Greetings from the Lay Ministry team!
Every month the Lay Ministry team and Rev. Claire meet on Zoom. We try to take the pulse of the congregation, see how world events and the pandemic are affecting our faith community, and wonder how we can be helpful. (What we do NOT do is discuss those with whom we work. That is
100% confidential.)
Since the anniversary of the pandemic is coming up, we wondered what good resources we might provide for the congregation. So here is a very personal list compiled from suggestions from several lay ministers. From super practical advice to beautiful spiritual guidance, here are some ideas for you. We have found these various resources to be insightful, calming, helpful. I’m sure each and every one of you has your own favorites as well. Let’s share some of these ideas,
either on the Facebook Follen Friends page— or send an email to layministers@follen.org and we will include your ideas on this blog post.
Thanks!
Books
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Aging as a Spiritual Practice by Lewis Richmond
Breath by Breath by Larry Rosenberg
An Altar in the World by Barbara Taylor Brown
Dusk, Night, Dawn by Annie LaMott
Blogs
Nadia Bolz Weber
Courtney Martin
Kate Bowler
Poetry
The Bell and the Blackbird by David Whyte
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings by Joy Harjo
Anything by Mary Oliver
Anything by Adrienne RIch
And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
Weekday poetry email:
Sign up here: https://www.slowdownshow.org/
Podcasts
Tara Brach
Brené Brown
On Being with Krista Tippett https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/
Apps
Insight TImer
Headspace
Calm
Inscape
YouTube and TED Talks
Eckhart Tolle – youtube.com/user/EckhartTeachings
Tara Brach – youtube.com/user/tarabrach
TEDTalks – Talks that help you manage stress:
ted.com/playlist/315/talks_to_help_you_manage_stres
Other Suggestions
Start a gratitude journal.
Set a sleep schedule on your cell phone (ex: Sleep Focus on iOS) and make an effort to turn off your
screens an hour before bed.
Many companies now offer employee assistance programs specifically for COVID related stress. Check with your HR department to see what resources they offer (ex: mindfulness classes, health
and fitness discounts).
Block an hour every day on your work calendar to focus on your priorities. If you have Microsoft 365, you can do this automatically through Viva Insights or My Analytics.