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Spiritual Coventant
with America
(PDF)

Spiritual Covenant with America—Summary

Covenant for Building a Safer World (PowerPoint)

 

   

BREAKING NEWS!

The next Compassionate Communication Workshop will  take place in the Hartford area on May 10 and 17Be the change you want to see in the world!  Wonderful Pan Vera will be the facilitator.  Click here for details.

The last COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP was meaningful, even transformative, the Weekend of Feb 8-10Warm hugs to every person who participated and to our facilitator supreme, Pan Vera.

To help us practice what we learned at the Workshop, Practice Groups in Compassionate Communication (based on Marshall Rosenberg's book Nonviolent Communication and the accompanying work book) will be meeting in 4 locations.  Click here for dates and locations.

Mystic Spirit Group invites you to sit down with a small group of people and talk about things that really matter.

When: Wed Apr 9th at 10 am.SAVE THE DATE!

Where: Union Baptist Church in Mystic

What:David Arnold will give us insight into Al Pesso and Diane Boyden's Psychomotor Work. See Calendar for more information.

 

SONG OF PEACE CONCERT

MARCH 30TH AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF OLD LYME was so wonderful!  Thanks to Julia Hikory, the wonderful organizer! The event was participatory and inspiring as we sang for peace and justice throughout the world.  This was part of a worldwide project during the month of March, in which people around the globe dedicated music to world peace (see songofpeace.org)

 

Now is the time to sing our hearts out for peace, justice and the Earth.  All are welcome to join the Joyful Noise Chorus.  Contact Julia at 860-442-0306 and see Calendar for rehearsal and performance schedule.

Part of our New Bottom Line is appreciating the sacred in every creature on the planet. See Poem by Maggie.

There are no membership fees for our local chapters.  We present book discussions, meetings of the minds, workshops, and community projects designed to make a difference. We invite all people to join us, religious and nonreligious alike. Our aim is to explore and resusitate the depth of meaning in today's society.

Call 860.388.0483 for more details.


Members of the Connecticut chapters of the NSP believe that the political, moral and spiritual climate of America has to change for the better.
     It is time to replace a value system based on money, power and success with an ethic based on generosity and compassion.
     Uniting to work with people to bring this change about is the purpose of our group. Based on teachings from the book The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right, by Rabbi Michael Lerner, we hope to contribute to the formation of a Spiritual Coventant with America (PDF) with America.


Find where Connecticut
chapters meet.


If you can't join us in fact,
join us in spirit!


 

Left Hand of God: Taking Our Country back from the Religious Right by Michael Lerner. Since Michael's visit to Old Lyme in March 2006, we've had at least 6 groups that have met 4 or 5 times to discuss this book. Please contact us if you're interested in a book group in your area. The book is available in many libraries and bookstores and we have some loaners too.

 

UPCOMING HIGHLIGHT

NEW SERIES! "WOMEN AS PEACEMAKERS" with Julia Hikory. Will take place in the fall.  All welcome (men too!)!  For info, contact Julia at 860-442-0306. Suggested reading: Urgent Message from Mother by Jean Shinoda Bolen -- a small and wonderful gem of a book

Time to Decide

Of all the qualities that define the health of a democratic society, which are most important?

  • Our capacity for violence, or our capacity for love?
     
  • The urge for power, or the need for friendship and compatibility?
     
  • Obsession for wealth, or compassion for other people?

It is unfortunate that we have to ask these questions. The lust for power and wealth, and the use of violence have become all too prevalent and are unfitting for a nation as powerful and morally inclined as the United States. We have long accepted a leadership role in propagating freedom and morality in the world. This position demands consideration in everything we do. Careless, self-promoting action not only ruins our image abroad, it ruins the soul of America here as well.
     Gradually we have watched the vices of yesteryear transform themselves into the virtues of today. People who consider themselves moral feel no compunction embracing greed and power over others (despite sharp religious and philosophical warnings), and politicians take advantage of this! Our national focus has shifted away from the good of all our citizens, to the benefit of those who least need it.
     Where is our national conscience? What has changed it?
     When did we decide that social progress just isn't worth it anymore. How is it that we cater to the welfare of corporations instead, who make shipping jobs overseas while hiring illegal immigrants a national priority?
     God was never a proponent of greed, or respecter

 

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There are many ways to get involved!

We understand how busy life can be. Partaking in a movement like ours takes time and effort and commitment that some people don't have.

  • Don't be afraid to tell others what you think about the issues, and how your faith, if you have one, is involved. Speak out in a friendly and pursuasive manner. Your opinion is as valuable as anyone else's.
  • Become an informed voter. Learn about the issues and the candidates. Try to look behind the spin and rhetoric of campaign speeches..
  • When election day comes, get out and vote!
  • If you have a few minutes, send an e-mail to your representatives to let them know how you stand on the issues. How else can they effectively represent you?
  • Donate to a good cause.
  • Teach your children to be good citizens.
  • Listen respectfully to people who disagree with you. Show them how to sustain a friendly dialog.
  • Learn how your faith supports a lot of progressive causes.
  • Try to use less fuel and electricity.
  • Support green technology.
  • Hold politicians accountable.

You don't have to agree with everything that NSP represents. Very few of our members do. The important thing is that we work together to improve our nation the way we can, and prevent the religious right from dominating us all.
     Welcome aboard!

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Dear Friends,

In mid-May 2007 the Network of Spiritual Progressives released a video about how to end the war in Iraq in an ethical way. Thanks to you, more than 3,500 people have watched the video and learned how we can apply the strategy of generosity in Iraq.

But of course, ending the war in Iraq is just the beginning. If we don't want to be protesting war after war, we need a more fundamental shift in the way we think about national security. In this video, Rabbi Lerner discusses the roles of fear and generosity in homeland security.
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/Tikkun/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a
_friend_KEY=1583&t=TheNSP.dwt
.

If you like what you hear on the video, please consider donating to our campaign for a strategy of generosity:
https://www.donate.net/tikkun/basket_add_item.asp?shopper_id=823613&dept_id=965&
sku=965009

Love and blessings,

Nichola Torbett
Director of National Programs

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