Hello –
For the last year the heart of my work has been Transcending Contempt Practice Groups. Last January, last September, and again this January, I started weekly Saturday morning Practice Groups. Each group helped us use God’s love and power to avoid the trap of treating our fellow human beings as less than fully human.
Many new people came to these sessions, and I’ve included many of them in this email list for the first time. The four teachings from last year on shifting from despair to hope, and the four teachings from this year on shifting from being anxious to being centered, are available on our St. Paul’s, San Rafael YouTube channel.
Here are four things to know about Transcending Contempt moving forward.
1. We will next meet on Saturday, March 1st at 8:45am in Duncan Hall. All are welcome. We will be reviewing some of the teaching and supporting each other in creating a Lenten practice that will help us continue to Transcend Contempt in our daily lives.
2. In the Sundays in Lent I will be leading a 20 minute quiet sit in my office at 9:10am. This will start on Sunday, March 9th, the First Sunday in Lent.
3. The next Transcending Contempt Practice Group begins Saturday, September 6th at 8:45am in Duncan Hall. It will be Transcending Contempt in Thought and through Hope. It will be the best wisdom from the last two Practice Groups. It will serve as both an introduction to the is work and a review. It will be 8 weeks.
4. We are working on Transcending Contempt through Hope and, in a phrase inspired by our Sunday worship, in “thought, word and deed.” Transcending Contempt in Word will begin in January of 2026. Inspired by Homer, Dante and Dr. Seuss, we’ll be learning to grow our Grinch Hearts through the use of similes. Poetry will teach us to love God and our Neighbors.
Come learn with us to be hopeful, centered and playful. Let us learn together to Transcend Contempt.
Blessings,
Christopher
p: (415) 456-4842