Institute of Spirituality Day 1; and Coming Events

First Sunday of Lent
March 9, 2014

Dear Friends,

Yesterday from 2 to 7 pm a group of laity and clergy gathered at Mercer for the opening of our newly-established Institute of Spirituality. Dr John McDargh of Boston College's theology department led the group through an interactive introduction to, and experience of, focusing as spoken of by philosopher and writer, Eugene Gendlin. Participants agreed the workshop was a helpful and powerful experience and a fine opening to the Institute's initial series on Being Human. The next Institute event in the series will be scheduled for fall season 2014. Watch this space for details.

Coming up sooner are many gatherings for this Lenten season. This week, two group spiritual direction opportunities for the season begin: for laity on Tuesday evening and for clergy on Wednesday morning. Visit the Coming Events/Register button on the Mercer School homepage; navigate through the calendar to the dates of March 11 and 12 and click on the series title to get full information. All are welcome.

Also this coming Wednesday evening at Saint Luke and Saint Matthew's in Brooklyn the Mercer Avenue series on Spirituality and the 12-Steps begins. Information on registration and ordering the book for the series is also on the Mercer calendar on the March 12 date. Incidentally our online book reading for Lent on our Conversations at Mercer Facebook page is on the same book, Richard Rohr's Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the 12 Steps. 

While you're at the Mercer calendar, check out next weekend's chance to learn about the Anglican Communion's Bible in the Life of the Church Initiative as its director, the Reverend Stephen Lyon, visits from England. There are three scheduled meetings next weekend in Queens, Brooklyn, and Nassau County. You'll want to hear this.

There's more going on here as well. Explore our calendar; call or email to talk about it. And above all if you find something you're interested in among Mercer events, share that news with three friends or family members. Come together. Even with all the electronic means of communication today, there's still no substitute for word of mouth. If you see something good, talk about it.

Wishing you and yours all the blessings of this season,

John McGinty+