Center for Non Harming Ministries » Ministry Resources (Wellsprings)

Praise Dance

lms — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:31:50 +0000

Praise God with lyre and harp, praise God with drums and dancing… (Psalm 150)

Praise/worship/biblical/Davidic dancing is not only a means of worship, it can enhance the worship experience of others, as they contemplate space, time, rhythm, interconnection, and the fleetingness of the moment.

Does the concept seem new? It isn’t. Thousands of years ago, in ancient Judaism and then early Christianity, it was part of worshipful prayer[1]. There are many biblical references to dancing in praise of the Lord[2].. Then, during the time of Reformation, it was suppressed along with other bodily expression, as unseemly. We have experienced a resurgence in the past century, with liturgical dance serving many purposes, including witnessing to faith, inspiring congregants, challenging our thinking, or acting as a form of prayer.

Styles of dance are as wide-ranging as the dancers themselves, including: spontaneous, choreographed, modern, ballet, lyrical, African, clog, Davidic, and hip hop. Dancers can be few or many. Their attire can be simple or ornate. They can have props – streamers, banners, tambourines, flutes, and such – or have none. Inspiration frees the dancer of limitations, so this genre is continually growing and changing.

Below is our example. Dancer Rena Jones-Guidry of the Providence Baptist Church provides an original interpretation of a song that speaks to the promise of a second chance:

Filmed at Providence Baptist Church and edited at Elfenworks Productions, LLC. Dancer: Rena Jones-Guidry. Filmed by: Jennifer Thomas, for Elfenworks Productions, LLC. Mastering: John Watkins, for Elfenworks Productions, LLC. Copyright 2011 Elfenworks Productions LLC. All rights reserved. For music credits, please see the band website, www.commodorecallahan.com.

[1] In Introducing Dance in Christian Worship, authors Ronald Gagne, Thomas Kane and Robert VerEcke trace liturgical dance from early Judaism.

[2]For example, Judges 21:19-23; Exodus 15:20; 1 Sam. 10: 5b-7.

UQ-Media.com Back Online As Response to Prayers for Peace

lms — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 22:40:46 +0000

We received an email from the Director of Evangelicals for Middle Eastern Understanding today, January 1, 2011, asking for prayers for peace in the Middle East:

“Violence seems to be the plight of Christians in Iraq, Palestine, and Egypt these days…” — Len Rodgers, Director, EMEU

Sources have informed EMEU that on 30th December at least two Christians were killed and nine wounded in a string of six attacks on specifically targeted Christian homes in a predominantly Christian area of Baghdad. EMEU indicates that one effect of these attacks will be to increase the flow of Christians leaving Baghdad, with many moving to the Kurdish region of Northern Iraq. EMEU informs us that churches continue to feel the strain, as they lack the resources to support and sustain the growing number of displaced persons. In addition, 21 were killed in a New Year’s eve bombing of a Christian church, the al-Qidiseen church (“Church of the Two Saints”), in Alexandria, Egypt. According to the official figures at least 21 were killed and 79 were injured. The injured include eight Muslims. The church and a nearby mosque suffered extensive damage from the blast. EMEU writes:

“Initially the authorities believed a car bomb was used, but now they believe a suicide bomber was responsible. The attack prompted angry clashes between Christians and local Muslims during which the mosque opposite the church was further damaged. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowds.”

In this first day of the new year, The Center for Non Harming Ministries invites all our visitors to pray for peace and understanding between all groups. Our interfaith understanding website UQ-Media.com is back online after a vicious attack from malware had brought it to its knees for a few months. We invite all our visitors to visit that site and learn more about the basis for peace underlying all true faiths.

UQ-Media.com’s Mission: So All May Live in Harmony ! Every day, our fragile world seems smaller and more interconnected, and groups which might once have imagined they could live peacefully in ignorance of each other are thrust together more closely. UQ-media is a peace quest, dedicated the proposition that truth and reconciliation are preferable to violence as the as the principle (and only sustainable) means of resolving our differences. And so, we’re providing—free to one and all—the best tools, tips, and techniques available, to raise everyone’s Understanding Quotient. Visit site now.

Calling Poets – Send Original Prayers

lms — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 20:02:33 +0000

Our intention is to make this site a rich resource of prayers, and to respect intellectual property rights. So, you might find the ‘prayer’ section rather thin at the moment. You have the power to help. Do you have original prayers that we might have permission to post? If so, we’d be very grateful if you’d please contact us.

