According to Rev Jim Lockard, “The Beloved Community is a collection of individuals who are learning how to love themselves, one another, and the universe… it is the creation of the experience of belonging and experiencing the wonders of who we are individually and collectively. It is a place where purpose and passion meet, where we get to practice being the people we desire to be and support others in that effort.”

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You are invited to join with your spiritual community in a ten-month program to create the Beloved Community. Each month we gather for a two-hour Zoom meeting, where we will learn, and practice, and grow together. In between meetings, you are encouraged to support one another in demonstrating what you’ve learned in service to your community and one another.

In addition, Rev Stephanie will be supporting your congregational leadership to deepen their capacity as spiritual leaders. But you need not be in congregational leadership to participate in creating the Beloved Community. A community is created by all the diverse people coming together in one accord, experiencing who we are.

This is a powerful and empowering work, in which we honor the vision of Dr. King and those who came before him, to create communities that truly have the power to make a difference in the world… to be the change we wish to see. 

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The Creating the Beloved Community book will be available in the Peace Room for $15.

We expect them to be available soon.

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To help us understand the details of participating, Rev Edith asked Rev Stephanie some questions. Here they are with Rev Stephanie’s answers in italics.

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• What are we going to be learning each month? We are going to be following the book, 10 chapters, 10 months. Participants will be getting the Prepare document each month two weeks before their Zoom session, so that lets them know what chapter to read and what we’ll be studying.

• What are we doing in addition to the zoom meeting once a month? Mostly reading the chapter before the Zoom session, some journaling, and whatever your community wants to add – additional after church conversations, calls with me for support, etc.

• Approximately how much time will we be doing assignments outside of the 2 hours once a month? Depends on how much time participants want to put in, and how fast they read. 

• How is this going to assist me and the church? That’s up to you. This is powerful material, suggesting powerful practices. It works if you work it. If we embrace this work, we grow emotionally and spiritually as individuals as well as a community. We deepen our understanding of principle and the importance of practice. We put feet to our prayers. We become the change we wish to see… but only if we decide to be.