Thank Offerings

Altar at Agape Center at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

One of the great gifts I have been given in my life is leading worship at a women’s jail. I feel the grief of not being there because of COVID-19, and this community is never far from my thoughts. They are always in my prayers. I expressed my grief recently with someone who shares in this ministry, and I was touched by her response: even their memory of church is church. And because of that, don’t worry, church is still happening.

Our sanctuary at the jail is a too-brightly lit classroom with plastic chairs, and for our altar, a folding table.

I like to remind us all as we gather together that this room is not jail, it is God’s house. We take a moment to consider our altar, something God has been asking us to construct in the wildernesses of our lives from the beginning. In the desert of Sinai, after giving us ten commandments to protect our lives, God tells us one final instruction: build me an altar. This altar is God’s altar, but it is for us. 

In this community of women, we remember God knows our need for a place to share with our Creator, the source of our being, two things: I’m sorry, and thank you. I see the truth of this reflected as heads nod in unison. 

I don’t know of a holier act than to say I’m sorry and thank you.  And somehow it isn’t enough to think them or write them in a journal. It helps to come forward, and bow our hearts, and allow what may feel hidden out into the open, even if in silence. It is to make a sacrifice at God’s altar.

In this time of quarantine, we have had time to consider the corrections that need to be made in our lives and for our world. We have also felt gratitude, old and new. And while we are not gathering together around a common altar, worship is still happening. And we are promised that God will meet us here, at the crossroad of what is death in us and what is life. 

I am feeling the great weight of gratitude these days, and ask you to witness my offering.

I begin with Stillpoint’s leadership, who in the face of the great challenges of COVID-19 found our path forward to offer our programs online to finish our year. To all of you! Our Wisdom and Practice facilitators, Joe, Chris, Debbie, Amy; our Spiritual Journey leaders, Wendy, Kimberly, Sarah, Barbie, Brian, Maureen; our Art of Spiritual Direction leaders, MJ, Karen, Peter, Carolyn, Christy, Vel, Diane, Christopher and Ravi. To our Graduate program leaders, Linda, Amy, Shannon and Ravi. To our Ghost Ranch leadership, Chris, Brenda, Stacy, Kay, Becky and again, Ravi. And to our administrative heroes, MJ, Dana and Chris and new to our staff, Krystle Hart. I am grateful to each of you for the gifts you brought and the beautiful spirit with which you offered them and for the leaders who are saying yes to future endeavors, knowing the challenges ahead. Thank you, God. 

For the technology that partnered with us with cool breakout rooms, shared screens and funny backgrounds. Thank you, God. 

To our program participants and interns who accepted the new landscape and journeyed forward. Especially our graduates, Melinda, Karen, Sheila, Shawns, Maria, Rhonda, Cindy, Elizabeth, Susan, Henry, Rick. Congratulations!  And to the Ghost Ranch Cohort 9 who will graduate! Thank you, God.

I offer special gratitude, a double portion, for Michelle “MJ” Johnston, who for the past two years has been a cheerful, hardworking problem solver and technology whiz.  I will miss her as she moves to new work that makes her heart sing. She has also helped us find and train her replacement, Krystle Hart, who has already begun to take the reins as our web and database master, and brings with her a strong marketing background. Thank you, God. 

Finally, my heart overflows with gratitude for the holy, beautiful new communities of spiritual practice that have formed on Zoom in the past months, brought forth by shelter-at-home orders. For all my new Centering Prayer companions with whom I get to practice; for the Contemplative Liturgy team, wisdom chant leaders and BioSpiritual Focusing guides…all sprouts from the wilderness ground. Thank you, God.

I invite you to join me in making a thank offering to the good work of Stillpoint. We are unable to continue to provide our programing without your help, especially in these times. Please know that every offering helps compensate our staff, maintain our communications, offer programming, and commit to offering scholarships. For anything you’re able to offer, may you feel God’s blessing. To those who have already helped us during this time, we give you thanks.

Wilderness Blessings,
Elizabeth+