Dear FCCPA congregation + community far and wide,
"There is nothing that cannot be forgiven, and there is no one undeserving of forgiveness." Do you believe it? Desmond Tutu does. His daughter and fellow priest, Mpho Tutu does too. I believe it or I at least want to believe it, most of the time. Sometimes I struggle to surrender to the "nothing and no one" in this declaration.
Tutu goes on to say, "There have been times when each and every one of us has needed
to forgive. There have also been times when each and every one of us has needed to be forgiven. And there will be many times again. In our own ways, we are all broken. Out of that brokenness, we hurt others. Forgiveness is the journey we take toward healing the broken parts. It is how we [remember our] whole[ness] again."
This is the part that gets me, that keeps me on the path to surrender. I believe in and desire healing for myself, my loved ones, our local communities, and the world writ large. I have experienced healing by both offering and receiving forgiveness. And still, I want and need more healing and more healing is needed in our communal lives.
The Tutus suggest a fourfold path:
Telling the story
Naming [and feeling] the hurt
Granting forgiveness
Renewing or releasing the relationship
Like Tutu, I don't believe the work of forgiveness is ever finished, but I do believe that as we mature in life and faith, we develop a more sensitive, embodied knowing when forgiveness is required and we become more willing to take the first step sooner depending on the hurt.
In honor of Desmond Tutu’s memory and legacy, this Easter season, I will be leading a five-part series through this path, and I'm inviting anyone willing to walk the path of forgiveness with a hurt in mind. This series is also open to anyone who is willing to pray for the willingness to be willing.
The series will be based on Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Rev. Mpho Tutu's, The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World as well as Dr. Fred Luskin's work (director and founder of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project), and others.
If you would like to walk the fourfold path of forgiving yourself or another person(s) in a prayerful, community environment, please join me as we walk this path together. Sharing the details of your story with others may happen but is not a requirement.
If you are interested, more logistical information is below.
God's peace,
Emily
When and Where:
5 Tuesday evenings, 7:00-8:15 pm PST on Zoom
Tuesday, April 26: Opening and Introduction
Tuesday, May 3: Telling the Story
Tuesday, May 10 – Break
Tuesday, May 17: Naming and Feeling the Hurt
Tuesday, May 24: Granting Forgiveness
Tuesday, May 31: Renewing or Releasing the Relationship
Cost:
Free.
If you are moved to make an offering please consider donating to the The Forgiveness Project or FCCPA if you’re not already a pledging member.
Required pre-work:
Buy or borrow a copy of The Book of Forgiving. We will work through the book together. No need to read ahead of time, but you can!
I encourage you to buy the book from one of your local bookstores. I’ll be working with Books, Inc. Palo Alto to obtain copies of the book for purchase.
This journey is for you if:
You have a hurt in mind that needs to be forgiven
You are willing to walk the path of forgiveness with this hurt in mind or you are willing to pray for the willingness to be willing.
You’re curious about forgiveness as an ongoing spiritual practice and you’ve been looking for guidance and a place to start
You could commit to the Circles of Trust® Touchstones based on the work of Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal
What you can expect:
Silence, song, guided reflective practices, journaling prompts, opportunities for sharing. A facilitator who welcomes laughter, tears, and everything in between with the well-being of the group in mind.
Who is Emily?
I am a UCC minister and member of FCCPA who serves as a part-time chaplain and consultant at Stanford Health Care on the Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) team and a part-time Palliative Care chaplain at UCSF. I also have a private practice as a spiritual director, community educator, and consultant. I love creating spaces for embodied reflection, learning, healing, and growth.
Register here:
It will be helpful for me if you register by Tuesday, April 19. Registration is limited to 24 participants.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.