Sufi Voices

Stepping into the Poetry
of Islamic Mysticism

with Kimberly Beyer-Nelson

There is a path from me to you
that I am constantly looking for,
so I try to keep clear and still
as water does with the moon.
Rumi
Allah-Akbar
(God is Great)

The calligraphy of the Arabic language contributes to the beauty of its poetry.

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Experience the music and symbolism of classical Sufi poetry, the delightfully mystical voice of Islam.

We’ll focus primarily on Rumi and Hafiz, but we’ll fold a few other representative authors into the mix, as well as do a little writing of our own!

When: Saturday
March 3
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Cost: $30 by Feb. 28
$35 thereafter

Register Online

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map
With a master’s degree in comparative religion and a graduate certificate in holistic healthcare, Kim has been a spiritual director, qigong instructor, and yoga therapist for more than 12 years.

She has had a centering prayer practice for over 20 years and delights in leading contemplative retreats.

Kim is a published poet, essayist, and fiction writer.

Kimberly
Beyer-Nelson

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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Soul Gardening

with Terry Hershey

People who love this world, people who pay attention, are gardeners, whether or not they have ever picked up a trowel.

Because gardening is not just about digging. Gardening is about cherishing.

And to cherish, one must be present.

Garden columnist, Henry Mitchell, wrote that one day we would all die, but that the questions is how we spent our days. Were we fidgeting over moles and fungi and varmints, or glorying — year by year — in the daffodils?

This is a workshop for people who love life.

And for people who wish to love life but are temporarily stymied. 
 

At times we are captives to busyness, disappointment, exhaustion, anger, apathy, an excess of caution, or even a good reputation, and we carry around an unused life — as if life is a savings bond to be withdrawn only when mandatory.

Terry talks about —

  • Learning to be intoxicated with the world around us, focusing on what nourishes our soul.
  • Opening our heart to the rhythms of the garden.
  • Learning to practice the sacrament of the blessed present.
  • Working to embrace the demanding marriage of loving and losing.
  • Cultivating appreciation for ordinary gifts of grace, the value of solitude, and the healing power of nature.

Terry’s stories will lead you to nurture your soul and renew your sense of what it means to live fully alive.

When: Earth Day Saturday
April 21
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: $30 by April 17
$35 thereafter

Register Online

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map
  Terry Hershey
has served as a Protestant minister, and is now a writer and garden designer on Vashon Island.

Terry holds a mirror up to our fast-forward, disconnected lives, and offers us the “power of pause” — the wisdom of doing less and living more — in order to to regain emotional and spiritual balance; to find the sacred in every day. The Power of Pause (Loyola Press) is his tenth book.

Terry’s work has been featured on The Hallmark Channel, CNN, PBS, and NPR.

But mostly he loves to dance with his son, and watch bald eagles ride the currents in the canyon behind his house. 
 

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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Gospel of Thomas

with Kimberly Beyer-Nelson
and Rev. Tom Thresher, Ph.D.

In 1945, an incredible manuscript was found among the writings of what is now called the Nag Hammadi library. Written in Coptic, the Gospel of Thomas contained the sayings of Yeshua, the man we know as Jesus.

Come and share a contemplative and experiential journey into the heart of the words and the hearts of humankind.

The class is co-taught by Rev. Tom Thresher and Kimberly Beyer-Nelson, MA in comparative religion.

 
When: Tuesday Evenings beginning Jan. 3
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Cost: Free-will donations
gratefully accepted
Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map


Kimberly
Beyer-Nelson
  With theological training, a master’s degree in comparative religion and a graduate certificate in holistic healthcare, Kim Beyer-Nelson has had a centering prayer practice for over 20 years and delights in leading contemplative retreats.

She has been a certified yoga therapist, spiritual director and Reiki Master and has been teaching Yoga for Emotional Balance for years in both hospital and community settings.

In 2002 she published “A Little Book of Wholeness and Prayer.” She is also a poet, essayist, and speculative fiction writer.



Rev.
Tom Thresher
Tom is currently the pastor of a nascent Integral Church in western Washington.

His recent book — Reverent Irreverence: Integral Church for the 21st Century…From Cradle to Christ Consciousness (Integral Publishers) — explores how churches can use their unique role in western culture to support the evolution of human consciousness.

Long a student of consciousness and spirituality, Tom’s exploration was inspired by eight years of intensive transformational work in a small group setting nearly 40 years ago.

Ironically, that experience led him into economics. After completing a Masters in Economics and a Doctorate in Education at Stanford University, Tom taught economics for a decade.

Following a personal crisis, he left college teaching and worked for 12 years as an artist/craftsman. A series of extraordinary events led him to seminary in 1998.

He is now an ordained minister and spiritual teacher in the emerging field of Integral Christianity.

Over the years he studied and worked with a Native American shaman, explored Zen and Yoga, and developed his own Westernized spiritual practices.

For the past nine years he has led groups exploring the interface of religion, spirituality and science. He continues to develop and lead workshops in Transformational Inquiry and Integral philosophy.


