From the pulpit and pew

| The New Mexican

4/26/2008 - 4/26/08

These are some of the events planned in area faith communities this week:



At 5:30 p.m. on Sundays through May, a series called "South Side Spring Sunday Celebrations" will be held.

The six Sunday evening programs are sponsored by a local group seeking to start a new church for south side residents of Santa Fe.

The gatherings are being promoted as "greenhouse gatherings with God," since they are being held in a new greenhouse in the Plaza Contenta mall across from César Chávez Elementary School, 6251 Jaguar Drive.

The informal gatherings include a social time with refreshments, songs of faith in a variety of styles, a consideration of the teachings of Jesus, and times of meditation and prayer for the world. Parts of the celebrations are led in both English and Spanish. A committee of the regional
Presbyterian Church USA is planning the events.

On Sunday, the Rev. Chester Topple of Westminster Presbyterian Church will lead a discussion on the meaning of Jesus. Other pastors and lay persons will share leadership roles.

The planning committee extends an invitation to people, "church alumni", young and old, single and with families, liberal and conservative, gay and straight and from all religious backgrounds to participate in these events.

For more information, call Richard Avery at 983-8303.


The Pecos Benedictine Monastery will host the following retreats:

• May 9-11: Pentecost Retreat
• May 16-18: Dream Retreat: Exploring the Language of God

For more information on these retreats, visit the Web site at www.pecosmonastery.org, send an e-mail to guestmaster@pecosmonastery.org,
fax to 505-757-2285 or call 505-757-6600.


Free meditation classes will be offered to fine tune and deepen heart meditation techniques — music, visualization, chanting, breathing, focusing on objects and reading — for dynamic and peaceful living.

The classes will be held in the Pick Room of the Santa Fe Main Library, 145 Washington St. Follow-up classes will be held at the same location. The classes will be at 7 p.m. on May 8, 13 and 15.

For more information and to register, call 995-8690.


At the 10:30 Sunday service at The Celebration, Caryn Spain will discuss "Embracing Change." The service meets at the National Education Association, 2007 Botulph Road. It is filled with music, a reading, meditation and a talk by a member of the congregation or a guest speaker. The Celebration is a joyful gathering that honors all paths and celebrates life. Child care is provided. For more information, call 699-0023.


Starting this Sunday, Grace Community Church will begin a special Sunday School series.

The topics for the series include the Persecuted Church, Cults and Heresies, Missions the Heart of God, and A Biblical Response to Islam.

Classes are from 9 to 10 a.m. on Sundays. The service begins at 10:15 a.m.

At 7 p.m. on May 3, the church will offer a program to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day or Yom HaShoah. This program will feature a teaching on anti-Semitism and a film by Jews for Jesus. Everyone is welcome to attend the Sunday school series, service and programs.

The church is at 2247 Camino Carlos Rey. For more information, call 471-0749.


Temple Beth Shalom, the only liberal, nationally affiliated Reform Jewish community in Northern New Mexico, will hosts these events:

• Camp Shalom 2008 is now enrolling children from 2 to 7 years old. The summer adventure camp will be held on the TBS grounds. For more information on the summer program or on the 2008-09 TBS Preschool enrollment, call 982-6888.
• At 10 a.m. on Sunday, Rabbi Marvin Schwab will present "Finding Your Way through the Prayerbook." This talk is free and open to the public.
• At 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the YomHaShoah — Holocaust Remembrance Service will be held. The new siddur, the Mishkan T'filah, includes a service for commemorating the terrible events of World War II. Using that service as the guide, the participants will begin in silence and end with the Sh'ma — the last words a Jew is supposed to speak. Those who attend will have the opportunity to say Kaddish for family members lost in the Holocaust and for those who left no one behind. Aaron Wolf will balance the sorrow with music; Rabbi Marvin Schwab will lead the service.
• The Jewish Literature Group will meet from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on May 4. The group will discuss The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein.
  

The temple is at 205 E. Barcelona Road. Visit the Web site at www.sftbs.org or call 982-1376.


At 4:30 p.m. today at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos, the Rev. John Cullinan will be formally installed as the seventh minister of the congregation.

The Rev. Jennifer Innis, who serves as minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Midland, Texas, and the consulting minister for the Red River Unitarian Universalist Church in Denison, Texas, will discuss "Sunday Promises."

At 6 p.m., a reception will be held at the Betty Ehart Senior Center, 1000 Oppenheimer Place.

At the 10:30 a.m. Sunday service, the Rev. Nancy Bowen, executive director of the Mountain Desert District of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, will discuss "Entering in the Middle," an exploration in poetry and story of r Unitarian Universalist practice of covenantal theology.

The Adult forum will continue with part 2 of Sherry Hardage's "Writing as Spiritual Practice" workshop.

Religious Exploration and Adult Forum classes begin at 9:30 a.m.

The forum will present Part II of Sherry Hardage's "Writing as SpiritualPractice" workshop.

Coffee and fellowship follows the 10:30 a.m. service.

The church is at 1738 N. Sage St.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.uulosalamos.org for information, announcements and weekly podcasts.


From 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. today, St. Michael's & All Angels Church, 601 Montaño Blvd. N.W. in Albuquerque, will host a workshop titled "Introduction to Nonviolent Communication."

According to the organizers, NVC is "language of life" that helps people transform old patterns of defensiveness and aggressiveness into compassion and empathy and improve the quality of relationships.

