eCourse

Fully Human, Fully Divine

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 13:02:51 GMT

To embody an idea is to give a concept tangible human form. I can see it! I can touch it! Whitney Simpson’s Fully Human, Fully Divine invites us to an embodied Advent—an embracing of the concepts and ideas of the Advent season fully, with our whole selves. Christ modeled for us what it meant to be both fully human and fully divine. This Advent resource invites us to practice our humanity aware of the light of Christ within us. It challenges us to live right here, right now as we await the birth of the Christ Child, the embodiment of God’s presence.

During a season that can often become stressful and overwhelming, we are rarely permitted time to be present in our own bodies. We forget that our bodies are blessed and consecrated. God did not create the body to bring us doubt or shame, instead, God created us as living, breathing human beings who have the ability to live wholly—body and spirit together.

In this Online Experience, we’ll practice along with author Whitney Simpson. Whitney and Upper Room staff will guide us in practices that turn our focus to the body God created and embrace what it means to be fully human. By letting go of external demands and giving ourselves permission to be present as we listen for God in our lives, we can learn what it looks like to notice and pay attention to our bodies.

Each week of Advent, we will focus on one theme: Slow Down and Hope, Simplify for Peace, Sit with Joy, and Savor God’s Love. Within each week, we’ll experience a rotation of daily practices including breath prayer, mindful movement, lectio divina, visio divina (which utilizes beautiful, colorful works of art each week), Christian meditation, creative contemplation, and practicing presence.

Our Online Experience includes:

Weekly live sessions led by Sharon Conley Cottingham and Upper Room staff members. (via Zoom.) Each Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Central Time (November 30, December 7, 14, and 21.)
Daily readings through the weeks of Advent (November 27-December 25.)
Guided spiritual practices (daily) via video with Whitney Simpson, audio recordings, and written guides.

Finding Your Breath

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:04:34 GMT

Do you find yourself out of breath these days? Are you feeling anxious or unsettled? Or do you simply long for a more grounding awareness of God's presence in your ordinary days? The practices of Lectio Divina (sacred reading) and Centering Prayer are designed to calm our busy minds and bodies and focus our attention on the presence of God.

Centering Prayer is a way of praying developed in the 1970s by Trappist monks William Meninger, M. Basil Pennington, and Thomas Keating. This more contemporary version of Centering Prayer was adapted from the prayer practices of the desert mothers and fathers, described in The Cloud of Unknowing and in the writings of Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and other Christian mystics. The practice invites us to slow our minds and to focus our attention on the loving presence of God.

Lectio Divina, or sacred reading, is a particular way of encountering God in scripture that is different from a more studious approach. Rather than the text being an object of the mind seeking understanding, in Lectio Divina the text is an icon of God that acts upon the heart. The intent is a transforming experience of the presence of God.

These practices are rich and spiritually rewarding, but engaging in a regular practice of any kind can be a challenge. In our eCourse, we'll use the daily readings from J. David Muyskens's Sacred Breath: Forty Days of Centering Prayer and encouragement from a community of people practicing together to inspire one another to engage in regular practice. Each day's practice includes a devotional reading, 20 minutes of Centering Prayer, and a guided Lectio Divina exercise. Seasoned practitioners of Centering Prayer are invited to engage in the full practices, about 45 minutes per day. Those new to the practice are invited to try it a small step at a time and work toward the full practice. Live sessions and the eCourse offer encouragement to grow into the practice free from pressure to do it all.

Finding Your Breath includes:

All essential content from J. David Muyskens's Sacred Breath: Forty Days of Centering Prayer.
Video instruction in Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina.
40 days of guided prayer practices, including daily exercises in devotional reading, Centering Prayer, and Lectio Divina.

Join the eCourse alone or with a group. Group rates (for groups of 5 or more) are available. Private breakout rooms for live sessions and private eCourse classrooms are available. For information on group access, email UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.

Walking In The Wilderness

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:04:28 GMT

Living through social and political upheaval can sometimes feel a lot like wandering in exile through a spiritual desert.

