One of the challenges in living a life of faithful imagination is navigating between the promises of God & the actual experiences of our life, especially those of suffering, sorrow, anxiety, and isolation. In Epiphany this year, we'll spend our time wondering about this tension through the experience of mental health.
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In this season, we will walk through this journey by engaging the words of scripture from the Psalms, the book of Job, the prophet Isaiah, the letters of Paul, and the Gospel of Mark. Join us as we compare our real experiences of mental health challenges (and all the doubts and fear that can accompany them) to the experiences and laments we find in scripture.
Mondays
Let's Chat
@ 10-11 AM + 7-8 PM
January 11, 18, 25
February 1, 8, 15
Do you know what is good for the soul? Spending time with old friends and meeting new ones is surely at the top of the list. Reenergize with an hour of visiting and socializing, we still know how to socialize, right?! Over the course of 6 weeks, there will be trivia, games, and fun get-to-know one another questions. Be prepared to laugh, connect, and gain new friendships or grow old ones.
ALL are welcome and ALL will have fun!
Tuesdays
Fill your Toolbox
January 12, 19, 26
February 2 and 9
Collecting a variety of tools to use from our "self-care toolbox" helps keep us grounded, renewed, and balanced. Check out video snippets from others in our community, sharing and showing their self-care practices. You can find these videos posted in ENEWS, on our website, Facebook, and Instagram page.
Wednesdays
Your Beloved Story
@ 6:15-7:15 PM
January 13, 20, 27
February 3
In this 4 week series we will connect with one another through personal storytelling, and in so doing find ourselves connected and woven together in God’s story. We will be guided during these 4 weeks by Shannon Savage-Howie. Shannon, of Thousand Oaks, CA, is a spiritual director with Ransacked Soul, trained for ministry in the Lutheran church. She is drawn to the tradition’s attention to grace and vocation and how God is at work in every individual’s story. Shannon will guide us through a process of unlocking our own experiences, providing space to shape and to share these stories in the community. Following the readings for the season of Epiphany, we will center around a different theme each week, uniquely shaped to draw on our compassion for ourselves and our neighbor. It is through our stories that we draw near to our humanity, and to our Creator.
Thursdays
‘Head & Heart Health’ Messy Worship
@ 6 PM
January 14, 21, 28
February 4, 11
During January, join us for our emotional and mental health-focused family worships. Kids and their grown-ups connect to God’s love for our well-being thru stories, prayer, songs, and self-care rituals.
‘Take a Deep Breath’ Yoga
@ 7 PM
January 14, 21, 28
February 4, 11
Unwind from the day with a restorative and calming 45-minute
yoga practice. Take time to care for yourself as you connect to your breath, body, and the moment. No experience needed. A yoga mat is helpful but not required. Led by Jen Mohr.
Fridays
Children & Family Movie Night:
Inside Out
@ 6 PM
January 15
Get the popcorn out and take the night off to watch Inside Out, a 2015 Pixar movie about the importance of being connected to our feelings. Give your family time to watch, share, & learn more about the value of our emotional well-being & mental health. Kick-off the night at a brief family Zoom gathering with Jen at 6 PM, then sign-off to watch Inside Out with a provided conversation guide as a family. For children and all those young at heart!
Youth and Family Movie Night: The Social Dilemma
@ 7 PM
January 29
Research shows that mental health in teenagers and adults has a direct correlation with social media habits. Take the evening for your family to watch, share, & learn more about this connection. We will begin the night at a brief Zoom gathering with Dannica at 7 pm, then sign-off to watch The Social Dilemma with provided conversation starters for your family. For our teens and anyone wondering about the impact of social media.
Saturdays
Rainbow Reflections
@ 10 AM
January 23
Join us for a time of reflection and creation. We will make meaning of how color can induce in us different types of emotion. We will create a beaded suncatcher that when hung in a window, will sprinkle rainbows around as a reminder of the promises of God's good plan for our lives.
Centering Ourselves
@ 10 AM
February 6
"We stand in the center of our own circle, and everything we see, hear & think forms the mandala of our life." We will center ourselves while creating a mandala stone. Mandalas, meaning circle, offer balancing visual elements that symbolize harmony & unity. We will create a beautiful pattern on a stone using a dotting technique. No skill necessary!
Sundays
Worship
Join us for worship where we will engage scripture through personal stories and interview sermons. This Epiphany we will hold in tension the heartache and sorrow experienced with mental illness while also hearing God’s promise of hope and wholeness for each of us. Watch your inbox for pre-recorded worship links or find it HERE.