What’s Friends Church all about? Why do we do what we do? Join us this week as we talk about what Star Wars can teach us about the very core of our mission.
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Hello Vince,
Thanks for your talk on Sunday. Definitely food for thought. I wanted to inquire a bit more about your challenge at the end. One of the things that drew me to Friends was the non-judgemental environment that seems to be woven into the church’s (Friends) DNA. As has been stated so many times that we are all at different stages of our spiritual journeys and in different states of woundedness or ability to even engage spiritually. For some of us our capacity to love ourselves and be generous to ourselves is the biggest challenge let alone even being aware of how we can help others. Even if we can get to the point of doing something for others I wonder if that “good” feeling has more to do with assuaging our own perceived guilt or if it is something that just naturally comes forth like a tree bearing fruit. I got a sense of an ultimatum that if I could not see myself ensuring that I “do” something (defined in a fairly narrow way of certain observable helps) then I need to move on from the fellowship. Thus adding to my already existing heavy burden of not making the mark before God. I am at odds with myself for even writing this to you because the last thing I want is for your creativity which is amazing to be even attenuated in the slightest. I always appreciate your talks and have been encouraged by them. The lady who shared and how you brought out the point of service (which was a biggie for Jesus) was very well done and for some at the right point in the journey would be just the ticket to catalyze forward into more of an awareness and response in helps. I need to be encouraged in that vein also but I speak for others who are where I was once was in the guilt continuum and the need to emerge from that. Ironically what can bring one out of the guilt doldrums is to see yourself as a value to others by addressing their needs. But I guess I am sensitive to any hint of being guilted into anything because that was a biggie for Jesus too. Thank you for hearing my thoughts. Love you man. Dave
Hey Dave, Thanks for the feedback! Sometimes my passion gets the better of me and I start saying things a little more straight up than is best:) Sorry about that!
I do believe in a unique spiritual journey and everyone is on their own journey. I hear you on the challenge to love oneself. That’s a tough one. And woundedness is a tough one to overcome. I also want to push away from the idea that we do for others to “assuaging our own perceived guilt.” I hope that’s not what you heard!
So let me talk a bit more about what I was trying to communicate. I believe that the doing for others is the core of most people’s spirituality (at least at some point). I have yet to meet someone where that isn’t the case. I have talked with people where that is very complex (often due to the way one’s upbringing/woundedness plays out). That said, just because something is complex doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth doing!!:)
I don’t get the sense that you are just a spiritual consumer who doesn’t give flip about doing things for others, I hear you saying because of your past, doing for others is a complex thing for you. So let me ask you, is your spirituality only about you? Is that all it ever will be? Because that isn’t what I hear you saying. It might be complex but I don’t hear you saying a hard no, do I? I just hear you reacting to how stiff I called everyone “to do something”, anything really. Something that seems triggering for you… am I close?
So let me ask a few more questions, why this idea that “doing” is connected to “not making the mark before God” and guilt? Is God angry if we don’t do? What are the consequences for not doing in your mind? Because for me, not doing just means a little less heaven on earth, but it has nothing to do with God being angry at me, or missing some mark. Does that resonate??
Anyways, look forward to hearing your thoughts
and don’t worry about the feedback hurting anything. feedback is good. that’s now I grow!! talk soon
Hello Vince,
Thanks for your talk on Sunday. Definitely food for thought. I wanted to inquire a bit more about your challenge at the end. One of the things that drew me to Friends was the non-judgemental environment that seems to be woven into the church’s (Friends) DNA. As has been stated so many times that we are all at different stages of our spiritual journeys and in different states of woundedness or ability to even engage spiritually. For some of us our capacity to love ourselves and be generous to ourselves is the biggest challenge let alone even being aware of how we can help others. Even if we can get to the point of doing something for others I wonder if that “good” feeling has more to do with assuaging our own perceived guilt or if it is something that just naturally comes forth like a tree bearing fruit. I got a sense of an ultimatum that if I could not see myself ensuring that I “do” something (defined in a fairly narrow way of certain observable helps) then I need to move on from the fellowship. Thus adding to my already existing heavy burden of not making the mark before God. I am at odds with myself for even writing this to you because the last thing I want is for your creativity which is amazing to be even attenuated in the slightest. I always appreciate your talks and have been encouraged by them. The lady who shared and how you brought out the point of service (which was a biggie for Jesus) was very well done and for some at the right point in the journey would be just the ticket to catalyze forward into more of an awareness and response in helps. I need to be encouraged in that vein also but I speak for others who are where I was once was in the guilt continuum and the need to emerge from that. Ironically what can bring one out of the guilt doldrums is to see yourself as a value to others by addressing their needs. But I guess I am sensitive to any hint of being guilted into anything because that was a biggie for Jesus too. Thank you for hearing my thoughts. Love you man. Dave
Hey Dave, Thanks for the feedback! Sometimes my passion gets the better of me and I start saying things a little more straight up than is best:) Sorry about that!
I do believe in a unique spiritual journey and everyone is on their own journey. I hear you on the challenge to love oneself. That’s a tough one. And woundedness is a tough one to overcome. I also want to push away from the idea that we do for others to “assuaging our own perceived guilt.” I hope that’s not what you heard!
So let me talk a bit more about what I was trying to communicate. I believe that the doing for others is the core of most people’s spirituality (at least at some point). I have yet to meet someone where that isn’t the case. I have talked with people where that is very complex (often due to the way one’s upbringing/woundedness plays out). That said, just because something is complex doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth doing!!:)
I don’t get the sense that you are just a spiritual consumer who doesn’t give flip about doing things for others, I hear you saying because of your past, doing for others is a complex thing for you. So let me ask you, is your spirituality only about you? Is that all it ever will be? Because that isn’t what I hear you saying. It might be complex but I don’t hear you saying a hard no, do I? I just hear you reacting to how stiff I called everyone “to do something”, anything really. Something that seems triggering for you… am I close?
So let me ask a few more questions, why this idea that “doing” is connected to “not making the mark before God” and guilt? Is God angry if we don’t do? What are the consequences for not doing in your mind? Because for me, not doing just means a little less heaven on earth, but it has nothing to do with God being angry at me, or missing some mark. Does that resonate??
Anyways, look forward to hearing your thoughts
and don’t worry about the feedback hurting anything. feedback is good. that’s now I grow!! talk soon