For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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Silent Meditation on New Year's Morning

Come and share a time of
silent meditation in our chapel
as a way to enter the New Year with grace, calm, and peace.

We’ll ring our sitting bell at 10 am and sit for half an hour. Then we’ll do some very gentle movement, and sit for another twenty minutes.

We’ll leave in the quiet, taking our contemplative mood back out into the world.

We hope you can join us for this special Sunday event.

Date:  Sunday, January 1
Time:   10:00 – 11:00 am
Location: Suquamish UCC
17832 Division Ave.
Suquamish, WA 98392
 
Donations are welcome.

  

For more information: Call (360) 598-4434.

 

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Yoga for Emotional Balance

with Kimberly Beyer-Nelson

The symptoms of depression affect millions of persons across the globe.

But not all kinds of depression are the same. Some people get teary, some irritable, some can’t sleep, some sleep too much, some eat everything in sight, others can’t face food, some withdraw, some lash out, some just worry.

Kimberly Beyer-Nelson
has been a certified yoga therapist, spiritual director and Reiki Master and has been teaching Yoga for Emotional Balance for years in both hospital and community settings

With theological training, a master’s degree in comparative religion and a graduate certificate in holistic healthcare, she has had a centering prayer practice for over 20 years and delights in leading contemplative retreats.

In 2002 she published “A Little Book of Wholeness and Prayer.” She is also a poet, essayist, and speculative fiction writer.

 
In the yoga tradition, the way to work with depression varies, depending on how depression manifests in the individual.

This workshop will explore the many faces of depression, how specific postures, meditation and breath-work can ease specific depressive symptoms, and how a study of doshic and koshic yoga philosophy can contribute to understanding this disease process.

Students will go home with a short practice for each doshic type.

Please bring your mat and a notebook, and dress for movement as well as stillness.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Cost: $15 by January 17
$20 thereafter

Register Online

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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Transformational Prayer II

with Tom Thresher and Jayne Peterson

This 12-week committed-group inquiry process combines the practices of transformational prayer, body-based mindfulness practice, and integrative imagery.

We will explore with curiosity, openness, and love our big assumptions that keep us stuck in repetitive patterns. As we embrace those assumptions, we can expand into new beliefs that serve our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being in the here and now.

If a desire for change is calling you and you have an interest in deepening and expanding your exploration of self and spirit, consider immersing yourself in inquiry and committing to this group process.

Transformational Prayer I is not a pre-requisite, though it is encouraged.

When: Thursdays, Jan. 12 – March 29
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Cost: No charge – Donations are invited
Registration is Required by Jan. 10
  Register Online
or by calling (360) 598-4434

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.
 
 

 

Rev. Tom Thresher

Tom is currently the pastor of a nascent Integral Church in western Washington.

His recent book — Reverent Irreverence: Integral Church for the 21st Century…From Cradle to Christ Consciousness (Integral Publishers) — explores how churches can use their unique role in western culture to support the evolution of human consciousness.

Long a student of consciousness and spirituality, Tom’s exploration was inspired by eight years of intensive transformational work in a small group setting nearly 40 years ago.

Ironically, that experience led him into economics. After completing a Masters in Economics and a Doctorate in Education at Stanford University, Tom taught economics for a decade.

Following a personal crisis, he left college teaching and worked for 12 years as an artist/craftsman. A series of extraordinary events led him to seminary in 1998.

He is now an ordained minister and spiritual teacher in the emerging field of Integral Christianity.

Over the years he studied and worked with a Native American shaman, explored Zen and Yoga, and developed his own Westernized spiritual practices.

For the past nine years he has led groups exploring the interface of religion, spirituality and science. He continues to develop and lead workshops in Transformational Inquiry and Integral philosophy.


Jayne Peterson
RN, BSN,
Integrative Imagery and 5Rhythms Movement Therapy Practitioner

Jayne has worked for over 20 years with individuals experiencing chronic pain, chronic illness, anxiety, grief, and loss.

Jayne integrates holistic therapeutic practices into her daily work as a registered nurse.

She is passionate about teaching individuals inner resource skills that make possible a deep connection to one’s inner wisdom and natural state of inner joy.

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Posted in EC3

Introduction to the Enneagram

Finding Your Unique Personality Type

with Bev Gaines and Martha Middleton

Have you ever wondered…

…Why you act the way you do
…Why others act the way they do?
…Why you get along with some people and not with others?

Are you looking for a way to improve yourself and your relationships?

If you’re looking for answers to these and related questions, come and learn about the Enneagram, a powerful psychological and spiritual tool that can help you better understand yourself and others.

In this introductory workshop, trained Enneagram teachers Bev Gaines and Martha Middleton will introduce you to the nine personality types of the Enneagram, helping to begin a fascinating journey of self-discovery that will prove helpful in every area of your life.