The Upper Room invites you to join us this Lent for an online retreat in which we will hold sacred space for one another and connect with God throughout each day. You may feel like you are walking in the wilderness, but you are not alone. The Holy Spirit travels with us.

The book of Joel reminds us:

"Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for [God] is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing" (Joel 2:12-13, NRSV).

Together, we will embrace the challenge of remembering God?not just during formal worship or daily meditation but throughout the day, a skill to be developed over time, a practice learned over a lifetime. We will also gather weekly for online worship and engage in times of prayer and reflection on scripture. We come hungry to this season of Lent?hungry for words of life, for rituals of preparation, for practices to help us on our way.

Together, let's remember God, receive words of life, and walk through the days of Lent.

Featuring Beth A. Richardson's book Walking in the Wilderness: Seeking God During Lent, our online retreat will include a variety of elements available to you anytime in our online classroom:

Daily devotional readings from the book, available in the online classroom
Space for comments and interaction with other eCourse registrants
Recordings of live sessions from 2021, available for viewing.
Optional: private classrooms and closed discussions are available just for your group or congregation.**

Walking in the Wilderness: Seeking God During Lent is an honest Lenten devotional that invites us to remember God as much as we can; in doing so, we will maintain a true center during this holy time.

We invite you to engage as you are able. You are not required to participate in every element of the online retreat.

Join our open group and make new friends, or request a private classroom for your group of 5 or more and delve into Walking in the Wilderness: An Online Lenten Retreat with The Upper Room with those you know.

Week One: Entering the Wilderness | Isaiah 58
Week Two: Wandering in the Wilderness | Exodus 16
Week Three: The experience of Exile | Ezekiel 37:1-14
Week Four: Singing the Songs of Exile | Psalm 137
Week Five: Jesus in the Wilderness | Luke 4:1-13
Week Six: The Wilderness of Holy Week

Private group breakout rooms are available during these live events.

* For private classroom pricing and information, contact us at UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.

This Blue Christmas

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:04:23 GMT

The Gospel of John reminds us, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (John 1:5). In this season that feels dark to many, as people of faith we have the promise of enduring light. But we'll need to look for it! What difficulty will the season of Advent hold for you this year? Separation from family? Financial distress? Isolation? The distress of living with the deep unknown? In the midst of the darkness, there is light!

The Upper Room invites you to join us this Advent as we seek the Light in a season of darkness. Together, we will spend daily time reflecting on the light of the season and engage in times of prayer and reflection on scripture.

Featuring Todd Outcalt's book Blue Christmas, our online experience will include:

Daily devotional readings from Blue Christmas: Devotions of Light in a Season of Darkness.
Guided prayer and scripture readings (audio recordings).
Space for comments and interaction with other eCourse registrants.

Blue Christmas: Devotions of Light in a Season of Darkness is an honest Advent devotional that meets people where they are?in their hurts, fears, and disappointments?and offers them hope through the birth of Jesus Christ. In our online experience, we'll gather around this devotional guide to experience scripture, meditation, and prayer, and we will be moved to action together.

Listening Through Lent

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:04:02 GMT

Do you love hymns? Songs of faith shape our understanding of spiritual truths; they remind us who God is. When we listen to hymns, the music awakens our auditory imagination and embeds the words into our memories. Lingering in our hearts and minds, hymns offer a regular reminder of God's loving and compassionate presence with us. This artful combination of music and lyric is a great gift.

Our Lenten eCourse, featuring James C. Howell's Unrevealed Until Its Season: A Lenten Journey with Hymns, centers on key phrases of well-loved hymns. "Take My Moments," "One Little Word Shall Fell Him," "Mystic Sweet Communion," and "Wonderful Words"?phrases like these become the rich subject matter for daily readings from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. Join us for this Lenten reflection of hymns as we explore these themes:

Merciful and Mighty: Hymns Praising God
Beautiful Savior: Hymns About Jesus
Prone to Wander: Hymns of Forgiveness
Thy Presence My Light: Hymns of Vision
With Joy Surround You: Hymns of Beauty
Stony the Road: Hymns of Holy Week
Love's Redeeming Work: Hymns of Easter

Our eCourse includes:

A daily meditation (reading) for each of the 40 days of Lent
Weekly recorded videos with author James C. Howell
A live webinar with author Rev. Dr. James C. Howell on Tuesday, February 15 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. (CST)*
Weekly live sessions with Upper Room staff each Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (CST)

The Upper Room's live sessions will be offered on Zoom and include teaching as well as group discussion. They will begin March 9 and will conclude April 13.

