May 2009 In This Issue Blog: In Praise of Defeat Magazine Survey Make a Living, Have a Life Links We Like Who Makes it Possible... __________________ __________________ In Praise of Defeat Doug's blog Let's be clear: being laid off or fired from work stinks. So does bombing a test, failing a relationship, and screwing up with your children... Read more of Executive Director Doug Wysockey-Johnson's full blog on "In Praise of Defeat" __________________ __________________ Please take a moment for our Magazine Survey We value your input!  It will take about 5 minutes to complete the 3-question survey. Please put in your comments as well.  We want to know:      *How important is the print magazine to you?      *In what form would you read good call stories to help your faith journey?      *What would you be willing to pay for good content on call? (Note: If you have already mailed us your survey card from this last magazine, there is no need to do this survey online.) Thank you for sending in your comments! Pilgrimage Guatemala Pilgrimage Join two dozen others in July for our 8th annual pilgrimage in the highlands of Guatemala to build a school for the children of Chimaltenango and explore the missions of the surrounding area. The Guatemala pilgrimage is designed to challenge our comforts and expand our souls. ****Time: July 18-28, arrive @ Guatemala City Airport, Guatemala Cost: $1100 plus airfare Greetings! "If we can let ourselves go in prayer and speak all that is in our minds and hearts, if we can sit quietly and bear the silence, we will hear all the bits and pieces of ourselves crowding in on us, pleading for our attention. ...prayer is noisy with the clamor of all the parts of us demanding to be heard. The clamor is the sound of the great river of being flowing in us." from Ann & Barry Ulanov, Primary Speech Call What we are hearing in the Make a Living, Have a Life  small groups is that these days, listening for call in the workplace is not a single simple "this or that" decision. Rather, it involves listening to the "great river of being" of our lives to discern next steps.      Take the man who wants to incorporate his call to writing into his work, yet needs to factor in supporting his family, his wife's career, all while asking what it means to be successful. He's not considering this job or that job; he's considering which call is most important, at this time.      Or  the former corner office exec currently working from a make-shift office in the guest bedroom, trying to follow leads to the next job (see full article).      Or the landscape architect who really wants to dance, while looking for a paying job, taking classes and applying for internships.          Or the 25 year old mother, who posted on a NPR conversation on Facebook some of her considerations: "More tough choices ahead: to put my chronically ill child into a daycare I can't afford to get a job (which I can't find) or let mom keep footing the bill." We know that is a lot of water this spring in the "great river of being."  We also know that having a supportive faith community to listen to our lives, and listen for God, makes the journey a bit easier. Call Questions:      In light of the quote above, which part of you is demanding to be heard these days?     How high is the water in your "great river of being?"     Who is helping you listen to your life at this time? Lumunos Events NEW Scholarship money available for the Make a Living, Have a Life groups! We've been gifted with an abundance of riches, and want to pass it on: A generous donor recently provided a gift to support 40 people participating in these groups at half the cost. In addition, members of past groups had such a good experience they are giving money to sponsor others. The Make a Living, Have a Life conference call small groups costs $100; for a limited time you can register for $50.  Call the office to sign up today 703-237-3426. Are you looking for support in a job transition?  Do you know someone who is? Join the 7 week small groups that meet by conference call. In the Make a Living Have a Life groups, you will: · Network with others going through similar circumstances · Learn to listen for God's leading in this transition time · Receive resources and reflection exercises in between classes that help your discernment · Glean from your life experiences to better focus on your next steps · Journey through a work transition process based on decades of experience helping people listen to and discern work in the world · Be facilitated by our small group guides experienced in helping people listen to their lives to get clear on next steps TIME New groups start the first week of every month.  Calls will last between 60 and 90 minutes, and take place every other week for 7 weeks.  Choose a time that's best for you. *Monday at 8 pm EST *Wednesday at noon EST *Thursday at 3 pm EST   Groups consist of no more than 8 people. COST $100 per person, or call the office to register for a $50 scholarship, available for a limited time.  First come, first served! *Register yourself *Register your small group *Or Sponsor a person in transition Since groups meet on conference call, you can call  in from anywhere! Links We Like A Faith for The Nones Article for The Washington Post by Michael Gerson, Op Ed Columnist "Young people are increasingly steering clear of religion. Nice going, religious right." Earth, Economy, and Us Friday June 12 - Sunday June 14, 2009 A retreat cosponsored by the Servant Leadership School, Wellspring Conference Center, and Dayspring Earth Ministry, Earth, Economy and Us lets you spend time in prayer and reflection on the land, allowing the earth be your teacher. Face your fears and build your hopes.  Together with others, you'll examine your life practices, collaborate on new economic structures, and make commitments which honor the earth and the One who created it. Member Mission God is most concerned about how we live from Monday to Saturday. This book and organization help move congregations from maintenance to mission with fifteen stories of ordinary Christians doing extraordinary things at home, at work, in their local community, the wider world, & their leisure. Love God, Heal Earth In her book Love God, Heal Earth: 21 Leading Religious Voices Speak Out on Our Sacred Duty to Protect the Environment, Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham brings together 21 highly regarded spiritual leaders from diverse faiths to make the case for environmental stewardship and show how their faith communities are tackling the issue of religion and environment. Open Spaces Sacred Places Open Spaces Sacred Places is a book that introduces us to "Firesouls:" passionate and persistent people who have brought communities together to create public areas of respite, where people can tap into their own deep wisdom and find an antidote for the stressful, divisive, and isolating effects of life in today's complex world.  It is a series of inspirational stories of people following their call to create a wide variety of sacred spaces,  including a prison meditation garden, a sculpture garden built by at-risk youth, and a therapeutic garden at a rehabilitation hospital. The donors that make it possible... I can't thank Lumunos enough, and the donors that made it possible for me to be on this retreat. It has been a dark time in my life, and the scholarship enabled me to be here. The retreat helped so much.                         ~a recent retreat participant   Thank You Donors!!!  You make such a difference in people's lives.  Most of our retreats cost more to run than we can charge.  Without your donations to Lumunos, we could not put on these life changing events.  And lives are changed!   Our Spring Appeal is well underway and donors are sending their gifts.  If you have not yet joined them, please send your gift soon, or donate online.   The world becomes a better place as people hear and respond to the Light of the world.