The Prayer of St. Francis

lms — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:56:31 +0000

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Psalm 23

lms — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:57:25 +0000

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. You make me lie down in green pastures, you lead me beside the still waters, you restore my soul. You lead me in right paths for your name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I don’t fear it, because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

The Serenity Prayer

lms — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:00:56 +0000

The Serenity Prayer is commonly known as follows:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Few lay-people, though, know that it is part of a longer (and very beautiful) prayer, by Reinhold Niebuhr. This longer prayer is easily available on the web, so you might be interested to find it, if you don’t already know it.

MBSR and Meditative Prayer As Suicide Prevention

lms — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:00:32 +0000

One interesting and non-harming response might be for ministers to teach prayerful, mindfulness based stress reduction techniques. Noticing some of the unorganized suicide based on financial ruin after the economic crises, and understanding that stress crises can sometimes precipitate these suicide attempts, interested ministers might consider offering MBSR in their parishes and churches or linking forces with local hospitals, or contacting the webmaster of www.brothercamillus.com for the meditative prayer offerings which they might make available on their own sites as well.

Such a project would aim to address some of the effects of high level and persistent stress among those expressing suicidal ideation or experiencing times of crisis. By providing access to mindfulness meditation and other positive coping exercises, the minister could give participants persistent coping skills as well as the opportunity to decrease the negative psychological and physiological effects of acute and chronic stress in their daily lives. These stress-management strategies will translate into positive mental and physical health outcomes, as well as empowerment through successful participation in educational, social, and community networks.

Research focused on the effects of stress on individuals has shown that stress leads to the release of cortisol.¹ While a release of cortisol can be part of the body’s natural reaction to stress, long-term exposure to cortisol has many negative health outcomes, such as insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.²³⁴ In addition to these negative long-term health effects, cortisol release has also been shown to reduce some components of memory performance.⁵

One effective method of addressing these stress-related increases in cortisol is through use of mindfulness meditation exercises, which can reduce both base-line cortisol levels and cortisol release during stressful events.⁶ Meditative practices that focus on awareness within the present moment, acknowledging emotions and circumstances without judgment, and developing patience for one’s self and others may all be effective.⁷

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1. Hammerfald, K., C. Eberle, M. Grau, A. Kinsperger, A. Zimmermann, U. Ehlert, and J. Gaab. “Persistent effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management on cortisol responses to acute stress in health subjects – A randomized controlled trial.” Psychoneuroendrocrinology 33 (2006): 333-39.
2. Dimsdale, Joel E., Paul Mills, Thomas Patterson, Michael Ziegler, and Elaine Dillon. “Effects of Chronic Stress on Beta-Edrenergic Receptors in the Homeless.” Psychosomatic Medicine 56 (1994): 290-95.
3. Hammerfald, K., C. Eberle, M. Grau, A. Kinsperger, A. Zimmermann, U. Ehlert, and J. Gaab. “Persistent effects of cognitive-behavioral stress management on cortisol responses to acute stress in health subjects – A randomized controlled trial.” Psychoneuroendrocrinology 33 (2006): 333-39.
4. Ranjit, Nalini, Elizabeth A. Young, and George A. Kaplan. “Material hardship alters the diurnal rhythm of salivary cortisol.” International Journal of Epidemiology 34 (2005): 1138-143.
5. Newcomer, John W., Gregg Selke, Angela K. Melson, Tamara Hershey, Suzanne Craft, Katherine Richards, and Amy L. Alderson. “Decreased Memory Performance in Healthy Humans Induced by Stress-Level Cortisol Treatment.” ARCH GEN PSYCHIATRY 56 (1999): 527-33.
6. MacLean, Christopher R.K., Kenneth G. Walton, Stig R. Wenneberg, Debra K. Levitsky, Joseph P. Mandarino, Rafiq Waziri, Stephen L. Hillis, and Robert H. Schneider. “Effects of the transcendental meditation program on adaptive mechanisms: Changes in hormone levels and responses to stress after 4 months of practice.” Psychoneuroendrocrinology 22 (1997): 277-95.
7. Carlson, Linda E., Michael Speca, Kamala D. Patel, and Eileen Goodey. “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients.” Psychosomatic Medicine 65 (2003): 571

A Prison Solace Poem: thoughts are free…

lms — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:56:43 +0000

Thoughts are free! Who can guess them, -
they rush by like shadows in the night.