*To prepare for the upcoming Lenten season, join author Rev. Dr. James C. Howell and The Upper Room Publisher Rev. Kimberly Orr as they talk about music, life, and Lent. Register for the free webinar here.

The Wondrous Mystery

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:03:44 GMT

We live in strange times. Our world is shifting and changing, and we are increasingly aware of our vulnerability and uncertainty. The season of Advent invites us to embrace the yet unknown?to pay attention to what we do not see with our eyes and what we do not understand. It's a season that asks us to wait expectantly and hopefully, though we may not be at all certain just what we are waiting for.

As Christians, we are empowered by our knowledge of Jesus Christ: we know that Jesus was born, lived among us, was crucified, and rose from the dead and that through Christ we are given the profound gift of eternal life. But, at the first Advent, those who watched and waited did not have such assurance; they did not know what we know now. These people who had heard the prophets' foretelling and who were waiting for the Messiah?how did they experience the first Advent? Isaiah answers, "The people who walked in the darkness have seen a great light." (Isaiah 9:2, NRSV) As we watch and wait this Advent amid great uncertainty, we have much to learn from the saints who came before us.

Let's watch and wait together. The Wondrous Mystery: An Upper Room Advent eCourse will be led by Sharon Conley Cottingham, Director of Formational Learning for The Upper Room, and attended by friends of The Upper Room. Our daily readings will come from The Wondrous Mystery, a collection of meditations from Weavings, an award-winning Christian journal published by The Upper Room. Written by exceptional authors, including Henri J. M. Nouwen, Barbara Brown Taylor, Wendell Berry, Sue Monk Kidd, Wendy M. Wright, and John S. Mogabgab, these meditations will challenge us to reflect on the wondrous mystery of God and on the ways that Jesus' birth upends the world as we know it and signals the beginning of God's kingdom.

Our eCourse includes:

Daily meditations from The Wondrous Mystery
Audio recordings of the daily meditations
Daily reflection questions

The Coming Messiah

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:03:39 GMT

HOPE | LOVE | PEACE | JOY

It's fair to say that most everyone is hungry for more these days?more hope, more love, more peace, more joy. These beautiful gifts can feel elusive and difficult to fully experience amid the stressors of everyday life. In the times we're experiencing now with a global pandemic, rampant evidence of racism, nature regularly revealing her power to wreak havoc, and deep uncertainty about the future, it can feel all the more challenging to remain rooted and grounded in God's goodness. As we move toward the end of this year, though, we move toward Advent.

The word Advent means "coming," and we celebrate and anticipate the arrival of Jesus?Immanuel, "God with us." During this season, we hear the good news of Jesus' birth, and we take part in traditions that reflect this story through the gifts we bring, the songs we sing, and the gatherings of friends, family, and faith communities. But how does the coming of Jesus personally speak into our human story in a season like that of 2022?

This eCourse invites you to join author Marsha Crockett in an exploration of the HOPE, LOVE, PEACE, and JOY that the coming of Jesus offers. You'll be invited into guided times of prayer and quiet reflection?all accessible via mobile device. The guided meditations invite you to look deeper, to linger longer, and to approach boldly the beauty of the coming Messiah.

This eCourse is designed to be simple, easily accessible, and supportive of your daily practice during Advent. You may choose to read or listen to daily meditations, which are read by author Marsha Crockett (each recording is five minutes or less). It is primarily a solo practice, but there will be space for you to share comments with other eCourse participants. You'll be invited to a reflection and prayer practice each Monday through Friday of Advent. Prayer practices include breath prayer, lectio divina, prayers of imagination, contemplative questions, and others. Each day's reflection ends with a blessing. Weekends are reserved for a practice of the Examen?a simple exercise of noticing the presence of God.

