20/30s gather for online book club
On January 8th a group of 10 folks from the 20/30 community gathered together over Google Hangout to discuss chapter four from Debbie Blue's recent book Consider the Birds: A Provocative Guide to Birds of the Bible. This is the second such event that 20/30 members Katie and Sarah have organized. Katie had originally approached Sarah at the 20/30s retreat in Boston last May and asked if Sarah would be willing to help with an online discussion to drum up excitement for Elizabeth Johnson coming to the Annual Conference in November. A group of 7 discussed Elizabeth Johnson's chapter on Trinity in The Quest for the Living God in July. All were surprised by how connected they felt, how deeply the conversation struck them and how refreshing it was to talk with other progressive Catholics and young spiritual activists and seekers from across the country. Sarah was thrilled to have a space to try out her own vocational hats of teacher and facilitator.
The chapter discussed on January 8th "The Vulture: Ugliness and Beauty" seemed like a perfect follow-up to Elizabeth Johnson's call at the Annual Conference for an all-inclusive Theology of creation. Topics discussed included: how curiosity and imagination can be antidotes to fear, our society's concept of "beauty" and how there is power in seeing beyond it, self-care in being spiritual leaders, and our search for what disturbs and nourishes us.
20/30 plans on continuing such events as a way to spiritually care, theologically deepen and relationally nurture one another in the 20/30s community from a distance. "It is such a great opportunity to hear what folks are doing in their own places and let everyone's particular contexts of working for justice be in dialogue!" says Sarah.
