evensong I
The following are reflections on our first Evensong course which took place in the spring of 2007.
The course is based on a book by the Unitarian Universalist minister Barbara Hamilton-Holway.
"At first the experience of being listened to in silence is rather odd - where are the nods and affirmative noises? Perhaps no one is interested in what is being said? But after a short time I began to appreciate the benefits. No one is going to interrupt me or talk across me with their better and more interesting thoughts on the same subject. In the end the quality of active listening was almost tangible in the room. The time we spent at the Evensong group became a soothing oasis in the day where we could have a long cool drink of quietness and calm, and just build up a feeling of being a community."
Caroline Blair
"When the Evensong course was discussed at Management Committee, concern was expressed about the Christian connotations of the name. I know that for a long time to come, when I hear the word Evensong, I will think first of the library at Essex Church, a lighted candle, a circle of chairs and a deep attentive silence. Members of the Society of Friends are asked to "seek to know each other in that which is eternal" and that is the kind of connection I feel to the other regular Evensong participants. Even though it's been nearly a month since the last meeting, I still find myself thinking of things I would like to share in that space, and wondering about how things are working out for others."
Jenny Moy
Two accounts of what it was like to be part of the Evensong group that ran for eight sessions here at Essex Church between January and April this year. The congregation at Essex Church is well known in Unitarian circles for its commitment to running a wide range of small group activities and such groups have been happening here for many years. Evensong was a bit different because it was a closed group; we asked people to commit themselves to attending as many of the eight sessions as they could and once the group began no-one else could join. Participants agreed that this did help to create a safe space in which to be together. Evensong was also different from most of our groups because we were following a published course, written by Unitarian Universalist minister Barbara Hamilton-Holway. Barbara describes the sessions as 'gatherings' which have listening at their core and with the aim of creating a sacred space in which to spend time together. The course included some beautiful readings such as this piece from Buddhist Jack Kornfield who writes:
"The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand.
They are the moments when we touch one other,
when we are there in the most attentive or caring way.
This simple and profound intimacy is the love that we all long for,
these moments of touching and being touched
can become a foundation for a path with a heart,
and they take place in the most immediate and direct way."
Mother Theresa put it like this: "In this life most of us cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love."
Another enjoyable aspect of Evensong was the collection of different readings that were picked out and read from a common bowl. Here are just a few favourites:
"Spiritual love is a position of standing with one hand extended into the world, letting ourselves be a conduit for passing energy."
"Church is wherever in relationships we are encouraged to be more fully, more courageously our unique individual selves."
"In laughter we confess that true living, true compassion, is not about control but about realizing the inherent humour of the universe. We recognize how we are both angels and animals, divine and human..."
"It takes a long time and a lot of practice to become a human being."
There is a second Evensong course book which we will use at some point with another group so if spending time with others in deep and caring listening appeals to you, look out for information about that.
Rev. Sarah Tinker
last updated: 03 Aug 2009