The Upper Room's longing for you is that this Advent will be full of the hope, love, peace, and joy that Jesus brings.

Soul Reset

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:03:34 GMT

Everything was going fine ? until it wasn't. For Reverend Junius B. Dotson it took an actual breakdown during a funeral for him to realize he needed a reset. As he recalls his own journey through grief, depression, burnout, and emotional breakdown, Dotson is passionate about calling for a Soul Reset. He is calling out to all of us: pastors, church leaders, and all disciples of Jesus Christ.

This eCourse edition of Soul Reset is a 7-session study designed for anyone who moves at breakneck speed through their daily lives, often relying only on their own strength to bring God's kingdom on earth. Jesus shows us a different way, a more natural, unforced rhythm of what kingdom work looks like. It's a balance of work, rest, play, worship, exercise, and eating well?spiritual practices that keep our souls hydrated and healthy. At our best, we do our best in the work of the church in the world.

This October 4-November 19, 2021 version of our eCourse included both asynchronous (accessible anytime) and synchronous (at a particular time) sessions. Synchronous sessions were recorded for viewing in the eCourse at any time. Asynchronous reading material, video, and a place for chatted conversation are available anytime once you register.

Soul Reset author Junius B. Dotson died in 2021 after a brief bout with pancreatic cancer. We miss him, are ever grateful for his legacy, and are pleased to offer this eCourse in his honor. Our synchronous sessions were offered by longtime friend and colleague of Junius, Rev. Dr. Ronald Bell.

Private eCourse classrooms with group rates are available upon request. If you are interested, email us at UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.

Practicing Compassion

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:02:31 GMT

Compassion is more than a sympathetic feeling?it is the bond of human connection. Most religions lift up compassion, yet few people actually teach how to practice it.

Through rich and moving stories of people from various faiths, Frank Rogers, an Academy for Spiritual Formation faculty and advisory board member, shows ways to incorporate compassion in our daily lives. His interfaith perspective on mercy, kindness, and caring for one another trains us to Pay attention, Understand empathically, Love with connection, Sense the sacredness, and Embody new life (PULSE). Key to Rogers' instruction is that we begin our compassion practice by extending compassion to ourselves. Getting in touch with our breath, with our own belovedness, and grounding ourselves in the midst of tumultuous emotions is where we start our practice of extending compassion to the world.

Our eCourse includes:

All essential content from Frank Rogers' book, Practicing Compassion
Video introductions to each chapter with Frank Rogers
Audio recordings of guided meditations
Questions for personal reflection
A place to exchange comments with others learning to practice compassion

Endorsements for Practicing Compassion

"Everybody believes in compassion, but nobody tells you how to practice it. Until now. Frank Rogers turns compassion into a doable, daily practice?as simple as catching your breath and taking your pulse. If you want to read a book that actually has the capacity to change your life (and the world), beginning today, this is exactly what you need." ?Brian D. McLaren, Author/speaker/blogger/activist (brianmclaren.net)

"If you want clear, practical guidance on how to cultivate the inner resources to become a healing presence and force of good for the world, there is no better book than this and no better guide than Frank Rogers." ?John Makransky, Professor of Comparative Theology, Boston College; Author of Awakening through Love

Academy Recommends eCourses seek to highlight content that aligns with The Academy for Spiritual Formation's mission to create transformative space for people to connect with God, self, others, and creation for the sake of the world.

Private eCourse classrooms with group rates are available upon request. If you are interested, email us at UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.

One Breath At A Time

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:02:00 GMT

Meditation is a practice growing in popularity. Used to reduce stress and to increase relaxation, meditative practices invite us to bring mindful attention to body and breath. But how does meditation fit into Christianity, and how does it differ from prayer?

