Download or read book Welcoming the Unwelcome written by Pema Chodron and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2020-10-13 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the bestselling author of When Things Fall Apart, an open-hearted call for human connection, compassion, and learning to love the world just as it is during these most challenging times. In her first new book of spiritual teachings in over seven years, Pema Chödrön offers a combination of wisdom, heartfelt reflections, and the signature mix of humor and insight that have made her a beloved figure to turn to during times of change. In an increasingly polarized world, Pema shows us how to strengthen our abilities to find common ground, even when we disagree, and influence our environment in positive ways. Sharing never-before told personal stories from her remarkable life, simple and powerful everyday practices, and directly relatable advice, Pema encourages us all to become triumphant bodhisattvas--compassionate beings--in times of hardship. Welcoming the Unwelcome includes teachings on the true meaning of karma, recognizing the basic goodness in ourselves and the people we share our lives with--even the most challenging ones, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth, and freeing ourselves from the empty and illusory labels that separate us. Pema also provides step-by-step guides to a basic sitting meditation and a compassion meditation that anyone can use to bring light to the darkness we face, wherever and whatever it may be.
Download or read book Welcoming the Stranger Parish Guide written by and published by USCCB Publishing. This book was released on 2004-05 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The resources in this parish guide offer practical guidance for building more welcoming and inclusive parishes. Contains copies of published documents and related resources.
Download or read book The Welcoming written by Nora Roberts and published by St. Martin's Paperbacks. This book was released on 2020-12-08 with total page 191 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A tale of danger and desire from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts, The Welcoming follows a man in pursuit of a master criminal risking more than his life when he meets a woman who steals his heart. Charity Ford’s seaside inn on Orcas Island is a home away from home for people seeking the simple pleasures in life. Falling prey to a hit-and-run accident has made Charity even more aware of how precious life is. But what she doesn’t know is some of her guests are not who they appear to be. Some are involved in illegal activities—and they’re responsible for Charity’s near death experience. Enter Roman DeWinter, an undercover federal agent on a mission to bring the criminals to justice. He failed to protect Charity once but now he’ll do anything to keep her safe.
Download or read book Welcoming the Stranger written by Matthew Soerens and published by InterVarsity Press. This book was released on 2018-07-03 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Academy of Parish Clergy Top Ten List Immigration is one of the most complicated issues of our time. Voices on all sides argue strongly for action and change. Christians find themselves torn between the desire to uphold laws and the call to minister to the vulnerable. In this book World Relief immigration experts Matthew Soerens and Jenny Yang move beyond the rhetoric to offer a Christian response to immigration. They put a human face on the issue and tell stories of immigrants' experiences in and out of the system. With careful historical understanding and thoughtful policy analysis, they debunk myths and misconceptions about immigration and show the limitations of the current immigration system. Ultimately they point toward immigration reform that is compassionate, sensible, and just as they offer concrete ways for you and your church to welcome and minister to your immigrant neighbors. This revised edition includes new material on refugees and updates in light of changes in political realities.
Download or read book The Welcoming House written by Jane Schwab and published by Rizzoli Publications. This book was released on 2013-03-19 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The owners of the acclaimed stores and decorating firm Circa Interiors present eight stylish, beautiful homes blending comfort, beauty, and function with classic Southern hospitality. A house with an open door is like a friend with an open heart: inviting, generous of spirit, and constant at the core. In their first book, Jane Schwab and Cindy Smith present beautifully arranged interiors in which the trademarks of their style—subtle color palettes, graceful furniture, an emphasis on comfort and entertaining—harmonize to create fresh yet classic rooms. Walking the reader through each home with their characteristic Southern charm, they share their vision and process, from big-picture topics such as room flow and furniture plans, to the importance of entryways and setting a beautiful table. The lessons also extend from the interior to the garden, as Schwab and Smith discuss how outside spaces can become natural extensions of the home for entertaining. Throughout, they share specific ideas for arranging rooms to welcome one, two, or four people as comfortably as fifty, establishing multifunctional, adaptable gathering places that are both gracious and functional for the family of the house as well as their guests.
Download or read book The Welcoming Congregation written by Scott W. Alexander and published by Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. This book was released on with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This manual, prepared by the UUA's Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns, is designed to help interested congregations become more welcoming places for the gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in their midst and in the wider community"--P. 1.