When: Saturday, Jan. 14
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Cost: $60 by Jan. 10
$65 thereafter
Includes a light lunch
Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map

Bev Gaines

is a professional Spiritual Director and Enneagram coach who offers these tools and other contemplative practices through study groups, workshops, retreats, and individual consultations.

Through her group work, Bev shares the resources and strategies you need to help you tap into the wisdom of your own soul; to discover and follow your own unique path.

In individual consultations, Bev’s gentle, reassuring presence and attentive listening can prove an invaluable support when facing the particular challenges that have been placed in our paths to help us grow.


Martha Middleton

has studied spiritual formation for many years through Vancouver School of Theology, and has taught spiritual formation classes at several churches.

Like Bev, she is a trained Enneagram consultant; together they have studied under a number of leading experts in the Enneagram field, including Don Riso, Russ Hudson, Helen Palmer, David Daniels, and Richard Rohr.

Martha and Bev have been teaching the Enneagram for over eight years in classes and workshops. Martha has found the Enneagram to be an invaluable tool on her own journey of self–discovery.

 

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

 

Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography(Evening Series)

with Sue Sutherland-Hanson

Exploring and telling our stories feeds the soul and forms community.

We will “look at the past through the lens of adult experience, write about it from a holistic or spiritual perspective, and come to understand it differently in the process.” —Dan Wakefield

Sue Sutherland-Hanson, MAT, M.Div.
 
Sue enjoys creating contexts for people to see the wisdom they embody.

She has led workshops on spiritual autobiography, creative writing, modes of creativity, and the spirituality of the body.

An award-winning poet and essayist, Sue teaches English to students from all language backgrounds at Edmonds Community College.

Her passion for diversity and her lifelong connection to the Northwest infuse her art, teaching, and spirituality.

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A FLYER

Writing can be a spiritual tool used to bring all of your life into the light of grace leading often to transformation.

This is not a writing class; a variety of levels and abilities are expected and welcome.

Adapting prompts from Dan Wakefield’s book The Story of Your Life — Writing a Spiritual Autobiography, we will recall our childhood, adolescence, mentors, and influencing experiences. (No text is needed.)

You can start with the Saturday morning session as an introductory “launch,” or just come to these for four week-night sessions for continued exploring, writing, and sharing in community.

When: Thursday Evenings
Oct. 20 – Nov. 17
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Cost: $60 by Oct. 16
$65 by Oct. 20

Register Online

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography (Saturday Morning)

with Sue Sutherland-Hanson

Exploring and telling our stories feeds the soul and forms community.

We will “look at the past through the lens of adult experience, write about it from a holistic or spiritual perspective, and come to understand it differently in the process.” —Dan Wakefield

Sue Sutherland-Hanson, MAT, M.Div.
 
Sue enjoys creating contexts for people to see the wisdom they embody.

She has led workshops on spiritual autobiography, creative writing, modes of creativity, and the spirituality of the body.

An award-winning poet and essayist, Sue teaches English to students from all language backgrounds at Edmonds Community College.

Her passion for diversity and her lifelong connection to the Northwest infuse her art, teaching, and spirituality.

DOWNLOAD
A FLYER

Writing can be a spiritual tool used to bring all of your life into the light of grace leading often to transformation.

This is not a writing class; a variety of levels and abilities are expected and welcome.

Adapting prompts from Dan Wakefield’s book The Story of Your Life — Writing a Spiritual Autobiography, we will recall our childhood, adolescence, mentors, and influencing experiences. (No text is needed.)

You can take this Saturday morning session as a stand-alone workshop, or as an introductory “launch” for four weeknight sessions to continue exploring, writing, and sharing in community.

When: Saturday morning
Oct. 8
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: $30 by Oct. 4
$35 after Oct. 4
or at the door

Register Online

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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Poetry from Our Sources

with Carmi Soifer

“Words are sacred. They deserve respect.
If you get the right ones, in the right order,
you can nudge the world a little.”
— Tom Stoppard

Carmi Soifer, M.Ed.,
is an award-winning poet and writing teacher.

She brings decades of experience, care, and spirituality to her classes.

Carmi has taught  community workshops on both coasts, and was Artist-in-Residence at Rocky Mountain National Park.

She is eager to bring poetry to Sound Spirit.

Carmi’s acclaimed poetry class is offered again!

Would you like to bring out the poet in you, in a safe and caring environment?

Do you want to write from deep spirit, in a way that communicates your own truth?

Are you interested in stretching and learning through craft? 

In this class, the emphasis is on fun. You’ll discover things you never thought you’d say, and ways you never thought to say them.

Through exercises and examples, we’ll build craft from our teachers, tune in to deep sources within, and learn to expand through our writing.  “Poetry from Our Sources” is appropriate for every level of
poet and would-be poet. 

When: Two Friday evenings
Sept. 14 & 28
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Cost: $40 by Sept. 9
$45 thereafter or at the door

Register Online

Where: Suquamish UCC Church
18732 Division Ave NE
Suquamish, WA 98392
Map

For more information:
Call (360) 598-4434.

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