Articles on Listening
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“Residency”- A Transforming Community Poem
Beckoned and gatheredDrawn ever closeWe beganSharing storiesOur yearningsOur souls Exposing deep woundsAnd time worn scarsWe shared hopesNamed our fearsAnd lifted our hearts Emboldened,EncompassedEnthralled We spokeWe listenedWe heard And we dancedAnd we stompedAnd we walked and we paused Wisdom teachings, traditionsShared and brought forthWe gathered as peersEncouraged, reinforced Summoned each by SpiritIn silence and prayerWe opened…
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A Letter from Rev. Jeffrey Ross, President of the Shalem Board of Directors
Dear Shalem Community, For the last ten years, the Shalem Institute has been blessed by the dedicated and skilled leadership of the Rev. Dr. Margaret Benefiel. As Margaret shared in her letter above, she has let the board know that she is ready to retire as Executive Director. As Executive Director, she enhanced the financial…
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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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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…