will begin also on January 6th.  
• Remember we will not meet Sunday’s in December.  

Everyone is enjoying reading Tattoos on the Heart.  Positive comments were made on some of the vignettes; however we agreed, due to the vignette form, we’re finding it difficult to discuss.   

 

 

 

 

 

The Shack discussion

We first commented on what was in the book that wasn’t in the movie version of The Shack — notably:  the first part of the book told much more of MacKenzie’s suffering as a child, horrific child abuse was described which was not in the movie;  Jesus and MacKenzie walking across the lake was delightful from beginning to end, it would have been fun to have seen that in the movie;  there was more closure in the book with the FBI and the killer;  the image of Sarayu as God the Spirit was quite ephemeral in the book whereas in the movie she was solid.

There was the comment that the book was controversial.  Why?  The portrayal of God the Father as a black woman perhaps?  Perhaps the use of a Middle Eastern man as Jesus?  Or an Asian woman as God the Holy Spirit?  Perhaps simply the idea of meeting and speaking to God the Trinity?  Just supposing, but those present today reflected that those choices were refreshing rather than controversial to our minds.  Please comment.  We welcome your thoughts.

Another comment was how comfortable it was to be around the three, especially Jesus’ casual, easy going manner was commented upon as quite welcome.

Next week we will talk more about The Shack, but those who are ready may go ahead and begin Tattoos on the Heart, by Gregory Boyle.  It is the fifth and last book of the list we began in the summer.

Hope to see you next Sunday, Nov. 11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenten Wrap Up & Search for the next book

Ronnie, Carlyn and I had a very pleasant meet Sunday afternoon 3/18.  We jumped about the wonderful Hope As Old As Fire book dates, several in March and some in December.  We agreed that we liked the idea of revisiting it about once a month in the coming months to be able to share again the wonderful concepts and gorgeous prose of Steven Charleston.  Read March 20 just for the imagery.

I mentioned that I won’t be able to meet Palm Sunday, but I believe Carlyn and Ronnie can.  The rest of you please ‘check in’ letting us know if you can come on 3/25 afternoon.  

It was the general consensus that we won’t meet on Easter Day, so the meeting after that on 4/8 we decided is when we’d begin a new book. We’ve got two weeks to get the new book so let’s decide ASAP so those who don’t have the new book can order it.

I checked back discussions about a new book and some of the candidates are:

• Dutch Sheets, The Essential Guide to Prayer:  How to Pray with Power and Effectiveness
• Richard Rohr, Everything Belongs:  The Gift of Contemplative Prayer
• Pema Chodron,  When Things Fall Apart:  Heart Advice for Difficult Times
• Steven Charleston, Sanctuary of the Spirit
• ​OR something completely different!​

Note:  The links above are for the Kindle editions of each book.  If you prefer paperback or hardback follow the link, then click on “See all formats and editions”.  

(I’ve likely forgotten to mention others that were brought up so please add to the list.)

Do not be shy.  Speak up for the book you are leaning towards or are passionate about.  Let us know what you think — the sooner the better.

I’ll stick my neck out first and say I am leery about the Dutch Sheets book because of the title.  I wonder how can ‘power and effectiveness’ be part of my prayer life when I’ve never thought of prayer in that way.  BUT that’s probably a good reason to read it to find out.  <G>  During our meeting yesterday I read the first few paragraphs of the book aloud and it was comfortable reading.

I’d be happy to read any of the other three authors mentioned above since I know I love the way they write.

There, now it’s your turn to speak out.

This is also a great time for new members to enter the group.  Be sure to let people know we’re beginning a new book April 8th.  I’ll let our Communications Director at St. Stephen’s know too.

We welcome any comments below as to the books mentioned and any other candidate you’ve got in mind.

Winifred “Fred” Bellido

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Why are we here?

Most Sundays members of The Presence Group get together in the Library at St. Stephen’s EC, Houston, TX and catch up with each other and talk about our current book.

Today we begin yet another book, The Four Vision Quests of Jesus, by Steven Charleston.  It wasn’t picked at random.  It very much represents our Quest as members of The Presence Group to recognize that our Christian path is not the only path.

Over the years we have read books by scholars, priests, and holy people from a multitude of paths:  Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity (Protestants, Fransciscans, Benedictines, Celtict tradition, and lay people to name a few).  The unifying factor has been the Quest for, a striving for the Presence of God, and a recognition that all religions have something in common with that yearning when we rise above the literal plane.

Today’s book brings us into the tradition of Native American religion as seen through the experiences of a Native American Episcopal Bishop, Steven Charleston.  Our Quest continues.

January 29, 2017

A discussion of The Presence Group’s new book, The Four Vision Quests of Jesus, by Steven Charleston commences.

 

Pema Chodron: The Places That Scare You Ch’s 6 – 9

April 12, 2015

Daniel, Julie, Lee and I met today and discussed Chapters 6 through 9 of Pema Chodron’s book The Places that Scare You:  A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times.  We decided to read Chapters 10 through 13 for next Sunday.  We expect next week that we’ll review some of the chapters that people out this week didn’t get to discuss.

April 19, 2015

Ronnie and Pat were back today after a few weeks of out of town or being under the weather.  We got caught up through chapter 9.  So next week we’ll be discussing Chapters 10 through 13.

Pat mentioned that there are a LOT of activities or exercises in this book and perhaps we could have a retreat to discuss some of them in more depth and use them during the retreat.

Great Idea!