It’s been said that the quality of your questions determines the quality of your life. The questions asked that evening were rich indeed: How to go deeper in faith and spiritual practice? Where is Christ present in our lives and in the world? How can the Episcopal Church, with its openness to questioning, appreciation of mystery, and respect for other faiths strengthen its public witness? What must we change in order for more people to experience the Gospel of Jesus as our church lives and proclaims it? 

 

The group took the added step of asking their questions in community, daring to give voice to their concerns and longings in a way that raised the stakes, somehow, and made us all accountable to the core values and spiritual practices that we say we want to live by, but often don’t.

 

I felt privileged to be in the midst of such a sacred circle. As our time came to an end, we wondered how to keep the conversation alive and share it with others.

 

The idea of a diocesan-wide book club emerged as one possibility, with many and varied ways to engage in the conversation. I have some ideas of which book we might read together and I’m sure others do as well.  The group offered to help with logistics and organizational details.

 

If this idea appeals to you, personally, or as a possibility for members of your congregation, school or neighborhood, please take a moment to respond on my blog, on our Facebook page, or by e-mailing me.   Once we have a sense of how many are interested, we’ll begin the fun work of making this happen.

 

Many thanks to the good people of Christ Church, Kensington, for initiating the conversation.