| Greetings! | You never know when inspiration will come, or where it will come from. a number of years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a few months at Pendle Hill, a Quaker retreat center outside of Philadelphia. It had a lovely arts space with floor to ceiling windows and quotes about inspiration (doesn't that mean filled with the spirit?) on the walls. It was open 24/7. Now, I admit, I didn't go in and mess with the clay or pull out the watercolors at 2 a.m. but I knew people there who did. One morning, I made a small bowl with my eyes closed that was rough around the edges. My life was feeling rough around the edges and as I held the bowl, my hands seemed to, of their own accord, pull the bowl wide open until it was almost a platter. I held the bowl and prayed to be wide open to having my bowl, my life, filled with God. It was a precious moment of my time at Pendle Hill.
When I arrived at Stony Point Center almost two years ago, I saw that the Center didn't have an arts space and knew immediately we had to do something about it. Not only would an arts space provide infinite possibilities for SPC programming and our guest groups, but it could be a beckoning presence, 24/7, for everyone who comes on campus, enticing people to come and create, to open themselves up in new ways to the workings of the Spirit. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Doesn't it just seem like the right addition to our campus?
So, what are you waiting for? Come help us build it! Building on the Rock at Stony Point Center is all about your participation--participation in the buildling of the arts space so when you return to be inspired, you will know you had been there from the very beginning. This is an historic opportunity! Come join us and make it happen.
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| Luke 6 Seeks an Elder | | The Luke 6 Project, a dispersed Christian community in formation, dedicated to the study and practice of nonviolence as a member of the Community of Living Traditions, seeks an Elder to give leadership to the work of the Luke 6 Project and coordinate its relationship to the Community of Living Traditions. The Elder will have a deep experiential and studied understanding of nonviolence as a way of living in the world and as a means of achieving God's Kingdom on Earth.
Our next stakeholder gathering of the Luke 6 project is November 14-17th. Please register early. |
| Songs for Peace and Justice - Oct 10-14 | Join Professional musicians, activists and other people of faith for a four-day retreat of collaborative songwriting, creative worship and spiritual renewal through music. Read more about this exciting line-up of guest artists and activities.
 Guest Artists include:
David LaMotte, Deanna Witkowski, Warren Cooper, Bill Carter, Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, Lenora Rand, Gary Rand, David Gambrell |
| Campus Connections - Interview with Patty Anton by Joyce Cass Pratt |  Joyce spent time with our new volunteer, Patty Anton, board member of the Muslim Peace Fellowship. MPF is a partner of the Community of Living Traditions at Stony Point Center. ...Even within each faith tradition, the practices are many and vary much. "If you are trying to go in depth in your tradition, you usually do it in corners" says Patty. "It is easier to delve deeper with smaller groups. I think the vision of Community of Living Traditions is interesting, because now you have people coming across traditions. Let's be together, recognizing that we are trying to go spiritually deeper and connecting it with our actions outwardly" Patty says. According to Patty, this whole idea is not new. "It is a centuries old reality that we are revisiting in contemporary times in a different way, with a specific vision of working together for social justice and peace."
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| Come Be Part of Building on the Rock! |
"Creativity is the ability to see relationships where none exist" said the twentieth century poet and science fiction writer Thomas Disch. In the spirit of forging relationships that might otherwise not exist, Stony Point Center is embarking on a new adventure to construct an arts building. Beginning in the Spring of 2011 we will be welcoming volunteers onto our campus to make our dream of this arts space come to fruition. In addition to asking spring work groups to help us by demolishing three old garages, we are seeking volunteer groups to join us for 12 weeks of building through the summer of 2011.
 At Stony Point Center we seek to live out our mission to welcome, discern, discover, learn and lead through the expression of creativity. We have designed spaces designated for painting and other crafts, woodworking, and pottery, including kiln space. Our new building also has a two-bedroom apartment that will allow us to host future artists in residence. Go to our website for more information about this exciting opportunity to be a part the next chapter at Stony Point Center. We look forward to harnessing your creative energy on this pathway toward peace. |
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| In This Issue | |
- Letter from Kitty
- Change the World
- Songs for Peace and Justice
-Campus Connections - Interview with Patty Anton, Muslim teacher, resident
-'By The Pen' - Learn Islamic Calligraphy
- Energy Stewardship Event
- Building on The Rock at SPC
- Cultivating Quiet
- Homecoming, 2010
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| Change the World: A Young Queer Activist Retreat | |
Your opportunity to 'Change the World' - Aug 1st-5th
Are you interested in community organizing?
Do you want to make a difference in the world?
Do you ever find you are stretched too far?
Join us at Stony Point Center to gather skills and knowledge on how to be an effective activist in your home community. Long time activist and author Robyn Ochs, LGBTQ social programmer James Young, CANDLE and Stony Point Center have teamed up to bring you a four day retreat this August.
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Energy Stewardship New Date October 29-30, 2010 |
 Does your faith community want to deepen care for creation? Does your nonprofit want to conserve energy? Do you want to save money? The finger meets the switch at this conference co-facilitated by Nikki Coddington, writer and former Executive Director of New York Interfaith Power and Light, and Rick Ufford-Chase, Co-Director of the Stony Point Center, and featuring a selection of workshops led by experts. To find out more information, click here. |
| Cultivating Quiet - Sept 19-21 | 
Would you like to step back from your busy schedule and explore what gifts a time of silence can bring to your life? In an environment of mutual support, participants in this retreat are encouraged to empty themselves of agendas, obligations and goals, and just allow themselves to 'be', to become comfortable with the quiet and experience what happens.
Led by our Co-Director, Kitty Ufford-Chase. For her bio and more info click here. |
| "By the Pen" Islamic Calligraphy Hands On
Program Date: Feb 4-6, 2011 | 
Calligraphy is the most prominent art in Islamic culture. With roots in the Qur'an, the practice of calligraphy is a multidimensional endeavor. The practice of calligraphy requires patience and discipline, promotes an understanding of space and design, and engages the intellect in a contemplative way.
In its classical form calligraphy is taught one on one, master to student, at a pace that meets the needs of the individual student. In this less perfect world, we offer a two-day intensive workshop to a small group of students, taught by a teacher who is nearly a master (and who has the permission of her teacher to teach others). We will echo the classical methods as best we can. For pricing and registration information, visit our website. |
| Homecoming - Come Home for the Conversation Oct 16-17 |  Join old friends and discover new ones at Stony Point Center's 2nd Annual Homecoming! Click here for details. |
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Building
*We will build an arts space
