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Hi, folks - as some of you know, this Sunday I co-led and preached for a service with the title theme at the Baptist church where I was baptized as a young adult.  Before you fall off your chairs ... there've been a lot of jokes over the years that the church is closet Unitarian [soft smile] - it's an unusual congregation.  They responded *very* enthusiastically to the service and sermon - and there was a wonderfully high energy buzz in the room afterwards.

I wanted to share the information that I wrote for the beginning of the bulletin as well as the opening litany and an annotated bibliography.  I'm planning to share the link to this blog in the e-mail to the church list with above information - so some of the church members may choose to jump in to any discussion that arises.  I'm hoping and guessing that you all will enjoy each other quite a bit if that happens :-).

bright and loving blessings -

Sylvia

Resources for First Baptist Church of Granville, Ohio service 3/15/09
Theme:  Love and Compassion:  Jesus and Quan Yin - prepared by Sylvia Niedner, MDiv
please see Annotated Bibliography for sources.


Quan Yin as personifying compassion and mercy is known and revered under many names throughout most of Asia and is becoming better known in the west as well.  She is alternatively called a goddess or bodhisattva:  an enlightened being who chooses to remain on earth to assist others on their paths rather than going on to Nirvana.  In either case, she embodies loving patience, and is understood as “One who hears the cries of the world.”  In several of the more famous portrayals, the goddess is shown as enduring deep suffering in order to help and.or spare others.  Many have found resonance between Quan Yin and Mary mother of Jesus. Both are known as avenues and channels of Divine compassion.

Litany of Compassion and Love


Leader:  When rhe world around us is changing rapidly, and the news often sounds depressing and even frightening how can we keep our internal balance?


Congregation:  The sacred stories of Quan Yin and Jesus can help.


Leader:  What resources can we draw from the stories we are sharing today?


Congregation:  We can tap into the bottomless wells of compassion and love in these stories.


Leader:  How can we understand compassion?


Congregation:  We can look at the Buddhist word “karuna”


Leader:  What does karuna mean?


Congregation:  When translated as compassion, karuna can mean “our ability to relate to another in so intense a measure that the plight of the other affects us as much as if it had been our own. “


Leader:  Love can have so many meanings, which one might most help us keep our internal balance?

Congregation:  We can look to the Greek word “agape”


Leader:  What does agape mean?


Congregation:  Agape can be understood as pure, selfless love.  We can connect with Jesus’ story to help us be present with agape.


Leader:  So how do karuna - compassion and agape - love come together?


Congregation:  They come together in feeding the hungry and housing the homeless.


Leader:  Where do they come together in congregational life?


Congregation:  They come together in lunches on the Square and trips to Rancho Ebenezer.


Leader:  When do they come together in community?


Congregation:  They come together in listening patiently to what is alive inside ourselves and others, so that everyone’s needs might be met.


All:  In this changing world, we can draw on the weaving together of compassion and love in sacred story.


Annotated Bibliography:


Websites:


Compassionate Communication of Central Ohio:  http://www.nvcohio.org/
    A local resource for the Compassionate/Non-violent communciation movement
    founded by Marshall Rosenberg

http://www.geocities.com/zennun12_8/kuan-yin.html
    A rich look at Quan Yin across Asia

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/kuanyin/
    An Indian perspective on Quan Yin, emphasizing Karuna and other Buddhist thought

http://www.holymtn.com/gods/kuanyin.htm
    A Chinese perspective on Quan Yin, with rich history

http://www.purifymind.com/Kuan.htm
    Many really good links, lots of helpful information

http://www.mother-god.com/quan-yin.html
    “A Chapel of Our Mother God” - emphasizing the Goddess and connections
    with Mary mother of Jesus

Books:

_The Crystal Bible: A Definitive Guide to Crystals_ by Judy Hall
    A helpful look at rose quartz and other gemstone crystals

_Discovering Kwan Yin, Buddhist Goddess of Compassion:  A Woman’s Book of Ruminations, Meditations, Prayers and Changs_ by Sandy Boucher
    Source of the Vietnamese Thi Kinh story of Quan Yin
     
_Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals: The Reference Book Describing the Metaphysical Properties of the Mineral Kingdom_ by Melody
    Another good book re:  gemstone crystals

_Nonviolent Communication:  A Language of Life_ by Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD
    A basic look at Non-Violent/Compassionate communication - a good resource for      

    activities fromm the Compassionate Communication of Central Ohio website

_Nonviolent Communication: Companion Workbook_ by Lucy Leu
    Fleshes out and gives practical exercises for the previous book.