NVC also helps people realize how important connection is. Whenever a person becomes disconnected from his or her compassionate nature or a person's heart is filled with any amount of anger or resentment, that person often acts in ways that cause pain for everyone.

During the workshop, NVC trainers will lead participants in creating a foundation for learning about themselves, their relationships and help participants to remain focused on what is important. It is a way of finding peace.

For more information, call Rikki Fowler, 505-828-3464.


At the May 4 service of Eckankar — the Religion of the Light and Sound of God, Judy Just will discuss "Contentment: The Daily Practice of Happiness." The 10:30 a.m. service provides readings, singing HU (a love song to God), a talk, open discussion and fellowship. Services are held at the Woman's Club, 1616 Old Pecos Trail. For more information, visit the Web site at www. eckankar.org. Call 989-5767.


At the 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday services at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe, the Rev. Stephen Furrer will discuss "Emotional Honesty."

Furrer will detail religious authenticity, both among the clergy and the laity.

The talk will be Furrer's last sermon before leaving on sabbatical.

There also will be child dedications for two children in the Sunday school — Ezra and Nadja Barbachano-Bolotsky.

Religious Education classes for children and youth run concurrently with the 11:30 a.m. service. Nursery care is available during both services.

The church is at 107 W. Barcelona Road. For more information, call 982-9674.


Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe's multi-cultural church que es reformada y siempre reformándose, offers worship services on Sundays at 11 a.m. in Spanish and English; 1:30 p.m. in Korean; and at 4 p.m. in Spanish.

This Sunday, the topic will be "Day of Prayer for Peace and Action for Colombia" based on Amos 5:18-27.

The 11 a.m. service will be followed by a potluck dinner and discussion concerning Colombia.

The church is at 841 W. Manhattan Ave. on the corner of W. Manhattan Avenue and St. Francis Drive, where the Korean Church also meets. For more information, visit the Web site at www.wpcsf.org or call 983-8939.


Prajna Zendo, a practice center for the teaching and practice of Zen Buddhism, will offer a seven-day meditation retreat or sesshin from May 4-11.

The retreat will start on Sunday evening and end on the following Sunday at noon. This retreat will include traditional Zen meditation or zazen, Buddhist services, walking meditation, and opportunities for private interviews with the teacher.

Each afternoon of the retreat, Sydney Musai Walter Roshi, will lead participants in the use of the Big Mind Process to study the Platform Sutra. Big Mind is a technique developed by American Master Dennis Genpo Merzel to provide an accessible way of transmitting the teachings that emerged from the Buddha's enlightenment. The technique comes out of both the Western psychotherapy tradition and the Eastern Zen tradition and is a simple yet powerful way to help a person shift perspective and penetrate deeply into the core of Buddhist teachings.

The eight day sesshin is open to beginners as well as seasoned practitioners and provides an intensive immersion in the teachings of the Buddha.

Participants can sign up for all or part of the retreat and special care is taken to make sure that beginners are integrated into the practice.

Meals are provided and lodging is available; a daily donation is requested.

Located just south of Eldorado on N.M. 285, the center is under the direction of Musai Roshi.

Musai Roshi has been a Zen practitioner for more than 35 years and is a teacher in the lineage of Taizan Maezumi Roshi.

For more information, visit the Web site at www. prajnazendo.org or call 660-3045.


Congregation Beit Tikva, sharing Jewish values in the Reform Tradition, holds Shabbat services at 7 p.m. on Fridays.

On Sunday, children ages 5 to 8 years old are welcome to attend Sunday School. Applications are now being accepted for the fall session of school for pre-school through seventh grade. Preparations for both Bar and Bat Mitzvah also are available.

On Thursday, Rabbi Nicolas Behrmann will lead the weekly study class based on The Torah, A Women's Commentary, edited by Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Adrea L. Weiss. For more information, call Eva Wohl at 577-4977.

At the 7p.m. Shabbat service on Friday, Behrmann will discuss "Why Should We Remember Pain?" to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day. Each year, the Jewish community recognizes the horror of the Holocaust of the last century during which as many as 6 million Jewish people died.

Cantor Michael Linder will lead the congregation in chants and song.

Beit Tikva is at 2230 Old Pecos Trail. For more information, visit the Web site at www.beittikva.info or call 820-2991.


From 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on May 17, a day of shared centering prayer, time for solitude, silence and reflection will be held at the Sangre de Cristo Center, 410 State Road 592 near Santa Fe.

A suggested donation of $40 is payable upon arrival. Lunch is included. To register, send an e-mail to susruch@aol.com orcall 930-1777.


On May 4, the Ardantane School of Sacred Living is offering "Gaia Hypothesis in Daily Life." There is a tuition fee and scholarships and work-study opportunities are available. The school is in Jemez Springs.

This is an exploration into the spiritual dimension of learing what it means to be an Earthling.

To register, send an e-mail to registrar@ardantane.org or visit the Web site at www.ardantane.org.


Yahshua Malkenu Beit Midrash holds shabbat service at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The service is followed by Torah study and a shared meal as family in Messiah. A special Shabbat study, titled "Ephraim Who?" will focus on the restoration of the two houses of Israel. At 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, the women's weekly Hebraic Bible study is held. The congregation meets at 13 Los Caballeras. Call Richard or Donna Seitzinger at 474-3737.