2006 Fall Parish Mission

Spirituality & Change

November 6, 7, 8, 2006
7:00pm - 9:00pm in the Chapel

MONDAY 11-06-06 Dr. Richard McCorry

Changing Perspective The Exodus… struggling with change & lack of change
     Both the struggle to adapt to changes, and the struggle to come to peace with the lack of changes in the church, put us in a position of feeling out of control. We are in captivity - a spiritual captivity – when we are tempted to cling to the past and to complain about the present, rather than to move into the future with confidence. The effort to escape this bondage is not without its struggles. What is needed is a changed perspective.
     In this session we will explore the story of the Exodus from Hebrew Scripture as a spiritual metaphor for the action of God and ourselves in the midst of changing and/or stagnant circumstances, specifically in the church, but also having applicability to our life outside the church.

TUESDAY 11-07-06 Dr. Richard McCorry

God's Compassion Disciples on the Way to Emmaus… living a Eucharistic life
     While we are asked by our church to participate in the Eucharist weekly, more importantly we are called to live a Eucharistic life. The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus speaks of loss, presence, invitation, communion and mission, the five main aspects of the Eucharistic celebration. This story also gives us a glimpse into God’s compassion for us when we are struggling with monumental changes.
     This session we will explore how a Eucharistic Spirituality, as it is depicted in the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, can help us to adapt to changes, or the lack thereof, in the church and in our personal lives. For those struggling with the slow pace of changes in the church, we will attempt to discern the line between the need to be prophetic with the need to be patient.

WEDNESDAY 11-08-06 Dr. Richard McCorry

The Incarnation The Nativity… a change of heart, God's way
      Adapting to changes in the church, or the lack thereof, sometimes requires a complete change of heart. Many times this change of heart is beyond our feeble human capacity. We know that our way does not work in most cases, so we must seek God’s way.
      In this session we will attempt to embrace the freedom, which Jesus offered us by taking on flesh, in the midst of radically changing and/or stagnant circumstances.