No man can know them, no hunter can shoot them.
This is for certain: Thoughts are free!

2
I think what I want and what makes me happy,
but all rather quietly and as it is proper.

My wish and desire cannot be denied.
This is for certain: Thoughts are free!

3
Even if they lock me up in a dark dungeon -
that will just be a futile endeavor.

Because my thoughts tear apart barriers
and throw down walls: Thoughts are free!

4
Therefore I want to forever renounce all worries
and never again entertain stupid ideas.

After all, one can in one’s heart laugh and joke
and all the while think: Thoughts are free!

5
I love my wine, my girl even more,
she pleases me best of all.

(in my mind) I am not alone… with my glass of wine:
My girl is with me. Thoughts are free!

ORIGINAL GERMAN
Die Gedanken sind frei, wer kann sie erraten,
sie fliegen vorbei wie nächtliche Schatten.
Kein Mensch kann sie wissen, kein Jäger erschießen
mit Pulver und Blei, Die Gedanken sind frei!

Ich denke was ich will und was mich beglücket,
doch alles in der Still’, und wie es sich schicket.
Mein Wunsch und Begehren kann niemand mir wehren,
es bleibet dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

Und sperrt man mich ein im finsteren Kerker,
das alles sind rein vergebliche Werke.
Denn meine Gedanken zerreißen die Schranken
und Mauern entzwei, die Gedanken sind frei!

Drum will ich auf immer den Sorgen absagen
und will mich auch nimmer mit Grillen mehr plagen.
Man kann ja im Herzen stets lachen und scherzen
und denken dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

Ich liebe den Wein, mein Mädchen vor allen,
sie tut mir allein am besten gefallen.
Ich sitz nicht alleine bei einem Glas Weine,
mein Mädchen dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!

translation courtesy Dr Elisabeth Siekhaus

Art thou in the Darkness?

lms — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:22:12 +0000

Art thou in the Darkness? Mind it not, for if thou dost it will fill thee more, but stand still and act not, and wait in patience till Light arises out of Darkness to lead thee. Art thou wounded in conscience? Feed not there, but abide in the Light which leads to Grace and Truth, which teaches to deny, and puts off the weight, and removes the cause, and brings saving health to Light. -James Nayler

All who are called, are called to be healers

lms — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 04:35:28 +0000

All who are called, are called to be healers… and so it is of interest to look back to the traditions of the physician healers for what we may learn. The Hippocratic Oath of the physician healers is said to have been written by Hippocrates, who is said to be a descendent of Podalirius, one of two human sons of Asclepius [useless tidbit: the other son died in the battle of Troy, part of the troops in the Trojan horse]. And Hippocrates, through Asclepius, traces his lineage all the way back to Apollo.

Here’s Asclepius’ back story:

Apollo was the god of poetry, healing prophecy and reason and was passionate about humans and in love with a mortal, Coronis
Apollo went off, leaving a white crow to watch over her, but he reported she was in love with someone else
Apollo was so enraged he turned the crow black, and had his sister Artemis kill her, but not before news got out she was carrying his son Asclepius
Apollo plucked Asclepius out and had him raised by Chiron the wise centaur

Why would physicians swear by Asclepius, and not by the most powerful war God, Ares? Because the healing arts, at their best, are meant to be gentle and non-harming arts. That is the meaning of Asclepius’ name: ”unceasingly gentle,” and his healing wife’s name is Epione, which means “soothing.” Aside from their two sons, they also had heavenly daughters: Panacea or ”all health” [goddess of remedies] and Hygeia [goddess of preventative care], Iaso (goddess of medicine), Aigle (goddess of radiance) and Telesphorus (god of convalescence) .

Perhaps the knowledge of the background behind the healing arts will shed a little light on the healing in your ministry. And, if revisiting the Hippocratic Oath can be helpful in sorting out future directions for non harming ministries, how much more helpful would it be if it were to be seriously examined as regards our medical system, its priorities, and its language of war (e.g., cancer war), returning again to language of benificence and justice, health and wholeness.

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Source: Miles, Steven. The Hippocratic Oath and the Ethics of Medicine. 16.