Download or read book Becoming a Welcoming Church written by Thom S. Rainer and published by B&H Publishing Group. This book was released on 2018-03-01 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most church members don't see their churches clearly. In almost all of Thom S. Rainer's consultations, church members perceive their church to be friendly. But as he surveyed guests, he found that the guests typically saw church members as unfriendly. The perception chasm existed because the members were indeed friendly . . . to one another. The guests felt like they crashed a private party. Bestselling author Thom Rainer (I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church) has a game plan for churches to become more hospitable. In a format that is suitable for church members to read individually or study together, Rainer guides readers toward a practical framework for making a difference for those who visit their church. Churches may use Becoming a Welcoming Church to assess and audit where they are on a spectrum between welcoming and wanting. Additionally, churches can use the companion book We Want You Here to send guests home with a compelling vision for what pastors want every guest to know when they visit.
Download or read book The Welcoming Congregation written by Henry G. Brinton and published by Westminster John Knox Press. This book was released on 2012-06-25 with total page 157 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Every time people sit down to eat and drink together, there is the possibility that community will grow and people will be reconciled to one another. This is good news for a fractured and polarized world, and a strong sign of the importance of being a welcoming congregation that embraces all people with God's love and grace." from the introduction This practical book by pastor and writer Henry G. Brinton studies the biblical basis for Christian hospitality and how it is practiced in congregations today. While recognizing the challenges for embracing all people in the life of the church, Brinton offers a helpful guide for creating a hospitable congregation and welcoming others through spiritual formation, reconciliation, and outreach. He includes discussion questions and an action plan in each chapter.
Download or read book Welcoming Practices written by Ron Avi Astor and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-21 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Students change schools for a variety of reasons, and some students change more often than others -- a reality that can leave them feeling emotionally disconnected and often academically at risk. Welcoming Practices summarizes the research on school transition and makes a case for why schools need to do a better job of welcoming new children and families and following up with them over time. Arriving at a moment in history in which schools are increasing attention on students' social and emotional development, this book captures the innovative practices that some institutions are using to connect with new students and provides practical strategies that all schools can use to make both students and parents feel a part of the school and community. The book discusses how to use technology to improve families' experiences in their new schools, provides strategies appropriate at the school and district levels, and gives schools suggestions for practices that are best suited for younger students as well as for those at middle and high school levels.
Download or read book Warm and Welcoming written by Warren Hoffman and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-11-15 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Warm and Welcoming: How the Jewish Community Can Become Truly Diverse and Inclusive in the 21st Century is the first book to tackle institutionalized biases and barriers to inclusion, offering not only stories and context about the issues facing Jews of all backgrounds, but more importantly offering practical and concrete advice that Jewish institutions can implement right away to change how they engage with diverse populations. The book features 17 chapters written by some of the most knowledgeable individuals in the Jewish community around the areas of diversity and inclusion. From senior leaders in the field to young innovators who are helping to change the ways that Jewish institutions create community, Warm and Welcoming offers fresh perspectives, best practices, and new ideas to transform Jewish institutions regardless of their size, resources, or number of years in existence.
Download or read book The Spirituality of Welcoming written by Dr. Ron Wolfson and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2011-06-22 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A practical guide for envisioning—and transforming—your synagogue into a powerful new congregation of welcoming, learning and healing. "The new synagogue we envision is a spiritual center for all those who set foot inside it. It is a kehillah kedoshah, a sacred community, where relationships are paramount, where worship is engaging, where everyone is learning, where repair of the world is a moral imperative, where healing is offered, where personal and institutional transformation are embraced. The times are ripe for this spiritual call." —from the Introduction So often we want our congregations to be more—more compelling, more member-focused, more spiritual and yet more useful for our daily lives. Through reflection, examples, tips and exercises—and incorporating the fruits of Synagogue 2000 (now Synagogue 3000), a groundbreaking decade-long program investigating the challenges facing modern synagogues—this inspiring handbook both establishes a sound foundation for why a deep hospitality is crucial for the survival of today's spiritual communities, and dives into the practical hands-on how of turning your congregation into a place of invitation and openness that includes: Prayer that is engaging, uplifting and spiritually moving • Institutional deepening that is possible because of an openness to change • Study that engages adults and families, as well as children • Good deeds—the work of social justice—as a commitment of each and every member • An ambience of welcome that creates a culture of warmth and outreach • Healing that offers comfort and support at times of illness and loss • ... and much more.