One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic's Guide to Christian Meditation reframes meditation for those who are skeptical because (1) they doubt their ability to be still and quiet and (2) they doubt the validity of meditation as a Christian spiritual practice. Using scripture, theology, and examples from the early church, this book challenges the prayer habits of Christians that leave little room for enough silence to experience and listen for God.

Using five approaches?breath meditation, lectio divina, centering meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and devotional meditation?One Breath at a Time provides a practical, 40-day guide to beginning and sustaining a Christian meditation practice in an often chaotic world.

This eCourse, based on J. Dana Trent's book One Breath at a Time, offers basic instruction in the five approaches to meditation named above: breath meditation, lectio divina, centering meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and devotional meditation.

Learn first, and then practice! Following the basic instruction is an invitation and guide to 40 days of meditation practice. You are encouraged to work at your own pace. The eCourse content?videos, all the reading material from One Breath at a Time, and space for comments?is available anytime.

Participants in the eCourse are invited to join a live session with J. Dana Trent on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at noon (CDT). This session will be recorded for those unable to attend live. Register here.

Testimonials

"Whether you are new to meditation, lapsed in your practice, or simply curious, you have found the right teacher. Dana Trent is not only wise about the ways in which our tech-driven lives are stunting our spiritual growth but also serious about offering us an invitation to be still with God for a few moments each day. The added bonus of her skepticism is that she knows how hard that can be and why it remains essential for our soul's health.'
Barbara Brown Taylor, author of Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others

"Dana's journey into contemplation is, to me, a sign of the times. As we reach for a still point in the turning world, meditation isn't a flight from the world of action but a way of staying centered in the midst of it. One breath at a time, indeed."
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, author of Reconstructing the Gospel

Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:01:49 GMT

Practice seeing blessings all around you! Upper Room author Beth A. Richardson invites us to practice the Celtic way of seeing God in everyday life. Through Beth's written blessings and stories, we're invited to live into a regular practice of gratitude and noticing?practices that encourage us to be aware of God all around us. Drawing on her own Celtic heritage, Beth weaves personal story and written blessings into a book you'll want to have ready for life's ordinary and extraordinary moments.

In our online course, you'll meet Beth through brief videos, hear her read aloud both story and blessing, and be guided in writing blessing prayers of your own.

Our eCourse includes:

All essential content from Beth's book, Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me: Celtic Blessings.
Introductory video for each section.
Audio recordings of Beth reading blessings and telling her family story.
A place to share your thoughts and blessings with others who will join in along the way.

Why This Jubilee?

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:01:39 GMT

Music is such an important part of Advent and Christmas. Can you imagine Advent without "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"? How about Christmas without carols like "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Silent Night," and "Joy to the World"?

It pleases the Lord Jesus when we sing of his coming with carols we know by heart. It pleases him even more when we think about the words we are singing.

In twenty-four reflections on well-known carols and Christmas songs, James Howell explores the birth of Jesus. He ponders the meaning of certain phrases from these songs and relates them to our daily lives.

Our eCourse includes weekly video introductions from author James Howell, beautiful recorded renditions of Christmas songs, audio recordings of weekly prayers, all of the daily readings included in Howell's book, and a place for group discussion.

The four weeks of Advent are arranged by themes:

The Place
The Men (Joseph, shepherds, magi)
The Mother
The Child

Join James Howell and new or old friends in this rich remembrance for the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Private eCourse classrooms with group rates are available upon request. If you are interested, email us at UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.

The God We Can Know

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:01:04 GMT

God wants to be known!

The Gospel of John records several declarations by Jesus known as "I Am" sayings. With each statement, Jesus uses vivid images to capture our imagination, revealing more about his identity and purpose.

In this 7-week eCourse, we'll explore along with author Rob Fuquay what Jesus meant when he said, "I Am...the Bread of Life; the Light of the World; the Good Shepherd; the True Vine; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; the Resurrection and the Life."

Videos of Rob's teaching in the Holy Land will capture your imagination. Readings that offer deeper insight into each week's topic will give you food for thought. Opportunities to discuss with others what you are learning will enrich your experience.

Private eCourse classrooms with group rates are available upon request. If you are interested, email us at UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.