The Sustainist

Roving Listeners

Members of a very small church (30 members) decided to do their annual fall rummage sale differently—with a relational focus.  They decided to call it the Fall Festival.  Instead of doing the usual activities of collecting the donation, displaying them in the parish hall, opening the door, and letting people shop, collecting the money which will go to support the church’s ministry and then cleaning up, they decided to appoint 3 persons to be “roving listeners.”  Their job was to pay attention to their guests and listen to them. They also made the prices of the items flexible.  Their guests could pay what they could for the items they needed, which made for great opportunities for conversations.  They also put a big box in the middle of the room full of toys.  The children could pick out toys for themselves freely. 

When they debriefed the experience after the event, many of them were able to tell specific stories about the people they encountered and got to know.  One person spoke of how she noticed a little girl who kept looking at a dress and the mother looked at the price tag and put it back on the rack.  As they were closing up, the little girl was still looking at the dress; so she gave the dress to the mother free.  The girl was happy, the mother was thankful and the roving listener was experiencing the joy of giving.  Another marked difference with this event was that their guests stayed to talk with them after they shopped.  Many said they would differently come back again.  Another member told a story about someone telling her that she was an addict and was putting her life back together staying sober.  The church member said with sparkles in her eyes, “Who does that on the first meeting?”  This is what happens when we listen.  People tell you things and relationships begin to form.

As we move into the Advent season of the church year, we are asked to stay alert in anticipation of the coming of God’s reign.  I invite you to stay alert by paying attention and listening to the people you encounter from now until the new year.  This is the season when there will be family gatherings, office parties, special church events, volunteering at feeding programs, gift-giving events, etc.  Be a “roving listener” as you enter the upcoming gatherings of friends, family, and strangers.  Pay attention and listen.  By the new year, you will have many specific stories to cherish forming the foundation deeper and stronger relationships.

Upcoming Opportunities to Study with The Sustainist and learn more about Holy Conferencing: January 18-22, 2016 Chicago, IL Gracious Leadership Training Community Transformation (Part of the D. Min. Program of Bexley-Seabury Theological Seminary) February 29-March 4, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training April 7-12, 2016 San Francisco, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies Incubation of New Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training A Bilingual (English-Spanish) Event July 18-22, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training www.kscopeinstitute.org

Reflection Questions for 1st Sunday of Advent (Year C) Jeremiah 33:14-16   What did you learn from this text about the promise of God? Psalm 25:10-9   How do you walk the paths of God? 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13   How does this prayer apply to you and your community? Luke 21:25-36   What does it mean for you to stay alert?

Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org                

Healing Songs

After 12 days of non-stop work and travel –5 days in Memphis for the KI Institute, 1 day in the Oakland, CA, and 2 days in Los Angeles with the American Baptist conference and 3 intensive days (and nights) at the recording studio – I finally have a day off at home.  I sat down at my beloved piano and started playing and singing an old song I had composed.  I felt good about my voice, recognizing how the late night recording session had stretched its ability.  More importantly, I felt grounded again.  There is something restorative and life-giving about music and I have known it all my life since my parents owned and operated a music school when I was growing up.  As I sang through a few more of my songs, a new one began to emerge.  Ah, there it is; I am in the creative zone through which words and music come together sometimes with my conscious deliberation but most of the time, these songs wrote themselves. I thank God for these moments of opening to the flowing of the Spirit.

“Music listening, performance, and composition engage nearly every area of the brain that we have so far identified, and involve nearly every neural subsystem.” Daniel J. Levitin wrote in his book, This Is Your Brain on Music, “Could this fact account for claims that music listening exercises other parts of our minds; that listening to Mozart twenty minutes a day will make us smarter?”

I may not be smarter by playing and listening to music, but from the experience of making music with artists like Norm Freeman, Katherine Cash, Sandra Montes, Andy Barnett, Bill Cruse, Jason Bruns, Kim and Reggie Harris during the last 12 days, I realize how blessed I am to take the fruit that grew from my creative zone at the piano over the years and expand it to include many more voices.  May the people who listen to this music in the future be restored, inspired, uplifted, and invigorated to flow in the cycle of blessings.  As Norm Freeman wrote in his blog:

Music! Music has always been there, breathing hope, healing, love and life into my body and spirit, regardless of whether I was weary and lost or filled with joy and gratitude.

We still need your help in achieving the financial support needed to finish the Cycle of Blessing Music project.  Go to the GoFundMe link now and make a donation:  https://www.gofundme.com/kimusic

Upcoming Opportunities to Study with The Sustainist and learn more about Holy Conferencing: January 18-22, 2016 Chicago, IL Gracious Leadership Training Community Transformation (Part of the D. Min. Program of Bexley-Seabury Theological Seminary) February 29-March 4, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training April 7-12, 2016 San Francisco, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies Incubation of New Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training A Bilingual (English-Spanish) Event July 18-22, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training www.kscopeinstitute.org

Reflection Questions for Proper 28 (Year B) 1 Samuel 1:4-20    What did you learn from this story about prayer? 1 Samuel 2: 1-10    What are God’s relationships with the powerful and powerless? Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18) 19-25   What did you learn from this text about sacrifice and forgiveness? Mark 13:1-8   What does this passage say to you about change and transformation?

Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org                

Cycle of Blessings in Songs

My new book, Holy Currency Exchange: 101 Stories, Songs, Actions and Visions for Missional and Sustainable Ministries, will be available in January 2016. Along with stories and visions of missional and sustainable ministries that were developed through the utilization of the model and processes presented in Holy Currencies, I have included 19 songs, many of which I had composed while I was writing the book. 

Those of you who had participated in my workshops know that music has always been a part of my sharing.  Sometimes, people ask me, “What does music have to do with creating missional and sustainable ministries?”  Here is my reply, “In order for church leaders to embrace the Holy Currencies/Cycle of Blessings model in their ministries, they have to make a fundamental shift in the way they think about ministries —from a static, linear and maintenance-type mode to a dynamic, circulatory, and rejuvenating vision of a church that interacts with the wider community by maximizing the flow of spiritual, human and economic resources.  People go through this transformative process in many ways.  Some enter through intellectual channels such as reading, listening to lectures, and having discussions.  Others enter the process through participation in activities engaging all their senses.  Yet, others enter the process via the emotive part of their minds and hearts.  Music is one of the key vehicles that can open up creative and intuitive channels for receiving new gifts.

For example, at the beginning of my workshops, I always teach the song:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Circling through earth so all may grow
Vanquishing fear so all may give
Widening grace so all may live

By singing this song through out the day, participants may be more receptive to the idea of the dynamic exchange of resources as a new way of facilitating good stewardship.

Another example, when we are discussing transforming an existing ministry from task-driven to relationship-driven making the ministry missional, I would teach participants this song:

A new heart I’ll give to you
A new spirit I will put within you
And I’ll take out of your flesh the heart of stone
And give you a heart of flesh

My editor at Chalice Press loved the idea of including the collection of songs for the book, but she had a concern, ““How will people who don’t read music enjoy these songs?” I off-handedly said, “Well, we’ll make recordings!”  This in-the-moment response started me on a journey guided by my renewed passion for ministry through music.  Conversations with my musical friends created even more enthusiasm.   We just spent 2 days rehearsing and recording the first 9 songs of the album with Katherine Cash and Norm Freeman of N2K Jazz Ministry, Sandra Montes, Andy Barnett and Bill Cruse.  In November, we will be working with Kim and Reggie Harris to finish 4 more songs.  Then, in December, we will bring the Theodicy Jazz Collective  to Los Angeles to record 9 more songs!

Here is where I need your help.  Bringing all these talented artists together costs money.  We raised 2/3 of the finances needed and will crowd-source the rest.  That means I am asking you to contribute money to help us realize this project, which will continue to provide blessings for generations to come.  Our target is $12,000.  This amount sounds like a lot.  I have often written about the power of networks and relationships in this blog. So lets put this idea to the test.  Here is the math.  If 200 of you, my friends, give an average of $60, we would hit our target.  Of course, any amount is welcome.  Go to the GOFUNDME link now and make a donation: https://www.gofundme.com/kimusic

For a donation between $50-$99, you will receive the 2 albums with all 19 songs as soon as they are available.

For a donation between $100-$199, you will receive both the albums and the book, Holy Currency Exchange.

For a donation above $200 range, you will receive the albums and a personalized and signed copy of the book.

For a donation above $1,000, you will received the gifts of albums and book plus listing as a producer.

Upcoming Opportunities to Study with The Sustainist and learn more about Holy Conferencing: November 1-5, 2015 Memphis, TN Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training January 18-22, 2016 Chicago, IL Gracious Leadership Training Community Transformation (Part of the D. Min. Program of Bexley-Seabury Theological Seminary) February 29-March 4, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training April 7-12, 2016 San Francisco, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies Incubation of New Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training A Bilingual (English-Spanish) Event July 18-22, 2016 Los Angeles, CA Gracious Leadership Training Holy Currencies: Creating Sustainable Missional Ministries KI Catalyst (Facilitator) Training www.kscopeinstitute.org

Reflection Questions for All Saints’ Day (Year B) Isaiah 25:6-9    What does it mean to wait for God? Psalm 24    What does it mean to receive a blessing from God? Revelation 211-6a   How does God make all things new? Mark 10:46-52   What does it mean to believe?

Eric H. F. Law
Kaleidoscope Institute
For competent leadership in a diverse changing world
www.kscopeinstitute.org