Articles on Community

  • Lessons in Reflection and Self-Care

    I was born and raised in Korea, where I first came to faith, nurtured my spiritual life, and studied theology. Yet, as always, God led me to an unexpected place. Now, I serve as a priest in an American church. While nationality and cultural differences should never be barriers to spreading the gospel and working…

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  • Moving From Head to Heart

    I have been a mystic for much of my life, but I lacked the language to describe my experiences. Throughout various peaks and valleys in my multiple careers, I yearned for a deeper relationship with God. Time often felt elusive. However, I was on a journey that opened new vistas daily. Just over a year…

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  • Rooted in Truth: Reclaiming Contemplative Spirituality for Justice and Wholeness

    Contemplative spirituality is often misunderstood. It is not about retreating from the world to commune with God, but rather about finding the strength and courage to engage the world more fully. Alice Walker names this in her definition of womanist: “Committed to survival and wholeness of entire people, male and female. Not separatist, except periodically,…

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  • Beyond the List of “Shoulds”: Receiving God’s Invitation

    “Many times today I will cross over a threshold.I hope I will catch a few of those times.I need to remember that my life is, in fact,a continuous series of thresholds:from one moment to the next,from one thought to the next,from one action to the next.Help me appreciate how awesome this is.How many are the…

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  • Ready to Keep Listening

    When my former Senior Rector suggested I sign up for Shalem’s Crossing the Threshold: Contemplative Foundations for Emerging Leaders program, I don’t think he quite knew what this course would come to mean to me and how it would intersect in such beautiful ways in my life. I certainly didn’t. However, I can say without…

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  • Ongoing Hope for Better Days

    One of my favorite Christmas songs is one that rarely is noticed as such.  In “Better Days” the Goo Goo Dolls sing about forgiveness and renewal, and how Christmas Eve is “the night the world begins again.” I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a turbulent year for our country and world.  It…

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Mission

Our mission is to nurture contemplative living and leadership.

Vision

In 2025, Shalem will be a dynamic and inclusive community, empowered by the Spirit, where seekers engage in transformation of themselves, their communities, and the world through spiritual growth, deep connection, and courageous action.

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