 It seems unbelievable but it's fall and time to get "back at it!" Honestly, if you're like me, it feels like I never get away from "it." Life is filled to the brim with events and activities that seem to pile one atop the other. It's not bad. In fact much of it is blessing. But it is so BUSY! Perhaps that's the defining term for life in this first decade of the twenty-first century - busy! If that's true, then it seems to me that the pursuit of balance is very important.
How do we find a balance that holds the tension between activity and contemplation? How do we order our lives so that we can both recognize the blessings (and Who it is that blesses) along with maintaining our calendars, honoring our commitments and holding onto our reason?
Truth be told, my small community gathering is a very important part of finding balance in my life. I sometimes may view the day of my SCC meeting as simply another commitment on my calendar. But it is in honoring that commitment and being part of that gathering that I very often rediscover the perspective that helps me balance the comings and goings in my life.
So as we all get "back at it" this fall, let's thank our loving God for all the blessings of our lives, particularly for the time to gather in a small group with others for prayer and for reflection on what it truly means to love God; to love others; and, to love ourselves enough to search out the life-giving balance between activity and contemplation.
Autumn Blessings!
Barb Howard
|
|
 Building Community When ordinary people gather together to become a Christian community, they are engaged in a relational dynamic with other members of the group. community is not the endeavor of an individual. Nor can it be said that Christian community just happens. It doesn't! The formation of Christian community requires an intentional effort of all members of the group. All are called to build up the life of the community and to make the quality of life within the community a priority. Conscious efforts need to be made by members of the community to ensure that the community expresses an authentic Christian nature. Those efforts include
- making a commitment to the other members of the community;
- opening oneself to the possibility and potential of relationships with others and with God;
- trusting others;
- welcoming others;
- developing an attitude of hospitality;
- risking dimensions of self-disclosure;
- accepting and respecting others;
- holding and respecting the confidence and self-disclosure of others;
- listening to, supporting and helping others;
- gathering with others on a regular basis;
- living life together: sharing sorrows and grief together, celebrating achievements together, dreaming together and facing an often, uncertain future together. Adapted from Growing the SCC Vision
Back to Top |
Featured SCC Resources
Available in the Parish Resources Room/Library [LOCATION IN BRACKETED CAPITAL LETTERS] or from the Small Church Community Office
Living the Ten Commandments As a Catholic Today (10 chapters with faith sharing questions) Fr. Matthew Kessler, Liguori [FAITH AND LIFE] Call SCC Office to order additional copies.
" In a world that depends on the accuracy of atomic clocks, the Ten Commandments might seem as effective as a sundial. However, while our culture seems even more lonely despite access to phones, email, and instant messaging, the Ten Commandments do connect men and women to God, the giver of life and all that is good. The wisdom of the Ten Commandments is effective when the men and women who live this wisdom engage their own questions about the meaning of life. . . These commandments make possible the real and lasting connections with one another, even when we do not know each other personally. They make community possible." [ Editor's Note: This is an extremely good resource for SCCs. Your understanding of the Ten Commandments will be forever altered as you read and share the wisdom in the chapters in this book!)
Catholics Continuing The Journey (6 Chapters) Sally Mews, Liguori
"This series is designed to be a small-group faith-sharing experience for Catholics who are seeking to renew and strengthen their faith. The objective is for participants to update and and develop a more mature understanding of their image of God, self, and Church and to deepen their relationship with the Lord and others."
History of the Church (6-set DVD series) Fr. Justin Grose Available in the Parish Resource Room/Library or through the SCC Office. Back to Top
|
|
Something to Contemplate
At present 19 percent of the world lives on less than $1 a day, 48 percent lives on less than $2 a day, 75 percent lives on less than $10 a day, while 95 percent live on less than $50 a day. The richest 1 percent of the world has as much as the poorest 57 percent taken together. And the three wealthiest individuals have as much as the poorest 48 nations combined.
Fr. Dan Groody, C.S.C., Jesus Crosses Over Human Borders: National Catholic Reporter, September 18th, 2009 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome New SCC Members!
Joseph Tellaw
Marge Rudie
Bob Handewerk
Dave & Rita Kerno
|
Online Courses from Boston College
|
|
Parish Mission October 5th - 8th 10:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. in the Spirit Center
Alice Camille
Are We Church Yet?
S.O.N. Evenings Comparative Religion
Celeste Rossmiller
Hinduism and Buddhism
Monday. Oct. 26th
Judaism and Islam
Both at 7:00 p.m.
Spirit Center Middle
Check the Parish Bulletin for details of all the above events!
|
Prayer of Thanksgiving for Small Communities
Loving God,
Thank you for the blessing of this community.
You are our source and inspiration.
Your very nature is communion and we are grateful that you have brought us together.
We pray for your blessing and open ourselves to your grace.
Draw us more deeply to yourself and to one another in love.
Breath hope into us that we may be more authentic signs of your presence and action in our world.
Help us build up strong and vibrant Small Church Communities, rooted in you, connected with one another and in communion with our whole church. Back to Top | |
