The Granduca Madonna by Raphael Sanzio

"The tremendous love light with which the Christ floods the planet each year at Christmas time is gradually changing the atomic vibration of the earth and it is this great outpouring of love-light each year which is the real Christmas gift of Christ to the world."


Lux Aurumque
King's College Choir, Cambridge
2010

Wendy Stork, Alumni Association Reporter

During our Annual Alumni Meeting at Conference we elected new officers: Anthony Williams, President; Marilyn Szoko, Treasurer; Susan Neroli Imbs, Parliamentarian; and Wendy Stork, Reporter; with Connie Swan, Secretary; and Dixie Hargues, as Vice President, continuing their positions. We all look forward to supporting the Alumni Association and the goals that set us apart from the other fundraisers for the school. As you may know, in the past our central objective was to gather the dues and any donations for the main accounts we support: the Library Fund, The Scholarship Fund and the Travel Fund. This year we voted that the money be allocated to just the Library Fund and the Scholarship Fund.  

You can still send in your $40 dues and any donations for the 2011 year. They will be distributed between the two funds, which are such important parts of our School Program. In the past year, Scholarships were awarded in the amount of $1,000, and the Funds for the Library were used in keeping one of the most extensive Esoteric Library's in the United States open.

Let all our Alumni Members give their support to keep our funds growing in order to reach the goals of the Association. Send in your dues and donations, to Marilyn Szoko, marked Alumni Dues for the 2011 year. Mailing address: Sancta Sophia Seminary, 11 Summit Ridge Dr., Tahlequah, OK 74464.

We will have a column in this monthly Sancta Sophia News e-letter featuring stories or information on Alumni Members and what they are doing in their communities. So please send in any information or news (and pictures) from your area to Wendy Stork, at wm_stork@yahoo.com. We'd love to hear from you and see you in the News!!

Thank you for your support.

Wisdom of 2012: the Grace of Chaos

Rev. Mary Jane Dicus presenting "Wisdom of 2012" at the 2011 LCCC Annual Conference

It is apparent that we are living in times of great uncertainty and change. With all of the chaos we see in the world around us, and the hype about 2012, it leaves many of us asking these questions:

• What, if anything is going to happen?
• Is humanity about to experience a shift in consciousness?
• Is the second coming of Christ about to take place?
• Are we going to experience the end of the world, or a shift of the ages? 

In this class we will examine these questions from the perspective of planetary and human evolution; an investigation of the Mayan calendar; the structure of the great pyramid of Giza; and basic astrology. As the Hopi elders have told us, "There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. The elders say we must let go of the shore...keep our eyes open...see who is in there with us and celebrate." Come, celebrate and discover the grace and opportunity that is hidden within these turbulent times.

Class dates: Monday, January 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2012
Time: 7:00 p.m. Central

Enroll through Sophia Online (Click link to go to Sophia Online.)

This class meets for approximately one hour via WebEx web conferencing interface. Access to the web conferencing component of the class will be emailed to students after enrollment. Additional class materials and resources will be posted to the course page on Sophia Online.

Look for these new Sophia Online courses in 2012.

You can earn credit toward your certificate or degree for the online courses listed, with the exception of Seeking Sophia.

 
Date                Title                                        Instructor

Jan 9 -
Jan 30     Wisdom of 2012: the Grace of Chaos  Mary Jane Dicus

Feb 6 -
Apr 9       Judeo-Christian Scripture                    Susan Hamilton

Feb 13-
Mar 5       Homiletics - (begins online)                  Susan Hamilton

Mar 5 -
April 16    Tantra Yoga                               Donna Mitchell-Moniak

April 23-
June 25     Esoteric Thea/ology                            Susan Hamilton

Aug 20-
Oct 22       Intro to Second Testament           Mark Throckmorton

Nov. 12-
Dec. 21     Seeking Sophia                                   Susan Hamilton

Nov. 26, 2012-

In the next few issues of the SSS News, we will be introducing you to some of our 2012 guest instructors, who were specially chosen as experts in their field.

Maureen Fiedler is the host and creator of Interfaith Voices, which debuted in 2002 on National Public Radio. She has a long history of working with interfaith coalitions on human rights, social justice, women's rights and peace. She holds a Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown University.  She is the author of recently released "Breaking Through the Stained Glass Ceiling: Women Religious Leaders in Their Own Words" and it chronicles women of faith who are blazing a path toward full gender equality.

Interfaith Voices Web site

Sophia Symposium - May 26-27, 2012


Jann Aldredge-Clanton is an ordained minister, author, teacher, and chaplain. She currently serves as adjunct professor at Perkins School of Theology and Richland Community College, Dallas, Texas. A native of Louisiana, Jann received the B.A. degree from Louisiana Polytechnic University, the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Texas Christian University, and the M.Div. from Southwestern Theological Seminary.
She is the author of Seeking Wisdom: Inclusive Blessings and Prayers for Public Occasions; Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians; Breaking Free: The Story of a Feminist Baptist Minister; In Search of the Christ-Sophia: An Inclusive Christology for Liberating Christians; Imagine God! A Children's Musical Exploring and Expressing Images of God; In Whose Image? God and Gender ; Praying with Christ-Sophia: Services for Healing and Renewal; Counseling People with Cancer; God, A Word for Girls and Boys. She has also published articles in The Journal of Pastoral Care, The Christian Ministry, and elsewhere. 

CLASS:
May 25- June 1, 2012
Sophia Symposium & TH205 Sophiology & Feminism

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And as always, thank you for your generous support of our programs.