Download or read book Welcoming Beginner s Mind written by Gaylon Ferguson and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2024-03-26 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This nuanced commentary on the famous Zen oxherding pictures explores the paradox of welcoming our true nature anew at each stage of spiritual unfolding. Renowned for centuries, the classic Zen oxherding pictures vividly illustrate the stages of the spiritual journey—from seeking and finding to ultimately forgetting the illusory self and awakening to our true nature. In his commentary on these images, Gaylon Ferguson guides us on an experiential path into these seeming contradictions through welcoming—the simple, challenging, and always new possibility of opening to exactly what’s occurring in our experience. Distinct from meditation and mindfulness, this contemplative exercise leads us beyond spiritual bypassing (using spiritual practices to repress or avoid parts of ourselves) and spiritual materialism (practicing with a heavy sense of ego). Rich with teachings from the great Zen teacher and author of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, as well as extensive commentary from Tibetan meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and others who have illuminated the oxherding pictures, this book invites you into a process of spiritual maturation that never occurs elsewhere than here or other than now. Featuring a foreword by David Chadwick, author of Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki.
Download or read book Welcoming Resistance written by William Chris Hobgood and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2002-02-01 with total page 165 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Resistance can be a sign of vital, high-quality, and faithful life in a congregation, and a learning opportunity for congregational leaders who recognize the value of hearing from those who resist ministry initiatives, inviting their input and listening to their response. Hobgood proposes a "continuum of interventions" that can be made by pastors and lay leaders. He also observes that the degree of resistance will intensify as the degree of change deepens, but suggests that when we try to squelch resistance, we threaten the congregation's very existence. Congregational leaders will appreciate Hobgood's positive and pastoral approach to the resistance they encounter in their own faith communities and his concrete and practical suggestions for building more constructive relationships.
Download or read book The Real Welcoming Church written by Stewart Brown and published by Word Alive Press. This book was released on 2018-03-15 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Imagine your life transforming from: Selfishness to others-focused service Getting to giving Inertia to energy Complaining to overflowing gratitude Plodding to laser-focused purpose This is what you will experience as a member of a real welcoming church as revealed in this book. Based on imitating God (Ephesians 5:1) and thinking like Jesus (Philippians 2:5), this book leads each reader into an honest self-examination and church evaluation, based completely on God’s Word, and into four key life stages: Stage 1. Struggling church: Start where you are and discover what keeps you and your church from joyful growth and continually bearing much fruit for Jesus. Stage 2. Godly church: Discover how God wants you and your church to think, act, and welcome others as you interact with Old and New Testament principles. Stage 3: Inviting church: Explore the signs, evidences, processes and results of the real welcoming church through which Jesus expresses His loving, empowering heart. Stage 4. Inspiring church: Learn 9 steps to practise on a daily basis so God can inspire others through you and your church as you pray, support, worship and work together.
Download or read book Welcoming Each Wonder written by Tom Gordon and published by Wild Goose Publications. This book was released on 2011-07-07 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A second book of stories for every week of the Christian year, and a few more besides. Relates to lectionary cycle A. Tom Gordon's stories are a product of his awareness of the issues of our current age. As a consequence, what he offers are truly contemporary parables, drawing our attention to facets of our modern living and pointing us to lessons and truths that have universal relevance.
Download or read book Welcoming Strangers written by Andrew L Fitz-Gibbon and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-08 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jane Hall Fitz-Gibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon have cared for more than 100 children in a foster care career spanning more than three decades. They developed a method, "loving nonviolent re-parenting," to best care for foster children. "Re-parenting" represents the complex task of caring for children who have been parented already, often inadequately, and mostly involving physical, emotional, and/or systemic violence. Welcoming Strangers analyses the violence foster children suffer and raises ethical questions—why violence is morally problematic, what philosophers have said about human nature and violence, and what moral good should be pursued in childcare. Drawing on an ancient form of ethics, sometimes known as "virtue ethics," this book focuses on the traits required to become a loving, nonviolent re-parent. The Fitz-Gibbons tell of their journey in the foster care system with candour, humour, and grace. Covering subjects as diverse as teens, sex, discipline, and the carer's own well-being, they describe the difficulties of foster care and the sometimes impossible task of restoring dignity and joy to young lives deeply damaged by violence. This book will be of immense help to foster carers, adopters, caseworkers, case managers, policymakers, and any parent who wants to integrate nonviolent practices into the way they care for children.
Download or read book Welcoming Marriage written by Stephen Lake and published by Church House Publishing. This book was released on 2009 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Helps churches get to grips with the 2008 Marriage Measure, which allows couples to be more flexible in their choice of church. Covers pastoral care, making your church welcoming to prospective couples, and complete coverage of the new legislation.
