[RivCompanions] it's all about relationship

Fri Nov 13 00:14:47 UTC 2015

I you what you wrote - and what you experienced - and I love you.

-----Original Message-----
From: Barbi Click <bgclick at gmail.com>
To: Rivendell Community members <Rivendell at justus.anglican.org>; Companions of the Rivendell Community <RivCompanions at justus.anglican.org>
Sent: Thu, Nov 12, 2015 9:29 am
Subject: Re: [RivCompanions] it's all about relationship

for what it is worth...I wrote the name of Ecclesia incorrectly. :-) 

It is Ecclesia Ministries Mission and more information for those who are interested may be found at http://www.ecclesiaministriesmission.org/. 

Barbi Click
www.linkedin.com/in/barbiclick/

http://feathersandfaith.blogspot.com 
http://facebook.com/bgclick

 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

On Thu, Nov 12, 2015 at 8:24 AM, Barbi Click <bgclick at gmail.com> wrote:

Dear beloveds, 

Here is a bit of highlight from my time at Ecclesia Mission Ministries conference. 

Everything is about Relationship. It is all about relationship. 

A story about Relationship:

Gennie from Trinity Church in Boston:
She has been sight-impaired since birth. She walks with a sightcane as she ministers to the homeless who are around Trinity Church.
She told of one man who made sexual advances towards her. It wasall innuendo but clearly pointed. She leaned towards him and asked, “Is thisabout sexual intimacy?” Boom. There it was, blatantly laid out on the table. Hebegan stuttering and clambering for words to back out of what had become anuncomfortable conversation for him. But she continued to converse. He finallysaid, “I have not been touched in 12 years. I just want someone to touch me.”She asked him, “May I give you a hug?” As tears streamed down his face, hesaid, “Yes.” And she did. She said she is not a hugger but that she hugs himevery time she sees him.

People hunger for more than simply food. Poverty isolates.

Bob Flick+ on Francis:

Francis stripped     naked – to become obedient (to hear)

He heard the     word of God tell him to rebuild San Domiano – to build community

He began to     work as a minister in a leper colony.—he wanted to be able to embrace the     leper.

Embracing the leper became a metaphor for following his deepestdesire. The leper was within him.

Emptying/letting go – we have to strip naked before beingfilled, being able to embrace our own leper.

Bonaventure wrote about Francis. For Francis, the world was themonastery. Francis asked: How can I be a contemplative in the world aroundme?

Bonaventure used the example of the Temple.

The court as     the outer ring – world outside of the self, creation. It’s about     relationship between the outside and me.

God is in the crap as well as in theroses. Nobody needs fixing by me. There is no good change without relationship.Developing relationship is about being open to the presence of God in oneanother.

Sanctuary –     inside the self – conscious, memories, imagination – WHO AM I?

Memory is the IS of eternity. We havea past, a future – but the NOW – present to the stuff inside of us.
In touch with self- memories need tobe contemplative.
Eucharist is being present to the Nowand the remembering of the Holy Spirit on these gifts.
Jesus told us to remember him. We robourselves of the contemplative life if we do not spend time in our memories,good and bad.

We are called into something muchmore profound than just getting the job done. We are working to learn/feelcompassion. For ourselves, towards others, for God.

God made flesh in Jesus was to showus that all of this is doable.

Holy of Holies – Beyond self. God as God.     Godness, Trinity, Mystery.

To be present to God in mystery.Bring in relationship with a God that is beyond our knowing.
God is most essentially relationship:Love changes. God is love. God changes. God is constantly creating new thingswhich means change.
Love – God is relentless.

I knew I had to change my narrative. In the midst of this talk,I felt the tears begin. It became a flood and I had to get up and go to theback of the room. I knew something really big was happening. I didn't know what at the moment but I knew it was important. 

As the tears flowed, I felt the resentment, anger, bitternessflow out of me. It was a profound moment and I knew I was different. Theunderstanding didn’t all happen quite so quickly but soon after it becameapparent. I felt changed. I felt a calm that I have never felt before in mylife. And it remains.

God is relentless. 

Barbi 

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